By Kini Nsom
A news item carrying the SDF Chairman, John Fru Ndi's views and the stance of his party on members of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, was February 2 censored on CRTV radio.
Fru Ndi (M) His right to be heard curtailed
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The news item filed in from Bamenda by the CRTV Northwest Regional correspondent, Colday Ndofeke, centered on a press conference the SDF Chieftain held February 1 in Bamenda.
The presenter of the early morning news bulletin, "Cameroon This Morning," John Mbah Akuro, had broadcast the intro in the news headlines, quoting Fru Ndi as saying that his party will not allow the CPDM-dominated ELECAM to organise elections in Cameroon.
Listeners waited for the report in the second part of the news in vain.
There was no excuse from the news presenter as to why he did not broadcast the report of the story he announced in the headlines. When The Post contacted John Mbah by phone to find out what happened with the report, he replied rather laconically. 'I cannot explain to you what happened,' he barked out with a quiver of anger in his voice.
However, The Post learnt from sources in CRTV that as soon as the headline heralding the report on Fru Ndi's press conference was read, a senior official in the house called the journalist and ordered him to take away the item from the news menu of the day.
According to our sources, the Director of Information at the CRTV radio, Alain Belibi, later convened a meeting in which he castigated Mbah Akuro for being an agent of SDF subversive stories.
Belibi is quoted to have said nobody has instructed him to ban Fru Ndi's ideas on radio but said he was taking his responsibility as Director of Information to make sure that any anti-government declarations by Fru Ndi should not be broadcast on CRTV radio. He reportedly vowed that he was going to make sure that Mbah Akuro is sanctioned for attempting to broadcast such a subversive report.
It was reported that the news item that was censored had excerpts of Fru Ndi's press statement that calls on well meaning political parties to boycott all elections until a truly independent electoral management body is put in place in Cameroon.
He is said to have equally called on the diplomatic community to stop any endeavours to fund ELECAM because it will not organise any elections that will not represent the will of the Cameroonian people.
The Post learnt that CRTV radio equally gave a blackout to the SDF extra-ordinary National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting that held in Yaounde recently, calling on President Biya to reverse the ELECAM appointments.
While reacting to these acts of censorship, the Secretary General of the SDF, Dr. Elizabeth Tamanjong, said it is unfortunate that CRTV managers were still guided by the one party mentality. She said by censoring the stance of the SDF on important national issues, CRTV was doing a disservice to the nation even though its managers are feeding fat on the tax payers' money.
"Cameroon Calling" Producers Threaten
Meanwhile, journalists who are contributors to the Sunday morning news magazine programme, "Cameroon Calling," have issued a two-week ultimatum to management, threatening to dumb the slot if arrears of their allowances are not paid. Journalists are expected to have FCFA 300, 000 a month for the production of the programme, The Post learnt. But they have since been complaining that they have not received a dime of the production money for 15 months.
They are pointing accusing fingers at the Director of radio production for allegedly swindling the cash and accusing the General Manager of staying quiet. They have given two weeks to management to arrest the situation or face the music.
But I thought this is one of those things Biya prides himself to have brought to Cameroon in addition to 'democracy' - a free press/freedom of speech.Slowly but surely I can see his 'legacies' fade away one after the other.What exactly will he be remembered for after his several years at the helm of the State?I feel really sorry for him.
Posted by: Nditam | Friday, 06 February 2009 at 11:53 AM
He is said to have equally called on the diplomatic community to stop any endeavours to fund ELECAM because it will not organise any elections that will not represent the will of the Cameroonian people.
Can some one help out with the meaning of this statement. May be Kini Nsom ( the author) can help me out
The way Biya is manipulating Cameroonians shows that he has a good mastery of them. Barking dogs do not bite of course. He is really exploiting the division among opposition parties and Anglophones with impunity . He has reinforced the rigging machinery with ELECAM
Massa John said there will be war in Cameroon if the National constitution is modified. Nothing happened when finally it was modified. Later he hurriedly held a meeting overnight and submitted half baked facts to the court not to install members of ELECAM.They were finally installed. Yet nothing happened
Now he is saying that elections will not take place under this ELECAM.
By the time the elections will finally take place before his own eyes massa ni john will say the president will not be installed and so on and so forth. Empty mouth, nothing put in practice is the watch word of SDF
Chairman, you are fast confused and running out of ideas. Can you step down for some one else to continue?
Posted by: Radicalbrother | Saturday, 07 February 2009 at 08:04 AM
Fru Ndi should by now know who is dealing with . All his guys are old and not updated with modern world ideas. they ought to have been way too smart by now to know certain ways to deal with biya's Government.To me this was too raw and crude. Fru Ndi should've put his mechanism effectively in way that if the Crtv refuse his cominque the most be a plan B beside " when the hunter learn to shoot without missing the birds learn to fly without landing". Fru Ndi think the most be away out but NOT VOILENCE. God bless Cameroon
Posted by: rolex | Saturday, 07 February 2009 at 11:59 AM
Radicalbrother I luv ur point . Can this go out to the masses to hear.
Posted by: rolex | Saturday, 07 February 2009 at 12:04 PM