Manipulation of public opinion: leaks and intellectual
gymnastics
Parliament is presently in session and much amusement
is coming out of the goings on in and out of the
House, both from the opposition and the majority
groups. The gallery politics that the opposition has
played during the last 10 years has again come to the
fore, in spite of efforts to manipulate public opinion
to the contrary.Following the reported walkout of the opposition
parliamentary group over differences over the
participation of Fon Doh who is serving a 15-year term
for murder, and the suspension of the session, they
came back to the House on resumption and we were
informed that a CPDM Deputy read the 23 names of
bureau members given him by the Speaker, apparently to
the consternation of the same opposition that had come
back to the House.
This confusion indicated that there
was no binding, negotiated position before resumption– so it is difficult to conjecture why the opposition
came back to the House at all, if not just to ensure
that they were part of the bureau. One would have
expected that the mere appearance of Fon Doh in the
House would have brought it to a standstill, until hewas formally evacuated.A few years ago during the same exercise of forming a
bureau of the House, there were the same
gesticulations because of the same Fon Doh who was
already charged with murder. At that time, at the
final count, it was the leader of the opposition group
who read the list of 23 to the House, with Fon Doh’s
name featuring on the list! The reading of the names
brought the matter to a close. This time again, the
reading of the names has brought the matter to a
close, since the opposition is back in the House in
spite of their initial promise that they would no
longer return to the House if the Fon remained a
member of the bureau. In any case, feelings of
betrayal do not matter, so long as the "leaders" are
satisfied. In order to manipulate public opinion, there have been
publications in the media with headlines "Biya bans
Fon Doh from Assembly", "Outraged, Biya bans Fon Doh
from Asembly, also from Yaounde"...! Banned from
Yaounde or not, this does not mean that he has lost
his position of secretary in the bureau of the House.
After all, the Fon came to Yaounde to ensure his
retention in the bureau. He accomplished his mission,
so all this opinion manipulation will not detract from
the confusion that reigns in the opposition
parliamentary group.There has been much talk in Cameroon on the extent to
which Parliament wastes the nation’s resources doing
virtually nothing year in, year out. Each year,
virtually all of the few bills that are tabled for
debate and adoption in the House are from the
government. Although the constitution of the country,
and the internal rules and regulations of the House
allow for the tabling of private members’ bills, this
is hardly ever the case. If we consider that in a two
year session of the Congress of the USA, members
proposed 11,602 bills in the House and 4080 in the
Senate, bringing the total to 15,682 bills proposed by
members, the performance of our parliament, especially
of opposition parliamentarians can be said to be very
wanting. Of all these bills proposed by the American
law makers, only 664 (4 %) were enacted into law.
Therefore the excuse usually given that there are no
such bills in our own House because they would not be
adopted does not hold much water. The fact of tabling
a bill at all is impportant enough!
Some opposition political parties are upfront asking
for the involvement of ELECAM in the upcoming
elections.
Yet, there is no evidence that any private
member’s bill has been proposed to amend the 18-month
clause in the law on ELECAM. There has been no motion
in parliament to cause the house to set up a
commission to investigate the fairness of the
registration of voters in Cameroon. It does not matter
that some or all of these would have been rejected by
the overwhelming majority controlled by the CPDM
party, but the records would show that at least, the
opposition took this route.
As for the majority bench, an infamous group called
G10 has emerged from nowhere! We get from a leaked
document that their mission is to propose a bill to
amend the constitution of Cameroon by changing the
Presidential mandate back to 5 years, renewable for
perpetuity! It would be remembered that after 15 years
in power, Biya wanted a "new" start, so the
7-year-mandate- renewable- once clause was introduced in
the 1996 constitution. It was the only new article of
the constitution implemented immediately in 1997; the
others are still waiting today to be implemented"progressively" ! Once the change to a 7-year term
became effective, there was much noise about "premier
septennat" Since 2004 when the second 7-year term
started, no one has talked about "dernier septennat"
because of subterranean "reflections" on how to
engineer a "new" start come 2011. This other effort to
manipulate public opinion on the prospect for this"new" start is orchestrated by the G10 whose
spokesperson recently declared that "Nous avons le
droit de mener une refexion intellectuelle" (we have
the right to engage in an intellectual exercise).
Yet, the fact of using superlatives to describe a
person who is only the second president in the history
of Cameroon smacks of intellectual dishonesty.
Further, invoking Clinton as a very good president
that was set aside because of term limits ignores the
fact that he was the 41st president of the USA, and
only got to the presidency because of the regular
changes imposed by the term limits. If since 1789 when
the first president took up office in the USA each
president served 25 years or more, Clinton may never
have been identified! Furthermore, it is usually said that Cameroon has over
200 "tribes" or ethnic groups. Mr. Biya belongs to
just one of them. In principle, following his
election, he no longer belongs to any tribe since he
represents all the tribes in Cameroon. Our G10"intellectuals" think that he has done so well that he
can continue to represent us all in perpetuity.
One
would have thought that in the same logic, a President
of a Regional Council, a Senator, an MP, a Mayor, etc.
could come from just any ethnic group and still serve
the interest of the people they represent very well.
But the G10 thinks otherwise. The infamous group says
that those who do not originate from a constituency
(allogènes as they are called in French) do not have a
full grasp of the realities of the constituency and
therefore cannot represent it well. In any case, these
are just intellectual gymnastics to get adherents for
their mission to amend the constitution.
Those who
have been marching against non-indigenes of "their
areas" will offer their support. Further, the G10
project includes a request for the institution of a
status for the opposition. This has the same aim of
getting different interest groups on board. After all,
some opposition leaders have been clamouring for
salaries and a status from the regime, so their
private interests are served by the proposal.Communication is the key to the control of public
opinion. Those who make mistakes politics cover them
up with it. Those who put their private interests
ahead of all other interests manipulate public opinion
with it. Those who have secret agendas prepare public
opinion through it. Ink and airwaves are already at
the service of G10 to prepare public opinion for the
advent of their project. The majority and minority
benches in parliament are trying to outdo each other
in this use of ink and airwaves to send us to sleep
while they pursue their selfish agendas!
Prof. Tazoacha Asonganyi
Yaounde.
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Southern Cameroons: Concerns Over Political Rights
With reference to the mandates and mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), this written statement wishes to bring to the attention of the HRC current cases of grave human rights violations committed against indigenous peoples, minorities and other marginalised groups in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
IFPRERLOM is moreover concerned about the situation with regard to respect for internationally recognised civil and political rights in Cameroon, with reference to all its citizens, including the wide variety of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and other groups and peoples in the country. 20 January 2007 saw the most recent of a sustained series of arrests and persecutions, when a press conference held in Bamenda was met by authorities with a devastating response. Mr. Nfor Ngala Nfor (54), Mbinglo H. Humphrey (65), Tantoh Simon Nshukwi (65), Mbi Ann Rita (60), Nguemu Clement Atanga (60), Lucas Ngwa Che (57), Achu Nji David (56), Stephen Kongnso (45), Dzeni Augustine Shieyntum (36), Henry Lamnyam (35) and Mongo Steven (43), (all representatives of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC)) were arrested, some reportedly beaten, and at the time of writing, more than a month later, all remain in Bamenda Central Prison without formal charges brought against them. Bail hearings scheduled for 13 and 20 February 2007 have so far been repeatedly postponed. IFPRERLOM denounces this breach of international law guaranteeing individuals freedom of expression and assembly and the right to due legal process, and calls upon the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression to investigate these cases of arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention and seek assurances from the Government of Cameroon that all individuals, including those belonging to the various ethno-cultural and linguistically diverse peoples of particular concern to IFPRERLOM, are afforded rights as laid out by internationally recognised standards of Human Rights. We also urge the serious consideration of a country visit to Cameroon to observe, document and report on the situation with regards to freedom of expression and freedom of speech without fear of censorship and punishment.
Southern Cameroons: Urge People not to Vote
Describing the call by the SCNC to Southern Cameroonians to “boycott” the legislative and municipal elections as “unpatriotic and unreasonable” he [Mr. Simon Ndeh Chi] pledges that his organisation “has as primordial role to sensitise and educate the population of Cameroon on the importance of getting their names on the voters register”. But which Cameroon?
While congratulating Mr. Ndeh Chi and his CAHRDP for their ambitious programme, we however regret his misunderstanding of the SCNC position on La Republique du Cameroun’s elections. We have not called Southern Cameroonians to “boycott” the elections. To boycott an election is to express and demonstrate your disapproval of, for example, the bad electoral law, poor registration of voters, among others. Why? Because, being undemocratic, you are convinced that your party will be disadvantaged. It is a political party that boycotts an election for it has legal and legitimate stakes in the elections. But the SCNC has nothing to do with NEO and MINATD or ELECAM nor La Republique du Cameroun’s elections in general.
The message of the SCNC to Southern Cameroonians is clear and simple. Southern Cameroonians are not citizens of La Republique du Cameroun and as such they have nothing to do with elections of a foreign country.
It is interesting to note that Nde Chi understands that the SCNC is clamouring for the independence of Southern Cameroons. In reality the SCNC is engaged in a pacific struggle to restore the statehood and sovereign independence of Southern Cameroons. Southern Cameroons that became self-governing in 1954 and during the centinary celebration of the founding of Victoria in 1958 was described by Commissioner J.O. Field as a promising emerging nation of the Commonwealth has never been an integral part of French Cameroun that became self governing in 1957 and independent as La Republique du Cameroun on January, 1, 1960. Under international law once a nation a[c]cedes to independence its international boundaries become inviolable and immutable.
May it please Ndeh Chi to know that in Africa there are two Congos and three Guineas. Respecting inherited colonial boundaries, the foundation of modern African nations, each exercises its sovereignty and elections in Congo Brazzaville, for example, do not involve citizens of Democratic Republic of Congo - Guinea Conakry respecting its colonial boundaries inherited at independence as declared by the African Charter and International Law, did not annex and occupy Guinea Bissau after helping to oust imperial Portugal in a bloody anti colonial war. Consequently citizens of Guinea Bissau do not vote in elections of Guinea Conakry.
In case Ndeh Chi is hungry for some election money from Yaounde as he says it is the duty of his organisation to campaign for voters registration, it is their belletic democratic right to join the band wagon as we hear there is much of the money circulating around just for the asking. But may we remind him that General Charles de Gaulle never for any moment campaigned for his country men of France, to support Hitler when France was occupied by Germany in the second world war. Charles de Gaulle never for a moment recognised even Hitler’s Vichy puppet regime installed in the South of France. Though led by a French man, Maretchal Petain, de Gaulle and other French patriots and nationalists denounced the Vichy puppet regime as traitors and mobilised both French men and international support and Hitler’s Germany was defeated and the Vichy puppet regime collapsed like a park of cards. France was liberated and restored to its sovereignty.
Charles de Gaulle in his campaign to [solicit] support from French Africa held meeting in Brazzaville for French Equatorial Africa. French Cameroun was there and contributed massively for the war effort for the liberation of France. Southern Cameroons as a UN Trust Territory under UK Administration was not party to the Brazzaville Conference nor did a single Southern Cameroonian die fighting for “vive la France.”
Ndeh Chi in further manifesting his ignorance describes SCNC’s position as “unpatriotic and unreasonable”. Certainly Ndeh Chi will describe General Charles de Gaulle as unpatriotic and unreasonable to Hitler’s Germany. But ask any French man and any who claims to be the “best pupil” of de Gaulle or of any other French president and you will be told without mixing words, that President Charles de Gaulle is the greatest French nationalist, patriot and leader. Ndeh Chi should like to know why?
Because he removed the national humiliation France suffered under Hitler’s Germany and restored France to her sovereignty, prestige, grandeur and glory. Is France not a superpower in the world?
Having removed the blinding scales from Ndeh Chi’s mind’s eyes may he now come to terms with this reality. SCNCs stand and campaign is the evident mark of nationalism, patriotism and reason fortified by international law, international treaties governing the boundary that separates Southern Cameroons from La Republique du Cameroun just as the latter is separated from Gabon, Congo Brazzaville and Chad by international boundaries that must be respected.
Elections the world over are territorially organised, defined and determined. This explains why:
1. When citizens of le Cameroun Francaise voted in February 1960 to transform their country into a Republique, citizens of Southern Cameroons were never involved.
2. When citizens of Southern Cameroons voted in the UN - sponsored plebiscite of February 11, 1961, were citizens of La Republique du Cameroun involved? No.
3. When even in the defunct Federation of 1961 - 1972, citizens of West Cameroon (Southern Cameroons) went to the polls in 1968 to elect their parliamentarians, did the citizens of East Cameroon (La Republique du Cameroun) vote? The answer is a capital NO!.
Simon Ndeh Chi as a full blooded Mankon man will agree with me that the day “fire - quenches” or the “sun sets” in Mankon as our people de Motaphorically do say and the Kingmakers are concerting for a successor, not even, Nkwen, Bafut or Chumba, Kingmakers or Fons will be consulted.
We are happy Ndeh Chi fully reckons with the effectiveness of the SCNC campaign for ZERO VOTER REGISTRATION! ZERO VOTE! through out the length and breadth of Southern Cameroons. Southern Cameroonians by not registering to vote in the June elections organised by La Republique du Cameroun are body, soul and mind;
a) Voting for the restoration of their statehood and sovereign independence.
b) Calling on La Republique du Cameroun to withdraw its occupation forces and administrators from Southern Cameroons and give peace a chance in the Sub region.
c) Calling on the international Community to recognise and in conformity with international obligations and norms defend the inalienable right of Southern Cameroons to national self-determination. This is an inalienable democratic right of Southern Cameroonians.
With these clarifications Ndeh Chi will certainly become a true human rights defender, a true promoter of democracy and a true preacher of sustainable peace which can only be founded on JUSTICE and TRUTH. Southern Cameroons is a distinct nation and its identity must be preserved, defended and projected by its citizens
The international Community, which highly commends the pacific struggle of the Southern Cameroonian people is fully aware of the SCNC campaign for ZERO VOTER REGISTRATION! ZERO VOTE!! and is anxiously monitoring to see its effectiveness, result and the sacred determination of the Southern Cameroonian people to put away the yoke of annexation and occupation so that Southern Cameroons takes its seat as a free sovereign nation among the family of nations of the democratic world.
That the campaign is successful is not only attested to by Ndeh Chi, the anxiety and confusion in the CPDM and SDF camps is self eloquent. Have you ever heard of votes being bought even in the open market? Have you ever heard of opposition parties, MPs and aspirants raising money to bribe CPDM DOs so that eligible voters are registered? Will the loyalty of the D.O’s be to their MINATD boss or to the givers of envelopes they receive from opposition?
I take this opportunity to wholeheartedly salute the NEW SOUTHERN CAMEROONS NATIONALISM for national rebirth. SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS stand firm. Victory is on your side.
SCNC Mail
