SCNC National Chairman, Nfor Ngala Nfor Writes to Anglophone Lawyers

30^th April 2014

Dear Compatriots Common Law Lawyers,

WE MUST BE OUR OWN REDEEMERS

The Southern Cameroons National Council brings you warm and fraternal greetings.

It has come to our knowledge that the colonial regime of la Republique du Cameroun, as it is in the nature of every imperial power, is about to scrap our legal heritage, the Common Law system, and in its place impose the Napoleonic Code. Furthermore, we have learnt that some of you went to Yaounde to protest this planned act.

Though not armed with details of your plan and those of the colonial occupier of our land, we salute your courage and determination to use all legitimate means to defend what you cherish and believe in. We equally applaud your inherent rights to protect and preserve your heritage in order to bequeath a befitting and proud legacy to our descendants.

However, it distinctly occurs to us that this is a sacred moment for us all collectively to review our colonial state of existence. As lawyers, you fully well understand the implications of condoning a trespass, refusing to challenge the trespass and then challenging individual actions that occur within the trespass you have condoned.

Some of our people, whether willingly or unwillingly, have refused to see that the colonial regime has a carefully planned and laid down agenda for the total annihilation of the British Southern Cameroons. The Napoleonic Code is simply one among many laws and schemes that have already been passed and implemented with our silence or that are yet to be passed or executed in spite of our gesticulations. Their own experts, though belatedly, have come to affirm with us and said it loud and clear that there is no legal bond between their country, la Republique du Cameroun, and our country, the British Southern Cameroons. Yet, out of vain fear, we British Southern Cameroonians are unable to assert our inherent and unquestionable right over our own country, to our own system, our own posterity, our own resources and our own way of life.

Why must we be contented with a subservient position and seek to defend privileges and favours from the coloniser? The permanent solution does not lie in panel beating our battered image to any acceptable form. It lies in de-annexation and establishment of effective control and exercise of sovereign powers and defense of inherent rights in our own country. That is when we will be respected as free men and women. 

The SCNC believes that in defense of group interests – journalists, teachers, lawyers, students, artists, okada riders, among others – is simply playing into the coloniser’s policy and game of divide and rule. The more we form such groups without a common agenda, vision, the more we facilitate the coloniser’s diabolic game plan of selectivity and dealing with our narrow agendas. Individually we are weak, very weak and inconsequential and in small groups we are vulnerable. The mistakes of yesterday must be avoided and now is the time.

To solve the problem of the Common Law and Lawyers, the teachers or the so-called Anglophone sub sector of Education, the students’ crying for equal opportunities, retired civil servants who can’t get their pension as obtained in the good days of British Southern Cameroons, among others, is to unite and adopt a holistic approach to the problem, namely, the Restoration of the statehood of British Southern Cameroons with its government in Buea.

We must stop looking up to Yaounde for a solution to a problem it deliberately created to make us perpetually subservient for its grandeur and prestige. The root cause of our problem, namely, the British Southern Cameroons Distinct Identity Question, is the illegal occupation and colonisation of our Fatherland, British Southern Cameroons by la Republique du Cameroun. To become masters of our own destiny, we must as a people in solidarity victoriously, as did Namibians, Eritreans, challenge the annexation, colonial occupation and imposition of foreign domination and alien rule in our homeland. Through this patriotic act, we shall recover what is ours, make the laws on our own land and restore our core values and our own way of life!

The SCNC would be very glad to sit down with all Common Law Lawyers and all other interest groups to give a holistic approach to the challenging task of the moment and review our colonial state of existence and see how we can act as one and redeemour legitimate and legal status within the comity of free people and free nations. While lauding the efforts initiated by different interest groups, as a people in bondage, each group must be focused on the larger picture and ultimate goal and we must work in synergy. By this and this alone shall we have a proud and rich legacy tobequeath toour descendants!

May God endow you with the wisdom we most need.

­­­­­­_________________________

NFOR, NGALA NFOR

National Chairman (SCNC)

(Tele +237 70 38 12 62)

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

How UNVDA is Enhancing Food Security in Cameroon

By Fai Cassian Ndi

Of the several crops introduced to the Ndop ecological zone, rice has had the most profound impact on the people and the economy. This is no laughing or joking matter given the quantity of rice served on tables every morning, at breakfast, afternoon at launch and evening at dinner. The unwavering attention paid to the cultivation of rice by government in its second generation agricultural policy and by the local farmers has transformed the sector into a veritable asset to alleviate poverty and enhance food security.  Its ubiquity and the proportion of the population engaged in its cultivation are all indices of its importance.

For all practical purposes, the introduction of large scale farms has had a marked influence on the dietary habits of the people of Ndop. Apart from extending the variety of food stuffs available to the people of Ndop, the introduction of these crops have helped in breaking the myth surrounding crops especially as it was in past considered as the Whiteman’s preserve and or a food reserve during Christmas. Rice therefore has been accorded a special social status to the farmers involved in the enterprise.

Created in 1970 with general objectives to reduce poverty, contribute to food security, and increase agricultural production and productivity, the Upper Nun Valley Development Authority-UNVDA is going into records for its strive to improve lives, enhancing food security and sufficiency in Cameroon . As part of their activities to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day, North West journalists grouped under the umbrella the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists-CAMASEJ stormed UNVDA Headquarters to discover the marvels linked to rice production.  The 30 journalists who were led by their the National Vice President of CAMASEJ, Choves Loh and Rose Oba arrived Ndop at about 10 am and were received by the officials of UNVDA. Instead of dinning and wining, North West journalists were more practical in their choice of embarking on a development venture that would trigger rice cultivation in the region. 

Boosting Productivity

Eco farms

In presenting the structure, Chin Richard Winkar disclosed to the visiting journalists that UNVDA operates in two regions (Bui, Ngoketunjia and Mezam Division of the North West Region and in the Noun and Bamboutous of the West Region). The general objectives, he added are geared towards reducing poverty in its areas of intervention, contribute to food security and increase agricultural production and productivity. Besides, he also said that UNVDA strategic objectives are aimed at facilitating the processing and marketing of farmers’ produce; as well as improving access to rural infrastructure for farmers in their area of intervention. In order to success in ensuring sustain actions in the management of natural resources of the area, the General Manager of UNVDA disclosed that plans are underway to transform all the farmer’s professional groups into cooperatives.

Harping on some of the major realizations of the development Authority, the General Manager revealed that UNVDA is currently working with close to 12,000 farmers. “As at 2014, UNVDA has moved from 2,500 ha of land developed to 3,000 ha out of the potential 15,000ha of marshy land reserved for rice cultivation”, he continued. “ Two years ago our farmers produced between 14,000 and 15,000 tons of paddy and now we have about 16,000 tons (in stock) which shows that we have stepped up from about 04 tons per ha to 5.5 tons worth of paddy rice”. According to the General Manager of UNVDA, Chin Richard Winkar, during the 2013 harvest for instance, paddy purchase was 4,730 tons as against 2,696 tons purchase in 2012.

On the other hand, Jacob Ndichia who accompanied journalists to the rice fields said that close to 3000 ha of land have been rehabilitated for rice production. Besides, he also revealed that mechanized agriculture is given that UNVDA is putting 16 tractors at the disposal of farmers as well as qualified extension workers, quality seeds and farm inputs. Implicitly, with mechanized system, one hectare of land will require just about 20 kilograms of seed as compared to 35 kilograms when it is done manually. Moreso, the introduction of upland rice production is also expected to increase rice production. The development of farms to market roads, the rehabilitation of the dams and water canals in the farms and plots have impacted on rice production.

Serving Quality Products to Consumers

stock of paddy rice

Harping on the commercialization and marketing strategies, UNVDA puts at the disposal of consumers numerous finished products. Its finished products include-Natural white rice, parboiled rice, upolished rice, and the by-products notably, broken rice, rice bran and rough rice bran which are the top most qualities. In order to be attractive in the market, rice is packaged by adopting very attractive and bio-degradable sachets. Statistics from the commercial department indicate that about 2, 216, 557 tons of rice were sold in 2013 as compared to 1,306,735 tons in 2012. The distribution of rice has been stratified with the opening of two shops, the UNVDA gate shop and the Douala shop located at old Bonaberi road. It should be noted UNVDA has wholesalers in all the ten regions of Cameroon.

Chin Emmanuel Winkar says these successes have been registered given the acquisition of modern and new equipment such as the combined planter/harvester, the modernization of the rice mill which has been existed for the past 30 years. The availability of a rice mill with the capacity of processing 3.5 tons per hour and introduction of two cropping seasons will increase production tremendously. In mitigating climate change, UNVDA according to its General Manager has also introduced ecological farming systems thanks to its collaboration with Eco-Farms Cameroon. This partnership with ECO-farms which stands for Ecological Conscious Farming, according to the management is currently working with a team from Brazil that also deals in rice cultivation.  

Challenges

ready to consume rice

It should be noted that Cameroon imports approximately 600.000 tons of rice per year. This is due to the high demand given that Cameroon produces only about 180.000 tons per year. Yet indicators are rife at that what comes into the country in the name of rice is all buffer stuck; rice that has been in the store for over 10-15 years.

However, rice farmers are of the opinion that UNVDA needs to revise its input supply programme given that they prices are the same with market prices. Notwithstanding, an official debunked the accusation, adding that UNVDA gives out inputs to farmers on credit; interest free whereas in the market they pay cash. Mami Christina a farmer in Bamuka Ndp appreciated the reforms in UNVDA. To her, gone-by are the days that they use to

give their produce to UNVDA and wait for months before payment is made. "I can gladly tell you that things have changed, our live-styles too. I am able to pay school fees for my kids, hospital bills and even save something at the end of every harvest. In the past it was hand to mouth but today we are gradually into business", she concluded.
Yet perspectives are high at UNVDA expanding the rice farms from 3000 ha to 7000 ha by 2016. Chin Richard says this will include the introduction of upland rice farming/ rain –fed rice which will enable farmers to move from “rooms” to large scale cultivation so as to facilitate land preparation. Speculations as to why this initiative has not reached the Mbaw Plain and Ako in Donga Mantung Division whereas the area also habours good potentials that are suitable for rice farming.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Call for Nominations: The Eye Newspaper 2013 National Awards of Excellence

Press Release

The Eye Newspaper 2013 National Awards of Excellence

Hon. Awudu Mbaya: Man of the Year 2012

As part of activities marking the 24^th World Press Freedom Day, jury members of The Eye Newspaper 2013 National Awards of Excellence/ Donga Mantung Achievement Awards met IN Bamenda on May 3, 2014 under the chairmanship of Gwain Colbert Fulai (Publisher of The Colbert Factor) to brainstorm and review the various categories that will entertain the 2013 Awards of Excellence billed for Nkambe, the Divisional Headquarters of Donga Mantung Division. After serious debate and justifications, jury members agreed that nominations shall be done by the general public for all the categories. Besides, members of the jury also decided to include the Cameroonians in the Diasporas. Three categories were chosen for the Diasporas. These categories are: entertainment, development and philanthropy). For proximity reasons, jury members also agreed that the categories for Donga Mantung Achievement Awards shall only be made public through various radio stations in Donga Mantung Division. The communiqué shall be read over the following radio stations for two weeks (Radio Savanna Nkambe & Ndu, Dan Awudu Nkambe, Community Radio Misaje, DMCR and Dan Baturi Ndu). Jury members for this year’s awards ceremony include: Fai Cassian Ndi (Publisher/Editor, The Eye Newspaper), Donat Suffo (Le Messager), Nji Ignatius (Eden Newspaper), Michael Ndi (The Star Newspaper), John Menkefor (Press & Associates), Peterkings Manyong, (Independent Observer), Haruna Mohamadou (Savanna Radio), Tamngwa Marcel (Civil Society), Philo Happi (Eden Newspaper).  After deliberations, jury members agreed that nominations shall be done through SMS, or by calling and or email. The general public is expected to send the names of nominees by sms or call (237) 53 80 18 50/ 77 85 24 76 or via email to dongamantungeye@yahoo.com.

The categories opened for nominations are:

National Awards of Excellence

1.    Man of the Year

2.    Transparent Personality of the Year

3.    Best Minister

4.    Result Oriented MP of the Year

5.    Climate Change Campaigner of the Year

6.    Most Innovative/ Result Oriented Mayor of the Year

7.    Most Assailant Youth Leader

8.    Best General Manager of State Corporation

9.    Best Mobile Network

10. Best Micro finance

11. Most Acclaimed Human Rights Activist

12. Best Poverty Alleviation Project

13. Best Service to Humanity Project

14. Best Farmer

15. Best Hotel Manager

16. Musical Revelation of the Year

17. Best Traditional Ruler

18. Most Acclaimed Researcher in Modern Traditional Medicines

19. All Round Best Principal

20. Innovative Entrepreneur

21. Best Contracting Firm

22. Best Regional Delegate

23. Best Administrator (SDO)

24. Credibility/ Integrity Award

25. Transparency/Credibility Award

Diasporas

·         Best Musician

·         Best Development Oriented Personality

·         Best Philanthropist

 Fai Cassian Ndi 

Publisher/Editor

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Letter from Cameroonian in Chinese Prison Discovered in NY

Courtesy BBC

A woman has revealed to US media how she found a plea for help from a man imprisoned in China in a bag from the upmarket Saks store in New York.

In the note, the man said he was forced to work 13-hour days at a Chinese prison factory to make the bags.

The discovery by Stephanie Wilson in September 2012 prompted a search for the man's whereabouts, reports say.

News website DNAinfo says it managed to track down the man - a Cameroonian who had already been released.

The high-end department store, Saks, said it had launched an investigation into the discovery but could not determine the specific origins of the bag, the report adds.

'Like slaves'

The 28-year-old woman made the discovery after pulling out a receipt from a paper shopping bag from the Fifth Avenue store.

The note, signed by Tohnain Emmanuel Njong, said: "We are ill-treated and work like slaves for 13 hours every day producing these bags in bulk in the prison factory."

He ended his letter by saying "thanks and sorry to bother you" and left an email address, which was discovered at the time to be defunct.

A passport-sized photo of a man in an orange jacket was also enclosed.

"I read the letter and I just shook," Ms Wilson told DNAinfo.

Ms Wilson, an Australian currently working in New York, passed the note on to the human rights Laogai Research Foundation.

The organisation was unable to track him down but raised awareness of the letter with the Department of Homeland Security and the Saks Fifth Avenue store.

With the help of social media accounts, DNAinfo said it recently made contact with someone who indentified himself as the man behind the letter.

"Unprompted, Njong described obscure details in the letter, like its mention of Samuel Eto'o, a professional soccer player on English Premier league team Chelsea, who like Njong is from Cameroon in West Africa," the website said.

According to DNAinfo, he was detained in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao after being arrested for fraud in May 2011 - charges he denies.

He told the news website that he had worked long hours in the factory to produce paper bags, electronic goods and garments, from 06:00 until 22:00.

The 34-year-old said he wrote a total of five letters in both French and English calling for help.

"Maybe this bag could go somewhere and they find this letter and they can let my family know or anybody [know] that I am in prison," he added.

Mr Njong said he was released on a reduced sentence for good behaviour in December 2013 and was later reunited with his family in Cameroon, the website added.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Labour Day Theme Sparks Controversy

Trade unionists in Cameroon have expressed worries over the theme chosen for the 128th Labour Day celebrations. To Jean Marc Bekoko, this year's theme has nothing to do with the miseries happening at the work-place.  According to Jean Marc, the theme on HIV-AIDS is just a strategy for some hawks to chop money destine to combat HIV-AIDS. He argued that after the celebrations the 5% workers who are infected who normally should have benefited from the project will be abandoned. To him, the theme is part of the cacophony that workers continue to suffer given that if government is serious the theme should have been linked to malaria and not HOV-AIDS. The workers say they are against the increase in the prices of electricity, water, fuel as well as are advocating for an increase in the salaries of teachers, nurses and laboratory technicians. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Labour Day Celebration: Micro Finances, Small Businesses at Forefront

The 128 Labour Day was commemorated in Bamenda, Regional Capital of the North West Region with small businesses, agribusinesses, handcraft and micro finance institutions portraying their strength. This is so because Bamenda has no industries, yet the Bamenda people have adapted to a more systematic way of boosting their activities. The presence of the Cameroon Cooperative Credit Union League (with hundreds of credit unions affiliated) and other independent micro finances have provided constant security to their businesses. (Fanfare in Pictures). 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Sparrow Hawk: Etonde Ekotto Freed, Siyam Siewe Slammed 20 Years

Etonde Ekotto

 Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Douala Port Authority ( PAD) cum retired military Colonel was released early Wednesday morning April 30, 2014 , after a hearing that began a day ago at the Supreme Court in Yaoundé. His companion in misfortune , Siyam siewe who was sentenced life imprisonment's jail term was also to 20 years in imprisonment. For Etonde Ekotto case , judges at the Yaoundé Supreme Court took that last decision to annul the verdict passed three years ago by the Court of Appeal of the Littoral Region. The Appeal court had slammed him 15 years imprisonment for misappropriation of public funds as part of his duties at the Port .77 years old , former classmate of the Head of State Paul Biya at the Lycée Leclerc, is currently en route to Douala prison where he has been incarcerated since 2009. "He is free, but the Superintendent of the New Bell Prison is waiting for the order of release to let him go home , "says Me Dieudonné Happi, the lawyer to  Edourd Ekotto .

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North West: MINADER Boss Hands Seeds, Inputs to 700 Irish Potato Farmers

70 tons of irish potato seeds and inputs 

Within three months, Essimi Menye, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has visited Santa Sub Division in the North West Region twice. In his drive to professionalize agricultural activities, and promote the emergence of farmers cooperatives, Essimi Menye was in Santa on April 30, 2014 to hand irish potato seeds, inputs(fertilizers, compost manure) to some 700 farmers to increase farm seizes and production. Before handing over the support to the beneficiaries, Essimi Menye said that government is determined to see that President Biya policy of a second generation produces the expected results.

Besides, Essimi Menye also announced that government has added 15 tractors to the Santa Equipment Pool which had only 5, lone in the region. He said similar Irish potato agricultural pools shall be established in Kumbo, Noni, Oku in the North West Region, Dschang and Bafoussam in the West Region and Lebialem in the South West Region. According to the Agriculture boss, expectations are high at that after seven months the story in Santa would serve as a model for other areas to copy. To the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the minister cautioned that they would be held accountable should incase the project flops. He advised them to make sure the seeds are planted in time, fertilized in time and sprayed against blight.

Essimi Menye signing the visitor's book

Earlier on, the mayor of Santa council Kan Elroy Moses in welcoming Essimi Menye and his team, expressed gratitude to government for the timely support which will go a long way to improve on the living standard of the farming population. “God seems to be our advocate” he confirmed, adding that the Santa council will spare no efforts to make sure that the project succeeds.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Madam Tumasang Florence expressed joy and thankfulness to MINADER Boss. She enumerated other laudable programs such as the creation of the Santa Agricultural Equipment Pool, the construction of the Awing Agric Post, Irish Potatoes Warehouse etc. “We will do all for the project to succeed”, she promised.

On the other hand, Mokom Vincent, the Director of the Santa Equipment Pool in an interview with this reporter revealed that quantity of seed, and inputs donated to farmers stood at 70 tons, (7000 kilograms), 2800 bags of compost manure, and 1400 packages of specific fertilizers.

Essimi Menye addressing farmers and tchnicians

He said it is expected that after seven months each farmer should be able to harvest at least 15 tons per hectare. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

CPJ Condemns the Arrest of Nine Journalists in Ethiopia

CPJ

Top row, from left: Zelalem, Natnail, Mahlet. Middle row, from left: Atnaf, Abel, Befekadu. Bottom row, from left: Tesfalem, Edom, Asmamaw. (Courtesy Zone 9, Addis Guday, Facebook)

Nairobi, April 28, 2014--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the Ethiopian government's arrests of nine journalists in one of the worst crackdowns against free expression in the country.

"With the latest arrests, Ethiopian authorities are turning the peaceful exercise of free expression into a crime," said CPJ East Africa Representative Tom Rhodes.

On Sunday, a public prosecutor in the capital, Addis Ababa, accused the detainees--editor Asmamaw Hailegeorgis, freelancers Tesfalem Waldyes and Edom Kassaye, and bloggers Abel Wabella, Atnaf Berhane, Mahlet Fantahun, Natnail Feleke, Zelalem Kibret, and Befekadu Hailu--of working with foreign human rights organizations and using social media to create instability in the country, according to news reports and local journalists. Tesfalem, Asmamaw, and Zelalem will have their next court hearing on May 7, while the rest will appear in court on May 8, the same sources said. The journalists have not been formally charged with a crime.

The bloggers are members of an independent collective called Zone 9, which publishes news and commentary, according to news reports. Formed in May 2012 in response to the evisceration of the independent press and the narrowing of the space for free expression, the group's name is derived from Kality Prison, the main jail where Ethiopia's political prisoners, including several journalists, are held, reports said. With the motto "We Blog Because We Care," the group has voiced concerns over domestic issues, including political repression and social injustice. The Zone 9 blogs were frequently blocked inside Ethiopia, but gained a following with Ethiopians in the diaspora, according to local reports.

The arrests follow an April 23 announcement on Facebook by the bloggers in which they said they would resume publishing after seven months of inactivity. They had suspended publishing after being harassed by security agents, according to the blog. The day before their arrest, security agents allegedly ordered Natnail to hand over contact details of all Zone 9 members, a request he refused, local journalists told CPJ.

Local journalists said the other detainees--Asmamaw, a senior editor of the private Amharic weekly news magazine Addis Guday, and freelancers Tesfalem and Edom--may have been arrested on suspicion of being affiliated with the Zone 9 journalists.  Edom had been approached on several occasions and asked about her relationship to the other Zone 9 journalists and the support they received from outside organizations, the same sources said.

"These are not journalists. Their arrest has nothing to do with journalism, but with serious criminal activities," Getachew Reda, an adviser to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, told Reuters. "We don't crack down on journalism or freedom of speech. But if someone tries to use his or her profession to engage in criminal activities, then there is a distinction there."

"We call on Ethiopian authorities to halt their slide into paranoia and authoritarianism, and instead to allow critical commentary and public debate to thrive," said CPJ's Rhodes. "These nine journalists should be released immediately."

Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal did not immediately return CPJ's repeated calls for comment.

The journalists, who were arrested in multiple raids on Friday and Saturday, have been denied access to their family and lawyers and are being held at the Maekelawi federal detention center, according to local journalists. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, interrogators at Maekelawi routinely use torture to extract false confessions from detainees. The Ethiopian government denies the allegations.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)