STAR HEADLINES NEWSPAPER

2006-03-19T02:50:00.000-08:00

More controversy as publisher of top 50 lists bags jail sentence

2006-03-19T02:46:00.000-08:00

More controversy as publisher of top 50 lists bags jail sentence

he hunters have become the hunted in the saga pitching Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga the publisher of L’Anecdote against Gregoire Owono, Minister Delegate at the Presidency Incharge of Relations with the Assemblies. Belinga was dragged to Court on February 14 by Owona on defamatory charges.

Belinga had published the Minister’s name in his tabloid L’Anecdote of January 24 among a list of 50 presumed homosexuals. The list had sent electric waves throughout the country and the intensity will intensify when on the opening day of the hearings Amougou and his crew showed up in Court with a small T.V. screen and deck.

The excited public literally hailed Amougou as God sent to rid society of sexual deviants in high places. The turn out of the crowds was formidable, but barely had Owona’s lawyers fired the opening shots, L’Anecdote publisher’s tone piped down. It started dawning on the public that there may be no hard evidence after all.

The crowds which had avidly laid siege on the Yaounde Court of First Instance started to dwindle. Confirmation of Beti patriarchs meeting during which Amougou is said to have apologized to Owona, though Amougou refuted, did not improve matters. Doubts were created in public minds and frustration in groups and other devil’s advocates who had ganged up to defend Amougou.

When time for evidence came, many fears were confirmed. An inaudible audio cassette with an inaudible voice, purported to be one Thierry from Douala, was all that emanated from Amougou and defense lawyers earlier rantings that they possessed tons of visual proofs and testimonies. The public sympathizers and growing fans were embarrassed and questioned the validity of journalists as a whole.

On March 3, Amougou was slammed a four month jail sentence and I million fine for defamation. The aggrieved Owona who had cried in court in quest of his innocence requested only one symbolic franc for the damages caused him. However, the judgment ordered Amougou to publish apologies widely or face a 300.000FCFA each day he defaulted.

Owona said the moment for him to re-establish his equilibum after the L’Anecdote assault on his moral being had come but incidentally, his travails may just have begun because Amougou has sought and obtained an appeal on the case.

There continues to be much controversy surrounding the case. What happened to the TV screen and deck the Amougou camp appeared with on day one? Did the Beti patriarch meeting have a bearing on the case? Why were the Beti Patriarchs anxious to settle the matter out of court? Questions are many.

Amougou was absent from Court during sentence. Why was no arrest warrant issued after the sentence. The brevity of the trial continue to raise eye-brows in many ranks but the biggest victims in the opera remain the journalists. Pundits hold that to have made such outrageous publications without ocular proofs constituted an affront on the very ethics of the journalism practice, the public and the nation. However, the appeal is on course and Amougou may still have an ace up his sleave or else leave an indelible smear on Cameroon Journalism.

Owona on his part has gained credit, being ready to face the public to absolve his name and prove his innocence. His peers have gone underground, silence can mean many things.

Open letter to Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam

2006-03-19T02:44:00.000-08:00

Open letter to Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam

Honourable,

have read what you said or caused to be said in a recent issue of the Newspaper, not The Star Headlines about the current legal imbroglio in the SDF. I have also just stumbled on an article you have written, titled “Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law in the SDF”. The issues you have raised both in your opinion in the newspaper and in the article, tie in perfectly with the partisan spirit you have demonstrated recently in issues of the SDF. I will address some of them in this letter.

I think that the original-intention jurisprudence that you seem to toy with so much, can never permit any human organization to meet the challenges that face it on a daily basis. In principle, a constitution ought to state not rules for the passing hour but principles for the expanding future. Therefore, I think that the meaning of the constitution of the SDF ought to be found in today’s needs, not in a subjective search for what was intended by its 1990 framers. However, since you have set out to enlighten us on the original-intention of sections 6, 7, 8 of the SDF constitution and Rule 13(1) of the Standing Orders of the National Convention, it is important that we all understand what the “actual” original-intention of the framers of the constitution was. It is a pity that you are so sure of your partial vision of these issues that you have taken on yourself to say publicly who can and cannot be a candidate in the upcoming Convention of the SDF!

In any case, let us look at the original-intention of the framers of the constitution.

Section 7.4(a) of the founding Constitution of the SDF states that: “Every member shall have the right to vote and be voted to any office or post of the party during any election provided that such member is and has been active and is a current financial member of the party continuously for 12 calendar months”.

This is still the requirement for qualification for elections into Ward Executives, and into institutions of state like Councils, Parliament and the Presidency! At the Yaounde Convention of 1999, special provisions for elections into organs of the party like the Electoral District Executives, Divisional Coordinations, Provincial Executives and NEC were adopted. The fact that section 7.4(a) as stated above has completely disappeared from the “new” constitution that is in circulation now, does not mean that this section was removed from the constiution. It is just a result of the general sloppy nature of the “new” constitution, as reflected not only by the ommission of this section (7.4a), but also by the differences in the content of the English and French versions of section 15(a), section 18.1, section 20.3, etc. Rule 13.1 of the Standing Orders of the Convention was adopted at the Bafoussam Convention in 1993 to ensure that candidates aspiring to be the presidential candidate of the party meet the requirements of especially section 7.4(a). This was the original-intention of the framers of the constitution. It has never been changed!

It is because of the existence of Section 7.4(a) in the constitution of the SDF that Rules Governing the selection of candidates for National Elections, contained in the resolutions of NEC of 8 July and 5 August 2001 insist that candidates should be militants of the SDF who have militated in the party for at least one year! Please, check your records on this.

Honourable, you state that “the fathers of the SDF took note of this phenomenon and made privision for admission as member of such “big fishes” if they arrive the party even one day to the close of filing of candidatures with the administrtion”!! Please, be informed that no political party in the world does this. And the fathers of the SDF constitution never did it!! Rather, in the provision of Section 11.3(b)(vi) relaing to the powers of NEC, they provided that NEC shall “make party electoral regulations, subject to ratification by the Convention, which shall govern elections to all party offices at every level and the procedure for selecting party candidates for elective offices...” It is on this basis that NEC adopted the resolutions of 8 July and 5 August 2001. Surely the framers of the constitution knew that there could be what you call “big fishes” who may not be party members, and trusted that NEC would deal with that at any time!! Please, note that Barrister Ben Muna was NOT admitted as candidate for the selection of the presidential candidate of the SDF during the extraordinary convention of 22 September 2004 on the basis of Section 6.5 of the Constitution of the SDF as you claim. He was admitted because of his rehabilitation by the National Reconciliation Forum of the SDF!! You can easily verify this from the minutes of the extraordinary Convention, and from the sub-Commission that was chaired by Dr. Bebbe Njoh. Members like you argued strongly on the floor of that convention against the acceptance of the candidature of Barrister Ben Muna, but the spirit of reconciliation in the party prevailed! As for Mr. Noucti Tchokwango, please, note that he only resigned from the SDF after the extraordianry convention.

This takes us to Section 6 which you treat very unprofessionally! Let me take all of it over too. Section 6 of the SDF constitution states as follows:

Section 6.1: Membership shall be opened to all Cameroonians irrespective of race, colour, ethnic group, creed, religious belief, place of birth, sex, social or economic status and linguistic distinctions provided that:

1. The person is not below the age of 18 years and is not a member of another political party or if s/he was, has resigned such membership;

2. The person accepts the aims and objectives, principles, fundamental values, policies and programme of the Party.

3. The application for membership shall be made on an individual basis .

4. A person shall be registered as a member in the Ward in which she/he normally resides and this shall be evidenced by the delivery of a Party card.

5. Every member shall pay the annual prescribed fee and/or monthly contribution.

6. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.1 above, any person who is duly authorised to vote by the laws of the Republic of Cameroon can be admitted as a member of the Party.

Please, Honourable, Section 6.5 is not put there to serve the interest of “the application of the laws of the Republic” as you say; it is put there to serve the interests of the SDF!! It does not qualify any “big fish” to come in at any time. The meaning of Section 6.5 of the constitution is simply that if the electoral laws of the Republic of Cameroon were to reduce voting age to say 16, persons who are 16 years of age (instead of 18 as providd for in section 6.1) would be admitted as members of the SDF!

As for your opinion on Section 8.2, resignations and the Truth and Reconciliation Forum, I see that you are trying to bend over backward to make your arguments hold some water! How tedious it is!! The SDF has invented nothing about “Truth and Reconciliation”. Please, note that it is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa that inspired the delegates at the Buea 1996 Convention to institute a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the SDF! After a protracted process, it finally held a Forum in September 2004. A Truth and Reconciliation encounter like the one we held in the SDF, provides an environment where victims and perpetrators can speak openly, be heard, make requests and recommendations and seek forgiveness. It is a place where those gathered seek to understand their past and the root of their conflicts; a place where those who were wronged have the right to be heard and the responsibility to share their experience; a place where those who wronged others have the obligation to respond to accusations and the responsibility to account for their actions. We tried to do all of this and succeeded in 2004, until evil minds set in again!!

Honourable, please note that reconciliation is a tedious process. It is not governed by pieces of paper or certificates of participation, but by the heart! It is a process, not an event. In the SDF, we believed that those who sought reconciliation wanted a strong party more than they wanted revenge. Your mind-set is still of those days when we barely required those who had wronged the party (the SDF) or had been wronged by the party to come forward and “confess” or “apologise” to the Chairman, to be “pardoned” in return, so that they could regain their membership of the SDF. The erroneous believe on which this was based, and which is still prevalent in the SDF, is that people gain more from the SDF than the SDF gains from them!! This thought process can never lead to reconciliation. At the end of the day, it only leads to the continuous bleeding of the party, rather than to total forgiveness and reconciliation!

I see you delving into issues of the Rule of Law! And when you talk about this you tell us that “NEC has ruled many a time on the matters explained (by you) above...” And your own ruling is that “even an appeal to the Convention is not possible and is not allowed”!! What autocracy!! You are one of those who are always talking about “the constitution” or the “majorities” we sometimes fabricate in NEC! History tells us that this is the language autocrats use to justify their existence and actions.

It is autocracy that we sought to overthrow by forming the SDF! Our constitution was drawn up to ensure that NEC, the structures and militants it commands are equally subjected to it. It ensures that in the SDF, no authority is superior to that of the constitution. The structures and organs function only by it, and they can demand obedience only in the name of the constitution. In this way, a decision in the SDF is not a fact that is imposed by force; it must be understood to enjoy legality and legitimacy. To be legitimate, the decision must be subject to the constitution. So the constitution must never succumb when structures take decisions! Unfortunately, of recent and sometimes under your impulsion, the constitution of the SDF has succumbed under NEC decisions!

Further, when constitutions are drawn up, they are assumed to be beyond the reach of simple majorities in any organ of the party. This includes the convention which only examines amendments tabled as prescribed by the constitution itself; and the convention takes its decisions subject to the provisions of the constitution!! We shall never trust our lives and liberties in political parties to the tender mercies of simple majorities... They can always easily become, as they have, the weapon of dictatorship!!

To end up, I urge you to stop treating those who disagree with you as your enemies. The best thing for you to do in my opinion, is to convince them of the rightness of your point of view. In this case, you have failed to convince me on your grasp of the SDF consitution and the fundamental concept of the Rule of Law!

With best wishes.

Your comrade in the struggle,

Prof. T. Asonganyi

2006-03-19T02:43:00.000-08:00

US Ambassador returns to Yaounde with plethora of problems seeking for solutions

The United States Ambassador to Cameroon His Excellency Niels Marquardt has ended a three day working visit to the South West Province after listening to a plethora of problems seeking for solutions.

During the visit that commenced with courtesy calls on South West Governor Eyeya Zanga Louis, Chief E.M. L. Endeley and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea a number of pertinent issues were discussed ranging from bilateral cooporation to the State of affairs in the institutions visited.

His Excellency Niels Marquardt was also at the American Corner at the University of Buea where he had first had information on the operations of the Corner since it was inaugurated by his predecessor.

Before getting into the real business of the day, he took time off to undertake a tour of some painting exhibition of the American Black history at the Lobby of the main University Library.

The visit that started on February 28, entered its high gear on Wednesday March 1, with an extremely busy and brain racking day at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Mutengene.

Inside CDC

At the CBC Health Services Complex where CDC is accommodated, several papers were presented by specialists Medics on health isues.

Some of the papers presented included an overview of CDC-Cameroon by the Country Director Dr. Pratima Raghunathan, Epidemiology studies/section overview by Dr. Jembia Mosoko who is Epidemiology Section Chief.

Dr. Mireille Kalou a Laboratory Section Chief presented a paper on building Laboratory capacity and the Associate Director of Operations William Comeaux made a fine presentation on plans for facilities and personnel at the Center.

Their academic exposés were rich in content and very moving as some of the presentations touched on the dreaded pandemic HIV/AIDS and Malaria which remains the world’s deadly disease.

Lastly, the Director of CDC Health Services, Professor Pius Tih in a nutshell gave a brief history of his institution while expressing immense thanks to the United States Embassy, the Ministry of Public Health, Aware, Bread for the world and many others for the wonderful assistance to sustain the Center.

He like many others posed plethora of teething problems that were still holding the Center from its complete “emancipation”. He said they needed money, and real money to pay staff, improve on their structures, carryout research work and a lot more.

US Ambassador Response

After listening with keen interest the US Ambassador His Excellency Niels Marquardt expressed satisfaction at the various presentations and promised to look into the problems with time.

He said the American government was very concerned about the wellbeing of the people, adding that more assistance was inevitable.

He praised the indefatigable effort of the authorities for their achievements so far and promised to work hands in glove to ensure continuity and more progress.

Guided Tour

After a guided tour of the institutions, the Ambassador had a difficult moment at the CBC Hospital were over 30 AIDS infected persons were presented to him. The infected persons sang moving melodies and even presented gifts to the august visitor.

Here again the infected AIDS persons appealed to the Ambassador to assist them as they were suffering a lot with not enough money to acquire drugs and feed themselves.

At the Limbe Provincial Hospital

A lecture on HIV/AIDS and other related health problems was very eloquently presented by Dr. Akam after a brief introduction by the hospital Director Dr. Thompson Kinge.

He was also taken round the hospital were he saw some AIDS patients and the Laboratory from were they are counsel and tested. Like Oliver Twist, Dr. Kinge also presented a number of financial problems while appreciating the enormous assistance already from the Ministry of Public Health and some other friendly institutions.

At SONARA

The last of the Ambassador’s visit ended on Thursday after a visit to SONARA and the Limbe Primate Center (ZOO) before departure to Yaounde.

Some of the high personalities from the Embassy who accompanied the Ambassador included the Cultural Affairs Officer Noelle Wright-Young, Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Yaah Gladys Viban, amongst others.

Ntumfor Nico Halle speaks on vital issues: Murder of the Fon of Babanki, Santa tea crisis, homosexual imbroglio rocking the nation, issue of Gov't

2006-03-19T02:40:00.000-08:00

Ntumfor Nico Halle speaks on vital issues

Murder of the Fon of Babanki, Santa tea crisis, homosexual imbroglio rocking the nation, issue of Government Delegates

TUMFOR: I learnt of the cold blooded murder of the Fon of Babanki with shock, indignation, consternation and pain and we started asking how people should find themselves in such situation at a time when most parts of the world are departing from jungle justice. If somebody is found in wrong doing he should be brought to book. Cameroon is a state of law, let the person be taken to court, tried, sentenced and then you can execute the sentence. When people take the law into their hands, they accuse somebody, try him, sentence him and take life out of him. For me it is unacceptable. I do not want to hold brief for anybody. I know from newspaper reports that the people where pushed to the wall that’s why they reacted. But they could have reacted without taking life out of him. Because God gives life and only God should take life.

The facts are that he might have done this or that.

Usually mob action cannot be controlled so what do you think about that?

Mob action cannot be controlled, mob action is jungle. Mob action is when the people try to get justice to no avail.

Someone did not do his job and the Fon was mundered

In some cases you might accept mob action of course I don’t know whether you might accept in others but what I am saying here is that either way life is lost, so my opposition here is, let every body assume his responsibility. Somebody did not do his job….… Either the people did not do their job, the people of Babanki or the Fon did not do his job or the administration did not do its job. Because if it is true that this thing has been dragging on for over the years, why is it that the problem wasn’t solved? And so I’m saying that somebody did not do his job.

Listening to some of the problems of the Fondoms today, land as a common dominator that brings to mind the problem in SANTA where land is also expropriated or sold and the people came out to protest. So what is your reaction to that issue, and do Fons have the right to sell land?

Speaking generally and notwithstanding the 1974 land ordinances, the Fons are custodians of the land within their Fondoms. The Fons or the Chiefs hold the land in trust. They are trustees of the piece of land within their fondoms. Holding the land in trust for their subjects. The Fon is supposed to protect the land for his people. Land is considered in the North West like in all other provinces like a very important piece of asset and so if you hold land for the people as Fon or Chief makes sure that you assign the land to your subjects equitably. The land should not be sold. The chief has no right to sell land. You can allocate the land to some stranger who wants to develop the land to carry out some business activities that will benefit and that will employ the sons and daughters of that village and at the same time that village will receive royalties for using that piece of land. But of course that can only be done after due consultation and an agreement written and signed by all the parties, so that the terms of that agreement are known by the sons and daughters, the people, the Fon and the party that is coming in ……….. But I realise that some Fons just give out large chunks of land to a few sons or a few elite whereas the village has so many sons and daughters. Where shall they settle when they want to settle? When you give out land be sure you have in consideration the other sons and daughters who need land tomorrow to build.

So what is your reaction to the problem in SANTA where the people have a problem with their land been taken away by a business magnet.

The Santa Tea Crisis

I’ve been reliably informed that they are sitting presently around the negotiating table and I did get it from the radio that within two weeks that is the period within which these negotiations should take place and come up with some lasting solutions. So I’m very optimistic, I’m very positive about that. Two weeks it means that Monday March 13 they would have arrived at some very very tenable, acceptable, credible decision which will please both parties. We need peace more than ever before to reign in the province. If the Fons of SANTA Subdivision negotiate with the businessman he can carry out economic activities but again this can only come when there is negotiation.

You have been an advocate of social peace in this country and particularly in North West province throughout the years. Now that this peace is being threatened and as legal adviser to the Fons of the North West Province have you talked with them to examine the legal implications of this issue without gun including other problems coming up?

I’ve said this over and over even before I was made the spokesman and Legal Adviser of the Fons some seven years ago. I have been in the whole thing many many years and I’ve always told the Fons…… A Fon is a divine ruler and divinity means what? It means justice, it means peace, it means integrity, it means dignity, it means nobility, it means honesty, it means transparency, it means objectivity, all these are components of divinity. And so when a Fon loses all these he is no longer a Fon, a respected Fon, admired Fon, you must be serene, you must have dignity, integrity mobility, credibility it is not money. You can have no penny and yet have nobility, dignity and honour. So I told the Fons that they should stay away from situations that will compromise these virtues that come with their titles with the seats that they occupy. I’ve always said this each time we hold meetings and I think that a vast majority of them are men of integrity and dignity.

Well it is also material that a few of them are still in this rampage of vaulting, inordinate and unbridled quest for money, power, recognition, wealth; but I think the situation is getting better each day I’m very confident with the Fons of the North West province and I think that there are a few isolated cases that are known. If you were to ask people in the North West who are those Fons who are causing these problems they will tell you. You were to ask the people of the North West who are the sons and daughters causing problems in the province, they will tell you…… they are not many. So what we do is that we keep appealing to them, begging them to depart from these wrong doings so that this province which is admired all over should continue to maintain its position. I’ve always said you can do everything, you can preach a million times, if the Lord is not part of it you will not succeed, let the people pray and say Lord what is happening at this time that we want economic activities to take off, now disorder is coming and that will delay us. We think that we can move on if we pray to GOD. I think that the North Westerners are intelligent, they are hard working, they are peaceful.

They are also allegations that the Fons lost their authority because they are involved in partisan politics. What is your impression on that?

I take exception to what you have said, Aristotle, if I may quote him said “man is a political animal”. It’s a right of Fons to be in politics even in partisan politics. This is because if you ask the Fons not to do politics, then you are depriving them of their inalienable rights. The constitution has not done that, the UN Charter has not done that, there is no law within the nation that has done that, besides the Fondoms are political institutions. What I have shunned , have condemned, decried over the years is the fact that a Fon chooses his political party and wants his subjects to come with him. No, you go to the polls, you vote for your candidate and let your subjects vote for their candidate or candidates of their choice. For me that is clean politics. If the Fon must use duress , undue, influence, intimidation, victimisation, harassment on his subjects for them to vote for a particular candidate I am 100% against. That is not democracy.

Like Fon, like people

The Fons should be the first democrats, the Fons should be the first pastors, the Fons should be the first lawyers, the Fons should be the first leaders, transparent leaders because they rule people. And then if you read the Bible Proverbs 29:2 “Show me righteous Fon and I will show you a happy people. And then of course show a wicked Fon or a sinful Fon and I will show you a miserable people”. So if your Fon is a gangster all his subjects will be gangsters. If a Fon is spiritually strong, then all his people will be spiritually strong because the people are looking up to him as a model, they are following his examples, you get the point? So the Fons can do politics on condition that their position or their inclination does not affect their subjects.

Let them allow their people to determine who to vote during elections.

There is also talk of some elite pocketing their Fons because of financial power and political influence bringing instability within the Fondoms.

Take care of your Fons

I just talked of voting, inordinate and unbridled quest for power is not only within some of the Fons, also amongst some of the elite few of them. I will call virus, the quest for position by onorthodox means. So you want to use the Fons, they manipulate some of them, when a Fon is impoverished or is beggarly of course, he becomes vulnerable and when you are vulnerable your hands are tied. You know, so you loose yourself and you start dancing to the tune of who are giving you the envelope, and its unfortunate some of the elite now because of their financial weight they corrupt some of the Fons and of course that’s what you know and that’s why you are asking me in my position. And I say this is true but I’ve made clarion calls that when you give an envelope to a Fon no strings should be attached. It is a right for you to take care of your Fon. I call on all the elite of North West Province to take care of their Fons. Every village in the North West has very viable hard working, intelligent and dynamic sons and daughters to take care of their Fons, so that they don’t become a disgrace to you and your village.

The Fon’s palace is the elite’s mirror

If you don’t take care of your Fons, some other person will take care of them and will use them and then you will start complaining. I did lunch the operation face-lift of the palaces during the last general assembly.

The palace is a mirror through which you see the elite. When the palace is clean that’s how the elite are. When it is ramshackle, when its shabby then the elite are shabby. So you determine the quality of the elites by the palace. You cannot build a beautiful house in Douala, Yaounde, Garoua and your palace is a junk. Then you have no house because your father, your Fon is living in a hut. First build the palace of your Fon because he is your Fon put there by God and not appointed and so he needs respect. The best house at the division is that of the Senior Divisional Officer, at the Province is the Governor; at the national level is the Head of State. At the village the best house should go to the Fon. Just look at where your father is living. And the Fon is the Fon for every son and daughter of the village. Let them rally round him. You can have just five rich sons of that village who decide to take care of their Fon’s palace and give him some red carpet treatment. Just come one morning and demolish all those tattered houses and put up new ones. You go to the Fon of Mankon’s palace beautiful, Fon of Bafut beautiful, Fon of Bali beautiful, Fon of Chomba beautiful, Fon of Banso beautiful Palace, Fon of Kom beautiful palace, Fon of Guszang beautiful palace. Fon of Babalang beautiful palace, Fon of Baboungo beautiful palace , Fon of Bagolan beautiful palace, Fon of Awing, Fon of Njong beautiful palace, Fon of AKUM beautiful palace, Fon of Nkwen beautiful palace. There are many more palaces that are good. The few palaces that are not yet refurbished I’m calling on the sons and daughters to do something. We have five years during which there will be competition. We would now receive the sons and daughters who have embellished their Fondoms and given their Fons a beautiful house to live in. There is nothing you can give your father better than a beautiful comfortable lodging. That has been a clarion call I’ve made over and over and I think that the sons and daughters have responded very positively. There is a lot of construction work going on in most of the palaces.

In a few years to come; two, three, four years, if you go to all palaces you will be proud to get there and have a meal and a good drink and feel proud that you come from the North West.

Talking about improving living conditions of the people generally and decentralisation there is a problem that is topical now, Government Delegates and elected Councillors. The Councillors who are elected officials are complaining that the Government Delegates are encroaching into their territory so there is a problem of cohabitation.

Gov’t Delegate should work for public interest

If there is a problem of cohabitation it is stemming from the fact that man by nature is so vaulting, inordinate because there is nothing wrong in cohabitating. I’ve always read Matthew 5:44 and proverbs 25:21-22 that you always try to love the person who hates you. Every person can never love you. The few persons, who hate you, love them. Show love to them, show concern and don’t return evil for evil and so with elected Councillors there should be an arrangement that they should cohabit, that they should work because if they are working for the interest of the people then they should learn to diffuse their differences and work for the good of the people they represent. They have been put there to work for the people and I think that the general interest should prime over individual or self-interest.

Let’s talk about another topical issue. The youths are being sensitised on moral uprightness and it comes at a time when homosexuality has been an issue in the country. What would you the youths at this time when there is a lot of talk about homosexuality and moral decadence as a whole in the country?

Homosexuality story was a joke in bad taste

My attention was drawn to a publication on presumed homosexuals. When I read through, you know, I was taken a back by the fact that, that kind of publication bore the word presumed. In criminal law someone cannot be found guilty upon presumption. Well from what I read the gentleman who published the article indicated that he had proofs. But if you have proof, then you don’t use the word presumed.

Without getting into the details of it and talking particularly about the youths and who were celebrating their youth day.

You know so well that moral decadence has been so noticed nowadays and this has been accounted for by the fact that most youths are unemployed, there is poverty, there is also corruption that you know has deprived some of them from what is supposed to be theirs. There are a whole lot of other ills of the society, in fact we should start training the youths to be better leaders and if we must start training them, we should be models. You cannot train somebody to be morally upright when you yourself are not morally upright. We should make sure that we cleanse ourselves to models that they look up to so that what we are telling them they should see it in us because you can’t be telling somebody don’t be corrupt when you yourself are corrupt.

In other for a journalist to fight corruption, he must himself be incorruptible. You cannot take a corrupt journalist to fight corruption. So anybody who must fight corruption must be himself incorruptible. Talking about moral decadence, juvenile delinquency, this is an issue that we must handle because the society is getting more and more dangerous for everybody. Nobody is safe anymore.

My resignation as National Advisory Council President was rejected by Fru Ndi

2006-03-19T02:37:00.000-08:00

My resignation as National Advisory Council President was rejected by Fru Ndi

he National Advisory Council of the SDF held a meeting on February 13, 2006 at the Centre Provincial Secretariat of the Party in Yaounde. I am reproducing herewith in English and French for your information, a Press Statement which was made after the meeting to inform SDF militants and the public about what transpired at that meeting.

I seize this opportunity to add to the second paragraph of the press statement that my resignation from the post of President of the National Advisory Council in 2003 was rejected by the National Chairman in the presence of Hon. Mbah Ndam. On that same occasion the National Chairman asked me to convene a meeting of Council on May 31 2003. He attended that meeting at which the minutes were taken by Mr Aloysius Tebo, although he later on went to court in the case against the former SG Prof. Asonganyi and lied to the court that I had resigned as President of Council. Members of Council today have tghe minuted which Mr. Teb o himself took at the meeting of the Advisory Council of May 31 2003 which was also attended by Barrister Luke Sendze of Bamenda, who participated at the Council meeting of February 13 2006. I remember that one Cameroonian musician once sang that lies do not have long legs. If this statement is anything to go by it means that lies cannot go very far. I want Messrs. Ni John Fru Ndi, Mbah Ndam and Tebo, who know better than most people in the SDF that I am still President of the National Advisory Council but do not want to speak the truth to remember that Jesus said the truth shall make you free and then to try to reflect on what the contrary of the truth is capable of doing to those who harbour lies in their hearts. We will never be able to build Cameroon on lies. It is most unfortunate that these kinds of lies are today the stock-in-trade in the SDF.

PRESS RELEASE

The National Advisory Council of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) Party held a meeting in Yaounde on February 13, 2006, under the chairmanship of its President, Hon. Prof. NGWASIRI NFORTI Clement.

At the beginning of the said meeting Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri presented to members of Council a letter which he had received from Mr. John Fru Ndi, National Chairman of the SDF stating that Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri, President of the National Advisory Council had resigned from his post on May 12, 2003 and invited Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri to transmit to him, for the attention of NEC, any complaints or concerns that he might have received from members of the Party. Notwithstanding the impression given by the National Chairman that Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri had resigned, we the members of the National Advisory Council in attendance at the above meeting are aware that Mr. John F ru Ndi, had refused the resignation of Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri and at the same time instructed him to himself convene the next meetingof Council for May 31, 2003. On May 15, 2003, Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri did convene Council and himself chaired that meeting which held on May 31, 2003 and which was attended by Mr. Fru Ndi himself among other members of Council. Even if Hon. Prof. Ngwasiri had resigned, as Mr. Fru Ndi claims, five members of Council could still have convened its meeting under section 11(5)(c)of the SDF consitution. We also note, with regret, that in his letter, Mr. Fru asked that a memorandum, which had been addressed by Party officials and militants to the Advisory Council, which is the number two organ of the Party after convention, be submitted to NEC, which is an inferior organ to Council.

In accordance with section 11(5) of the SDF constitution relating to the powers of Council, the meeting discussed the burning problems that the Party is facing a t the present time as well as the challenges it has to address in order to ensure the success not only of the next elective convention of the Party but also of the 2007 national elections.

The attention of Council was drawn to some of these problems in a memorandum addressed to it by officials and militants of the SDF Party.

After dwelling at length on :

- The burning issues raised in the memorandum ;

- The controversies over the organisation of the next convention of the Party which is an elective convention ;

- The recent resignation of the interim Secretary General of the Party which highlights the conflicts in the National Execuive Committee of the Party ;

- The deplorable financial situation of the Party ;

- Repeated violations of the fundamental principles of democracy on which the constitution of the Party is based and which have been prepetrated by the current NEC, whose mandate of four years expired since April 2003, that is, three years of prorogation ;

The National Advisory Council, in exercise of its role of ensuring checks and balances in accordance with section 11(5) of the SDF constitution, especially subsection (d), which states that Council « shall ensure conformity to the fundamental principles and options of the Party »,

Draws the following conclusions :

(1) The current NEC has deliberately refused to respect the duration of its mandate under section 18(1) of the constitution which states that « all national and provincial officers of the Party shall hold office for a period of four (4) years unless re-elected by the appropriate Party conference or convention », by refusing to organise an elective convention for three years.

(2) Although it has far exceeded its mandate, the current NEC has emperilled the life of the Party by trampling upon the fundamental principles of democracy on which the Party stands.

In consequenc e, the National Advisory Council has decided to:

(1) Take over the convening and organisation of the next elective convention of the Party;

(2) Convene the said convention on May 26, 2006 in Yaounde, the national heaquarters, and which is baptised « the rennaissance convention » ;

(3) Propose to the next convention the creation of a Political Ethics Committee, which will ensure the respect of the fundamental principles of democracy and the constitution of the Party ;

(4) Create the following management committees :

(a) Finance Committee : it will put in place a strategy to raise funds in order to ensure the proper organisation of the convention ;

(b) Convention Committee : Under the control of the Advisory Council (excluding members contesting election into NEC), it will ensure the proper preparation of the convention, receive candidatures and computerise the internal electoral registers of the Party.

(5) Hold its next m eeting on March 4, 2006, to appoint the SDF members of the Bureau of the National Assembly, members of Parliamentary Committees as well as the members of the two committees created above.

The National Advisory Council solemnly calls for the support of the militants and sympathisers of the SDF Party to ensure the success of this patriotic move which is designed to put the Party back on the rails.

Done in Yaounde on February 13, 2006.

Hon. Prof. NGWASIRI NFORTI Clement,

President of the National Advisory Council.

Nigerians urged to be law abiding in Cameroon

2006-03-19T02:36:00.000-08:00

Nigerians urged to be law abiding in Cameroon

he Nigerian Consul General to Cameroon Gordon Harry Bristol has urged his follow country men living in Cameroon to be ever law abiding and cooperative with state authorities. Gordon Harry Bristol made this appeal during a 2-day-visit last week to the West province barely seven months after his arrival in Cameroon. While in Bafoussam he paid a courtesy call on Governor Pascal Mani and his entourage. He also visited the Attorney General to the Bafoussam High Court and the Royal Palace of Bafoussam where he was treated to some traditional dance exhibitions by His Majesty Njitack Ngompé Pélé.

This was also an opportunity for Gordon H. Bristol to discover the legendary architecture of Bafoussam palace and its museum. Talking to The Star Headlines, G.H. Bristol said he is working relentlessly to facilitate trade and cultural exchanges between Cameroon and Nigeria. In the near future, he went on, Nigerians will have to attend Youth Day/May 20 celebrations and participate in regional trade fairs in Cameroon and vice versa. He concluded that Cameroon is blessed with a very rich touristic heritage which has to be well preserved and marketed.

Later in the day, he was treated to a warm reception by all the Nigerians in Bafoussam before leaving the next day for Foumban where he equally paid a courtesy visit to His Majesty the Sultan of Foumban. He was accompanied in his safari by a 6-man delegation from the Nigerian Consulate in Douala including the Deputy Consul General.

How Mayor Matute awarded CFA 2.5 billion frs LUC market contract to Bongam and lied against the Governor

2006-03-19T02:35:00.000-08:00

How Mayor Matute awarded CFA 2.5 billion frs LUC market contract to Bongam and lied against the Governor

-SWELA succeeded in halting the contract but LUC paid dearly for job not done

he erstwhile Mayor to the Limbe Urban Council Matute Daniel Lyonga will never be forgotten for the sinister role he played to let businessman Bongam Isa sign away hundreds of millions of francs from the LUC for no job done.

The melo-drama started when Matute Daniel single handedly engaged Bongam Isa in a contract of CFA 2.5 billion to build the new market behind Church Street, Limbe.

Neither did the Councillors, Supervisory Authority nor the South West Governor have initial knowledge of the contract. The Mayor arrogated to himself, the powers he never had and went ahead with the deal that ended up costing the Council untold expenditure of over 600.000.000francs. Bailiffs harassed Council authorities, with Court judgments to pay playboy Bongam.

Even before SWELA took up arms against Matute’s game of errors and omissions, Bongam Isa had engaged the contract. He brought in caterpillars and bulldozers and started work. For felling of trees and removing of tree trucks, Bongam Isa earned over 600 million francs and was still expecting more but for the 468 million francs treasury scandal that sent him parking over night to the United States of America.

How Matute lied against the Governor

When the population, Councillors and the South West Elite Association (SWELA) demanded an explanation, Matute shamelessly lied against Governor David Etame Massoma who had hardly even spent a year in the province. He said his limit was only CFA Five million francs in the award of any contract but SWELA was quick to ask him how Bongam and the Governor knew about the contract if he did not inform them.

In the last issue of our paper dated January 24, 2006, we erroneously mentioned Governor John Ebong Ngole’s name whereas it was Governor David Etame Massoma who Matute cajoled into signing the contract.

How could Matute have awarded a contract to Bongam when the Council in 1991 was still on a budget of only 750 million francs. How could he have awarded the contract to Bongam when he claimed that the 28 Councillors he got his friend Cosmas Ngolle Ndelle to arrest and detained were graffi people trying to oust him from the Council. How then did he award such a huge contract to a graffi man if his hands were clean?.

The dos and don’ts of Matute finally provoked a strongly worded petition to the authorities by the 28 Councillors who later passed a vote of no confidence on him.

According to the petition against Matute, he was accused of running the Council single handedly, award of irregular contracts and worst still disloyalty to the CPDM party. The petition dated October 26, 1988 also accused Mayor Matute of working without consultations with Councillors.

When the issue became hot, Matute put up a sterile defence that his limit was only CFA 5 million frs in case of contract award. He said he had not even ordered Bongam to start the contract since the Council hadn’t enough money. So what prompted him to award a contract of CFA 2.5 billion francs to Bongam on a mere budget of CFA 750 million francs?

As soon as the Councillors passed a vote of no confidence on him and the newspaper published the article headed by Paddy Mbawa captioned ‘‘Should the Limbe Mayor go?’’, Matute again said it was a “graffi” mafia to oust him from office. The one million dollar question was how did he award the biggest contract ever to a graffi man if his hands were not soiled?

Can he ever repair the damage caused to the Limbe Urban Council and the people of the Municipality for shamelessly engaging in such a dirty game plan. Instead of apologizing to the people Matute Lyonga still had the gods to rant and play the “pope” in disguise.

If not of SWELA, the Councillors and the press, his plans would have succeeded 100 per cent as the only causality remains the Limbe Urban Council. What a cheap way of doing things in a country that corruption is being fought ruthlessly..

Homosexuality: the smugness of the mundane

2006-03-19T02:33:00.000-08:00

Homosexuality: the smugness of the mundane

By Ayuk Tobias Oru

ove, hatred, fear, courage, ambition and so forth are all emotions. Human life is spiced by these emotions. They sometimes spur individuals to reach such heights which usually beat their inauguration if they were to act rationally, emotions blind the human mind, making him take sub-conscious visions for realities and urging him to venture into fields which are trodden only by the gods.

No emotion is rational due to its subjective nature. But rational and objective beings hardly climb the social ladder. So, many an ambitious youth would rather he chose the wrong side of life, if he must be among the cream of society. Riches, luxury, political power and so forth are all mundane cajoleries which bend the human mind to accept improprieties. No insignia is stuck on any of these cajoleries warning people of the danger. It is only when they are neck-deep that they see the other side of merry-making.

The recent publication of the names and photographs of alleged great homosexuals by the “Anecdote” publishing house, seems to have shaken the foundation of our social fabric. It is a true toss-up whether the personalities whom we so much revere and cherish in our community, are actually the right people to lead us, more particularly at this torrid weather of our political life. How can its leaders be so far from showing saintly examples? How can God listen to the cries of his children when demons lead them? This is where we find ourselves?

It is not today that this people started cursing and condemning this vice. But one question lingers in every mind: “Why do these healthy people get involved in homosexuality, an act condemned by God and man?” some day it is a cult for the ambitious individuals of our society. That could be the reason. But are all homosexuals rich? Isn’t it possible that some acquire riches and power at the behest of the passive majority?

Though slow, the chameleon still trembles before making the next stride. It is aware that the world has changed too fast. It therefore double whether it is stepping on the same ground which its parents had trodden. Our kids and kins are already living the electronic age, a life different from ours. By the turn of this century, many things will have happened if the trend of evolution goes unchecked. It is therefore our duty today to construct the right foundation on which our successors will build their life-style.

It is for this reason that no one fault any person or institution which aims at correcting the ills of our society and at putting our public mannerism on good railings. “Did Anecdote” do just that? The gospels at the pulpit and the discreet pieces of advice have not helped us modify the conduct of homosexuals. Perhaps exposure would do the trick. But criminals are like flies, the more you chase them the more they come. “Anecdote waged the war, but failed to proof its case in Court with Minister Owona Gregoire. But what of the rest?

For every true African, homosexuality is abominable; since it is in aberrance with the natural laws of existence. Though one can admit that man has so evolved that sexual intercourse is no more limited to reproduction, one cannot accept that man should make wrong use of his body. The laws of this land condemn homosexuality just like they condemn suicide. Even the bible which constitutes the core of western civilization condemns it in Leviticus 18:22.

What is therefore at fault with modern human reasoning? Have we reached the point whereby the law animals should remind mankind that God created sex organs for the holy use of reproduction? What has gone wrong with heterogeneous sexual intercourse, even if love should be played for love sake? These are questions which don’t find ready answers in our community. Certainly, those involved in this act are undergoing a mental crisis unknown to them.

No one is unaware that homosexuality is of the western culture and that it dates back from ancient times when the Greek and the Romans were trained to be selflessly patriotic and valiant at wars. The long secluded training created room for some queer intimate relationships with one another, which eventually exploded into homosexuality. But the African society had never developed such military training. Modern civilization must have exposed Africans to this repugnant idiosyncrasy.

Even then, one can understand why soldiers and monks develop a propensity for sodomy. One equally understands the case of lesbianism for reverent sisters and nuns who are camped for life. The urge to copulate is so strong an emotion to be subdued completely. The act can be the only safety valve for their sexual drive. But what do we say of the great personalities of this community who have everything at their leisure? Why do they practice so repugnant a vice, if not for mundane and demoniac reasons?

Many a voice has cried out that the publication of their names is improper and unpatriotic. To a large extent, this brings shame to the state. How could the people have allowed people with a soiled image to rule them? But our appointments in this country have never sought the opinions of people. The shame is neither on the people nor on the homosexuals. After all, no criminal feels ashamed, since he is aware that his crime will one day reveal him. Nothing is hidden under the sun. But can they now look at the faces of their partners and family-members?

The casualties of this publication are many and varied. Investigative journalism is quite commendable.

The only way of stamping out crime in our society is by exposing the criminals, though thought must be given as to the degree of causality and social damage. Much has been spent on investigating this case of homosexuality, a great social vice which could have a demographic effect in generation to come.

Justice Ebong's Diplomatic offensive

2006-03-19T02:27:00.000-08:00

Justice Ebong’s Diplomatic offensive:

By Timbong Innocent

The British Gov't condemns Anglophone secession

The British Government has unequivocally condemned current moves by the militant Southern Cameroon’s National Council to proclaim an independent Southern Cameroon’s State. The British government’s current position comes in the wake of a far reaching memo addressed by rebel SCNC scribe, Rt. Chief Justice Ebong Alobwede to the Secretary General of the UN, Dr. Koffi Anan on December 8, 2005 in which the British government is not only indicted but copied.

The British reply of which The Star Headlines obtained a copy dated January 23, 2006 is addressed to Justice Frederick Alobwede Ebong and signed by the Assitant Desk Officer for Cameroon at the Foreign and Common Wealth office Jane Blacklock. The letter comes shortly after Justice Ebong and 23 others landed in America on January 23, reportedly granted asylum by the America government. The group also includes the exiled SCNC youth leader Akwanga Ebenezer.

The British government’s reply, admits that “we share your concerns that all Cameroonians should enjoy equal rights, free from disadvantage for regional or linguistic reasons”. The British government recognizes , “the constitutional arrangement by which the Southern Cameroons joined the Republic of Cameroon in 1960 was willingly entered into by their own representatives and the UK recognizes that the government of Cameroon as the legitimate government over the whole of Cameroon”.

With finality, the memo continues, “As such we do not believe secession of the Anglophone provinces to be a credible solution to the above problems.” After cursing the Anglophone secessionist moves, the British government reiterates her unflinching support to the Cameroon government.

“The British government maintains an intensive dialogue with the Cameroon government and is committed to continuing to assist Cameroon in progressing further towards democracy, good governance and respect for Human Rights”. The missive concludes by resolving that, “we will continue to work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat and other international partners to support the government and people of Cameroon”.

Justice Ebong’s salvo to the UN scribe, stated categorically that “the Southern Cameroons is and has never been the Southern part of French Cameroon. Under the Versailles treaty, the German Kamerun was divided between Britain and France. Both Territories as mandatory Territories were administered by different colonial powers that were always at war with each other”.

According to Justice Ebong’s memo, “in 1885 when West European Powers met in the Berlin Conference and decided to share Africa among themselves, Southern Cameroons came under British Empire colonies along with the Nigerian Colony. The Southern Cameroons was attached to Eastern Nigeria”.

Ebong continues that under articles 78 of the United Nations charter on the International Trusteeship system, the basic objectives of the Trusteeship system were to further peace and stability and also to promote political, economical, social and education advancement of the inhabitants of the Trust Territory and their progressive development towards self-government or independence as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of each Territory and its peoples, and freely express wishes of the people’s concerned, and as may be provided by the terms of each trusteeship agreement.

It was with these considerations in mind that Dag Hamaskjold, the UN scribe proposed in 1959, independence for the Southern Cameroons for October 1, 1960 i.e. the day of Nigerian Independence. The Southern Cameroons achieved self-government in 1958, the UN then severed its trusteeship mandate from Nigeria as part of the British colony and promulgated the Southern Cameroons independent constitution in October 1960.

Ebong continues that on April 19, 1961, the UN General Assembly passed a Resolution for the Independence and sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons by 50 votes in favour, 2 against and nine abstentions. Rather than grant independence to the people, Justice Ebong continues, the British adopted stage managed plebiscites Justice Ebong also quotes Lord Thompson, M.P. who addressing the House of Commons in 1959 strongly opposed any proposal for uniting the British and the French Cameroon, “as these are two different Territories with complex problems.” Lord Thompson advised against any such union reiterating that “any plebiscite forced on the Southern Cameroon could be a balloon buried under water which will one day float”.

Lord Thompson’s admonition was not observed and at the 89th 6th General Assembly of the UN in October 6 1959, Justice Ebong’s memo’s regrets that, speaking for the USA the UN Ambassador, Clement J. Zabloiski said, “the USA had voted for Resolution 1350 (Xlll) and still finds its provisions satisfactory. The USA congratulates the people of the Southern Cameroons for their accession to Auto-determination as it constitutes the will of the population who wants to run its affairs democratically”.

‘The Government and the opposition parties of the Southern Cameroons unfortunately have not come to an agreement; however, there is no reason to deny the population of the Southern Cameroons a brief, the results of the hurried choice imposed on the population of the Trust Territory would be catastrophic for their political future”.

CORRUPTION IN CAMEROON - Biya's Axe falls again

2006-03-19T02:24:00.000-08:00

Corruption in Cameroon:

Biya’s AXE Falls again

·Over 30 now in Kondengui prison

·Four Police Commissioners in the dragnet,Who next?

By Nkemayang Paul Foanyi, Timbong Innocent

Looting state coffers has become a national past time for most senior government officials. After lifting the trophy of the most corrupt nation twice consecutively and remaining prominent amongst the world’s most corrupt nations’ index, H.E. Paul Biya the President of Cameroon has for close to three decades contented himself with “Ou sont les preuves”, in effect instituting corruption as an unlegislated act of government with the power of law.

However, the situation boomeranged on February 20, 2006 and crooked state functionaries are no longer at ease. This comes with the Herculean strikes of President Biya’s axe, which has chopped hitherto untouchable barons off their ivory towers, rendering them game for rats, mosquitoes, cockroaches, stenches etc in the bowels of the notorious Kondengui prison in Yaounde.

The first casualty of President Paul Biya’s axe on February 21 was Ondo Ndong Gerald, the all powerful former General Manager of the nations Housing and Loans institution popularly known by its French acronym FEICOM. Ondo Ndong who owns several estates at home and abroad is reputedly the president’s uncle and reportedly recently spent millions to garner popular support to endorse President Biya for another three year term, though it is unconstitutional.

Other February 21 victims include Giles Belinga, former CEO of the National Housing Corporation (SIC) and Joseph Edou of another State land banking institution “Crédit Foncier. All the three were rounded up by a crack unit, escorted to the Yaounde legal department where they were indicted on charges of embezzlement and misappropriation of State funds, and escorted directly to Cameroon’s infamous prison, Kondengui in Yaounde.

The directors are being investigated and most of their close collaborators have been arrested. Prior to their arrests, newspapers had published extensive lists of Senior State Civil Servants who were billionaires and the implicated did not as much as file or threaten defamatory suits. The three arrested were on the lists, so there is general panic amongst every senior state official and joy amongst the masses who have been exploited for decades.

The biggest catch in the anti-corruption drive so far is the Minister of Water and Energy Alphonse Siyam Siwé. Siyam Siwé was destituted of his functions as Minister on February 24. He was replaced by Justin Ndioro. The handing over ceremony was carried out in camera and immediately after, Siyam was conveyed to the Yaounde Court where corruption and embezzlement charges were brought against him. After which he was immediately escorted to the detention centre in the Ministry of Defense.

Siyam Siwé was recently appointed minister after presiding at the Cameroon’s Port’s Authority in Douala as General Manager for many years. The Douala Ports Authority had become legendary for corruption and its top officials have been rolling in money to the disdain of the population. Siyam’s arrest is in connection with his unethical reign at the Douala Port.

Following his arrest, he was moved to Douala where security officials were massively investigating the astronomous looting of the institution so far by the very personnel in whose custody the State had reposed confidence. In Douala, the incumbent Director of Finance François Martin Zibi was nabbed. Sources say many arrests are in the pipe-line.

Even the all powerful former Director of Cameroon Television Prof. Gervais Mendo Ze, currently a Minister has allegedly been interrogated but not arrested. On an interesting note, one of Mendo Ze’s former top aides and currently president of the Cameroon Boxing Federation Chief Jean Ze Akono was arrested in a border town with two suit cases of money. He was transferred to Yaounde but subsequently released in view of the fact that there was reportedly no investigation against him as yet.

However, the Police Chief in the zone where he was arrested has been arrested for tampering with the booty discovered on Ze Akono. The Senior Supridèndant of Police Magloire Engene was picked up by a special squad and transported to Yaounde where he is currently responding to police investigations.

In a related story, three Commissioners of Police and a military officer were implicated in the extortion of two million francs from two French T.V. journalists who had landed in Cameroon to do a documentary on homosexuality. The three Commissioners, Albert Lèpold Ebene, Didier Kergnine Kerbai variously attached to the research department of the Secretariat of State for National Security in Yaounde carried out their extortion in collaboration with a military officer one Marie Commandant Ahmed, the master-mind of the racket.

The two journalists of French nationality Céline Christianne Metzger and Christelle Cordeau arrived Cameroon to do a documentary on homosexuals. They had obtained all the required papers but the afore-mentioned elements arrested them. The journalists reportedly bought their freedom with two million FCFA but reported the incident to the authorities who reacted pronto after an investigation.

The three Commissioners of Police who are said to have received 325.000 FCFA each, have been suspended for three months but remain under surveillance by police as investigations continue. The recent sanctions on these officials has been warmly welcomed by a public who had lost every confidence in the police force , notorious for corruption.

Senior civil servant arrested so far are those enough evidence has been gathered on them. The investigations continue and more junior officials, aides to the big fishes are being rounded up. The public continue to celebrate the arrests but observers are wondering how far the Head of State will go in view of the fact that many assume his involvement in the financial scam..

However, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon H.E Neils Marquardt said to be the catalyst behind the President’s current action, has lauded the positive action but insists that it must be a continuous and judicial process, and also pledged U.S. support in terms of capturing and returning fleeing fugitives and their loot, in collaboration with the Interpol and other European and Latin American nations.

2006-03-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

The Star Headlines newspapers is making journalistic breakthrough in the English speaking proviences of the Cameroons