Issa Hayatou, Fifa vice-president accused of corruption

On Thursday 2 December the Fifa board of officials will decide which country or countries will host the 2018 and 2022 world cup and three of the senior officials who will vote for the ok  are being accused of corruption, Sepp Blatter the Fifa president will have to decide of the future of these senior officials.

African football president, the Cameroonian is accused of taking £ 13.000 from Fifa`s marketing partner ISL in 2001 when the company went bust.

Issa Hayatou, time to react and tell the truth

The bribe was paid to Issa Hayatou to secure lucrative TV and sponsorship contracts.

Issa Hayatou was given the money in 1995. The secret document received by journalists shows that Issa Hayatou has received these payments or kickbacks from the marketing agency ISL between 1988-1999.

Details of the secret payments received by Issa Hayatou will be revealed in a BBC program..

The list obtained by Panorama also includes details of 100,000 French Francs (£12,900) paid to Hayatou, the Fifa vice-president representing football in African nations. Hayatou also did not respond to the allegations when contacted by Panorama. During the preparation of the world cup 1990, ISL has a link in Cameroon with the sponsorship and also the TV contracts.

Fifa also declined interview requests to address the allegations. This year, the 15th annual report of the Corruption Perception Index from Transparency International released, put Cameroon in a similar position and rank as Zimbabwe.

It will not be a surprised for a Cameroonian Issa Hayatou to be accused of corruption. For the moment there is no statement from Caf and even a call for Issa Hayatou to resign for his post as Caf president.

Telling the true story of Zimbabwe.

Foster Dongozi, the actual secretary general of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists is in UK for an informative meeting about the situation back home and the realities facing journalists and human rights activists and trade unionists. 

In his mission, he is  with Jennifer Dube, a colleague journalist from The Standard, a weekly newspaper published in Harare. It was a great pleasure to meet face to face with those two colleagues journalists from Zimbabwe. Right Foster is now a trade unionist and comrade and Jennifer is a female journalist working in a macho environment in Harare.

In Zimbabwe, female journalist are not yet recognised by the work that they are doing and are still in low paid compare to their male colleagues. They are still treated as second class worker and Dube is trying to proof that they are wrong and that they should change their view and mind.

They brought here the true story of the situation in Zimbabwe as it happening today and what possibly could happened tomorrow as the coalition government is not doing so well and journalists also are being targeting by those in power. 

Jennifer Dube at the end of her visit at the Nuj HQ

Foster will have the opportunity now to act as an ambassador for a free and independent Zimbabwe from torture, intimidation, arbitrary arrest of journalist and human rights activists and political killing of opponents when he will meet with the Commonwealth parliamentary group and others government department in relation with Zimbabwe.

This visit arrived at the moment the coalition government has decided to renew with his policy of deportation and removal of  failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe  back home. The Homer Office said that, Zimbabwe is now a safe country to send his own people back. But Dube had another idea about what the Home Office missed totally in their assessment of a safe country.

They met with Zimbabwe diaspora in Glasgow last Monday, November 22 where they had opportunity to explain to them the reality and the true story back home. Those who attend the meeting organised by the Nuj Glasgow Branch have been informed and received evidence of what it is really happening back home there. After that they went to Dublin...

In a day of high political drama on the domestic political and economic front Minister of State for Development Aid, Mr Peter Power, met ZUJ General Secretary Foster Dongozi  and ZUJ Jennifer Dube in Dublin along with Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley. 

Foster and Dube in discussion

Mr Power offered to seek support at EU level for the promotion of human rights in Zimbabwe and stressed the importance of an independent media in the country. He expressed his shock at the treatment of journalists in Zimbabwe and asked that the NUJ would brief the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs on developments.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ Deputy General Secretary, travelled with the delegation from London to Glasgow and then to Dublin.

Media crackdown in Cameroon

The government in Cameroon is intent on controlling all sources of alternative knowledge and information ahead of the presidential election and the machiavelllian Biya`s administration machine is now in intensive action...

Cameroon`s vibrant independent media sector has been dealt a series of blows in the run up to the next year critical and important presidential election, with some Tv stations ordered to shut down, if they do not obey the rule and the law, Radio Television Siantou forced to review his editorial position,

Alex Azebaze, Snjc


Equinox in Douala has seen some journalists sanctioned and moved from one desk to another and even sent on special assignment, 

Magic Fm intimidated with his daily critic political and satirical program, Radio Reine has received strange visitors when one of his popular political analysis program was on air and the journalist forced to rewrite some questions to be asked to panelists,

Jean Baptiste Sipa, former columnist and newly editor responsible for  Le Messager had his mobile phone taped, Alex Gustave Azebaze, now acting as the first secretary of the leading journalists trade union in Cameroon has his mobile phone taped and also has been summoned to the police after taking part in a talkshow on radio.

Jean Bosco Talla, editor of Germinal, was refused visa to attend an award ceremony in Geneva recently by the Switzerland Ambassy in cameroon,

critical talk shows hauled off air, outspoken columnists and editors forced out of their jobs and bribed to stay away for a while, and above all, a new regulations in secret talks between the communication minister Issa Tchiroma, and the security council chief executive Atanga Nji, will see bringing mass text messaging and live broadcasts firmly under state control.

Jean Bosco Talla, Germinal editor, recently released from prison after paying millions of Cfa francs, denied exit from Cameroon last month


  Live broadcasting will see a new regulations adopted and implemented straight away as a signal to those who use more and more international critical correspondents during their on live program..

Despite government assurances that in Cameroon with over 600 registered newspapers ( from the press for the freedom of expression in late 1990 entrance and move to the democracy period...) and 250 published yearly, hundreds of private radio station, freedom of expression will not be restricted as the country prepares to enter a 10 critical months period of intense political uncertainty.

In a damning report on government repression, Amnesty International said: " The pattern being established is one that is already familiar from previous elections, which were carried out amid serious human rights violations....." 

The  biggest journalists trade union and human rights activists and groups have already criticised that the so called climate of terror  created by the state. 

In this political uncertainty and social environment of terror, dissidents voices are going to be systematically excluded and silenced with all means by the state from public debate.

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

Biya`s regime forced to publish spending data

The government administration in Cameroon for more than 20 years of Biya regime has never provided accurate and up to date records of spending data.Opposition in Cameroon will now try to draw a draft of proposal law that will oblige and force the government to release these records.

What the government normally hand out during the finances bill exam to the members of the parliament has nothing as detailed information on it. It will be an important step for the administration accountability and responsibility to provide such details to the public.

Will Philemon
succeed where Inoni failed?

Even Philemon Yang the prime minister in Cameroon at the moment has no idea about who are or will be the government biggest suppliers.

The government is now forced by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and members of Le Club de Paris to publish a list of its biggest suppliers by the end of this year before the presidential election.

This action they said, might have a huge impact on the credibility of Biya and his administration. It will show the transparency and accountability of his regime. The non publication of such information will show that the regime is hiding some crucial information that have been manipulated or trying to change some information in favor of themselves..

Me Akere Muna, vice president of Transparency International branch in Cameroon on the move to force the government to release spending data said < Is it right to force the government to publish a list of its biggest suppliers, indeed it will help because the government is spending way too much. Much of this money is wasted. Thankfully the move will encourage people to pay taxes with confidence..>

Philemon Yang today has the opportunity to show the International Community that, the government by publishing the list of its biggest suppliers, enter in the new area of accountability, transparency and responsibility.

Its drive to make public spending more accountable. Government minister of Biya`s regime must have the constitutional and moral obligation to publish the spending data of their respective department. For a transparent government it is good to know who is the biggest suppliers and who are behind these companies and what are they doing the promote for example transparency themselves..

Momo, an insurer working in Cameroon also said < The transparency will help me form an opinion, It will help me find out what my government is spending on and determine if i like it or not and now i can see where the money is being spent as well..>

The data that will be published should cover the last 13 years and the government must make this available for a large public and also provide a safe environment for those who will access these information.All this to help the public understand where the money is being spent and who are the winners and losers.

 Opposition its said is ready to appreciate the move while others critics are still sceptical about the government real intention. The move will hold the government to account for its spending activities.

Jeremy Corbyn: < we should very carefully think about how we mentally torture those who are trying to survive...>

Jeremy Corbyn (MP): Islington North, labour,  speaking in protest at the death of Jimmy Mubenga during his removal from the UK by the Home Office. this is what he said to his fellow citizens on 12th November .

.<  'The most grotesque travesties of justice occur in our prisons, in our immigration detention centres, and youth custody centres, ending up in people being deported in the way that Jimmy was and dying in the process.

Jeremy Corbyn, Mp speaking at the rally outside the Home Office.

In demanding justice for Jimmy in reality we are demanding justice for a much wider group of people in a much wider world. When the history of the latter part of the twenty-first century is written, we will see the stories of those that have tried to flee from poverty and oppression from many parts of the world in order to economically survive,

 and the hypocrisy surrounding the way in which migrant workers and others are exploited, ill-treated and then deported, even though the wealth of the west continues to rise.

 We call for justice for Jimmy, for the truth to be told and, above all, to end deportations that are forced and end the detention of people and start the process of granting recognition to those that are trying to survive and contribute to our society and our economy.

 I appeal to everyone in this country to think very very carefully about what we are doing to those just trying to survive....>

The Sdf aims to find 2.5 million missing voters

Up to 2.5 million potential voters are to be targeted by the Social Democratic Front ( SDF) as it seeks to ensure that the missing millions are struggling to register and have not yet exercised their right to vote are given a voice this time in next presidential and crucial election for Cameroon, John Fru Ndi told the media in France after the Socialist International council meeting.( 15-16 November 2010 in Paris).

John Fru NDI speaking today in France

In an attempt to reach out to critics, who question the chairman about the recurrence of the constants and mass resignations within the party ahead of the presidential election,

John Fru Ndi will then unveil plans to respond and also to increase voting in areas of high social deprivation and social discontent in Cameroon.

 John Fru Ndi will take time to explain and shed a light on the climate of suspicion which prevails in the party. He is expected to tell members of the party abroad, supporters and sympathisers of the Sdf `struggle and battle for fairness, democracy and  a new Cameroon with a new beginning without Biya,

 that his party with the help of international organisations such as the Socialist International, will attempt to locate missing voters  around the country by piloting a similar voting system of  registration and localisation and identification of voters.

 This will allow local sdf supervisors and election monitors to compare with local authorities information. The chairman said that, it is not good enough to simply ignore the millions who aren`t registered.

 Areas where local authorities are using intimidation methods to push away sdf members to even register and have their national identity card confiscated for not real reason...

The sdf with the international community help will work closely to reduce electoral fraud by being involved in the entire process of the registration and the publication of the electoral list.

According to government statistics ( Home Office or Territorial administration ministry) in 2009, about 12 million Cameroonians today are eligible to vote and the Cpdm all alone might have had 7 million potential voters and the rest is for others parties..

For him these missing millions must be given back their voices and choices in a fair, free and democratic election where there is no intimidation and hassle.

The opacity of Biya`s governance questioned

The second meeting of the council of the Socialist International in 2010 conclude today in France after 48 hours of debate and discussion. John Fru Ndi, the chairman of the Social Democratic Front attended the event alongside with Chantal Kambiwa, Ndiva Kofele Kale, Augustine Mbami and others leaving Biya and his government and his members of the parliament to adopt the 2011 financial bill that stand at 2.571 billion cfa francs.by applause and no contradictions.

 The Sdf parliamentary group did not approved and adopted the 2011 budget. The Cpdm has the total majority of seats in the National Assembly and since then has never encountered any problem forcing and imposing any bills to become a law. An incredible opportunity used by Paul Biya to do whatever he wants to do for the country.. 

 In France Fru Ndi has the opportunity to expose the weakness of Biya regime in arranging the upcoming presidential election and the opacity in his management of national affairs.

Chantal Kambiwa, Sdf delegate in France

On the agenda for the council meeting, participants have looked at the recovery from a social democratic perspective.

Many contributions were heard on ways to ensure that the recovery will be fair and equitable and sustainable and that will benefit the ordinary citizens.

which it is not the case at the moment for many millions of  Cameroonians according to John Fru Ndi`s declaration to the French media. In 2010 the Socialist International will actively continue to support democracy in different regions of the world and send electoral observation mission.

For more than 13 years now on,  Biya,  according to Fru Ndi has failed to deliver more than a modest increase in relieving poverty in Cameroon.

Traditional sources of finance for national development in Cameroon unfortunately are reserved for a small category of close relatives and friends of Biya  and do not benefit the entire population. Millions are still leaving in depth poverty...

Listening to Fru Ndi, it sounds like it`s getting hard to know what else Paul Biya has to do to get evicted from power. Corrupted government ministers from his own political party, embezzlement, human rights abuses, intimidation  and violation of press freedom orchestrated by some members of the government ..etc....In most countries, just dozens of scandals he has been related and third part involved in would be enough to finish him off politically..

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

Journalists at Brighton Argus vote to strike to protect jobs. Huge and massive and solidarity support needed on 18th and 19th November....

Press Cameroon on Union`s rights, top union activist tells the International community

Jean Marc Bikoko, Cameroonian best known union leader has urged the International community to press Yaounde on human rights and union rights issues last week, as the head of state Paul Biya returned from his incredible stay in Europe without informing his own people.

Jean Marc Bikoko during his intervention exposing public sector working worst condition in cameroon..

 He was arrested on Friday 12 November while protesting for decent working conditions in work place in Cameroon for civil servant or public sector workers and then released after being charged with organizing an illegal protest.

Jean Marc is well known union activist in Cameroon and this is not the first time he has been  arrested by authorities.

Talking to him on the phone last week before his arrest, Jean Marc said, there has been a pitiful change in global attitudes to Cameroon since the president amended the constitution and also the wee economic crisis with western and African leaders increasingly reluctant to challenge Yaounde.

The international community should ask mister Biya and his administration not to make people disappear or to jail them merely because they have different opinions or they are expressing what they think it is their own right and right to do that.

Jean Marc was arrested with others members who in the last hours have been released form police cell and will have to attend the court for their crime.

Jean Marc crime is to have  organised a demo and a sit-in in front of the prime minister building in Yaounde in order to hand him a memo regarding the pitiful working conditions of civil servant in Cameroon.

Jean Marc is just asking the prime minister to have a proper look at what it is happening and to bring a change that cost nothing.

The memo writing by the Centrale Syndicale du secteur public is a bible of pitiful description of the worst conditions in which civil servant  or public sector workers are working in, like not having simple and cheaper desk to work, not been able to have a simple and cheaper pen to write, no toilet tissue in the toilet for those who are lucking enough to have public toilet in use in their department, not even simple basics for the work place.

The state budget is over 2 500 billion cfa francs  and nothing or less has been done for that to change...This is the fight Jean Marc has been arrested for and will have to appear in front of the judge this week . He could be sentenced for..many months in prison...

But...Union and collective organisation rights are principally governed by the Trade and Labour Relations, and Cameroon has signed that convention as well and need to respect and have it in practice.

Where is the incredible disappearance Biya ?

Three weeks after the end of the Francophonie Summit in Montreux in Switzerland, President Paul Biya and his wife, the first Lady Chantal Biya are still not yet back to Cameroon where state medias have described his presence at the summit as < President Paul Biya emerged at the weekend Montreux summit as one of those ready to energize the Francophonie so that it becomes a stronger force on the world scene...>

So Biya appeared as someone after 28 years in power in Cameroon and a huge increase of poverty and corruption, who will energize the Francophonie. Biya has gone AWOL for more than 21 days after the end of the Francophonie summit and in Cameroon it looks normal for authorities to not knowing where is the president.

 Incredible. In the 21 century and in a democratic state like Cameroon, where they say that there is a freedom of information, only few are aware of Biya whereabouts. For the moment there is no information available about the whereabouts of the president and his wife.

And this is not the first time authorities in Cameroon are in a situation where they cannot give first and credible information about the head of state whereabouts. How come someone who has been described as the energiser of the la Francophonie around the world cannot tell his own people what he is doing and what is his intention and even program after the summit.

Some in the government say that the president normally advise them that everyone should do all they could and can to make the country move and do their job,

Paul Biya is to put himself at the helm of the Cameroon`s economic recovery. For sure and not the worst at the moment, Paul Biya might have been invited as a guest at the G20 summit in Seoul, South Korea where he was expected to lobby new investors and members of the financial international organization like the World Bank and the IMF and others organisation there and also accept some invitations to attend summit and conference next year around the world..

The president`decision to risk some of his political capital seems to be based on the belief that he would be criticised more if he did not make the extra personal effort to go out there and speak personally to those investors who because of the many reports recently published and not in favor of Cameroon, like the 15th annual report for Transparency International on the Corruption Perception Index where Cameroon is sharing the same position now with Zimbabwe and also the Doing business from the World Bank,  are still reluctant to take a risk and invest their billions of dollars or euros in Cameroon.

Biya in Seoul even non officially will meet members of the Fifa and discuss for example the building of stadium in Cameroon and also the football program in Africa as a whole. Biya will also take time to follow his children education performance as they are registered there for education and also the first lady has some business there to have an eye on it. Also the president use to take time off for a check up on his heart as he has a heart condition problem link with his age..

But the problem is that the president normally takes his holidays even without informing members of his own administration. There is a huge blackout with the way he is managing the country and also horrendous for people to not been informed. It might be true that wherever he is around the world, Paul Biya is working in connection with those who are back home.

But there can be no guarantees from authorities in cameroon that they are aware of exactly where and what the president is being doing outside the country. Blackout of public information is one of the key force of Biya politic in dealing with people. Once back home Paul Biya will address certainly cameroonian people and the state media. Biya wants to reinvigorate his national political party ahead of the presidential election next year...

Gordon Brown takes a pot shot at opposition leaders in Cameroon....

Gordon Brown, makes his first appearance before the International Development Select committee yesterday, Tuesday 9 November , since stepping down as Prime Minister in May.

The International Development Committee questioned him about international efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and his ideas for nurturing growth in Africa.

And when asked about African leaders, like Paul Biya in Cameroon and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and others who serve more terms in power than they promise, <  I think it is very difficult for us to impose rule on African countries that we do not apply ourselves...>  the ex-prime minister told the International Development Select Committee.

The ex-prime minister answer here could and would spark major debate back in Cameroon and in Zimbabwe and Egypt and elsewhere where leaders in  power have changed or amended the constitution in order to stay longer in power and reduce efforts that opposition can use to take over the power.

By saying that it is very difficult for the British government to impose a rule on Africa countries, Gordon Brown open here a door for dictatorial government as the one in Cameroon to continue to torture and reduce efforts that the people has built after  long fights against those corrupt governments.

Even they cannot impose rules on then, there is another way those old empire could help for example with the use of economic sanctions. British officials and diplomats have appeared more focused on the potential economic gains between both countries rather than looking at the politics. It is a matter of strategical choice.

But the ex-prime minister did not mentioned a word sanction during his appearance at the select committee. Now Paul Biya and others could now have a real peace of mind that they do not have to be afraid as they  will not receive or expect any reaction or intimidation coming from Britain after the presidential election that obviously will be rigged anyway.

Brown answer could be viewed as an indication that foreign countries in a democratic African countries should not have to  interfere any more in internal political affairs and should let the people decide who they really want to rule their country. 

 And will opposition leaders in Cameroon and Zimbabwe learn from Barack Obama quote when he said < I think all of us have to fundamentally reject the notion that violence is a way to mediate our differences...>

But where there will be an outstanding and clear violation of human rights or even a rise on human rights abuses, then Britain will  react in his full capacity.

Opposition battle starts to find the leader who can take on Biya

John Fru Ndi, leader of the social democratic front ( SDF) and other leaders are now facing a battle over who should lead the fight against President Biya at the next presidential election in 2011. There are persistent quotes that the leader of the SDF will call in the next coming weeks an informal meeting that will be held at  his official residence in Ntarikon.

This will be the first time according to one insider that, the chairman will host a meeting at  his residential-palace with others leaders that himself,  after consultation with cabinet members, has selected. Fru Ndi has been under growing pressure over the past weeks by the resignation of members of the party, which critics say are inappropriate at a time that the party needs strength and solidarity ahead of the presidential elections.

 The image of the party has been damaged since  by the resignation of some key members who have decided to leave the party with mutual consent and to join another political movement conducted by Bernard Muna, one of the sons of the late former National Assembly president Salomon Tandem Muna.

He is now viewed as one of John Fru`s contender in the anglophone region even some political advisers in Cameroon do not think the same at the moment. Bernard Muna, from the North-West is regarded as better able to attack the President Biya and John Fru Ndi political ideology.

 There are also some reports saying that John Fru Ndi`s longest standing ally last week presented him with an ultimatum that could herald the beginning of the end of the fake-real face of the opposition in Cameroon. The man who for 20 years stood at John Fru Ndi`s side delivered his ultimatum in the course of a wide-ranging speech in which he criticised and even ridiculed the administration`s performance of the party by John Fru Ndi. He is being accused of neglect and mismanagement of the 20 years old political party.

As the chairman is pretending that everything is going well, his former ally speaks of moral decay and lost of confidence. Fru Ndi`s insider man think that the man who has refused to be named for legal reason,  might have receive hundreds of million francs cfa it is believed  from Etoudi to influence Fru Ndi decision and stand down.

 This is not the first time Etoudi has done this in order to weakness in some how the stronghold of the Sdf. Meanwhile this  intention of calling that meeting with some leaders of political parties outside of Yaounde, the political and administrative capital of Cameroon, has heightened the chances of the Sdf leader, president candidate, to stand against Biya and who personally endorsed several of leaders of small political parties who at the moment have no representatives in the Parliament.

 But according to some reports, the Unity Palace observers warned that John Fru Ndi`s polarising personality, which has made him deeply unpopular in most of the European countries and in the Us with some swing voters and the recent resignation of some key members of the party would lead the socialist-democrat to a more flyweight ideological figure.....

Fru Ndi initiative is being supported by Britain and the Us and also other European countries according to insiders and it is viewed as an opportunity for the opposition leaders to unite and form  something that will help them to challenge Biya. That something has not got a name yet. 

Adamou Ndam Njoya, for the Cameroon Democratic Union who attended the previous conference in Us called and organized by the Cameroon Diaspora Coalition on the future of Cameroon and Celestin Bedzigui who has sold his former political party to the Undp and lost faith in fighting  against Biya have all rejected the idea of joining Fru Ndi meeting, while Chief Mila Assoute from Paris is still unsure whether or not to join or not the meeting. 

Biya sets his spies on reporters

Paul Biya regularly orders spy chiefs to investigate, control and monitor  journalists, its was claimed  last week.

The president approves what can be see as illegal activities such as conversation tapping, following journalists movement, tracking them wherever they go, destruction of materials, setting fire and arbitrary arrest according to a revoked police officer.

Ebene, former commissioner who worked as a member of a selective team of domestic spy service in Cameroon from the CENER,( Centre National des Etudes et des Recherches...a french institution that train spies in Cameroon)  was revoked for gross misconduct by a presidential decree and now running for the presidency.

These are some of departments that the government use to monitor journalist activities and tract down leaders of the opposition movement as well.

DGRE, ( Direction General des Renseignements Exterieur , another French institution that not only train spies inside and abroad, monitor potential activists in Cameroon and abroad and they have unconstitutional right to kill when its necessary, members there have the obligation to inform the government of any activities conducted by some opposition leaders or their member`s activity's abroad, basically they work with Cameroon High Commission wherever they are in the world, 

DGSN,( Direction Generale a la Surete Nationale,) BRQ,  Bulletin du Renseignement Quotidien, another French machine that update the head of state and his assistant on daily basis on what is going on in the country regarding what would be considered as illegal activities or subversive, made the announcement while presenting his presidential candidature in Paris after being revoked by Paul Biya.

From his communication its appears that, the newly communication department at the presidency in Cameroon chaired by a formal political editor and presidential reporter Joseph Le, that the head of state has instructed the general secretary of the presidency to set up a unit dedicated to tracking journalists and their sources, it alleged.

Spies acting as journalists always work closely with journalists and police officers. Leading independent newspapers as Le Messager and his rival La Nouvelle Expression have been targeted and visited many times by government spies.

Mutations, a daily newspaper that officially is an independent newspaper but receive public funding through government adverts and others benefits  before the split that saw the birth of Le Jour has receiveded visits from spies during the night at the print..

In Cameroon as the media law does not permit journalist to sue  this kind of activities makes things very difficult for journalists. while in French for example Le Monde is preparing to sue the French government for wire-tapping a source.

Journalists who write critical articles against the government and Paul Biya are listed and known by spies and police officers. They can be invited at any police or military police office to respond to some interrogation and question about their articles and journalism work.

Most of the time without having their lawyer with them. The law is not working for journalists but against them in Cameroon and that would explain  why journalists always end-up in jails or prison without a fair trial. As the presidential election is looming, spies will now back on the streets to monitor closely journalist`s work....in a so called democratic state of cameroon?

Will this new Anglo-French military accord boost the change of management in cameroon ?

On Tuesday, November 2 in Lancaster House, President Sarkozy and David Cameron signed an agreement under which France and Britain will pool their military capabilities.

From the political view, this new alliance is presented by both governments as a signal of the strength of the bilateral relationship. It is true that this agreement will have its immediate military impact in Cameroon also ahead of the next presidential election as both countries have huge economic and military interests.

 France has a military base in the Northern region of Cameroon and Britain has his military strategic advisors working closely under the supervision of  Israelis military advisors who especially monitor presidential security. This Anglo-French military co-operation can be read in a different way.

Cameroon might receive new military materials and equipment that will increase  the country military capacity security. But for what by this time of the year as the country is not engaged in any war with any country at the moment even there are news about an organized plot coming from the Northern region where France has his military base. With Nigeria there is no real movement at the moment.

 New contracts to be signed and renewal of old ones will be on the agenda of the next joint committee France-Cameroon. If the economy is partially stabilised in Cameroon for the moment according to new reports from the International Monetary Funds and the World Bank and needed some improvement, the military agreement between France and Britain could be interpreted as an attempt by old powers to prop each up in straitened times and diffuse their differences of view and interests in Cameroon and also boost the political environment and affairs.

 Both countries have huge impact on political affairs and how the actual government is conducting business in Cameroon. Interested in a different way in Cameroon, Washington is also being closely monitored the Anglo-French alliance as a sign of the hard economic choices.

The two countries have massive interests in Cameroon with different view on how the country deals with its internal affairs. Where Britain is watching closely the monitoring of efforts to fight corruption and reduce abuses on Human Rights issue, governance and accountability, France will focus only on business and exploitation of natural resources.

Both countries have different approach on political issues for an independent state in Cameroon and also act in what they see as their strategic interests. Britain is in favor of a real power sharing that suits people aspiration while, France is for the arrival of a new deal in Cameroon with new people to take over the old regime without losing their interests and destroy what they have achieved after a long period of struggle for democracy .

Could this new Anglo-French military treaty bring the change that is needed in Cameroon where the military totally is in support of Biya`s regime ? At this time it is not easy to speculate on how the new defence deal signed between France and Britain will have a direct impact on political affairs in Cameroon and how effectively both countries will act to boost that change of management so needed by those who love to see Cameroon becoming an emergent economic country in the region and around Africa and the world.

Progress on political reform in Cameroon still slower

The progress on political reform in Cameroon since the amendment of the constitution in mid 2008 has been slower said her majesty`s government while assessing the political and economic situation in Cameroon, on Tuesday 2 November 2010 in the House of Lords.

Lord Howell of Guilford

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford), responding to a question put forward by Lord Luce in the House of Lords, regarding the situation in Cameroon ahead of the next crucial presidential election in 2011, said,  the little  power-sharing inclusive Government have made some progress since their formation  by the beginning of 1992-1994 and until today, most notably on the stabilisation of the economy.

One thing is real and scrutiny is the stabilisation of the economy with some slower progress on political reform and also a huge deficit and lack of political system of fighting against corruption in Cameroon.

There has been a considerable increase  in the severity and frequency of human rights abuses since the amendment of the constitution by the president Paul Biya in order to be able by the constitution to run for another presidential mandate next year. From different reports and press released, there has been some improvement .

Despite this, we remain concerned about ongoing abuses, particularly around the rule of law and the hardliners' continued exploitation of their control of the security apparatus and judiciary for political ends.

 The recent constitutional reform process has shown that state actors still have a capacity for violence and intimidation with no real intention of power-sharing in the government.


 The main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front has been out off the power-sharing government since 1994 while his members of the parliament or parliamentary group still acting in the parliament.

Persistent intransigence from hardliners, including the recent unilateral appointments made by President Paul Biya , led John Fru Ndi, leader of the Sdf,  to declare  unconstitutional crisis earlier last month the job previously  done by the Elecam, the government body that will organise, and monitor  the next presidential election.

We share opposition leader's frustration in Cameroon with the lack of a real political and ambitious reforms and support them in their  determination to remain in, for those who are at the moment in  the power-sharing Government and also encourage the Sdf, now  to seek advice on ways to start a new political life on power-sharing in the government.

In the absence of a road map to credible and properly monitored elections, Biya administration continue to offer the only credible means of transforming Cameroon  and delivering basic services to its people.

But to succeed, it needs a clear commitment from all parties to work together to implement the reforms set out in the global political agreement.

We will continue to work with our international partners in considering how best to work with reformers in Cameroon  and the region, to improve prospects of reform in Cameroon and to prepare for credible and properly monitored elections. A message to them will, Cameroon, the world is watching you.

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

NUJ - National Union of Journalists

Ou sont passes les opposants a Biya?

Les opposants camerounais, et plus majoritairement les aigris, la bande de hauts fonctionnaire releves de leur fonction, les revoques de la police et autres mecontents des decisions prises par Paul Biya depuis 2007 n`arrivent meme pas a tirer le moindre benefice politique et sociale de la situation d`incertitude dans laquelle le pays y est plonge.

Face a une lutte acharnee contre la corruption engagee par Paul Biya sous la pression permanente de la France, la Grande Bretagne, l`Italie et les Usa, qui n`est autre qu`une campagne de nettoyage de la culture de l`exuberance irrationnelle et parfois meme economiquement spontanee de certains membres du gouvernement.

.< une bonne partie, etant devenu pensionnaire a la prison centrale de Kondengui a Yaounde-Cameroun..> les opposants a Biya ou ceux qui aujourd`hui se considerent comme l`etant devraient donc avoir eu le vent en poupe pour remettre officiellement et de maniere publique la gestion catastrophique et chaotique de la conduite des affaires au cameroun par la bande a Biya.

 Yaounde, Douala,  Bamenda, Garoua, Maroua, Nkongsamba, Bafoussam et etc...ces opposants apparaisent comme des defenseurs d`un cameroun devenu de plus en plus obsolete et peu credibles eux-memes face a une image d`un autre cameroun revigorant que fait miroiter Biya avec son administration.

Quel est le plan de redecollage economique que peuvent proposer ces opposants a Biya? Alors que les conflits de leadership, de controle des depenses et de representativite au sein de l`opposition s`intensifient, qu`en face la bande a Biya semble quant a elle se la tourner douce, bien qu`il existe avec persistance une certaine grogne au sein du parti proche du pouvoir.

Depuis pratiquement plus de 2 ans, les militants des partis de l`opposition a Biya manifestent et protestent sans se lasser contre les methodes et techniques arbitraires de conservation du pouvoir au sein du parti. Aucun des leaders  de l`opposition n`a jamais ose remettre en cause son leadership ni meme user le systeme de vote comme barometre pour jauger son degre de popularite au sein du parti. Tous aujourd`hui sans exception egalent des records d`impopularite.

 L`avenir aujourd`hui inquiete plus les jeunes que ces leaders politique de l`opposition. A la lecture de l`environnement socio-economique et politique au cameroun, aucun mouvement ne se dessine aujourd`hui.

Mila Asoute, president et opposant a Biya

 Une certaine opinion pense que les opposants a Biya ne feraient pas mieux aux affaires et qu`ils restent impuissants face a la montee de la fronde au sein du parti ayant la majorite au pouvoir et apparaissent impuissants a incarner un reel projet de societe pour le cameroun.

Que se soit Adamou Ndam Njoya de l`UDC, Hameni Mbieleu, Dakole du MDR, Fru Ndi du SDF, Bernard Muna, Bello Bouba de l`Undp, et les autres ne proposent encore rien a la populatiuon. Tout se passe comme si pour l`heure y a plus rien a faire. Et le suppose leader des sondages est deja donne favori par une certaine presse dite tres proche du pouvoir bien quelle porte sur elle le caractere de presse independante. Allignement? Affirmatif.

 Face a cette attitude d`inertie naissent de tous les cotes de pseudo candidats declares a l`election presidentielle de 2011.  A moins de 12 mois de la prochaine presidentielle au cameroun, seuls moins de 10 candidats se sont deja signales, et certains sans ambitieux programme de societe. Et pendant ce temps, le president sortant est deja rentre en campagne permanente pour une eventuelle controverse reelection.