FREE 15 JAILED BUEA ACTIVISTS AND OTHER POLITCAL PRISONERS IN CAMEROON!
FREE 15 JAILED BUEA ACTIVISTS AND OTHER POLITCAL PRISONERS IN CAMEROON!
Drop all Charges
Protest to the Cameroon government
The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) – the Nigerian affiliate of the Committee for a Workers International (CWI) – has been informed that on Sunday 17 July, 15 activists fighting for the self-determination of the English-speaking Southern Cameroons were arrested by the police at a restaurant in Buea. They are held in Buea Central Prison. They have not been charged and do not know what they are accused of.
The 15 are Shey Alfred Sembe, Fokum Andrew, Moto James, Njousi Abang David, Chief Ekane Ivoson Maths, Bissong Mathias Arrey, Tabot James Arrey, Tebot Titanji Christian, Mokube Alus Ngoe (who is blind), Nke Valentine, Tonjoh Peter Fehbi, Asoh Cletus, Mbua Richard and Check Nyah. They are regional and local representatives of Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC).
Their arrest underlines the increasing authoritarian and repressive character of the Cameroonian state. We are also aware that there are many other activists arrested in 2014 and 2015 who are still waiting in prison for their trial. The conditions in prison are inhuman. We have seen reports of prisoners that have been tortured and denied food, water and medical attention.
We believe that self-determination and the right to campaign for it are internationally recognized rights. But it is very clear the arrest has a purpose beyond this. The aim is to use this to intimidate organized labour and the wider section of the working people of Cameroon from rising to oppose the governments’ capitalist neo-liberal economic policies that have continued to render the mass majority poorer while a few politicians and big business live opulently.
We support the democratic rights of the arrested and all other activists in Cameroon to meet and to discuss and spread their ideas. We therefore demand immediate freedom for the 15 and that all trumped-up charges against them are dropped.
We also call for a halt to other attacks on the democratic rights of the working masses and youth in Cameroon. We will raise these issues in the workers’ movement, students’ movement and grassroots organizations here in Nigeria with a view to taking solidarity actions to press for their release.