Kini Nsom
25 April 2008
column
The scenario is akin to that of someone with goose pimples on his face that render so ugly, yet he pretends not to believe that the mirror is giving him a faithful reflection of his looks.
He then gets angry with the mirror and shatters it. Government's nasty kink against free expression is an attempt to break the mirror that has been showing its ugly face. A face rendered clumsy by a show of callous and undemocratic behaviour.
The ban on Equinox TV and radio and Magic FM radio is the most humiliating act in Cameroon's current democratic dispensation. Such anti-press sins are committed by a government at whose helm is President Paul Biya who wants to be remembered for having brought advanced democracy to Cameroon.
Whatever reason the Communication Minister, Jean Pierre Biyiti Bi Essam, gives for gagging certain press organs, should be thrown to the dogs. The truth is that government tacitly declared any press organ, person or group of persons that were against its bid to amend the Constitution, persona non grata.
As the world prepares to commemorate the world press day on May 3, the alarum bell should be rung to tell the world that the press is under serious threat in Cameroon.Mr. Biyiti Bi Essam denied in an interview with the BBC that government is fighting to stifle free expression as far as the debate on the recent constitutional amendment is concerned.
By that token, it will be a curious coincidence that the Littoral Governor, Francis Fai Yengo, banned free expressions at the same time that Biyiti's censorship hammer fell on the three news organs.
Lapiro De Mbanga
In its bid to suppress contrary views on the constitutional amendment, the regime resorted to victimising musicians that have been critical of the issue. That is why Cameroon's foremost musician, Pierre Roger Lambo Sandjo, aka Lapiro de Mbanga, has been detained since April 1.
The artist is suffering pre-trial detention for allegedly leading the February strike in Mbanga. However, beneath the trumped- up charges lies the fact that Lapiro De Mbanga has been very vocal of the constitutional amendment. In his latest satirical musical piece titled "Constitution Constipé" (Constipated Constitution), Lapiro pours scorn on the constitutional amendment.
As far back as 1986, the artist criticised the Biya regime in a song titled "no make erreur" (Make No Error). Three years later, he did another sarcasm-loaded piece in the heat of the economic crisis called "Mimba Wi" (Remember Us).
Lapiro De Mbanga is not the only critical musician that has been caged by the Biya government. Another artist, Longue Longue, has been in trouble with the government as he has taken sides with the suffering masses to bemoan the problems that have gripped Cameroon.
He vents his anger and frustration in songs like, "Le Liberateur" and "Ayo Africa".Apparently acting on instructions from government, CRTV authorities banned the album and warned journalists not to air the music any further. CRTV journalist Billy Carson was suspended from broadcast when he played "50 ans au pouvoir" and even commented on it.
From the look of things government is very ready to crush anyone who takes exception to the recent constitutional amendment that finally instituted life presidency in Cameroon.
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