The death of over a thousand Kenyans is not daunting President Paul Biya of La Republique du Cameroon and his ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM) from pursuing their plan to change the Constitution in favor of eliminating any limits to his Presidency. It is for this purpose that over 750 party delegates from every Division of Cameroon's 10 provinces were convening at the CPDM Palais de Congres headquarters in Yaounde on the weekend of February 11th. But their mission to crown President Biya a monarch has been meeting fierce opposition. The U.S Ambassador to Cameroon, Her Excellency Janet E. Garvey has been on record since February 5th, 2008 when the diplomat made it clear that her country would not support any constitutional amendment that is motivated only by one person or a group of persons.
While the remarks by the Ambassador have put the CPDM bigwigs on the ropes urging the U.S to stay out of its business, Cameroonians in the diaspora must take action and be on the side of history and posterity. At the very least, these shameless CPDM hawks that are fighting tooth and nail to eradicate the semblance of democracy in Cameroon for an outright monarchy will not deem the actions of its citizens as "meddling". The action that everyone of us in the United States must take is simple:
Write to your Congressman or woman about the plan of President Biya and his cohorts to change the constitution for a life mandate. To do this, visit www.congress.org and enter your Zip Zode to find out who your representatives are. When you have ascertained who your representative is, please write to them. Be precise about what it is you are talking about. State the fact that President Paul Biya, who has been in power for the last 25 years, is working feverishly with the CPDM to safeguard a constitutional change of Section 6.2 that will guarantee a life presidency. This is against the wishes and aspirations of the majority of Cameroonians at home and abroad who have been disenfranchised by the regime.
The carnage in Kenya can be replicated in Cameroon if the world, led by the U.S ant its leaders, fails in reading the Red Flag warnings that such wanton manipulation of the people and the Constitution represents. About 40% of Cameroon's budget comes from America! You may recall that President Bush recently axed American aid to Kenya, forcing that other dictator to abdicate his unilateralism and to begin discussions on a joint government with the opposition. It is therefore imperative that Cameroonians in the United States fill the in-boxes of the representatives with mail about the impending doom facing Cameroon. Do not doubt the power of a single mail.
Also share the word with other Cameroonians and even non-Cameroonians. Urge each and everyone to write to their representative. President Biya and his "president-forever" supporters have used this ploy from time immemorial. Remember the "motions de soutien"? The antidote strategy for us in the diaspora is to write to the elected representatives. It may be the only tool in our arsenal that these dictators cannot take away. They have taken away our right to vote. They have robbed us of our ability to participate in alleviating poverty in our families. We have become mendicants in far away lands. They are killing our brothers and sisters with policies that exacerbate dependence on corruption. We can do something right now and right here without endangering our lives...
Write to your representative. Write now!
Or are you in favor of the amendment? Let us know.
Innocent Chia
Citizen Journalist
Email: innochia@gmail.com
7 comments:
"WILSON TITA"
Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:06 am (PST)
Mr Innocent Chia
I thank you for such a thoughtful and
urgent plea. I will be writing to my Congress Man
today. I encourage every one to do the same. God bless
our beloved country Cameroon.
Wilson Tita
"Gana, Valentine
Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:57 am (PST)
FYI -- One of the greatest moral sins is doing nothing, because you can only do so little. Remember, a rope weaved of a thousand strands is strong enough to drag a lion. Read the sample letter after the article below and act towards adapting it and faxing it to your Senator or Congressman. You can easily find the fax number of your representative by Googling the word Senator and Congressman in combination with your State of Residence. The time to act is now!!
Irene Chungag
Fellow Cameroonians,
It is about time we stopped whining and do something. Writing to your congress person is the least you can do. This is not just about Biya. It is about democracy. We want a Cameroon that we can live in and leave to future generations with pride. As we head out to vote and support democracy in this Land of the Free, it is not far-fetched to hope that one day the Cradle of our Fathers will be able to offer similar rights and privileges to its sons and daughters. Even more pressing, is the desire we all have, that God should forbid that we have to go down the bloody path. So, please, for the love of our Motherland, take this challenge, write to your congress person, and spread the word.
Irene Chugag
Date: Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Hi there Innocent Chia,
I am a young cameroonian from the south West part of cameroon presently residing in New Carrollton, maryland in the the United States of America. I am one of those lucky ex-cameroonian students who had to escape from my country by all means to beg the American Government to accomodate me because as young as i was, my life was in danger.
This is due to the current and ever existing regime of President Paul Biya who makes the country threatening for everybody. No freedom of speech or else you are dead before you know it!
Everyday i imagine my mates who don't have the opportunity i had to escape to a land of freedom(America), are going through.
For all these reasons, i am for the amendment as far as the current "Biya regime" is concern. I will be grateful for life if the American government can intervern in this situation just like they are doing now in Kenya, because i will relax with no strong heart beats coming from fear that my friends, and family are in danger back in cameroon.
Thank you very much for the help.
EBAKO MUKWELE
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Hi Mr. Chia,
I am happy that you have brought up this idea that we should write to our Representatives/Senators. In December, I sent out a proposal that all Cameroonians in the diaspora should organise huge rallies in front of Cameroon Embassies in Washington D.C., London, Paris. Abuja, Pretoria, etc, but my proposal was met with silence. I still think that in addition to the letters to our Representatives/Senators, we should organise a rally in front of the Cameroon Embassy in Washington. This will make the world know that there is something wrong some where. Besides, Cameroonians back home need to know that we out here are not indifferent to what Mr. Biya intends to do.
Pa Zama
Mr. Mukwele,
I am certain that you are not in favor of a constitutional amendment that will eternalize President Biya at Etoudi. But that is what you conveyed in your comment and I just wanted for our readers to understand that it may have been a typographical error on your part.
Have a nice day, and please write to your representative.
I do believe that the best form of solution to any kind of problem is the prevention: will it be social, economical or political.
The people victims of war; diseases or simply victims of any kinds of conflict will tell you that, the best moment for bringing the solution to their conflict would had been acting proactively to prevent that problem before it aroses. Even Bill Clinton the Ex. President of US. In his best seller book-MY LIFE, expresses regreat on not acting erlier anough to prevent the genocide in Rwanda. We all know how many lives the international community in general and the Rwanda in particular lost in that conflict. We all know how much pain grieves and funds the conflict in Rwanda alone cost the International Community and the People of Rwanda in particular to recover from those atrocity causes by a selffish decision of an individual or group of individuals. Who could have predicted the current social-political situation in Kenya two years ago; as Kenya enjoyed the statut of one of the most stable African Country!. That previlage is now part of history.
In the plight of the current social-political situation in Cameroon, one need not to have a special visionary gift and talent to understand that the Country of Cameroon is undergoing one of its most intrigate challenge; ANY CHANGES IN OUR CONSTITUTION by Mr. Biya in other to remain in Power after his term in 2013 as the country's president, could trigger and spike a "never seen" violence throughout the Country. We just can not afford any such violence in our Country. That's why i call on any one Cameroonian as well as anyone who is advocated to a "world of Peace" to Act NOW!!! to prevent that almost inevitable instability of the Country and lost of lives. we should not be surpprise of any "regreatable" outcome of the situation resulting from us not doing anything or not doing enough to prevent kaos from happening.
As Innocent suggested,let us all write to our respective representative and senator to express our consern and let our voice be heard, before it become too late. I also suggest that we all Cameroonian and every advocate of a "World of Peace", to gather in front of the federal bulding of our city and State of residency to protest any unnecessary changes in the nation's constitution include the article 6 section 2. of the 1996 Constitution. Doing so, will sent a clear message of accountability to Mr. Biya and let our collective opinions be known to the rest of the world " that is Democracy".
In the other Hand, I'm in favor of a comprehensif Presidential retirement bill to be vote in the Parliament.
May God bless us all, bless our belove Country, and bless the whole world
Pat Tegni
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