SCNC Cameroon

The New York Times Sells Cameroon for $250,000

by Sofia Jarrin Hurtado ( sofiajt [at] yahoo.com )
Tuesday Jul 10th, 2007 9:07 AM

On a silver platter this past Sunday, The New York Times magazine featured no less than eight pages towards the liberalization of the economy in Cameroon. Showing off its excellence in corporate media advertising, the NY Times magazine sold prominent space to Cameroon business traders so they can in turn sell their country’s resources to U.S. investors, no doubt to the demise of many of its citizens. “Cameroon ready for growth, ready for investment,” reads a headline on page 59 which goes on to explain the country’s “quest for sustainable growth...”


“Cameroon is initiating an economic program to privatize public and semi-public corporations in all sectors of the economy, including agro-industry, transport, telecommunications, energy and water… Investors have more reasons than ever to invest in Cameroon, which boasts political stability [and] a flexible government.”

Such flexible government, under its benefactor and President for the past 22 years, Paul Biya, has pledged to preserve “peace and stability” in the country during his next four years in power. President Biya is Cameroon’s second president since the proclamation of its independence from France on January 1, 1960, and through consistent elections every seven years where he has ran mostly unopposed, Biya has proven that stability means single party rule.

Amnesty International, unfortunately, has not been able to partake in Cameroon’s historical political stability since they were banned from entering the country for releasing a scathing human rights report in the early 1990s. Amnesty has steadily included Cameroon in their yearly human rights reports, which boasts of many measures of imprisonment, torture, and gag modus operandi to contain the masses from destabilizing the country. In 2007, no less than two editors from main newspapers, L'Afrique and The Chronicle, and a journalist from Radio Equinoxe, were beaten and arrested for inciting freedom of speech.

Moreover, to ensure the trade of professional journalism is carried out with full authority, the Ministry of Communication instituted in 2004 an innovating system of issuing press cards to all exercising journalists, renewable every two years at the journalist’s expense. No doubt The New York Times would report, if time and space allowed, on such heavy-handed processes against fellow bloggers and venture journalists.

hmmm, interesting

IF anyone has a direct email address for any members of the SCNC in Cameroon, please post them here. I am eager to get a first hand account of the situation to use in my organisation's annual report.

Thank you

On Monday February 25th the residents of Douala awoke to the sights and sounds of a full fledged riot in progress.

The source of friction of the strike appears to be the plight of Taxi Drivers. There are reports of a protest on the 23rd of February that had attracted a heavy response from the Police. One protester was reportedly killed after Tear Gas and Water Cannons were used against them. After a day of calm the fighting then erupted again on Sunday with Bridges being blocked with burning tires and overturned Taxis scattered throughout the City.

Currently Cameroon is a minor Oil Producer. It is also the Terminus of an Oil Pipeline that originates in Chad. That will be a reason for some Nations to watch this situation with some interest. Also there is growing discontent within the Bakassi Peninsula and the Southern Cameroons as they seek Independence. The English Speaking People of Cameroon feel that the UN held an Illegal Election back in 1960 that placed them with Cameroon instead of granting them an Independent Status.

The Gulf of Guinea is considered to be a major Security Interest by the Current Administration in Washington. It has a Naval Vessel currently in the Region Training the Countries in proximity to the Gulf in such areas as Counter Terrorism, Drug Interdiction and even assisting in Repairing Damaged Infrastructures. Several Nations feel that this effort by the United States is a Benefit to both America and Africa.

What will happen to the Region if Instability continues to grow worse? Well there are already concerns regarding Freedom of the Press and Police Activities. Security Forces made a heavy presence in the center of Douala. The Current Government is adamant in having the measure passed. Both the Representatives of the EU and the US have warned against having this measure rammed through by the President. Hopefully the EU and the US will not have to Militarily Intervene in this situation.

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