Shot for Speaking English

By Chongsi Joseph Ayeah

Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy (CHRAPA)

Yaounde- Anglophone teenager, Mbonde Mosima, is today sporting a neck scar and acute paralysis, the outcome of his encounter almost three years ago against a hate-filled Francohone gendarme captain. Until Saturday, October 19th 2002, Mbonde Mosima (then 18) was an upper sixth student at Mevick Bilingual College, Etoug Ebe, Yaounde. On that fateful day, Mbonde Mosima, native of Babanki of the North West Province, left their Chapelle Obili residence to attend a friend’s birth day party practically next door...

Some time in the middle of the dig the drinks ran out. Mbonde and another friend were despatched to the nearest facility to get some more drinks. They were chatting in impecabble English as they went.
A gendarme captain, Luc Obama, then in mufti who had settled in the bar and was far gone into the clutches of alcohol told the young men to shut up and halt «votre anglais de Bamenda-la».

When the young Mbonde wondered outloud why someone who was not even the barman should ask them to stop noise, the trigger-horny Captain, Luc Obama, pulled out his gun and shot the young man in the neck.

A general panic ensured and a passer-by ferried Mbonde to Yaounde’s Central hospital. Monde hovered between life and death for several days. The bullet shot by captain Luc Obama pieced through the young man’s neck, leaving him in a coma for many days. Since then this Anglophone youngster is yet to be declared fully recovered.

One month after the incident, Mrs. Mosima née Monju Celia, mother of the victim, fired a petition to the Minister of Defense demanding justice. The letter captioned :  “Complaint against Obama Luc´s Assassination Attempt” narrated the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Mrs Mosima regretted that even after the incident, Captain Obama did not show any remorse. «It was a Good Samaritan who carried the boy to the hospital. I wish that justice be done for this is an unusual act by Obama,” Mrs Mosima wrote.

Gendarmerie sources, however, quoted Captain Obama as saying that he shot in self-defense because the 18-year old student attacked him !

Mbonde, who can barely utter speech, dismisses Obama´s defense as blatant lies.

Nevertheless, after over CFA 2 million to save the boy’s life, the family appealed for help from the National Gendarmerie.
Mrs Mosima says that when they first arrived at the Secretariat of State for Defense on November 30th 2002, the authorities gave the impression that they were going to help buy drugs. She said, the Secretary of State for Defense in-charge of Gendarmerie, Remy Ze Meka, asked them to meet a certain Captain Ngom Jules whom he claimed would handle their problem because he, Jules Ngom, is married to an Anglophone

“When we saw him (Jules) two days later, he promised to send a fax message to his boss in order to get instruction on how to handle the issue,” Mrs Mosima said.

But no succor came. The woman said when they later met the gendarmerie boss he refused to entertain their request for help.
“We are now really desperate because we have exhausted all our accounts. We do not know where to get money to continue to treat our child”, the mother lamented.

Captain Obama has since been transfrered to Kousseri the Far North province and out of reach of the Mosima family. Captain Obama has been dragged to the Military Tribunal by the Mosima family. But the case has been long in coming up. Those who know the thorny road to justice in Cameroon are already concluding that the case will never see the light of day, especially in a regime where Anglophones are treated as second-class citizens.

Mbonde Mosima is now paralysed.

Another Francophone gendarme, a certain Captain Mbeck Nlend John said to be directly responsibly for the murder of Anglophone SCNC activist Shinyuy George is still at large.

Two years ago Mr Biya personally created a Special Operations Command to fight the crime in Douala. A The then Military Governor of Douala, General Mpay and the then Douala Legion Commander, Colonel Bobbo Ousmanou, were in charge of this unit whose terms of reference were clearly stated in Mr. Biya’s decree.

This unit murdered nine Bamileke children arrested in the Bepanda area and, reportedly, dissolved their bodies in acid. The Bepanda Nine were arrested over claims that the nine ! stole a gas bottle from the girlfriend of a gendarme officer.

Two gendarme captains, Aba Dzengue and Onana were directly involved in the mayhem.

Colonel Bobbo Ousmanou and co. were arraigned before the court in Douala and charged with manslaughter. Even while they were in the dock with the press and human rights bodies clamouring for justice, Mr. Biya personally promoted the accused parties into higher positions in the Ministry of Defense. The now famous Bepanda Nine affair is yet to find rest.

The Case of an Iron Lady

It should be remembered that torture remains a recurrent issue in Cameroon. The case of Ngwa Sirri Frida, is a case in point. Frida complained that since October 1st, 2001, she has continuously faced harassment, interrogation, torture and detention. She was nabbed on the 1st of October 2001 by the Forces of law and order in Bamenda along the commercial for participating in a peaceful march to celebrate the independence of the Southern Cameroons organized by the anti-colonialist Southern Cameroons National Council.

Ngwa Sirri Frida was severely beaten. The gendarmes who arrested her hit her in the stomach with the butts of their guns and then kicked her around like a football. She was carried to Bamenda’s Public Security Constabulary where she was detained in the same cell with men and at night.

Ngwa Frida and others arrested that day were later transferred to the Groupement Mobile D’Intervention (G.M.I) and were again locked up in the same cell with men, with no light, and one rusty bucket for urine and waste.

Ngwa Frida was forced by the condition of detention to urinate in front of men who were not her husband. She was only saved from rape by the fact that most of the men were on her side - fighting the self-determination of the Southern Cameroon and the restoration of the rights that is recognized by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) the statehood of the Southern Cameroons. This middle-aged lady had to sleep on the bare cold floor since the cell had no bed.

After some days, those arrested were transferred to prison where Frida started passing out blood in her urine. When she complained to the prison doctor, he asked her to urinate in front of him, which she did and so was sent to the hospital under armed guard.

Ngwa Frida Sirri recounts that even her third child was beaten almost to death because he held her when the forces of law and order came to arrest her by night in Tiko.

The result of this beatings caused the son with internal bleeding which led to a major operation. Constantly molested and harassed in her residential area of Tiko, Frida escaped to Bamenda. The situation was not different for she continuously received warrants of arrest and convocations for further interrogation by the gendarmes in Bamenda.

Comments

[Ebong Kingsley]

Hello every one ,and people of good will ,well i just want to mention something concerning this young man who was shot infront of me, that was 2002. I was there that day and I was even the one who called the Police to come and see what has just happened. I am also the person who hailed a Taxi to transport Mbonde to the hospital. We went to CUSS and when we arived they told us that they were not receiving emegency and asked us to take this guy to the central hospital.

I saw all what happened and by the way, i was a tenant of that beast who calls himself a Gendarme captain. This man was treatening us in his house whenever we attended an SDF meeting at Chapel Obily. whenever he saw us there he would cause problems. He told us the Anglophones to leave his house even though we were paying our rents.

I don´t know what is wrong with this type of a Gov. we have there in cameroon. I am shocked to see that this gendarme called Obama had now been made a commandant. Some one who almost killed a young man name Mbode Mosima!!!! The cameroon Gov. promoted this Captain who almost killed!!! NOW THIS MAN IS A COMMANDANT. The name is Commandant Obama.Living in chapel Obili, Monté Chapel.

Well i will like us all to fight and see that we r libarated from this french people they consider us in our own cauntry as strenger,just SW. ALONE PRODUCE ABOUT 60 PERCENT of cameroon income and look at S.W Let´s see .Well i will like to great this young man call Mosima ,i will like to ask him to fight let him don´t give up cause we this way we r fighting this way also to see that we have ur freedome .

My names are Ebong Kingsley ,Living in Japan .

[Elakie M.]

According to the article, "On that fateful day, Mbonde Mosima, native of Babanki of the North West Province..."

CLARIFICATION: While ethnicity really has no bearing on this tragic event, it is worth pointing out (since the victim's ethnic origins were mentioned in the article...) that Mbonde Mosima is the son of Professor Matute Mosima, a native of Buea, who is a former lecturer at UNIYAO, a former SDF mayor for Tiko, and currently a lecturer at the University of Buea.

[Glenn Wilson]

The Office of the Prime Minister.
Yaounde, Cameroon.
Fax: (237) 2235735 1/3/05

Open letter to Chief Ephraim Inoni.

Prime Minister of Cameroon, Africa.

Dear Sir,
This letter is a follow up to a meeting that we had at your personal residence on the 9th of July 2002, whilst you held the position of Secretary General in the Presidency. I delivered to you on that day, a copy of a petition to President Biya requesting intervention in a personal matter involving several criminal issues regarding the theft of monies that I invested in Cameroon and my being poisoned. This matter was raised due to the corrupt actions of the Cameroon Judiciary and continued threats for me to abandon my property to thieves. A friend and interpreter (Mr Paul Mapouth) who escorted me to this meeting was violently attacked two months later, over these same issues and has since passed away. To this date, several further petitions have brought no action by Government officials, thus allowing the matter to degenerate into some alarming accusations of murder, terrorism and the sale of human body parts, being made in the Cameroon media in an attempt to justify the theft. www.angelfire.com/dc2/glenn/news.html

I wish to congratulate you on your recent appointment as the Cameroon Prime Minister and applaud the stance you have taken against corruption, that is being continually reported in the Cameroon press. I also wish to applaud President Biya and his recently implemented programme (Greater Achievements) designed to provide an improved lifestyle for the average Cameroonian.

It appears that at this time, most of the Judiciary is corrupted to the point where there is no justice available to those who seek resolution by this means. The courts have refused to acknowledge the value of contracts and ignored evidence, but willingly receive false statements from fictitious witnesses, (ghosts). Several requests to the authorities to investigate an incident outside a Cameroon bank (Société Generale de Banque au Cameroun) which involved soldiers from Delta force and gunplay outside the bank was refused. The incident was an attempt by criminals to remove funds transferred from Australia. 90% of scams involving banks in Cameroon generate from this bank, SGBC. Perhaps it is time to be serious about dealing with those who destroy the image of your Country for their own self centred and criminal means, while at the cost of the average lawful Cameroonian citizen.

I offer to provide conclusive evidence against those listed below for their involvement in this despicable crime.

-Société Generale De Banques Au Cameroun.
-Justice J. F. Fonkwe - Fako Appeals Court Judge.
-Justice A. K. Nana - Fako Appeals Court Judge.
-Justice Lebong Morfaw Chibili - Fako High Court Judge.
-Magistrate Ketuanze Jacob – Limbe Deputy State Council.
-Barrister Eno Charles Agbor – Eno Law Chambers, Buea. -Barrister Tanyi Mbianyor – Eno Law Chambers, Buea.
-Barrister Mbi – Solomon Chambers, Kumba.
-Chief Bisong Etahoben – Weekly Post editor.
-Chief of Territorial Surveillance, Buea.

Under the present conditions in Cameroon, there are no protections for investors against mafia style Cameroonians who prey upon foreigners due to their lack of knowledge into the workings of a corrupt system. I have placed all possible means before the Cameroon Government to resolve this issue, including statements, petitions and a volume of evidence in a matter that is thoroughly documented. Four years of interaction with the system and over 40 appearances in Cameroon courts has given me a comprehensive insight into the inner workings of the Judiciary and the stumbling blocks to investment. If there is no resolution, I shall have no choice other than to send these stories to the world over to discourage investors and alert them to the dangers that await the unsuspecting. I hope this is not necessary and your intervention can improve Cameroon’s prospects for investment, thus assisting the general population of Cameroon.

Yours Sincerely,

Glenn W Wilson

C/C List (Via Australia Post)

- His Excellency, Paul Biya. President of Cameroon
- Minister of Justice, Cameroon.
- South West Province Governor, Cameroon
- Secretary General in the Presidency, Yaounde
- Australian Foreign Affairs, Canberra.
- International Court of Justice, The Hague.
- World Bank Headquarters, Washington D.C.
- International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C.
- United Nations Headquarters.
- Western Union, Corporate Headquarters.
- Société Generale, France.
- Société Generale de Banque au Cameroun, H.Q.
- African Development Bank H.Q.
- International Finance Corporation, Washington D.C.
- British Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London.
- American Embassy, Yaounde.
- Transparency International.
- European Union
- American Business Association
- United States Information Service, Cameroon
- US Export - Import Bank.
- Euler Hermes Kreditversicherungs - AG.

From: Glenn William Wilson
Address supplied.

[alma renner]

how can i get a picture of the president of cameroon africa--i believe his name is paul biya-thank you for your help.almarenner 6530 40th avenue sacramento california 95824-2020 usa

[bouna]

i am a cameroonian, enough is enough, i'm calling on all cameroonians of english speaking , where ever they are , to be ready to go back home and fight for our state hood, we shouldn't sit or keep on running around the world allowing our country to be occupied by the francophone biya regime. we should mobilise ourselves financially , educationally and most of all scientifically, it time for us to fight till the last man or child is free from fear and tyrany.we can not keep on using words with out threats, we should threatened the gov't with terror, terror answers terror , freedom is hard to earn, it can never be on a plate of gold, we should go back home for our home land instead of running away, its our home lets do something ,we the younger generations,our leaders are selfish and usel;ess , lets forget about them and thing of our friends back home around the world being persecuted and discriminated up on as people with out rights, think of your sufferings and ask your self why are u out of your country?None of us like to be insulted abroad, lets do something before our identity is wipe out ....long live the federal republic of southern cameroon

[mbaku]

Cameroon is a mess.God alone knows why he allowed paul Biya and his gang to rule us.God then compensated us with food i.e good soil,with so many tribes,fear,and corruption.just look at the number of people who have abandoned the country.The Bible says for everything lets give thanks to God.
am really ashame to be cameroonian,of course am a foreigner in my own country.
But it will all come to pass and one day paul Biya and his gang will run for cover and will deny being citizen of cameroon in another land.They will turn and will want to apologise but no one will be there to listern and they will ask for dead to come but dead will not come.
Paul biya has won!!!!!

[Blessing]

Paul Biya is a Crook,his gang all in his party.He goes out of the country and make the whole of Europe and USA to repartrate Cameroonians,he makes them to understand that Cameroon is a peaceful country when there's is alot of corruption and discrimination and also lack of job opportunities.Why don't he employ the youths that are repartrated?He is just a mess to the African society,and a disgrace to our Fatherland Cameroon.
May GOD FORGIVE YOU.

[Blessing]

Paul Biya is a Crook,his gang and
all in his party.He goes out of the country and make the whole of Europe and USA to repartrate Cameroonians,he makes them to understand that Cameroon is a peaceful country when there's is alot of corruption and discrimination and also lack of job opportunities.Why don't he employ the youths that are repartrated?He is just a mess to the African society,and a disgrace to our Fatherland Cameroon.
May GOD FORGIVE YOU.

[Keneth Ndu Ernest]

What can I add, this government is the most foolish and thus the most corrupt of all. Till date inb our country, only those who have brothers in front as the proverb says when talking about the franchophones and their relations, in particular, natives of yaoundé who are well positioned up there. We will never be free, yes never, we ought to have been living and counting only on the anglophone provinces. We will have to learn and fight for freedom.

[Rhoda Akondeng]

If you intend to make Cameroon a better place to live, instead of criticizing it ,target the undone as your main territory and plan on being the one to change it rather than expecting someone else to do so.We are the future rulers of our country, we won't see anyone in the present generation ruling for us in the future.So it is good to realize the mistakes done today and avoid repeating it in future.

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