MARK THOMAS SIGNS PETITION FOR GUY !

Comedian Mark Thomas has just expressed his support for Guy and has signed the petition to stop his deportation.

 Check it out - No 1669 on the petition !

THANKS SO MUCH for your support, Mark. It is very much appreciated !

Death toll reaches 20 in Cameroon protests

Police and soldiers in western Cameroon shot and killed at least three protesters on Thursday as anti-government riots smouldered on despite a government appeal for dialogue, witnesses said.

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL28876577.html

Cameroon clashes claim more lives after strike ends

Douala, Cameroon, Feb 27, 2008 (AFP)

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iG8xiu5ZfwzCyRsPQqEJtuuAAm-g

- Renewed violence broke out Wednesday in Cameroon, where the mayor of the western town of Njombe reported eight more deaths in clashes, after a two-day transport strike triggered unrest.Eric Kingue, a member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Rally, told private Canal 2 television that two people were killed on Wednesday morning in Njombe itself, and six others died on Tuesday night in Loum, further north.Strife over the price of fuel and essential products erupted on Monday and tapped into opposition protests against a proposal to change the constitution to enable President Paul Biya to run for office again in 2011.

The latest reports of violence brought the death toll to 17 since an opposition protest in Douala on Saturday, according to an AFP tally. The economic and political unrest has been accompanied by looting and vandalism.

Witnesses reported further clashes between protestors and riot police in several districts of the western port city of Douala, the central African country’s economic capital.

National radio reported that unions representing transport workers had won a small cut in petrol prices, appealed for calm and called off the strike they launched on Monday.

The Roman Catholic archbishop of Yaounde, Christian Tumi, also called for an end to the unrest, after the unrest spread Tuesday to the capital itself, east of Douala and in the heart of the country.

Gunfire again broke out in the Bonaberi district of Douala, a stronghold of opposition to Biya, as riot police took up positions on the main bridge over the Wouri river in the city, where streets were empty of traffic.

Witnesses said that the police on the bridge turned water cannon on protesters there and some people fell into the river.

There were also reports of gunfire and columns of smoke in the southwestern town of Buea.

In Yaounde, after a tense night, traffic reappeared in the morning but ground to a halt later, as bands of vandals roamed the streets and petrol stations remained closed for fear of attacks, an AFP correspondent noted.

One witness said that rioters burned a bus.

“Shops and stores are closed. Everybody’s trying to get home,” a Yaounde resident told AFP.

Though road haulage unions decided to call for a return to work after the government agreed to cut petrol prices, the unrest comes against a background of protest at the cost of living and a crackdown on the opposition.

“What’s happening in Cameroon has nothing to do with a simple strike against a rise in fuel prices,” Joshua Osih, vice-president of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF), said Wednesday.

“It’s the expression of multiple frustrations among the Cameroonian people. The trouble runs deep,” Osih added, pointing out that most of those engaged in vandalism were unemployed people under 30.

Douala authorities in mid-January banned rallies and demonstrations in the city because of political opposition to a constitutional change Biya wants that would enable him to run for another term of office.

Biya, 75, has been in power since 1982, on succeeding Ahmadou Ahidjo, who resigned. He has made no statement on the unrest and rarely speaks in public.

The opposition, spearheaded by veteran John Fru Ndi and his SDF, accuses the his government and ruling party, which is divided into a hardline old guard and reformers, of plunging the country into corruption and poverty.The head of state’s intentions remained unclear until early January, when he said that a current constitutional bar on a third elected presidential term “sits badly with the very idea of democratic choice.”A first person was killed when riot police on Saturday violently broke up a rally in Douala, where the SDF vowed to defy the ban. Protest banners carried in several towns since have combined protests at the cost of living with calls for Biya’s resignation.

‘We advise against all travel to parts of Cameroon/Douala’ - UPDATED

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have issued this advice after rioting at the weekend where 5 people were killed by the authorities. This followed a protest by opposition parties including the SDF to the Constitutional Amendment which the President is trying to push through, removing the restrictions on the number of times he can be re-elected (he has been in power since 1982). For more information see

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a =KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385738

and                            

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76932

Douala is where Guy’s family is from. These recent events highlight the fact that Cameroon is not an open deomcracy, that political opposition is not tolerated and those who do so put their lives at risk. This is not the ’safe’, ’stable’ environment that the Home Office claim and if it is unsafe for ‘travel’, what does this say about deportations?

UPDATED

The riots are spreading in Cameroon and more people are reported dead. Political rallies and protests are banned. This has coincided with protests at the rising economic costs of living and transport costs. Country reports by both the US and UK note that despite allowing freedom of political assembly in law, this right is restricted in practice. However the Home Office argues that there are not restrictions on political protests.

More coverage can be found

“So that’s democracy,” one local man exclaimed on seeing an injured man trying to reach the hospital. “Look what Cameroon’s come to.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20080225-protests-paralyse-cameroons-economic-capital-cameroon-protests&navi=MONDE

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN652188.html

Guys friends plan next steps in London

Thanks to everyone who came to the meeting in London tonight. Good to see you all. We had a lot of ideas what to do next so please check this blog for more info on this soon.

 You can see us here going through all the press coverage about last weeks protest:

We will now have weekly meetings: Every Monday a 7 pm at the Institute of Education Bar (entrance vaguely opposite SOAS, enter from Russell Square)

Guy back at work

just a quick one to let you know that Guy has gone back to his job at Selfridges today.

See you at the meeting tonight @ 7 (see post below)

Meeting in London, Monday @ 7 pm

We’ll have another meeting on the next steps on the campaign on Monday.

Meet at 7 pm at the Institute of Education Bar (entrance vaguely opposite SOAS, enter from Russell Square)

Hope to see you there !

Friends in Birmingham brainstorm ideas for Guy

Just to let you know that I heard back from Anna and Georgia about the meeting in Birmingham on Thursday evening to support Guy. It went really well.

They came up with a lot of great ideas. And when I say a lot - I mean a lot. They’ve just e-mailed me THREE (!) pages of ideas what they want to do for Guy - no kiddin’.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE IN BIRMINGHAM ! YOU ARE AMAZING !

Here are TWO WORDS  (well I guess it’s four) to the government from Birmingham:

Anti-deportation campaign gathers speed

Click here for an article on Guy and us in London Progressive Journal.

The Editor e-mailed me back saying:

“I think I may have walked past you guys outside ULU yesterday… might have been a different bunch of people dressed as judges, mind…”

“Don’t deport Guy Njike to torture”: London students protest against asylum system that failed friend

 University of London students and alumni gathered at the front entrance of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies today to protest against the decision to deport London graduate Guy Njike back to Cameroon to face possible torture. The students dressed up as judges and immigration officials. Other students held up a big scoreboard indicating that the UK asylum system had failed Guy on all accounts.

Many people have voiced their outrage at the Home Office decision to deport Guy Njike back to Cameroon where he is in danger of imprisonment and torture. Over 1400 people, including Lord Joffe, Nelson Mandela’s lawyer, have backed a petition to the Home Secretary asking her to stop the deportation.

Kirrily Pells, a PhD student and friend of Guy Njike said:

“I have known Guy for five years. He is a great friend and an integral member of the community. It is ridiculous that this country is deporting the type of people we need. We will do everything we can to keep him here with us.”

Guy Njike has lived in London for nine years, working full-time, paying his taxes, learning fluent English and completing an MA in Human Rights at the University of London .

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE who came a long to the protest. It was great to see past and present students from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, representatives of Medecins du Monde and students from University College London, who all showed their solidarity and told the government:

London student protest: Asylum system failed our friend - Don’t deport Guy to torture

When ? Thursday, 21 February 12.30 pm

Where ? Outside Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICS), 28 Russell Square

University of London students and alumni will gather at the front entrance of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. They will protest against the deportation of London graduate Guy Njike back to Cameroon, where he faces torture.

Students will dress up as judges and immigration officials. Other students will hold up a big scoreboard indicating that the UK asylum system has failed Guy Njike on all accounts. They will ask passers-by to sign a petition to the Home Secretary to stop the deportation of Guy Njike.

Guy Njike has lived in London for nine years, working full-time, paying his taxes, learning fluent English and completing an MA in Human Rights at the University of London.

For more info contact: stopdeportationofguy@googlemail.com

Come along to the protest -  click here to sign up on facebook