Was there any genocide on the Wouri Bridge on Wednesday February 27, 2008?

Revisiting the February 2008 strike action in Cameroon

Was there any genocide or massacre on the Wouri Bridge on Wednesday February 27, 2008 in Cameroon?

The official dead toll given by the Cameroon government following the February 2008 unrest stood at 40. Government had initially advanced 17 and later 24. Independent sources put the figure at over a hundred like the case of the Christian Action for the Fight Against Torture ACAT. The government said the highest number of deaths, 30, was recorded in Douala. The President of ACAT Cameroon Madeleine Afite says over 100 people died in Cameroon with over 20 alleged to have drowned in River Wouri. All over Douala, everybody say corpses have seen removed from Wouri but none would love to be quoted. The officials at the morgue in Bonasamma and Lanquintini hospitals in Douala would not want to comment on this. Mutations in its Tuesday March 18 edition reports that according to Fru Ndi government did not take into consideration the 40 people who drown in the river Wouri. L’Effort Camerounais in the following interview with (Elvis N) one of the youths who survived what happened in the bridge, narrates the drama that happened. According to him, they were caught in the bridge, sprayed with cold water and teargas. Some people are alleged to have jumped in water and drowned. Excerpts. E. N are initials of his real name which we are not giving in full. But another audio version of the interview in pidgin is available.

You were among the thousands of youths who were marching peacefully from Bonaberi on February 27 to the office of the governor of the Littoral Province what actually happened?

We left that morning about three thousand youths, heading for Bonanjo. When we arrived the bridge, (Wouri) we met police men. From the Deido end of the bridge the police van began speeding and spraying water on people. People gave way for the vehicle to pass and when it got to the CIMENCAM end, it turned and blocked the road. Again from the Deido end of the bridge another vehicle came, those who were in the bridge were blocked and those who were outside fled to the Elf based. The police vans began throwing teargas while a helicopter flew across the bridge with soldiers armed to the teeth. As they continued spraying teargas, the only way for most people to safe their lives was to dive into the River Wouri.

About five hundred guys who had crossed the bridge were caught near the road construction company, RAZEL and mercilessly beaten. I was one of those who entered into water but at the tail end, yet some of the military men followed us there with guns. They threaten to shoot those who did not come out. Those who were able to come out did.

Immediately I came out of the river, the military arrested me, searched me and took my phone worth (Four hundred thousand) CFA400.000, took my purse search it but could not find anything inside. They did not care for any lives. I wonder if they were out to loot from armless youths or if they were out to maintain order. I begged them to give me even my sim card but one of them said when we go out for war we should be ready to loose everything. When the situation even became worst, a few of them tried to save some lives from water. Fortunately there were also some fishermen in water too who save some lives.

Do you mean to say the forces of law and order attacked you guys when none of you had thrown stones?

No. Nobody attacked the forces of law and order not even throwing stones.

When we got to Bonassama from Bonaberi, some people wanted to break into the Texaco filing station but they were blocked by others. The youths had said the march was a peaceful one. Not even a stone was thrown on Texaco. When we even got to Bonassama, we saw the DO for Douala Four, he tried to stop us but we told him that we are marching peacefully to go and see the governor. Some people even claim that he is the one who called the forces and law and order to come and get us.

You said earlier that some people jumped into water. Any estimate?

I do not know the exact number of people who jumped into water but what I know is that people jumped into water. Just imagine the number of people who were on the bridge blocked and the forces of law and order throwing teargas. Some people had no choice than to jump into water.

That means some people were killed?

Actually! I did not see any dead given the situation in which I even found myself. But from what I hear, about 20 people died after jumping into water. At one moment, they asked us to enter the truck so that we could be driven to Bonanjo. We got in and were seriously trashed but a sympathetic captain who certainly has children too, came to our rescue. He asked his colleagues to stop beating us and told us to come down. He asked whether we shall ever strike again, we told him, no. He then asked us to sing the National Anthem which we did. They then asked us to leave immediately. However, some people had been taken to Bonanjo.

I see you have a swollen hand. What happened?

I think I was not even deadly beaten like others because my phone had been taken. I also had some video of some scenes in the phone. When they caught me they asked me to lie with my back on the ground and be looking at the sun. I obeyed but one of the gendarmes took a very big stick and wanted to hit my stomach, I tried to defend with my hand and that is how my right hand got broken.

The president said the youths are being manipulated, who was manipulating you guys?

Well, I can say that is the president’s opinion and he has a right to it. I do not think what is happening in the country concerns any particular political party. If that was the case, I think there should have been at least one political leader with the youths. The youths are just fighting for their rights and well being. They have been abandoned.

Will these change things in the country?

I do not know but we just hope that a change will one day come.

Interviewed by Aloysius Agendia

By the time this interview was conducted, I was a full time staff with L’ Effort camerounais, Cameroon’ oldest newspaper which belongs to the National Episcopal conference of Cameroon. It was not published for security reasons as expressed by the Editor in Chief.

Comming up, another audio interview in French of some of the strike victims

The photo of the interviewee has not been updated for security reasons.

France, La Francophonie, French and African dictators

France, La Francophonie, French and African dictators

From the 17 to 19 of October 2008, leaders of countries with French as a common language met in Quebec, Canada as part was what was known as the 12 summit of La Francophonie. Its Secretary General and long-time ex president of Senegal, Abdou Diouf, chaired the deliberations which ended in the absence of the protagonist France, as its Head of State, Nicholas Sarkozy had left for the USA. Far beyond promoting the French language, which according to the website of La Francophonie, is spoken by 200 million people in 54 member states, La Francophonie also has the responsibility of improving human rights, democracy and economic cooperation.

But within most of Francophone Africa, many people have a very negative impression of French, France and La Francophonie. “It would appear all trouble and suffering in Africa is mostly in Francophone Africa” says Matia K, a Ugandan student in Orebro, Sweden. Territories where French is spoken are ridden with endless conflict allegedly being fuelled by its colonial masters be it in countries like Rwanda, Congo, Chad, DRC, Central Africa Republic, Senegal, Cote D' Ivoire etc.

French is the second language spoken world wide after English but this has not deterred some countries and people from relegating the language to the background. On October 28, The Washington Post wrote “In another blow to the language of love, the Rwandan government has decided to change instruction in schools from French to English”. This was just a confirmation of what some people had been suspecting.

Rwanda's Minister for Education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka said “When you look at the French-speaking countries -- it's really just France, and a small part of Belgium and a small part of Switzerland… Most countries worldwide, speak English. Even in China, they speak English. Even Belgium, if you go to the Flemish areas, they speak English, not French." According to him, the decision of his country, was purely economic and had nothing to do with the country's souring relationship with France.

Rwanda recently accused the French government of taking part in the 1994 genocide through the arming of the former Rwandan army and ethnic Hutu militias. An estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in just a hundred days. France also accused Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, of involvement in the massacre.

Though the rough diplomatic relations between France and Rwanda have been dismissed as reason for the “reclassification of French as the third Language, after English and the native language of Rwanda, the unsmooth political relationship cannot be totally denied.

In most of French colonies or Trust Territories like Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Congo etc the economic exploitation, human right abuses, political victimisation by its neo-colonial regimes and the domination by the aristocratic class, etc, is said to be under the indirect influence of France. Dieudonne Kibungi, a Burundian refugee in Sweden believes France, just as most colonisers, is responsible for the ills in most ex colonies.

France is accused to have maintained and supported dictators. It has been accused of supporting rebels to destabilise sovereign governments like the case of Les Forces Nouvelle in Cote d ‘ Ivoire, the assassination of Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, Um Nyobe of Cameroon, etc. In an interview with a Cameroonian monthly journal Les Cahiers de Mutations, Vol 048, Dec 2007, page 8-9 , Dr Abel Eyinga, accused France of forcing former Cameroonian president Ahidjo to step down in favour of another neo colonial agent Paul Biya and the scenario may likely repeat with Biya soon.

The longest serving dictators are all products of French system of governance.

France was implicated in the genocide in Rwanda, French companies have been involved in several scandals among which was that of Elf in Congo etc.

The adopting of English by Rwanda can therefore be interpreted as a clear indication of the rejection of French intrigues in Africa, opines Pascal Lumi.

So many African seems to have supported this move by Rwanda which according to some, was already going in some areas.

Barrister Leonard Bekong, a Legal expert in USA says, it is not only a Rwandan issue. “Recently in Cameroon, most French speaking parents have begun to undertake such decisions without bringing the state into it.Most have simply decided to send their children to English speaking schools in Yaounde, Douala etc. If you visit some of those high profile schools from the base, you will notice that French speaking Cameroonians out number the English speakers in number.”

Ben Bezejou, a University professor in the USA also notes that the decision is not only interesting but well planned. “The leaders of this country are very courageous to embark on this project.”

However, as of now, only 5 percent of Rwandans speak English and it will therefore be an uphill task, to effectively change the official language.

In several francophone countries, the degree of human abuses is just unimaginable. The case of Cameroon, Chad, Central Africa, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Congo Kinshasa etc are glaring.

The reclassification of French as secondary language may also fall under the framework of the RUPTURE with African countries, announced by French President, Nicholas Sakorzy, when he took office in 2006.

If this rupture could then leave from language to lessen the implication of France in the economic and political life of its former colonies, this could be very advantageous for Africans. This is the view of Rayong Ngantcha, a Cameroon resident in London and strongly supported by political parties in Cameroon such as the Movement for African New Independence, MANIDEM, headed by Anicet Ekane and Union des Populations du Cameroon UPC S-Mackit faction.

La Francophonie has on several occasions validated brutality and fraud. During the 2004 elections in Cameroon, while the Commonwealth Observer Mission led by former Canadian Prime Minister, Hon Joe Clarke, expressed worries on the conduct of election, La Francophonie delegation validated fraud, together with a group of ex American congressmen paid to monitor the elections.

In Mutengene La Francophonie monitors drove passed disenfranchised voters who were protesting as “unqualified” people voted several times. They drove passed, but were quick enough to conclude that the elections were totally free.

The abandonment of French as an official language could be extended to the neo-colonial economic, political and human right policies of France in its related colonies.

The adoption of national indigenous languages by African countries will also be a sign of more emancipation.

Agendia Aloysius

Election of Barack Obama as US President and African excitement

Election of Barack Obama as US President and African excitement

Why Are Africans so excited about the imminent election of the Illinois Senator of Kenyan origin, Barack Obama, into the White House? That is what I have been asking myself for some time now. Cut across Africa, there are several people waiting for the election of Barack Obama, the Democratic Party Presidential candidate, ahead of USA election on November 04, 2008.

From Cameroon, passing across South Africa through Kenya ("Obama’s second home") to Uganda, etc, supporters and fan clubs have been created for Obama.

If this year’s American elections were to be voted by Africans and Europeans, then, I would have confidently concluded that Obama will be the next , that is 44th American president.

But the questions are; Why are people so excited with the election of Barack Obama as president of USA? What will be the impact on Africa if Obama is elected president?

Before the advent of Obama, who was little known in Africa till about a year and a half ago, other African Americans had occupied high offices in USA such as; Colin Powell, Condelizza Rice, Rev, J Jackson etc. But, did they do anything impressive on Africa? Most people in Africa apart from the intellectual class will tell you bluntly that they do not even know who Powell or Rice etc are.

There are so many things which many people do not know. As president of America Barack Obama has one objective : serve and defend the interest of America, politically, economically, socio-culturally and anywhere, whether in the Africa, Asia, Europe or the Middle East. It is against this background that Winston Arrey, a student in the University of Douala says “the advent of Barack Obama,-- as the leader of the USA will have little impact on Africa and Africans unless US interest is at stake”. He believes Africans must take their own destiny and pilot their own affairs. Emmanuel Ambe in Örebro University says "America is the most powerful country in the world in all domains and an African leading America will not allow his fellow brothers continue to be dragged in the mud and reduced to beggars" by its neo-colonial leaders. How neo-colonial will Obama not be? This is subject to another debate.

Osangie Ayanru, a Nigerian, member of the Africans Politics forum has a different view. He believes that Obama, being an African, will certainly not accept the stealing of money by African leaders and starching in foreign banks. He writes “….. I was encouraged to hear Obama, say that he would not deal (with) rulers in Africa, whose main interest is to cart our money and deposit them in Swiss bank accounts. Obama, was responding to a question on why Africa, is a basket case. If a system of accountability is engendered and encouraged by no less than an American president, we may be seeing a turn for the better in a continent blighted for so long by poverty, diseases, suffering and stunted growth due to the excesses of its rulers”.

This is true, but, the same African leaders who steal our money day in day out, and send to European and US banks are the same people who are welcomed and praised everyday by the same European and American leaders who will on the contrary always give lessons of "democracy". Omar Bongo of Gabon, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Obiang Nguema Equatorial Guinea, Idriss Derby of Chad, Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville, late Mombutou Seseko of Zaire, François Bozize of the Central African Republic, Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, etc, are some of the leaders who have once or twice featured in the list of Africa´s richest leaders or worst dictators. Their people continue to wallow in poverty yet, as they (rulers) go about gallivanting and living extravagant lives. Many of them like Paul Biya of Cameroon, continue to spend most of their time in western countries and being received by Western presidents.

Youth involvement Many of those anxious in Africa about the election of Obama are youths. First, Obama, is himself a youth, and far younger than a vast majority of African leaders. They believe that Obama, with his much heralded concept of change, will in one way or the other, boot out octogenarians who have taken most African countries hostage.

But, Congo Kinshasa and Togo are led by youths, though circumstances under their accession to power, and, whose interest they serve, remain highly questionable. Some countries also continue to be reduced to monarchies.

The election of Obama in USA, will give African youths positive hope and the believe in themselves, in the sense that, youths can also lead. The most important development must not only be limited to the election of a "coloured" or African to the White House.

However, has Obama the magic wand and the will to change things around in Africa? I doubt. He has been to Kenya where his father came from, just thrice in 47 years. Will he able to think about, and, influence positive change in Africa better in just 4 years as the next president of the USA?. Well, there may be some reasons to hope as many people continue waiting. Aloysius Agendia

Iranian President's Monthly Expenses And Nigerian Leaders

This article is not written by me, but, i am relaying it on my blog because, it reflects exactly the same situation in Cameroon, in relation to President Paul Biya, his ministers and Provincial governors. By Reuben Abati

"The Fox News TV (USA) asked the Iranian President Ahmedinejad: "When you look into the mirror in the morning, what do you say to yourself?

He answered: I see the person in the mirror and tell him 'Remember' you are no more than a small servant; ahead of you today is the heavy responsibility, and that is to serve the Iranian nation"

These are the opening lines of an unsigned but interesting profile of the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. The Iranian President is not a particularly popular world leader. He is better known, in Western circles, as an apostle of hate, as a racist who wants to "wipe off" Israel from the map, a religious fanatic, a devotee of the Mahdi, the 12th Imam of Shiite Islam who Shiites believe would resurrect one day to bring peace and harmony to the world, and an unrepentant enemy of the United States. His insistence on a uranium enrichment programme, and Iran's acquisition of nuclear power has led to the United States marking down Iran as part of "the axis of evil", with the threat of an inexorable military solution to "Terror and Tehran". Ahmedijenad, in the eyes of his critics, is an extremist whose kind of politics threatens world peace.

Iran under his watch has developed nuclear capability that can reach as far as Southern Europe, Israel, and the US military base in the Middle East. Domestically, Ahmedijenad is grappling with the challenges of infrastructural expansion, inflation, the annual rate of which is about 29 per cent, energy crisis, and recent protests over Value Added Tax (VAT). He may be a high-faluting rhetorician, hero and villain, and a poor economic manager, but there is something in the profile of this leader of heavily-resourced and oil-rich Iran which immediately invites comparisons with Nigerian leaders. How many Nigerian leaders can look in the mirror, and tell themselves the truth about the responsibility of the office that they occupy, with a proper emphasis on service?

"The Trouble With Nigeria" still remains for the large part, the domination of the public space by rent-collectros who feed fat on the state and for whom public service is an opportunity for corrupt self-enrichment. When Transparency International reported in its 2008 Corruption Index that Nigeria has made some progress, some 26 steps leap from 147th position to 121st position, its assessors obviously underestimated the threat to the Nigerian state, and how things have remained relatively unchanged, even under an administration that professes the rule of law but whose members are just as ostentatious as their predecessors.

When the Iranian President first assumed office in 2005, the first thing he was said to have done was to get rid of all the "highly valued Iranian carpets" he found in the office of the President; he donated the carpets to one of the mosques in Tehran and replaced them with low cost ordinary carpets. He shut down "the huge and extravagant" lounge for receiving and welcoming VIPs and replaced this with an ordinary room furnished with "wooden chairs". This is Ahmedijenad reminding himself that he is a "small servant". In Nigeria, the first thing state Governors, legislators and other categories of public officials do is also to change the furniture in their offices, but this provides an opportnuity not for austerity, not for any show of modesty but extravagance.

Even if the furniture had only been replaced a few months earlier and not in any need of replacement, the new official must insist on using state funds to buy new furniture. The big scandal that led to the exit of Patricia Etteh as Speaker of the House of Representatives, many would recall had to do with the furnishing of the official residence of the Speaker's residence. Nigerian leaders do not want to use modest furniture, they buy the most expensive in the market. Many state Governors even go as far as rebuilding the State House, to make it more befitting, that is more exotic. We don't have the privilege of having small servants in the Nigerian government at all levels. We have lords of the manor who use the word "servant" as a campaign gimmick.

Ahmedinejad, we are told "joins the cleaning staff of the municipality for cleaning the streets in the area where his home and the Presidency are located." Nigerian leaders definitely cannot clean streets. What kind of thing is that? When a man becomes even a common state Commissioner in Nigeria, he becomes an invalid. He cannot be seen doing things that ordinary people do. The excuse for the irresponsible conduct of Nigerian public officials is codified in that notorious word: "Protocol", now elevated into a special code of conduct. Nigerian leaders cannot clean streets, visit friends, stop by the roadside to buy roasted corn; their wives cannot cook in the kitchen, their children cannot mix with old neighbours.. . protocol won't allow that. This same bogey called protocol makes it difficult for ordinary people to have access to their leaders, it places the people at a lower and farther distance and turns them into the servants of the same persons who should be serving them.

When the Iranian President appoints any Minister to a post, he insists on getting a signed document from the person indicating that "he shall remain poor and that his personal and his relatives accounts will be watched and the day he leaves the ministry shall be with dignity, and therefore it is not lawful for him or his relatives to take any advantage of his office". If any Nigerian President or Governor gives this kind of condition, he will be the only person in that government. He may not find anybody to serve as Minister or Commissioner or Special Adviser. A public appointment in Nigeria is ordinarily seen as an opportunity to become "� big man", not a pact with poverty.

There are former Nigerian Ministers and Governors who have cases to answer before the anti-corruption agencies for leaving office richer than they were when they assumed office. But they are so confident about their sins, knowing that there is no determination to punish them according to law. One lawmaker once declared that he is not in government to sign a pact with poverty. Is there any doubt as to why there is always a scramble for public posiitons in Nigeria?

The moment the Iranian President assumed office, he was quick to declare "all the Big wealth and the property he owned" which include "a Peugeot 504 car model 1977, an old small house inherited from his father 40 years ago in one of the poorest zones in Tehran. His accounts with a zero balance and the only money coming into his a/c was from his salary from the university as a lecturer with an amount of US$250 only. For your information, the President still lives in that house. This is all that he owns; the president of one of the world's important countries, strategically, economically, politically and with regard to its oil and defense." Well, this is not possible in today's Nigeria. It is too surrealistic.

And the point about living in one's house, there are Nigerian leaders who are entitled to official accomodation, but when they choose to live in their own houses, certainly not in an inherited shelter built by their fathers, they do so, in order to collect rent from the state, and of course that same house will be furnished and upgraded at taxpayer's expense. In addition to this, they would be entitled to guest houses all over the state. The Nigerian President has an official lodge in every state capital, maintained round the clock at taxpayer's expense and there is a purpose-built Presidential Ranch at the Obudu Cattle Ranch which I suppose the present President is yet to visit. If forrmer President Obasanjo had succeeded with his Third Term ambition, that Presidential Villa at Obudu Cattle Ranch, with the surrounding temperate weather, would have been handy as a get-away resort.

The Iranian President "doesn't even take his personal salary with the argument that all the wealth belongs to the nation and he is the safeguard over it. One of the things that impressed the staff at the Presidency is the bag that the President brings with him every day, which contains his breakfast; some sandwiches or bread with olive oil and cheese prepared by his wife and he eats and enjoys it with all happiness." Part of the perks of being a President or Governor in Nigeria is a retinue of cooks, an expensively furnished kitchen, and the right to bring friends, relatives and outsiders to come and eat and constipate at the taxpayer's expense. The leader's wife is so busy acting the part of a First Lady, she no longer goes to the kitchen, except to go and talk down on the chefs. And salary? Nigerian public officials do not joke with salaries and allowances.

Ours is perhaps one of the most expensive democracies in the world. This year, Nigerian leaders at the Federal level increased their salaries, sending their wage bill into the trillion naira range and an ordinary lawmaker earning millions of money every month. This in a country where workers are under-paid and pensioners have not received their entitlements. The monthly expenses of Nigerian leaders pose one of the biggest threats to national development. Nigerian public officials, on a good day, set out onto the road, with a fleet of vehicles, all maintained at public expense, with blaring sirens, and gun-wielding security aides who chase ordinary people off the streets.

President Ahmedinejad changed the Presidential aircraft that he inherited into a cargo aircraft in order to save public funds. He travels in commercial airlines in the economy class. He closed down the office of the "manager of the President"and any Minister can enter his office without any permission. There are more than 70 smaller servants in the Nigerian Presidency serving the President, the Vice Presidnet and their wives. Here in Nigeria, the Presidential aircraft is a status symbol. Former President Obasanjo didn't miss the opportunity to buy an expensive Presidential aircraft to match his status. State Governors in the last dispensation also bought aircraft at state expense. And if there is any Nigerian Governor who travels economy class, let him speak up. Economy class? Well, that will be a breach of Nigerian protocol! When the President is travelling in his aircraft, the country's airspace is shut down until he leaves, when Governors travel, they chase ordinary people out of the way.

In Ahmedinejad' s Iran, there are no red carpet ceremonies or personal advertisements of any kind whenever he vists any part of the country. Go to the states of Nigeria, the biggest tourist attraction in many of those states are bill boards advertising the achievements of the particular state Governor to high heavens, Billboards at every street corner. They even put their names on vehicles and facilities bought with taxpayer's funds. A Presidential visit in Nigeria or a Governor's visit to a local council in the state is always an occasion for theft and profligacy.

When the Iranian President needs to stay in a hotel, he "asks them to make sure not to give him a room with any big bed because he doesn't like to sleep on beds but rather likes to sleep on the floor on a simple mattress with a blanket." There are Nigerian leaders who were brought up in poor homes and villages, who grew up sleeping on mats, but nobody would dare offer them anything below the level of a presidential suit if they must stay in a hotel. These are not "small servants", they are big men. They wear expensive clothes, sleep in expensive homes, travel in expensive cars, and they are not likely to go about boasting about inheriting a run-down Peugeot from the 20th century or a 40-year old house.

It is possible to argue that Ahmedinejad is almost an ascetic, a man of such fundamentalist faith whose only explanation for the global finacial meltdown is that it is due to "the lack of piety and faith in God." But don't we have in Nigeria men and women in high places who profess so much piety but whose lifestyles reek of so much graft? Our own leaders may be religious too but they prefer to live like Saudi Arabian princes, without the discipline. The extravagant lifestyle of Nigerian public officials has also been traced to culture. What culture? Nigerians spend recklessly only when they have access to public wealth.

Ahmedinejad may be a distant/controversial example as there are Iranians who accuse him of corruption in the shape of cronyism amd nepotism, and for cauing the isolation of their country by the West. But we once had in this country a modest and humble leader, the only Prime Minister the country has ever had, the Rt Honourable Tafawa Balewa. There was also the late General Ramat Murtala Muhammed. And in Tanzania, there was the example of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

We should stop deceiving ourselves. A starting point for turning governance in Nigeria into a serious business is to reduce the cost of maintaining the taste and lifestyles of public officials and their relatives. Official convoys of all state officials should be reduced to no more than two cars. The number of special assistants should be reduced. What is the President and the Vice President doing with 70 aides, 80 per cent of these merely hang around doing nothing? When Governors travel, they should stop moving about with their entire cabinet. Other officials should stay at home and work...and about time our public officials took a pay cut for being so overpaid and underworked!

Courtesy: Malam Wane

Sweden, English language, foreign students and jobs

Sweden, English language, foreign students and jobs

Sweden is one of the countries of the Scandinavia. Until late 2000, it was little known, but her free education and "open door" policy with regards to immigration has made Sweden a destination for many, especially students, most of whom want to study and live better lives. Is the "Swedish dream" therefore a bitter or sweet one for those studying there? Some will talk of "total deception", others will prefer to use the word "average" and some will say it is good. The responses vary according to the number of persons such a question is asked.

The official language of Sweden is Svenska. However, most Swedish do speak and understand English. On the other hand, speaking and understanding English perfectly well may open just too few and often negligible doors for you in Sweden. Just as in all Scandinavian countries, English is the second language after their various official languages. Education is very expensive in other other Scandinavian Scandinavian countries like Finland, Norway and Denmark. but in Sweden, it is tuition free as earlier mentioned.

Despite the free education, most foreign students come to Sweden with the hope of also finding something doing while, studying. It is the case with most developed countries. In Sweden, this has been a deception for many but a reality for some, thereby making each and every foreign student having his or her own impressions of the country.

The beginning is always extremely difficult to the extent that some people want to return home. Sometimes, while the situation gradually changes for some, it remains extremely tough for many even for a whole year, especially for those living in the Northern part of the country where there are virtually no jobs.

On the contrary, in neighboring Norway, Finland and Denmark, foreign students have almost unlimited opportunities to do part time jobs, though they may not understand the official languages of these countries.

It is the typical contrast in Sweden. The question asked by many is, Are the jobs not there? The answer is… There are abundant jobs in Sweden BUT…… The bitter truth is, despite the fact that most Swedish speak and understand English, they hardly ever want to employ people who speak exclusively English. Should they be blame? I personally think, No. Sweden has her rights and duties to protect her language thereby obliging people who want to work there to learn it. When I asked a Finish, Andrea Johansson who has been in Sweden for 8 years, he says the Swedish government is just being complicated. Maria, a student from Uganda who has been here for 4 years, says, she once had a very good job but generally speaking, the job market in Sweden is too close. Natalie Henriksson at the Jobcampus office in the University of Örebro confirms that the opportunities are very limited for those who do not understand or speak Swedish.

According to Andreas, the Swedish government in power had promised to modify the labour laws but, the situation has remained unchanged since they got to power. Maria adds, "I think Sweden is just being conservative." She believes most Swedish feel that, wholly embracing English as a language to work in Sweden will be a serious threat to their language which they are not ready to loose.

Issa Norhstedt, a fellow Swedish says he does not understand why and what is complicated. But as he puts its"to get a job in Sweden, it's often through contacts and recommendations" This implies that if no one recommends you , you may never get a job. That is why contacts are very important in Sweden. But what about those who do not have contacts?. Rita Egowan, another African student says it is the contrast in Britain. There is no connection needed. You just need to register with an employment agency and when there are vacancies you will be contacted. There is no issue as special recommendation. Yan Li from China thinks Sweden needs to open up more to non Swedish speakers given that most of her citizens already understand English.

Early September 2008, a scandal rocked Sweden when the public media revealed that some companies had imposed that cleaning companies recruit only Swedish to work for them. Some cleaning companies had also been recruiting only Swedish or those who understand Svenska perfectly well, despite the fact that cleaning jobs do not necessarily need a lot of talking and writing ,therefore open to most international students. Edwin Fotoh, a Cameroonian student in another city called Jönköping believes the secret to succeeding in Sweden is to study their language. "We must study Swedish to succeed" he retorts. But how many foreign students have that interest? That is the big question. Certainly very few. This view is also shared by Emmanuel, a second year masters student in Örebro University. He says, knowing the svenska language is very good, but again, that does not open all the doors it is suppose to.

A Swedish engineer with whom I flew to Stockholm on September 08, told me that Sweden is far richer than Ireland but, on the contrary students in Ireland are far better off than those in Sweden. Too much use of high technology too has drastically contributed to job scarcity says Rita another student reading IT management. However, it is always good to be patient, and hard working. A few have been lucky to get good jobs.

That is the story of Sweden and foreign students. Above all, it is better to study hard and return home to build our various countries. It must be acknowledged that Sweden is a really conducive environment to learn. Very peaceful and secure.

Free education for non EU students in Sweden is expected to end in 2010. Swedish radio made the revelation saying how a minister questioned why foreign students pay very high in UK, US and other universities but have free education in Sweden. Finland and partly Norway, also offer free education to foreign students

School fees in Sweden is expected to range range between USD 5000 and 13000 per term. But, being a job-locked county, most students will certainly run away.That notwithstanding, Sweden is almost unrivaled in quality education.

Agendia Aloysius

Global Journalism student, Örebro University

Cameroonians in the Diaspora, politics, inertia and development

Cameroonians in the Diaspora, politics, inertia and development

Cameroonians in the Diaspora are increasingly alienating themselves from the political life of their country, given the continuously soiled image of the Cameroon and the socio-economic and political hold-up by the regime in power, led by President Paul Biya, who has ruled the country with an apparently free, but a really disguised iron fist, for over 26 years.

The interest of Cameroonians in the Diaspora was the subject of debate over Cameroon Voice, rebroadcasted on October 02, during the programme Sans Detour.

According to Kenneth Ndeh, President of the American Association of Cameroonians, there are over 10,000 Cameroonians in the Washington Metro Area among the estimated 25,000 Cameroonians in the USA. This concentration of Cameroonians in USA is certainly the highest in the world followed by France.

Mr Ndeh reiterated that Cameroonians are fade-up with the hide and seek politics in the Country. As a result, most of them have resolved to shying away from politics. “Most people want to send money home to their families” than taking part in moribund politics.

He revealed that money sent home by Cameroonians from the USA is more than the “support” of the World Bank to the country.

The moribund politics stifled by CNU-CPDM oligarchy and the lack of vision on the part of several power mongering opposition parties, have pushed many to either relaxed or join other parties overseas. Some Cameroonians in the USA have joint the ranks of Democrats and Republicans but their relatively small number is insignificant (Kenneth Ndeh).

Michael Fongang, resident in Canada and former President of the Cameroon Association in Canada believes, “There is no need to participate in political live at home when day in day out, the country moves towards a single party system” According to him Cameroonians have other issues. That not withstanding Cameroonians in the Diaspora have been contributing significantly towards positive change in the country. Citing the examples of icicemac, Cameroon Voice, Camerooninfo.com and I include Camer.be, (portals of information and debates on Cameroon) Fongang holds that these institutions have contributed and are contributing immensely towards meaningful debates on the development of Cameroon.

Intervening from London, Marcel Amoko, Cameroon BBC London reporter, admitted that the image of Cameroon is not as spoiled as some people want the world to believe. “The politics and administration of the country have created a negative image of the country but there are a lot of positive developments in sports, music, and other individual achievements making Cameroon proud” he affirmed.

He also confirmed that inasmuch as people know that their votes will not count, they will rarely participate in any elections. That notwithstanding, he lauds the initiative of the NEO (National Elections Observatory which will soon be replaced by Elections Cameroon-ELECAM) towards making sure that the votes of Cameroonians in the Diaspora count in future.

Celestin Djamen, SDF militant resident in France, affirmed that they have on two occasions; during the presidential election 2004 and the twin legislative elections and Municipal elections in 2007, organized symbolic votes of the Diaspora in France. They have also been pretesting and protested against the amendment of the constitution in April 2008. He believes the inertia in Cameroon was brought by the ruling government which President Biya himself asserted in 2004.

No Diaspora, Reasoning on tribal rather than nation lines

According to Kenneth Ndeh, just a few of the over 10.000 Cameroonians in the Washington Metro Area are members of the American Association of Cameroonians as, people prefer to work within their tribal meetings. This was the same problems in Canada though the situation is gradually improving: Mr Fongang said they created the Association of Cameroonians in Canada in 2004 which comprises all tribal meetings from Cameroon present in Canada. However, Mr Ndeh believes the Diaspora cannot substitute themselves for the opposition or ruling party and impose change.

Gaston Kelman, writer of the best seller Je suis noir mais je ne mange pas de manioc, lamented that the Diaspora which is even yet to be constructed, work more on tribal lines than on national issues. He expressed the need to work on national issues irrespective of tribe and political affiliations. This is what i personally refer to as intellectual tribalism; given that some people among which are intellectuals prefer to constantly work on tribal basis than on national standards.

“The force of thinking has not accompanied our wishes”, Gaston Kelman claims. Why can a Bassa man….. not think of creating or supporting real development initiatives development projects in any area in the country as such Garoua, Bafoussam etc” he said. However, Kelman keeps citing his examples from his Bassa origin thereby showing how his sub consciousness is linked to his cultural or tribal background. Any meaningful development must begin at home. This does not mean that people in position of administration embezzle state funds and construct villas or companies in their regions as some sort of development.

Mr Fongang believes Kelman´s interpretation is just being philosophical and does not see how tribal meetings will directly hinder national developments as such. As Basek Bakobio –cineaste, insinuates there is need to preserve rich aspects of our culture

It must be remarked that some Cameroonians are already doing much contrary to Kelman. The Holy Cross International College for example, opened in Yaoundé is not by people of the centre province but from other tribes.

Fongang regretted the incident in Yaoundé soon after the February 2008 strike, when some senior government functionaries of the Centre Province among whom was the Minister of Health, Andre Mama Fouda, promised death to other Cameroonians living in Yaoundé commonly referred to as “settlelers”. Despite the minister and colleagues preaching hatred, calls for his resignation or sackinglanded on deaf ears. Not even an an apology from him. Why then blame people for relying or hanging on the their village meetings when the country is on the hands of those who preach hatred.

Basek Bakobio, reiterated the need for the Diaspora to draw themselves closer to Cameroonians at home and also, the need to work in synergy with other Cameroonians and the government. But Mr Fongang said the government must make it possible for such initiatives to be fruitful.

World Bank Aide vs USA Cameroon funds

According to Kenneth Ndeh, what Cameroonians in the USA sent home to their families is more than what the World Bank gives to Cameroon as “aide”. However, Gaston Kelman believes most of the money or funds sent home is used for consumption than development. Such as payment of hospital bills, buying of food, dresses, payment of fees etc. "These associations should cease from being on consumption basis to development, which is, creating of industries and veritable poverty eradication programs" Kelman harped.

This cannot be done without an enabling political and fiscal environment which can only be set in place by the government.

Way out

Working on national issues is interesting but avoiding our tribal affiliations is a nonstarter. Inasmuch as I share Kelman´s philosophy, there is the need for tribal or village meetings to think about development in their areas. Some of these tribes out of the 250 in Cameroon are completely ignored by the government in terms of development.

Out of the 10 provinces in the country some are almost completely forgotten ´like the Southwest and Northwest provinces. Some have large shares in the national budget which is in turn, embezzled by their own elites through uncompleted and poorly executed contracts etc like the East, Centre, Far North, South province etc

Out of the 58 divisions, development projects are concentrated in most in a few.

Out of the several ministers-minister delegates (36), Secretary Generals, General Managers more then three-quarter come for the Centre and South, East and Littoral, and Grand North, with Dja et Lobo in the Centre province taking the lead. Other areas like the Anglophone part of the country are almost completely forgotten.

When the appointments of those to pilot the affairs of the country are based on tribal, regional and political lines but not necessarily on meritocracy, it is therefore obvious that some helpless people who feel cheated, regroup themselves and rely on their village associations.

The bottom line

After a careful analysis of the discussion, what Cameroonians believe and want is the need to change the system not persons. Removing Paul Biya and putting another Biya in disguise will bring no positive change. Ministerial reshuffles since the early 90s have never brought anything different in Cameroon rather than putting old wines in new bottles.

The basic for veritable change is therefore, the putting in place of an independent electoral body, which will usher leaders freely and transparently voted by the people, not imposed on them. These leaders will therefore implement the necessary changes in the field of economy and other aspects of development.

It would have therefore been a big blessing if fair elections took place in 2007 but since it was another failed opportunity; Cameroonians have up to 2012, time for another parliamentary election to hope again for real change and elections of true representatives in parliament. On the other hand, a “new” president may be in power at the time (2012) and may just continue rigging to maintain his stay and those of his cohorts in power.

The work of the Diaspora will be wasted if people and the regime in power back in Cameroon, are not ready for change. The Diaspora will also be helpless if Cameroonians at home do not want and support the change. What many do not want is the taking up of arms.