A Cameroon civil society group urges journalists to show courage and resist censorship
The Council for the Sovereignty of Cameroon has issued an open letter calling on journalists in Cameroon to demonstrate greater courage, professionalism and solidarity in their coverage of the country’s political situation.
In a letter addressed to media professionals, the group claimed that Cameroonians voted “overwhelmingly for change” in the October 12 presidential election, insisting that Issa Tchiroma Bakary won the vote. It described the proclamation and inauguration of Paul Biya as being “based on results publicly known to be falsified.
“Accepting such lies is tantamount to denying all the moral and legal values upon which any society is grounded,” the statement said. “The Cameroonian people are determined to bring about Mr Biya’s departure and to confirm Mr Tchiroma’s landslide victory.”
The group questioned whether journalists were prepared to “bear witness to the political events that are currently unfolding, accusing some of practising self-censorship in the face of government pressure. “In some cases, one might even wonder if some journalists are not more severe in their self-censorship than the government is in its threats,” it said.
The CSC also criticised what it described as an imbalance in political reporting, noting that major developments in Cameroon are often first reported by the France-based magazine Jeune Afrique. “The persistence of this practice is embarrassing for Cameroonian journalism,” the letter said, adding that favourable coverage of the government often appears in local newspapers “with similar wording”.
Citing recent events, the group pointed to limited local coverage of a truck drivers’ strike and condemned the summoning of Adolarc Lamissia, the Adamawa bureau chief of Le Jour, after the newspaper reported on the protest. “This goes against the ethics of your profession,” the statement said.
The CSC praised the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union for issuing a statement condemning the alleged harassment of Lamissia, and called on journalists nationwide to show solidarity with colleagues facing pressure.
“We are convinced that courage, professionalism, and solidarity will create a favourable climate for all,” the letter said, warning that those who persecute journalists would “be held accountable for all their excesses.
The message concluded with an appeal to journalists to accompany what it described as inevitable political change, saying: “Cameroonians voted for change… A better future awaits all Cameroonians if we all demonstrate courage, professionalism, and solidarity.”
