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PRESS RELEASE NO. 7
In the shadows of the barrel of the guns and water cannons the Social Democratic Front (SDF) was born at Bamenda on the 26th May 1990, before a mammoth crowd of well over 20.000 (CRTV estimate, but more than 100.000 by foreign press) supporters and sympathisers from all parts of the national territory.
During the launching and thereafter more than 10.000 copies of the resourceful SDF Manifesto and other literature have been distributed to the democratically starved and yearning public in all nooks and corners of Cameroon. Over 50.000 (fifty thousand) copies are in print to meet the ever growing demand, even by the uniform officers.
We want to take the liberty to thank and reassure all our ever determined and courageous supporters and sympathisers who came from all the Provinces for the launching ceremony on the 26th May 1990, which went on very successfully despite the uncooperative, unconstitutional and suppressive measures used by the powers that be in the North West Province to obstruct us. We also want to note with satisfaction the encouragement we get from the various parts of the Country for consultations on party matters. Our young party is doing just fine, and fully prepared for any political battle.
THE MARTYRS
We wish to take this opportunity to express our heart felt regrets and condolences to the bereaved families for the death of six supporters and adherents of SDF who were brutally gunned down several hours after the launching of the party on the 26th May, 1990 by some misguided members of the armed forces. We vehemently, deplore the way the local administration handled the events that led to the deaths of these martyrs. Their blood no doubt was shade for the love, and in confirmation of the noble ideals and policies that the SDF cherishes most, namely, True Democracy, Justice and Development. We shall live to remember them so long as the seed of the SDF which was sown and watered by their precious blood continues to grow by leaps and bounds through out the entire national territory. Their memory shall be immortalized on the Liberty Square.
SDF RALLIES
The National Chairman of the CPDM Party in his laudable policy speech at the Yaounde Congress in June 1990 declared:-
- "Freedom of the press will be enhanced after the abolition of censorship requirement to obtain authorisation to publish and the new modalities for bannings and seizures."
- He will "abolish exceptional legislation", so that "when the ordinances of subversion goes away, no citizen will be afraid to express his opinions for fear of breaking this law."
- The 1967 Law of Association will be revised to give more liberty to "the citizens to freely create all types of associations without fear of prosecution."
- He, "plans to abolish the Exit Visa requirement for citizens wishing to travel abroad" thus encouraging "Free movement of People", and
- That a "Human Rights Commission will be established."
These are far reaching declarations for which Cameroonians of good will within and without the national territory applauded in good faith, and expect President Paul Biya to deliver the goods without delay. We know that as Head of State and Chairman of the CPDM Party which is in government, he has the powers and means to implement these decisions immediately.
Knowing that the Head of State has the will, and believing on his good faith, the SDF hereby wishes to inform and assure the public, as it's own contribution to the changing democratic process that we are in combat gear to organise peaceful SDF rallies to inform and educate the masses on the programmes and policies of our young dynamic and popular party, in all the Provinces of the Republic. The time table for these rallies will be out soon. We hope that this time the Police will co-operate to ensure that everything goes on peacefully.
MEMBERSHIP AND CARDS
We want also to ensure all our members and supporters that about two million (2.000.000) membership cards are being printed and would soon be available to members. We however, wish to emphasise that SDF expects it's members to be morally up right and willing to sacrifice to build a strong SDF Party and strong and prosperous Cameroon that can face the challenges ahead with confidence.
MODUS OPERANDI
The SDF is a party whose modus operandi is based on its beliefs amongst others, which are indispensable for the creation of a just Cameroonian society:
- in true national unity as the only option in creating a healthy political environment for real development and progress.
- in human dignity and the right to pursue lawfully and freely ends which maximise and sustain individual and group happiness.
- in the political cohesion of Cameroon society as a means of securing the basic needs for all the people, regardless of sectional, tribal, religious, social and linguistic interests.
- in participatory, open and public democracy, as the best means of getting every citizen involved in the political process, which we expect should be healthy, without bitterness or bad blood, and in which there are neither "les enemies dans la maison" nor strangers amongst brothers and sisters of differing political views, as some well placed and presumably respectable Central Committee members of the CPDM Party such as Mr. Ibrahim MBOMBO NJOYA (Minister of Territorial Administration), Mr EMAH Basil (CPDM Section President for Mfoundi, General Treasurer of the CPDM and who is also Government Delegate to the Yaounde Urban Community), would want us to believe. The SDF believes that through participatory democracy we can work constructively towards a stable, prosperous and rational society in Cameroon that will resolve it's problems sensibly.
In this wise the SDF shall in all it's political operations:-
- respect the government in power within limits of constitutional provisions.
- engage in healthy political confrontations in any open, and public manner, while seeking dialogue where necessary, rather than armed conflict, as a means of resolving differences. It is our firm conviction that in true democracy fellow citizens with differing political opinions are like brothers, equally good and equally deserving to make their own fair contributions for the welfare of society, and therefore deserve to be equally protected under law.
- and above all, the SDF shall be frank, honest and truthful in all it's political activities and dissemination of information to the people who constitute the sovereign authority and censors of government.
The SDF will always accept open and constructive criticism of it's programme as a necessary entity of the democratic process, because through criticisms of our faults and imperfections, corrections and improvements are possible, and true consensus can also be attained.
Done at Bamenda, July 16, 1990
NI John FRU NDI
CHAIRMAN, SDF
The end
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