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PRESS RELEASE NO. 9
This Press Release is a follow-up of our Release No. 6 in which we corrected a number of distortions and lies about the SDF and it's leadership published by the official media. It has been provoked by the appeal of the Minister of Territorial Administration to journalists of the independent media during the Press Conference held in the Yaounde Hilton Hotel on August 7, 1990, namely, that they should report the truth and not distorted facts.
What is perplexing about the Honourable Minister's appeal is that he is decrying conduct of which he is himself guilty. We take just one example of such conduct: His Excellency's answer to the question of a Cameroon Tribune journalist in the course of the Press Conference he held after his May 27, 1990 visit to Bamenda, published in the May 29, 1990, issue No. 4646 of Cameroon Tribune page 3, namely whether the SDF did not deposit a declaration in good and due form? His Excellency's answer was that:
"If there was any such file, it has not yet reached me. In any case, I understand that the items deposited were incomplete. One cannot claim to have filed a declaration for the formation of a political association consisting only of a piece of paper making mention of it's creation and saying nothing about it's constitution or it's members..."
We leave to the public to appreciate the contradiction between the honourable Minister's answer and the telex message addressed to him by the Governor of the North West Province.
We have irrebuttable evidence that our declaration deposited at the Prefecture of Mezam on March 16, 1990, was forwarded to the Honourable Minister of Territorial Administration by the Governor of the North West Province and that the Minister himself acted on our declaration on May 18, 1990, that is, eight clear days before the launching of the SDF as evidenced by the second telex hereunder to the ten governors of Cameroon.
The two telexes which we reproduce herewith in their entirety bear testimony to our assertion:
- GOUVERNEUR NORD-OUEST
MTX No. 182/MTLX/CF/E/CC/5/SP OF 17/3/90
"HONOUR TO INFORM YOU THAT THE NAMED NI JOHN FRU NDI BOOKDEALER P.O. BOX 89 BAMENDA AND SIGA ASANGA PROFESSOR P.O. BOX 755 YAOUNDE DEPOSITED YESTERDAY 16/3/90 AT 12.50 HOURS STOP PREFECTURE BAMENDA DECLARATION OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATION CALLED "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT" STOP INCLUDED CONSTITUTION DRAWN UP IN COURSE OF CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY ON 16/2/90 IN BAMENDA STOP AT ONCE THE PERSONS CONCERNED CAN BE PURSUED FOR HOLDING CLANDESTINE MEETING STOP BUT BEFORE ANY ACTION YOUR HIGH INSTRUCTIONS ARE AWAITED STOP END."
- ROUSUD 8633 KN
138 18.22
MINAT KN
MESSAGE TELEX
DE: MINAT YAOUNDE
A: TOUS GOUVERNEURS DES PROVINCES
MENTION: TRES URGENT
No. 637/MTLX/MINAT/CAB DU 18 MAI 1990
TEXTE
"INFORM MANIFESTATION PLANNED FOR 26 MAY 1990 BY SO-CALLED SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT IN COURSE OF FORMATION STOP HONOUR YOU STOP CONDITIONS LAID DOWN BY LAW NO. 67/LF/19 OF 12 JUNE 1967 ON THE LIBERTY OF ASSOCIATION NOT FULFILLED STOP ESPECIALLY RECEIPT DELIVERED BY THE MINISTER OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION STOP IN CONFORMITY WITH LAST SUB-PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE SAID LAW NO ASSOCIATION CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT HAVING RECEIVED THIS DOCUMENT STOP CONSEQUENTLY TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE DISSUASIVE ACTION DAY AND NIGHT AND KEEP ME INFORMED OF ALL THE ELEMENTS RELATING TO THIS MATTER STOP AND END.LE MINAT, I. MBOMBO NJOYA."
We, nevertheless, do not want to style His Excellency a liar, Rather, we prefer to take the view that he was only mislead. And now that the truth, namely, that the SDF declaration was complete and fully complied with the law, has been established, His Excellency has no reason to continue to withhold the receipt to which the SDF is clearly entitled.
In any case, no legislation on the formation of political associations, coming into force after March 16, 1990, can apply to the Social Democratic Front.
Done at Bamenda, August 11, 1990
NI John FRU NDI
CHAIRMAN, SDF
The end
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