[AfrICANN-discuss] Fwd: DigitalSENSE Africa, CRAC write President Biya over Internet Shut Down in Anglophone regions of Republic of Cameroun

Tue Feb 14 20:08:22 UTC 2017

February 14, 2017

*An open letter to the President of Cameroun, Mr. Paul Biya, on the
protracted Internet Shut Down in Anglophone regions by DigitalSENSE Africa
on behalf of Cyber Rights Advocacy Coalition (CRAC). *

Your Excellency

Mr. Paul Biya

The President

The Republic of Cameroun.

*Re: Internet Shut Down in Anglophone regions of Republic of Cameroun*

We have followed up with the incident of Internet shut down in the two
Anglophone regions of the Republic of Cameroun, namely the South West and
North West; on the orders of your government, especially via the Ministry
of Posts and Telecommunications, and Ministry of Communication.

The resolution to write you formally arose from unresolved efforts of our
members alongside other continental and international civil society
organisations on the protracted subject, which we think is uncalled for in
the first instance at this era of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) ruling the world.

Also, we are mostly disturbed that this shut down by the government of
Cameroun under your watch, has led to disconnection and lack of Internet
connectivity in two regions, at a time country like Canada a few days
before proclaimed a high-speed internet, a basic service "necessary to the
quality of life" of all Canadians.

*DigitalSENSE Africa* like every forward looking organization of repute
sees the future of African countries including the Republic of Cameroun and
their economies, as well as efforts to largely alleviate poverty on our
society; greatly depending on the availability and quality of Internet
access to the citizenry at this 21st century and beyond.

We wish to state that this action not only negates the possibility of
Central Africa not meeting the Africa’s target within the 2063 Agenda, but
the Republic of Cameroun being adversely affected both in the
infrastructure development and human capital.

Hence, we solicit your good offices and the leadership of the government of
the Republic of Cameroun to as matter of urgency reverse the order given to
the service operators through the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

We also urge the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) to
quickly liaise with other regional and continental bodies to ensure a
change of heart by Mr. Biya’s government.

Further, we expect that ECCAS intervention would send the right signal to
Mr. Biya and any other African country that may be thinking on following
this ugly footstep, mostly in ECCAS region to realise the essence of the
Internet to our daily existence.

In addition, DigitalSENSE Africa and Cyber Rights Advocacy Coalition hereby
implore the leadership of the ECCAS to initiate diplomatic process of
calling Mr. Biya’s government to a roundtable to discuss the implications
of their step to Cameroun, Central Africa and the continent as a whole.

DigitalSENSE Africa and Cyber Rights Advocacy Coalition are worried that
most African nation’s especially within ECCAS are now adopting Internet
starvation against the citizens as a political weapon, lamenting that
Cameroun is the 10th African country to disconnect its citizens from the
Internet in recent times. Out of this figure, 7 are members of ECCAS,
namely Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad, Gabon, the Central African
Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, while the rest are Egypt, Sudan,
and Niger.

For DigitalSENSE Africa and Cyber Rights Advocacy Coalition, there is no
amount of justification and post-motem explanations that will make the
shutdown of the Internet in any corner of Africa and Cameroun precisely, as
a solution.

We, therefore, encourage the local Civil Society Organisations in the
Republic of Cameroun to remain steadfast while beckoning the global and
International communities to condemn the action of Mr. Biya’s government in
totality, because it distorts conventions including the African Peoples
Right among others. Above all, the citizens access to the world should be
upper most in the African leadership.

DigitalSENSE Africa and Cyber Rights Advocacy Coalition modestly ask that
you use your good offices to among other things:

•          Guarantee internet access without further restriction to these
two regions: South West and North West; otherwise known as Anglophone
regions.

•          Henceforth, reinstate commitment to keeping the internet
connected and accessible, including social media to the people of Republic
of Cameroun.

•          Collaborate with the African Union (AU), ECCAS in resolving
whatever seemingly problem suspected to have led to the shut down in first
instance.

•          To embrace a new slogan of ‘Internet is for everyone’ because
any clamp down on one is an injury and violation of cyber rights of
citizens.

Sincerely,

DigitalSENSE Africa

Nkemdilim Nweke

Executive Director, Operations

-- 

*DigitalSENSE AFRICA MEDIA (DSA Media)*
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<http://www.naijaagronet.blogspot.com/>
*Winner: First runner up, Highway Africa New Media Awards 2010*

DigitalSENSE Africa Media [*Multiple-award winning medium*]
(DigitalSENSE Business News
<http://www.digitalsenseafrica.com.ng/businessnews>; ITREALMS
<http://www.itrealms.com.ng/>, NaijaAgroNet
<http://www.naijaagronet.com.ng/>)
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M: 234-8033592762, 8023122558, 8051000475, T: @ITRealms
<http://www.twitter.com/ITRealms>
Author: A Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria
<https://www.facebook.com/adecadeofictreportageinnigeria%E2%80%8E>
PC Summit 2016 <http://www.pcsummit.com.ng/>, December 1-2 @Federal Palace,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
P.O. Box 2823 Oshodi Post Office, Oshodi-Lagos State, Nigeria
www.digitalsenseafrica.com.ng; www.digitalsenseafrica.com.ng/businessnews
234-8034606066, 8099400183, 7026272656, 8023122558, 8033592762

*... Making sense of digital revolution.*
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