<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">February 14, 2017<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-caps:small-caps">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). <span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Your Excellency<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mr. Paul Biya<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The President<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The Republic of Cameroun.<b><span></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt">Re: Internet Shut Down in Anglophone regions of
Republic of Cameroun<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-caps:small-caps">DigitalSENSE Africa</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt"> 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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">DigitalSENSE Africa and Cyber Rights Advocacy
Coalition modestly ask that you use your good offices to among other things:<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">• Guarantee
internet access without further restriction to these two regions: South West
and North West; otherwise known as Anglophone regions.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">• Henceforth,
reinstate commitment to keeping the internet connected and accessible,
including social media to the people of Republic of Cameroun.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">• Collaborate
with the African Union (AU), ECCAS in resolving whatever seemingly problem
suspected to have led to the shut down in first instance.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">• 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.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Sincerely,<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">DigitalSENSE Africa<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Nkemdilim Nweke<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Executive Director, Operations</span><span style="font-size:12pt;text-align:center"> </span></p><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="m_-1910495315759201025gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><b><font color="#660000"><font face="'arial black', sans-serif"><span style="font-size:large">DigitalSENSE AFRICA MEDIA (DSA Media)<br></span></font></font></b></div>
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