vendredi 26 août 2011

Gabon: Statement on behalf of Forces for Change by Jean Eyeghe Ndong, former Prime minister

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement on behalf of Forces for Change by Jean Eyeghe Ndong, former Prime minister of Gabon


Libreville, Gabon, August 25, 2011. Ladies and gentlemen, August 17 (1960), the date of the accession of our country to international sovereignty, is an important moment in the life of the nation, it should allow us to take stock of progress and to consider prospects of improving the well being of people and the country. But what do we see? In his address to the nation on August 16, on the occasion of Independence Day, Ali Bongo Ondimba merely served to the public his propaganda that is only matched by his desire to legitimize his power usurped on August 30, 2009. Ali Bongo Ondimba did not respond to the legitimate expectations of the people of Gabon. This situation is not strictly speaking a surprise because for two years, we continue to denounce the amateurism of a power-like dictatorship.


Ladies and gentlemen,

Unfortunately, we see Ali Bongo Ondimba remains true to himself, because his speech of August 16 is far from the realities faced by Gabonese. For example, for two years, the purchasing power of Gabonese has not improved, or their access to health care. Gabonese are still victims of untimely cuts of water and electricity, at best the nation's most vulnerable people face the acute shortage of drinking water.


Images Bongo family don't want you to see. 
People of Gabon living at a landfill in Libreville 
where they feed themselves also. (Photo: JP Rougou)

The recently announced measures for students have been good if they were part of a defined social policy of free education for all students. The 10% increase in the rate of scholarships to foreign gabonese students and 25% for students enrolled locally are very similar to a measure to win few votes in the next elections.

The housing problem remains for all Gabonese a figment of the imagination. This is not the promise of establishing a guarantee fund for housing that will reassure.

The administrative reform will be meaningful only when it is depoliticized and detribalized.

In addition, the flying by sight style of governing of this regime and a frantic search of unfound legitimacy leads Ali Bongo Ondimba wanting to capture a number of projects initiated and negotiated with external partners by the government of late President Omar Bongo Ondimba. This is the case of construction on the widening of the highway 1 until a Ntoum, and other projects. The project of the National Health Insurance and Social Security, initiated and implemented by the last government of Omar Bongo Ondimba which resulted in the issuance of the first cards to social security beneficiairies in December 2008 is another example.

Financially, the many pledges do not seem to reflect the debt capacity of Gabon. The public debt had been reduced significantly in the last government of Omar Bongo Ondimba but will, within two (02) years, be reaching levels so high that they lead us on the ground floor in the category of countries at risk for foreign investors. The latest recommendations of the International Monetary Fund is an obvious example.

Moreover, the gap between the budget passed by Parliament and made off-budget spending by the government seriously affects the financial credibility of the country at the same time it undermines all social policies, to make room to lavish spending:

  • 65 billion (in local currency, about 100 millions euros or more than 130 millions US dollars) for a private mansion in Paris;
  • 3.5 billion (in local currency, about 6.9 millions US dollars) for a residence in Washington D.C. (Late Senator Kennedy’s mansion);
  • 17 billion (in local currency, about 34 millions US dollars) in two years for luxury cars.

Regarding the African Cup of Nations of football, Ali Bongo Ondimba, admitting it for the first time, finally informs us that the multisports stadium president Bongo, provided in the specifications of the Caf will not be operational for this competition. In his time, the opposition had rightly questioned the ability of our country to meet the delivery times of this stadium. History proves us right.


President Bongo Stadium in Libreville (photo: J.P. Rougou)

In due course, will require that the Gabonese people, football fans, be fully informed about the actual cost of the competition when you know the propensity of this regime for financial mistakes.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In his time, the Honourable Zacharie Myboto denounced a media-political charade organized at the Office of the President to, could you believe, introduce personal data in the preparation of the electoral register. Indeed, soon after, it did not happen because Ali Bongo Ondimba relied on a false reading and deliberately truncated opinion of the Constitutional Court. To hear Ali Bongo on August 16, biometrics will not be considered for the next parliamentary elections.

An order made at the last Council of Ministers, which amends many provisions of the Electoral Code would find its justification as an immediate application in accordance with Article 52 of the Constitution. Indeed, the right to legislate by ordinance only be explained by the urgency of the situation. The urgency here is to hold the next parliamentary elections in a transparent manner. However, the people in power decided otherwise. This is the place to denounce the democratic backsliding of this change by order of the electoral rules. In other serious democratic setbacks, this order:

  • challenges the tradition of political consensus which has always preceded any change in the electoral code;
  • returns to the principle of parity in the process of decision making within the permanent electoral commission (Cenap);
  • opens the possibility of relocating the headquarters of the Electoral Commission at the whim of those in power;
  • confiscated democratic debate by reducing the duration of the campaign, leaving the field open to corruption and the purchase of consciences.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If assumed it had been brought to the head of the state by the will of the people of Gabon as he claims, the current holder of supreme power is it consistent with his conscience? Can he straight in Gabonese eyes when he dares to say that "I will continue to be part of responsibility, listening, dialogue and consensus constantly sought, necessary for our progress and to the preservation of civil and social peace for which we are key players "?

Can civil and social peace really be preserved as the people have no sense of freedom? As the Gabonese feel as foreigners at home and they do not recognize the leader of their country? As long as the people will not feel truly exercising their sovereignty and the freedom to choose their leaders will not be respected?

This is the case for elections that this regime claims to want to hold by the end of the year without the necessary transparency as demanded by the people of Gabon. If the men in power was listening to the people, if they have reflected the social demand which is indeed expressed by the population, all the conditions could be met for the forthcoming parliamentary elections to not give rise to disputes and not lead to a crisis. "No biometrics, hello damage! "Ali Bongo declared in the famous dialogue meeting that he himself had organized. Today, Ali Bongo has chosen the damage, he is leading the country toward them.

Are we a people condemned to permanent trial and error, even on what is accessible to us through our simple intelligence?

Ladies and gentlemen, my dear compatriots,

We are all aware of the seriousness of the situation in which those in power will lead us by insisting on organizing the upcoming parliamentary elections in disastrous conditions that we have just mentioned. We can not and must not accept it.

As responsible people, we launch a solemn appeal to all political parties of the opposition, civil society and all citizens who love peace, freedom and democracy. We invite them to take action in order to defeat the obscure maneuvers of Ali Bongo who has no other ambition than to remain in power by any means.

In the Gabonese people, we renew our call to action and vigilance.

Thank you.


(Free translation from french by Citoyen Libre Gabon)


samedi 20 août 2011

Gabon: Civil Society reaction to the speech of Ali Bongo for Gabon’s Independence day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gabon: Civil Society reaction to the speech of Ali Bongo for Gabon’s Independence day

Libreville, Gabon, August 18, 2011. During his speech for the celebration of 51 years of “independence” of Gabon, President Ali Bongo stood against the introduction of biometrics in the forthcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to take place at the end of the second half of this year.

Organizations of civil society as a whole condemn in the strongest terms such unpopular decision that goes against standards of good democratic governance applicable in a real democracy.

This choice demonstrates anti-democratic posture of a dictatorial and corrupt regime by nature, whose survival depends on a system of electoral fraud and traffic on a large scale and depriving sovereign people of its legitimate right to freely choose their leaders.

In addition, President Ali Bongo, is not offering any guarantee of transparency and fairness of the electoral process and specifically on the ability and impartiality of an administration that is not an administration of a true Republic, but one technostructure entirely devoted to the maintenance of his regime.

As a result, civil society organizations consider that the President of Gabon and its political clan are the main obstacles to real democratization of Gabon. They are being consistently opposed to any idea and any plans for democratic reform.

Faced with this deadlock, the civil society organizations reiterate their requirements in the 13 recommendations of June 29, 2011 as follows:

1. Fundamentally reform the Constitutional Court;
2. Revision of the electoral law;
3. Reforming the National Council for Communication;
4. Reforming National Permanent Electoral Commission (CENAP) integrating members of civil society;
5. Reduce the presidential term to five (5) years renewable only once;
6. Make sure the military personnel will vote outside their military bases or barracks, as civil citizens do;
7. Back to elections in two rounds;
8. Proceed with redistricting, taking into account the demographic factor;
9. Get partners of Development (including international community) involved in the process of electoral transparency;
10. Introduce biometrics into the making of the electoral register;
11. Open the public media to all people and organizations in the Nation;
12. Amend the Constitution to incorporate all the reforms and make it adopted by referendum;
13. Set up a Tripartite Commission, including majority parties in power, opposition parties and civil society, which will be responsible for the implementation of all reforms.

In this regard, we reaffirm our determination to impose democracy in Gabon and to follow through on our campaign to free Gabon from this corrupt oligarchy which is responsible for the widespread failure of our country.

This system of 45 years which completely failed on all fronts, no longer has any legitimacy to impose its will on the majority of Gabonese who aspire to a new governance model in order to remove the 85% of our citizens out precariousness and impoverishment.

Given that the Gabonese government marks a commitment to organize the upcoming elections in an environment of non-transparency that fosters massive fraud and rigging of election results, organizations of civil society called the international community including the United States, the European Union, the U.S. Congress and the United Nations to exert the necessary pressure to force the Government of Gabon to accept electoral transparency.

Organizations of civil society firmly reject this propensity of the Gabonese government confiscation of power by anti-democratic practices based on fraud, manipulation, bribery and nepotism.

Organizations of civil society believe it is urgent to worry about the political and democratic freedoms deteriorating dangerously in Gabon.

Indeed, the Gabonese Government will once again miss out on history by denying the basic rules of democracy.

# # #

For civil society:

Brainforest, Saeger CONASYSED, Sneep, USDS, USAP, SYGEF, AFRICAN HORIZONS, ROLBG, OND, SENA, FESEENA,

If you would like more information, please contact in Gabon:

Marc Ona Essangui: Brainforest: +241-07 29 41 40: marc.ona@brain-forest.org
Georges MPAG: ROLBG: +241-07 51 99 32: gmpaga@yahoo.fr
Alain MOUAGOUADI: CONASYSED: +241-07 39 45 85
Dieudonné MINLAMA: OND: +241-07 94 87 19
Alain MOUPOPA: African Horizons: +241-07 75 15 03
Paulette Oyane Ondo, Lawyer: +241-06 26 73 12: cabinet_oyaneondo@yahoo.fr

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Translated from french by Citoyen Libre Gabon
Follow me on Twitter: @gabonishere


dimanche 14 août 2011

Gabon: ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR MORE THEN 30 DAYS, ROLAND ABA’A IS IN SERIOUS LIFE FRIGHTENING HEALTH CONDITION


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR MORE THEN 30 DAYS, ROLAND ABA’A IS IN SERIOUS LIFE FRIGHTENING HEALTH CONDITION


Libreville, Gabon, August 12, 2011. Councillor of Office of the President of Gabon, Roland ABA'A is in serious life frightening health condition . He lost the use of his limbs and speech.  Mr Aba’a has been on hunger strike for more then 30 days.


Moved to Owendo from his home for reasons of health concern by his younger brother, Mr. ABA'A asked him that administration of tonic medication to him be stopped. He prefers to die alongside his family at the family home, located in Montagne Sainte, a neighbourhood of the Capital city of Libreville. Given the indifference exhibited by the French authorities, against whom his denunciation is made, we once again take the national and international community as our witnesses about the fatal outcome to which this situation may lead us.


Initially an individual movement, but not isolated, made for the general interest of its citizens, Councillor Roland Desire ABA'A opted for a non-violent approach in the strict respect for public order and constitutional provisions of the country, he raises questions based on respect and dignity between the French and Gabonese and stowage requirements of good governance.

This is call on the French, with the backdrop idea that substantial new contract of cooperation between France and Gabon offered to our two communities by President Sarkozy, does not seem to corroborate the reality.

These limitations result in the protection of French economic interests at the expense of social development and life of people of Gabon.

"I will be happy to take to be taken to my grave with the pride that I have demonstrated to the national and international opinion that France, so-called land of human rights, is nothing more than a country of selfish interests. Gabon’s wealth is confiscated by France, and leaders or managers of this former colony does not weigh much heavier than a feather in front of their master. Let die a fellow citizen in full knowledge of all is a clear proof of guilty resignation ", says Mr Aba’a.

He also calls on all agencies and organizations defending human rights to take up this issue so that justice is done in the name of individual liberty and freedom of peoples to self-determination for their lives and properties or resources.

"Let’s the case of Gabon be a learning experience for all former colonies of France, as we all know that France's interests take precedence over the lives of people other than French."

"My pride of belonging to my homeland goes beyond any other human feeling.", says Mr Aba’a.

Free Gabon!

# # #

If you would like more information, please contact in Gabon, the Monitoring Committee of the hunger strike of the Councillor of the President, Mr. Roland Desire ABA'A at:

Phone: (241) 07 38 70 90 / 06 26 52 15 / 07 25 30 00 / 07 35 38 78
Email


(Free translation from French by Citoyen Libre Gabon)

vendredi 12 août 2011

Gabon: Open Letter to the attention of the New York Academy of Sciences


Only a few months ago, several organizations of African and Western civil societies rebelled against you and expressed their outrage at your institution which applied for sponsorship of President Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, for his lavish prices. Today, you tend the perch to Ali Bongo of Gabon, the “yellow jersey” of African dictatorship, as if you are making the difference between AIDS and the plague...

The choice of sponsorship of your institution for some time and his love for African dictators are in line to significantly impair the credit enjoyed by far the prestigious New York Academy of Sciences.

It must be remembered that Mr. Ali Bongo is far worse than President Obiang Nguema when it comes to corruption, dictatorship and deprivation of basic citizen freedoms. Yet history teaches us that the Academy, the first school of philosophy, was frequented by disciples or those carefully chosen. Indeed, Plato, the founder, was a significant engine of the democratic development of his time and his works with the tyrant of Sicily and later with his son, also his thoughts, are perfect examples and deserve an actualization and a fundamental review of the role of our academies today.

If you are so indifferent to the cries of thousands of Gabonese who do not have at least basic social services, have at least consideration for the science that is the reason for your Academy. Are Americans so pathetically and tragically affected by the economic crisis to the point of deepening into complicity with the dirty money of African dictatorships and hence undermining the image of their prestigious institution?

In addition to the U.S. Senate which published a report on the ill-gotten gains of African dictators [1], your embassy in France to let you know, very discreet and laid bare by Wikileaks, that Mr Ali Bongo was placed in power against the will of the people [2], and recently a document of television news of ABC showed the poor living conditions of Gabonese. would Ali Bongo be solicited by the Academy for his brilliant scientific career, his enormous wealth, as a representative of an oligarchic group or as representative of the people of Gabon?

If it is his (bad) treatment of the people of Gabon that earned him so much honor on the part of your institution, we find this very cynical and thus conclude that science has no rightful place in your institution. Possibly taking note of this option, we may consider actions of discredit against you and initiate legal actions against the New York Academy of Sciences in our capacity as taxpayers of Gabon. This will be the battle of David and Goliath!

That is why we, the collective signatories of this letter, do earnestly appeal to your sense of responsibility and the will of your distinguished institution to find another African personality to be given the great honor to sponsor your price, being an individual or a legal entity (e.g. a business) truly representative of the dignity past, present and especially future of Gabonese and / or African, and their hope for greater justice and again and again, more dignity.

By Gabonese of France


WOULD YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE MONEY FROM GABON TO FINANCE YOUR PRICE IN THE UNITED STATES?

[1] A trial on the issue much stifled is underway in the Tribunal de Paris
[2] A documentary confirming this is being broadcast right now in France on the television channel of the French Parliament - LCP.

Free translation: C.L.

Threats and intimidation on the menu of power in Gabon

Press release (translated from french)

By Coordination of the movement That’s enough!

Since the launch of the campaign That's enough! (Ça suffit comme ça!), July 16, 2011 initiated by the 13 most powerful unions, associations and NGOs to demand Gabon institutional reform and the organization of parliamentary elections in full transparency and their report after the African Cup of Nations that Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are co-organizing in January 2012, an intense campaign to discredit the main actors of this movement is led by the press and the media close to the Presidency of the Gabonese Republic.

Indeed, one of the promoters of this movement, Marc Ona Essangui is systematically denigrated by the websites and newspapers close to the President of Gabon, namely the weekly “La Griffe” (claw) which spends time a month ago all its newspapers numbers talking about this actor of civil society.

As the media campaign was not enough, and convinced of the lack of impact of their articles and documents against these militants for transparency and good governance in Gabon with the population, the authors of this odious campaign come to change strategy by opting for intimidation over the phone and uttering death threats and insults anonymously to the place of Marc Ona Essangui. As proof, August 5, 2011 at 11:15 am an anonymous phone call from the number (241) 726707 covers him with insults and pretends he is a spokesman for the National Union, an opposition party dissolved recently. A few minutes later came another anonymous phone call which became abusive and threatening.

This Thursday, August 11, 2011 between 1:18 p.m. and 2:36 p.m. Libreville time, here is a list of phone numbers used to continue perpetrating operation of all types including threats and insults: (241) 726707, (+241) 726717 (241 ) 726739, (241) 726725, (+241) 726703, (241) 726708 and (241) 735707.

One of the authors of these anonymous phone calls has been unveiled in a note from the newspaper's La Griffe Friday, August 5, 2011, number 452 in these terms: "... In the same day Friday, our editorial sought to apply his conscience to light the lantern of Gabon on his political position in direct, the question was no less direct: Mr. Marc Ona, is that you are an activist of the National Union? ... "Response of the individual:" Nothing shall prevent any citizen to belong to a political party ... "Indeed, the number used this Friday, August 5, 2011 is part of the series of today: 726707 . Does this mean that the paper held by relatives of President Ali Bongo with one of his advisor Raphael Ntoutoume Nkoghe (Justin Lagryphe), uses phone numbers of his administration to prepare and execute the dirty work?

The identification process of these phone numbers, which presumably would come from an administration, a department, institution, the presidency of the republic of Gabon, or a home, is being done by independent services.

Recall that the debate raised by civil society based on democratic and republican principles and the Constitution of the Republic grants citizens the right to participate in public life of his country.

We reaffirm our determination to go all the way to true democracy in our country plundered by an oligarchy in power for 45 years and who is guilty of hijacking the country's resources to the detriment of the great mass of people languishing into poverty, forced to look for food in landfills.

The national and international communities are our witnesses and they should therefore see how Gabon is ruled base on police powers principles, where the ruling party is against all types of opposition and where fundamental freedoms or liberties are violated.

We reserve the right to appeal to all national and international courts to end this practice of another age.


Libreville (Gabon), August 11, 2011

For the Coordination of the movement That's enough!

Marc Ona Essangui



Press Contacts:


Master Paulette Oyane Ondo, Lawyer, Phone: (241) 07 07 16 48 / (241) 06 26 73 12

Georges MPAG, ROLBG: (241) 07 51 99 32

Marc Ona Essangui: (241) 07 29 41 40

---

Traduction libre: Citoyen Libre Gabon

Menaces et intimidation au menu des tactiques des gens du pouvoir au Gabon


Communiqué de presse

Coordination du mouvement Ça suffit comme ça!

Depuis le lancement de la campagne CA SUFFIT COMME CA, le 16 juillet 2011 initiée par les 13 plus puissants syndicats, associations et ONG gabonais pour réclamer la réforme des institutions et l’organisation des prochaines élections législatives dans la transparente la plus totale ainsi que leur report après la coupe d’Afrique des Nations que le Gabon et la Guinée Équatoriale co-organisent en janvier 2012, une campagne intense visant à discréditer les principaux acteurs de ce mouvement est menée par les organes de presse et les médias proches de la Présidence de la République gabonaise

En effet, l’un des porteurs de ce mouvement, Marc ONA ESSANGUI est systématiquement dénigré par les sites Internet et les journaux proches de la Présidence pour ne citer que l’hebdomadaire la Griffe qui consacre depuis un mois tous ses numéros à cet acteur de la société civile.

Comme cette campagne médiatique ne suffisait pas, et convaincus du manque d’impact de leurs articles et documents contre ces militants pour la transparence et la bonne gouvernance au Gabon auprès de la population, les auteurs de cette campagne odieuse viennent de changer de stratégie en optant pour des intimidations au téléphone et proférer des menaces de mort et des injures de façon anonyme à l’endroit de Marc ONA ESSANGUI. Pour preuve, le 5 août 2011 à 11h15 un appel téléphonique anonyme venant du numéro (+241)726707 le couvre d’injure et le taxe de porte parole de l’Union Nationale, parti d’opposition dissout dernièrement. Quelques minutes plus tard, c’est un autre coup de fil anonyme qui devint plus injurieux et menaçant.

Ce jeudi 11 août 2011 entre 13h18 et 14h36 heures de Libreville, voici la liste des numéros de téléphones utilisés pour poursuivre cette opération de menaces de toute nature et d’insultes : (+241)726707, (+241)726717, (+241)726739, (+241)726725, (+241)726703, (+241)726708 et (+241)735707.

L’un des auteurs de ces coups de fil anonymes se serait dévoilé dans un billet du journal la Griffe du vendredi 5 août 2011, numéro 452 en ces termes : « …Dans la journée du même vendredi, notre rédaction a cherché à solliciter sa conscience pour éclairer la lanterne des gabonais sur son positionnement politique En directe, la question a été non moins directe : Monsieur Marc Ona, est ce que vous êtes un militant de l’Union Nationale ? …» Réponse de l’intéressé : « Rien n’interdit à n’importe quel citoyen d’appartenir à un parti politique… » Effectivement, le numéro utilisé ce vendredi 5 août 2011 fait partie de la série d’aujourd’hui : 726707. Est-ce à dire que ce journal tenu par des proches du Président Ali Bongo dont l’un de ses conseiller Raphael Ntoutoume Nkoghe (Justin Lagryphe), utilise les numéros de téléphone de son administration pour préparer et exécuter de basses besognes ?

L’opération d’identification de ces numéros de téléphone, qui vraisemblablement, proviendraient d’une administration : un ministère, une institution, la présidence de la république, un domicile, est en cours par les services indépendants.

Rappelons que le débat soulevé par la société civile repose sur des principes démocratiques et républicains et la constitution de la République confère à tout citoyen le droit de participer à la vie publique de son pays.

Nous réaffirmons notre détermination à aller jusqu’au bout pour une démocratie véritable dans notre pays pillé par un oligarchie au pouvoir depuis 45 ans et qui se rend coupable du détournement des ressources du pays au détriment de la grande masse de la population qui croupit dans la misère, obligée de se nourrir dans des décharges publiques.

Nous prenons à témoin la communauté nationale et internationale pour constater le caractère policier du pouvoir en place qui refuse tout type de contre pouvoir et où des libertés fondamentales sont bafouées.

Nous nous réservons le droit de saisir toutes les juridictions nationale et internationale pour mettre fin à ces pratiques d’un autre âge.


Fait à Libreville, le 11 août 2011

Pour la Coordination du mouvement CA SUFFIT COMME CA

Marc ONA ESSANGUI



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Contacts Presse :


Maitre Paulette Oyane Ondo, Avocat : Tel : (241) 07 07 16 48 / (241) 06 26 73 12

Georges MPAGA, ROLBG : (241) 07 51 99 32

Marc ONA ESSANGUI : (241) 07 29 41 40