Open letter to the participants of NYFA 2
Dear Mr. or Mrs.,
You have been approached by Mr. Richard Attias to
participate, in Gabon, to the second edition of the New York Forum Africa (NYFA) whose only aim remains the glorification of Ali Bongo.
We believe, in many ways, that we share the same values.
Like you, we believe in democracy. Like you, we are committed to freedom of
expression. Like you, we believe that the state should be strong and just, that
it must protect the weak as well as guaranty the security of the strong. Like
you, we hope that Africa will eventually wake up and offer its people's the
quality of life to which they legitimately aspire. Like you, we love
scientific, technological and societal progress.
However, it is our duty to remind you that Gabon is a
republic and not a hereditary monarchy. We must remind you that Ali Bongo
succeeded his father, who ruled Gabon for more than four (4) decades in
scabrous conditions all the while making use of force. We must remind you that
the arrival of Ali Bongo at the head of Gabon was done through the spilling of
Gabonese blood, citizens who fell under the bullets of an army turned into a
private militia led by members of Ali Bongo’s kinship. These historical and
verifiable facts cannot be ignored by you.
We will not insult you by presenting a synopsis of the human
rights situation and more widely of the governance in Gabon. Because we are
convinced that you know about it as much as we do.
We firmly believe that you know that Gabon is a country
where corruption, embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment have been
erected as governance principles.
We are confident that you know that the Gabonese justice
system is exploited for political and personal purposes.
We are convinced that you know that the press is harassed
and systematically repressed by a national council of communication obeying the
regime’s orders.
We are certain that you have heard of this barbaric practice
called "ritual crimes." Yes, we are convinced that you know that
since the advent of Ali Bongo to power, we are witnessing a resurgence of
ritual crimes with total impunity of perpetrators and sponsors. Should we point
out that these crimes consist of the removal, while the victim is still alive,
of organs (eyes, tongue, clitoris, lungs, heart, blood ...) for witchcraft? We
know that the ritual crimes are sponsored by those in power in search of glory,
power and money. Should we tell you that ministers of the current government,
people known to be very close to Ali Bongo, have been named in these cases
without him being the least bit concerned? That in April 2013, the government
forbade a march by the civil society against human sacrifices and the forces of
repression broke up a similar march and arrested activists on Saturday, 11 May
2013.
We inform you that our fight against the scourge of ritualcrimes in Gabon has earned us the support of cyber activist group “Anonymous” in
a warning message sent on April 13 to the Gabonese ruling class, and that we
continue to fight for justice.
We are therefore asking what meaning to give to your
presence in Gabon. We have to wonder what importance those who support Ali
Bongo still give to citizens and human rights. We are left wondering if the
values you profess are universal; whether what is valid in other latitudes is
also valid for us? How should we interpret the fact that you are willing to
come endorse an anti-democratic, illegitimate brutal power which denies to many
Gabonese their civil and political rights only because they said loudly and
clearly their opposition to the monarchic devolution of power?
How can we explain that you are indifferent to the fate of
our children whose throats are slit for witchcraft?
How to explain that people chose to close their eyes on the
fact that our children are packed in classrooms of more than 100 students? That
Ali Bongo, neglecting to build a single school since he came to power, is using
stadium locker rooms for classrooms?
How can we justify that you are ready to be associated to a costly
event in a country where women still give birth on the floor, and students of
the only university in the country are studying in more than deplorable
conditions (see report by France 24, Les Observateurs, published April 6,
2013)?
Convinced that you carry within you the noble values of
humanity, freedom, equality of opportunity and that you put human dignity above
all, we ask you to reconsider in all conscience whether you should
participation to the NYFA.
On May 19, we welcomed with satisfaction, the withdrawal of
U.S. director Spike Lee. This is quite in his honor. Therefore, we appeal to
your conscience, to your humanity and we ask you to refrain from taking part in
this event which is a pure communication operation to the glory of Ali Bongo.
Except, of course, if you think that the results of the first edition of the
NYFA have been beneficial in a tangible and pertinent way. For us, we do not
absolutely see how that edition benefitted the people of the world, of Africa
or of Gabon. We know that you have a sense of history and ask you to analyze
the historical significance of your participation in this event. Because the
Gabonese people would be much honored to welcome you in other circumstances, we
affirm that your participation in this event will be for us a clear positioning
against the Gabonese people.
For good practices, please note that the content of this
letter will be communicated to the media and civil society and human rights
organizations worldwide.
We hope you understand our approach.
Please accept, Madam, Sir, the assurance of our regards.
For the Movement of Gabonese Indignants, Mr Grégory Ngbwa
Mintsa, 2009 & 2010 Transparency International Integrity Prize Winner-
contact : +241 06 24 61 57
For the Women Collective Against Ritual Crimes, Mrs Blanche
SIMONNY ABEGUE - contact: +241 06 49 08 39
For the citizen Movement « ça suffit comme ça », Mr Marc ONA
ESSANGUI, Goldman Prize Winner 2009 – contact +241 07 29 41 40
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