Africa
Fidelis Ndeh-Che, a Camerounian, and six of his compatriot abducted from Nigeria and are now in Yaounde Principal Prison have embarked on an indefinite hunger strike.
They began the hunger strike on Wednesday July 31, to press the Government of Cameroun to reveal the whereabouts of over 300 inmates incarcerated in the context of the conflict in Southern Cameroons who were forcibly removed from the Buea and Yaounde prisons to unknown locations on July 23, following a peaceful protest against the inhumane conditions of their detention.
A statement signed by Ndeh-Che and made available to Realnews on Sunday, August 4, stated that “eyewitness reports say they were heavily brutalized and assaulted and some could have sustained fatal injuries”.
“While we can’t do much for them as we are incarcerated under similar conditions, our declaration of a hunger strike and subsequent commencement 5 days ago is the very least we can do for our compatriots.
“We believe it’s actually in our enlightened best interest to take a stand at this time. We feel it is necessary and urgent to do something in solidarity for what they are going through and call the world’s attention to it. Also, if we don’t, when the diabolic regime finally comes for us, which they will, if they are allowed to get away with this, then why should anyone speak up for us?”, he said.
According to him, “The hunger strike will be called off when our lawyers, who have been diligently visiting all detention facilities in Yaounde and meeting with the government and security agencies, confirm that they have accounted for all our compatriots who were taken away.
“I understand not everyone can make the necessary sacrifices for those that have fallen behind. However, we who wear the shoes and know how much it pinches and the sacrifices that other people make to feed us, cloth us, provide for our legal fees and take care of our health care needs are in the best position to understand the meaning of this sacrifice.
“I thank you for your tremendous support and prayers over the past 19 months of this terrible ordeal and I pray you continue to do so,” he said.
– Aug. 4, 2019 @ 16:15 GMT |
Tags: Camerounians abducted from Nigeria embark on Hunger Strike
