Updates of the festival in pictures

Updates of the Human Rights Film and Arts Festival

Youths Show Interest on Human Rights Issues

Youths & Arts Exhibition

Arts Exhibition

Official Launching of the Festival

Launching activities

Film Producers, Actors and Officials

Gwain Colbert (Co-founder of A Common Future) addressing the crowd at launching

Synopsis of the Films Selected

The 18 selected films for the festival are; Widows @ War and WildLife Palavar produced and directed by Chop Samuel; Vice & Virtue as well as Asoni directed by Keka Sylvester; Tears from an Angel by Ihehon; Perverted Angel and Une Vie, Une Histoire by Alfred Amandy, Elemo by Nchoutu Rami, The Evidence by Ngato Noutosii, Before the Sunrise by Agbor Gilbert, Your Mother My Wife by Molimi Cletus; The Woman’s World by Itambi Delphine,  Atonement Calabash by Akuro Titus, Pension by Nyincho James, The Storm by CHRAC, Thinking Out of the Man Box by Anthony Porter, Rape and Incest produced by Aunties Association and the German Technical Cooperation, GiZ.

Synopsis of some selected films:

WIDOWS AT WAR

Film by Sammuel Chop, 2012, 92, subtitled in French.

The screening in the presence of the producer shall be followed by a panel discussion.

Widows At War depicts a culture of the North West Region of Cameroon in which when a man dies his wife is given to any member of his family. In Widows At War, the widows rebel and kick against the tradition and they want to marry the men they like.

Mbong losses her husband and denies to marry another man from her husband’s family. She gets widows who enter into the bush and rebel against tradition.

The Fon sends Juju which the widows seduce and in the end the widows plan and kidnap a girl which was a favorite to the palace.

At the end the widows conquer tradition and they all marry the men of their choice.

BREAKING OUT OF “THE MAN BOX”

Documentary produced and directed by Anthony Geathers of Wholly Moses productions USA, 2010, 45’

“Breaking Out of The Man Box” radically challenges the socialization of men by examining the social norms, culture and traditional images of manhood that has created an environment that supports, tolerates and encourages men’s violence against women. The Founder of A Call to Men, Tony Porter and Ted Bunch provide concrete solutions and practical approaches toward ending violence against women by men in the United States of America. Insight is provided into the construct of sexiom, challenging the privileges and entitlements given to men by society. The documentary is unique in its ability to be affirming and respectful to the experiences of women while expressing genuine care and hope for men. Tony Porter and Ted Bunch invites “Well-Meaning” men to leave sidelines of silence for the playing field of action in ending violence against women. While “Breaking Out of The Man Box” may force men out of our comfort zone, watching it can lead us into the end zone of positive change in our relationships with women, children, other men and ourselves”. It is a MUST-WATCH piece of work.

RAPE

Rape: break the silence and denounce the rapists

Film, 32 mn, 2009

GTZ/RENATA

(French, English and Pidgin)

In Cameroon, rape affects 5.2% of girls and women. The victims are forced into silence by their perpetrators or those around them. The National Network of Aunties Associations with support from the German International Cooperation helps and guides the victims of rape. Four of them, raped at age 8 or 11 years have decided to break the silence by telling what happened to them by a thief, teacher, neighbor or stepfather. A painful secret they have kept for long, but which has not stopped haunting them many years later

5.2% of girls and women have been raped in Cameroon. In total, these are 432.833 victims. 14% of girls and women have experienced rape attempts. Among the victims, 18% (1 girl out of 5) were raped by a family member. 9% are victims of collective rape, i.e were raped by more than one person at a time. Moreover, 11%of the victims were raped more than three times by different persons. The victims are on average 15 years and12% of them are age 10 or younger. Besides shock and trauma, 18% of the victims contracted a sexually transmitted

infection and 24% got pregnant as a result of rape. The rapists are rarely punished: only 5% of therapists (1 out of 20) are condemned by justice. The incidence of rape is exponentially increasing and has a worrying and preoccupying tendency. 

INCEST

Like rape, incest remains a big problem in Cameroon. The North West has not been left out. This documentary is a new campaign by the National Network of Aunties Association, RENATA, to bring victims to speak out. The several women and girls tell their stories with the intention of calling society’s attention to incest which is on rise in Cameroon. Today in Cameroon, we are witnessing explosion of sexual attacks, targeting adolescents in particular.

Vice and Virtue

Directed by Keka Sylvester

The evil that men do lives with and after them. Megan is such a victim from her mother’s past and God ceases to exist because he causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust alike.

The only narrow way to escape is to avenge but unfortunately, vengeance is of the Lord.

But now, how can a lost pride be recovered.

                                     The Will

By Chop Samuel

This is a situation where children succeed through matrilineal line. The man dies leaving his will to the family. In his will, he stressed that his children will succeed him.

Three cousins come to fight over successionship. Ngonga who is an illiterate steals the will and Peter who can read is looking for the will to change the name of the successor and put his name.Chie is another illiterate who is trying to succeed.

The councilors sit down to solve the problem but drunk as they ask the cousins to go and bring the dead man’s will.

At the end the cousins get medicines and kill one of the children taking him for the successor.

The Gendarmes come and arrest the cousins.

Medicinal Wild Life Palaver

By Chop Samuel

The Film deals with the protection of medicinal wild life. Nora has burns which can only be treated by using the hair of a bush baby. The law is against the killing of animals. Zama, the king hunter is detained for hunting animals. Nora’s husband tries to make research and comes out with the idea animals can be reared and used as food and for medicines.

The king hunter, Zama is now released and the King is made to educate the villagers on how to rear animals.

PEVERTED ANGEL

By Alfred Amandy  

Angel is an orphan .A Good Samaritan has taken her in and brought her up, as his own. When she goes to campus, she gets involved with the wrong company. Thereafter, she begins to date married men. It is a very heart wrenching story.

THE STORMS OF THE LAND

By KWAI JOSHUA; Project coordinator (CHRAC)

The social interactive Drama, titled “The Storms of the land” is aimed at encouraging people to communicate with those in conflicts in order to facilitate the reconciliation of their differences. It seeks to recognize the rights of pastoralists to land and natural resources while stressing their responsibility for active participation in community affairs. It seeks to improve Fulani’s understanding of their rights. This play is blended with a series of campaigns on basic human rights fundamental principles, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence against women, child abuse, and exploitation. It is CHRAC’S working instrument for managing farmer/grazer conflicts in the field.

Atonement Calabash

By Tikum Titus Akuro (Duration: 70 mins)

Sango in his forties thought the only way he could put an end to a serious financial problem was to kill himself. Little did he know that killing himself was unavoidably going to multiply the financial problems and add curse to it.

Fru, Sango’s only child wouldn’t take the shame of allowing his father hanging on a rope because of no money to pay for Atonement rituals. Hence, he chose to bury his father against all odds thereby invoking curses and more problems upon himself. Subsequently, his fate became so precarious as only the Atonement Calabash and the mercy of God could redeem him.

My Wife, Your Mother

Produced and Directed by Molimi Cletus

Mrs Ngwa is very sick and it seems there is no money the husband Mr Ngwa has to go borrowing, her Children are all very sad thinking their mum will die because of lack of money, but what happens is that Mrs Ngwa actually has money but is refusing to help her Husband pay her bills, when the husband realizes this he puts her to the utmost test
which she of course failed resulting in her death

SPOTLIGHT: Bamenda, our city as we know it!

Situated 366km North West of the administrative capital of Cameroon, Yaounde, and about 450km of Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, Bamenda, estimate to harbour some 500,000 breathing souls, has come to mean more than one thing to many a keen observer.

            At one time simple known as the land where heroes come to die, today, Bamenda stands its own, tall among the emerging towns of our triangle nation. It gained the status of a city on the strength of a Presidential Decree of 17^th January 2008, which created the Bamenda City Council from the defunct Bamenda Urban Council, bringing in as well the three Municipal Councils of Bamenda I, Bamenda II and Bamenda III.

            Senior translator and writer, Canute C.N. Tangwa paints the picture of a city of two epochs in the following TRAVELOGUE.

Bamenda then and now:

Any day and time I am bound for Bamenda, the gateway to the North West Region, I remember the late Kotto Bass’s hit song dubbed, “Bamenda.” In the track, he reels off the names of past and present captains of industry and politics as well as custodians of tradition and culture (Fons) from the North West.

            As we slowly but surely descended the Station Hill, Peter Essoka’s question, “who is the Bamenda man,” and Julius Wamey’s terse response flickered through my mind. It did not die because Jomia Pefok’s wise crack that the Bamenda is a law abiding citizen but very sensitive to injustice kept me thinking. Indeed, with kaleidoscopic precision, images of Bamenda during my stay at CCAST Bambili kept surging and rested on bell Luc Rene’s crisp and riveting description of the mindset of the Bamenda man over the CRTC programme, Actualité Hebdo: a formidable go-getter with a penchant for detail.

            I looked down as usual to catch a glimpse of downtown Bamenda. It was dark except for pockets of lit-up areas! I held my breath. In the good days, any visitor took in, sized up and appreciated Abakwa from the Station Hill. “Quelle beauté”, a friend of mine exclaimed in 1989.

            The decay was knee-dip and shouting. We sped past Finance Junction and slowed down at Ngeng Junction, not because of traffic jam but of the deplorable state of the road. We swung towards SONAC Street hoping to catch the usual night revelers around former Zenon or so. Since there was no action around there, we moved on to the famous Commercial Avenue. There was not hustle, no snack bar, no cabaret life… nothing! Bamenda used to wake up one a Friday as from 9pm till dawn. Very few businesses could afford power generating sets so they had to adopt break-even measures like closing early.

            Formerly, we could have been spoilt for choice as to which night club, cabaret, snack or joint to go to, particularly along the Commercial Avenue. We met a semi-desert, dark and poorly lit Commercial Avenue and town. Someone proposed Dallas. We did not hesitate and had to maneuver to get there for the road was an eyesore. The ambiance was fairly good, the music below par for guys cruising in from Douala; the services were satisfactory and the call girls aplenty. We guzzled beer and listened to jarring renditions of tunes or hit songs of yesteryears.

            Then I spotted my younger brother, an excellent ball juggler-termed- developer, some distance away from the Government Delegate of the Bamenda City Council. He electrified the atmosphere. Booze flowed and there was mirth.

            At around 3am we decided to retire. But our intestines had already started complaining. We badly needed a bite. We began a frantic search. Every available restaurant was closed. Fortunately, there was this lady around former Black and White night Club at Nkwen who operated an open air cafeteria. We went down to business and retired to our various abodes with the hope seeing Abakwa by day.

            When we met the following day everyone commented on our night experience. Two of my friends who lodged at Ayaba had a bizarre story to tell. The lifts were seemingly not operational. At Le Bien, the proprietor had to make do with a generator but at a price for the visitor: lights-out after 11pm!

            Bamenda by day looked like a battered truck in need of urgent repairs. It had been buffeted by the New Deal, the wind of change, “scratch my back and I scratch your back” brand of politics, socio-economic neglect and opposition politics. Seemingly, Bamenda was paying the wage of being an opposition town. The intrepid Ntemfac Ofege stated clearly that when the 1999/2000 State budget was CFA 1,100 billion, the North West got less than 2% of the total revenue!.

            I decided to board a motorbike (bendskin), in order to beat the traffic jam at Nkwen, for the Bamenda mortuary. From Ndamukong Street, we rode through Mile 2 Nkwen, down towards the former Rota snack bar and veered towards Cow Street through Ngeng Junction, City Chemist Roundabout towards the market and took a short cut to the mortuary. From the mortuary, the “bendskin” made a detour via Ntamulung. Two Bridge and unto Nkwen. From thereon we sped to Bob Fula Junction in Ndamukong Street. I saw what the French term, “Bamenda Profound”: poor road infrastructure and underdevelopment.

Bamenda now

            Indeed, that was Bamenda then. Bamenda now looks like a serpent that has sloughed off its skin someone has given Bamenda the Midas’s touch! In Cameroon, it has gained currency: where the Head of State passes, development follows. Bamenda will receive the Head of State, President Paul Biya, for the 50^th anniversary of our valiant Armed Forces. Thus, pot holes have been filled, roads have received a facelift, the street light are on, hotels are being refurbished and built, cabarets, nightclubs and snacks have come to life, streets are swept clean, there is an expected construction of a thermal power plant, and business seems to be moving in the right direction with the imminent construction of the Bamenda-Enugu road. Apparently, the Bamenda man looks set to seize this opportunity: the resilience, hope, potential and possibility are seemingly back.

            Shandie Shing Av wontom captures the new Bamenda spirit when he states, interalia; “Bamenda … will be the terminal of the main road with the Nigerian giant, a tractor and bus assembly plant will soon be built in Mile 4 Nkwen for the West African market, a State University may be underway, Azire and Police Credit Unions are the largest Credit Unions in Central Africa, not to talk of the vast potential of its qualified people and its experience from all over the world who are rushing back to have a foot in Abakwa. And there is more!

            For this is the first Cameroonian city in which call box vendors make a profit selling telephone air time for 25CFA Frs. Per minute; where there is no need for low cost housing; and where part of the city gets water free of charge. It is a city with cheap food and cheap housing, where the cost for a taxi drop has stabilized at 100CFA Frs. For the past ten years. It is the city with the highest concentration of high standard secondary schools in Cameroon. Its Government Delegate is a Civil Engineer, and it’s Parliamentarian an Architect. So often I wonder what that city would be like if just a fraction of its children were to return from abroad to live there, with their experience, their means and their courage. Bamenda has over twenty 4,000 capacity Church houses in which campaigns and elections take place every year; it is the bedrock of myriad Credit Unions where democracy is the overriding factor.

THE NORTH WEST MEDIA: AN EXCITING PHONOMENON

Bamenda

The media is an indispensable tool in the development of every society. The importance of the media is best substantiated by the celebrated American Statesman, Thomas Jefferson, who once said that if he had to choose between a press and a government, he would not hesitate to choose the former.

            The significance of the press lies in its function as the mirror of society. There are only two things to do when standing face to face with the mirror-adjust or break the mirror.

            The press in the North West is more than just vibrant; it is electrifying in its reporting and truly reflects the very active (volatile) nature of the North Westerner Bamenda town alone has six FM Radio Stations. They are Afrique Nouvelle, Abakwa FM, Radio Hot cocoa, Foundation Radio, Christian Gospel Radio and CBC radio. There are six Community Radio Stations; Ngoketunjia FM, Oku Community Radio, Savannah Radio-Nkambe, Bui Community Radio, Donga-Mantung Community Radio and Batibo Community Road. There are also three TV Stations operating from Bamenda. Cameroon National Television (CNTV), Republican Television Network (RTN) and Horizon TV Stations operating from Bamenda. Cameroon National Television (CNTV), Republican Television Network (RTN) and Horizon TV. Private newspapers operating from Bamenda include Chronicle, The Watchdog Tribune, The Herald Tribune, Frontier Telegraph, The Vanguard, World Echoes, The Reporter, The Eye, Cameroon Post International, Life Time, The Pilot and of recent, Day Break and Independent Observer. Other publications in newsletter form are, however, enriched by regular newspapers with headquarters elsewhere. There are as well the dailies. Cameroon Tribune, and Le Jour, with headquarters in Yaounde; the bi-weeklies: The Post and Eden, with headquarters in Buea and Limbe respectively. The Guardian Post is another widely-read newspaper; it is a weekly with head office in Yaounde. Others are The Star, The Spokesman, City Times, Cameroon Now and Cameroon Express.

            Many of these newspapers are like kolanuts. Nobody knows when a kola nut would fall from the tree. Just as in every popular profession, there are guards and charlatans. You see the latter at almost all public occasions brandishing recorders or conducting interviews which are never published. The North West Governor calls them Ayaba journalists, just like Hilton journalists in Yaounde. Even some of those who publish occasionally are also involved in the unenviable practice of harassing politicians and other newsmakers for money, popularly nicknamed “gombo.” The most derogatory term ever used on such journalists came from former Governor of the North West, Kumpa Issa. He once described them as coupeurs de routes (highway robbers). This was when some of them tried to obstruct a visiting Minister whom the Governor was accompanying to Bafut.

            Cameroonians, as a rule, do more listening to the radio and watching television. North Westerners are, however, among the most informed Cameroonians. There are yet another group of persons who excel in misinformation because they are not informed themselves. They are always at the newsstands, not to buy newspapers but to peruse through headlines and later pose as political schoolmasters in beer and palm wine houses.

            Even more dangerous to the communication landscape are publishers of newspapers without a fixed editorial policy. For instance, the person they carry to heaven on the wings of panegyric in one edition is the same one they damn as a rogue in the very next, and they do not think they owe the reader and explanation for that.

            The vibrancy in the North West media is further demonstrated by the activities of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ). Apart from the fact that the North West chapter of CAMASEJ holds monthly meetings and educates members on the tenets of the profession, it organizes scholarship awards for meritorious GCE candidates.

            Janet Garvey, out-gone US ambassador to Cameroon, left with a very positive impression of North West CAMASEJ, which she communed with more than once. The same was the impression of Maryline Green, a Canadian media expert. The vibrancy in the North West press reflects the vibrancy of democracy and human rights in the region.

Bamenda, the citadel of Modern Education

When the learned Professor Emeritus Bernard Fonlon was ridiculed by a contemporary because he did not have houses like his friends, he answered: “You build houses, but I build men”.

            The learned philosopher’s reply sums up the whole value of education. Every sensible human being knows that the best assets a parent can give their offspring is a sound education. Educating a child is putting up sky scrapers in his mind.

            If there is any species of Cameroonian, who upholds this lofty principle, it is the Bamenda man. The North West parent would rather eat food without oil, or move about in rags than allow their child to stay at home. This further explains why the Parent Teacher Association, PTA, puts up infrastructure in schools and even employs and pays auxiliary staff.

            But a greater proof of a Bamenda man’s attachment to education is the number of private higher institutions in Bamenda. There is the Bamenda University of Science and Technology, BUST, which is graduating students up to the Masters Degree. Some of these students come from neighboring Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Then there is the National Polytechnic in Bambui, of one multi-talented Bobe Francis Young. National Polytechnique Bambui has graduated students in various useful disciplines including Journalism and Computer Science. Like BUST, it has numerous students from Equatorial Guinea. There is also FANAB, of Dr. Peter Fonche, a science researcher. Recently, the Catholic and Presbyterian Churches also heeded the call for quality education by creating two Universities. These are: The Catholic University, with campus in Nkwen; and the Christian University with campus in Bali. Bambili has the ENS, First and Second Cycles, as well as the Higher Teachers; Technical College. Despite the existence of these institutions of higher learning.

            At the level of academic performance, the North West is exemplary. The best results at the GCE, as well as in technical education, are usually produced by the North West. Students from other Regions, who do not perform well or think they could do better, travel to study in the North West because of the conducive academic environment. Discipline and moral education are values which have inspired parents in most parts of Cameroon to send their children to study in the North West. Schools like Sacred Heart College Mankon, St. Bebe’s College Ashing, Our Lady of Lourdes and P.S.S. Mankon are models. The quality of education in the North West is enhanced by the activities of the Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union, CATTU. The most dynamic Teachers Trade Union in Cameroon, CATTU has its headquarters in Bamenda and is headed by the fearless, no-nonsense Simon Nkwenti.

TOURISM / TRAVEL AGENCIES

v     Amour Mezam inter-urban Transport Agency

v     Symbol of Unity Travel and Tourism Agency

v     Vatican Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Mondial Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Guarantee Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Jeanot Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Mazi Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Patience Inter-Urban Transport Agency

v     Mar-Tourism- Reservation / Guide

v     Eco-travel and Tourism Agency- Reservations

v     Laro-Tourism-Reservations

v     Zwinkels Tours Cameroon – Ticketing, Guide & Reservations

v     Holywood Travel – Ticketing, Reservations, Guide

v     NADED Tours – Ticketing, Reservations and Guides.

USEFUL HEALTH FACILITIES IN BAMENDA

v     Regional Hospital Bamenda

v     PMI Nkwen

v     Karen Pharmacy-Nkwen

v     Vilen Pharmacy – Nkwen

v     Crystal Pharmacy

v     Corporate Pharmacy

v     San Paolo Pharmacy

v     City Chemist Pharmacy

v     Professional Plaza Pharmacy, Commercial Avenue

v     Millennium Pharmacy, Savannah Street

v     Mezam Pharmacy

v     Noble Pharmacy

v     Amen Pharmacy

v     Sacred heart Pharmacy

v     Black Star Pharmacy

v     Park Pharmacy

v     Adeso Clinic

v     Saint Blaise Hospital

v     Saint Mary Hospital

v     St. Louis Clinic

v     World Hospital Up Station

v     Mbingo Baptist Hospital

v     St. Martin de Porres Catholic Hospital Njinikom

v     Banso Baptist Hospital.

v     Shisong Cardiac Center for Central Africa.

USEFUL ADDRESS

Regional Hospital Bamenda

Tel: 33 36 21 87

Gendarmerie Bamenda

Tel: 33 36 11 52

Public Security Bamenda

Tel: 33 36 12 09

Fire Fighters Brigade

Tel: 118/ 18

Regional Delegation National Security

Tel: 22 26 12 09