The National Union of Higher Education Teachers (Synes) calls on teaching staff to observe a walkout on Thursday, October 14, to denounce the humiliation suffered by their colleague and the attacks on freedoms.
Teachers in public higher education institutions in Cameroon are invited to observe a day without blouses this Thursday, October 14, 2021. The call was launched by the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (Synes) via a press release signed on October 8. , on behalf of the National Executive Office, by Professor Blaise Ntopi Fotso, Secretary General of this trade union organization. The strike aims to "protest against the serious attacks on the academic freedom of higher education teachers in general and the acts of torture inflicted on Dr. Fridolin Nke in particular". According to the press release, the strike implies the cessation of all teaching, research, student supervision, evaluation and defense of dissertations and theses.
Furthermore, Synes invites the government to take the appropriate administrative and legal action against the perpetrators of the acts of kidnapping, sequestration and torture suffered by Dr. Fridolin Nke. Synes also asks the Cameroonian public authorities to inform the national community of the results of the above-mentioned actions and to "stop any act of intimidation against higher education teachers in the expression of the freedoms they enjoy". . Synes warns the national community that "the reiteration of acts of intimidation or torture against a teacher, will give rise, if necessary, to more energetic actions to make effective respect, dignity and academic freedom of this great body of the State".
The facts date back to September 20, 2021. In a videogram broadcast that day on social networks, Fridolin Nke, philosophy teacher and lecturer at the University of Yaoundé 1, told under the duress of his executioners, the circumstances of his abduction followed by his sequestration in the office of Colonel Emile Joël Bamkoui, Commander of Military Security (Sémil). He also exposed the torture inflicted on him by Colonel Bamkoui and some of his collaborators. Torture which is contrary to the principles of respect for the rights and freedoms of persons and citizens, as enacted by the Constitution and the Cameroonian criminal procedure code and several other international legal instruments ratified by Cameroon.
According to Synes, the abduction, sequestration and torture of their colleague took place after two summonses issued by the boss of Sémil, inviting Dr. Fridolin Nke to come to his offices to answer accusations qualified as serious even though 'they were linked to the teacher's embarrassing position on the ongoing civil war in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. On several occasions during debates in the media, Fridolin Nke publicly expressed his opposition to this onerous conflict and denounced its harmful consequences both for the civilian population and for the defense and security forces. "Since this ordeal in the offices of Sémil, Dr. Fridolin Nke has been experiencing excruciating physical pain, manifesting symptoms of memory loss," writes Synes.
