Click here to view this media An open mike caught Vice President Joe Biden (D) and House Speaker John Boehner (R) joking before President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress Thursday. “Hey, I’m one of those barbarians,” Boehner said, greeting Biden with a handshake. “You are,” Biden agreed, laughing. “We’re at the gate.” “I was playing golf in August,” Boehner volunteered. “Seven birdies, five bogies. I shoot two under. So, we have lunch, sitting around for about an hour and and I thought, ‘Why don’t we play nine more holes?’” “Six pars, three birdies and I missed a four-foot, straight-in birdie on the last hole,” the Speaker added. “No!” Biden remarked. “Oh, so the next day, I go to Sandhills, I shoot a 86,” Boehner added, with a big laugh. “One day I play great, the next day I play awful. But this is the round of the decade. I haven’t done this for 12 years. I shot a 67 one time.” EDITOR’S NOTE: There’s not a gotcha “news worthy” disclosure in this open mike video. What it is is a candid moment in the DC bubble with John Boehner. As much as the Speaker of the House and his ilk like to vilify the other side of the aisle, they actually are chummy when the cameras are off. It’s all theatrics for the media. Call it GOPeacocking. Plus, as a man who tends to, as Roger Ebert has pointed out, only cry at his own greatness – he also really likes to talk about how great he is too. You know what that’s not great for? Jobs. His or anyone else’s.
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Forecasters warn of risk of 70mph winds, putting some areas at risk of flooding, downed trees and transport disruption Weather forecasters have warned that northern Britain is likely to experience the tail end of Hurricane Katia later this weekend, with a risk of 70mph winds, flooding, downed trees and transport disruption. At moments like this, the awful example of weatherman Michael Fish rises like a wraith, with his famous dismissal of a hurricane in 1987 on the night before one descended. But the Met Office said that the winds expected to hit Scotland, northern England and northern Wales on Sunday will count as a post-tropical storm. If so, they will be the culmination of a wet and windy weekend across the whole country, extending into the start of next week. Michael Dukes of MeteoGroup UK, the Press Association’s weather division, said winds of up to 70mph have been predicted, which could result in flash flooding and trees coming down, causing structural damage and travel delays. Katia is the 11th hurricane of the season, following Irene, which caused extensive damage on the US east coast. The 12th, Lee, is barrelling into the Gulf of Mexico. Weather Stephen Bates guardian.co.uk
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Police stopping all vans and lorries after reports that a car bomb was planned to disrupt Sunday’s 9/11 anniversary Vehicle checkpoints were in place in key locations of New York on Friday, with police stopping all vans and lorries passing through the city in response to specific and credible intelligence that a car bomb was planned to disrupt the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The Guardian understands that the dramatic security hike was carried out on the basis of an alert that came from a long-term intelligence source who has proved reliable in the past. But the source picked up the information second-hand, which is why it is being portrayed as “reliable but unconfirmed”. The department of homeland security has not raised the terrorist alert level, but it is being considered. As the final touches were being put in place for Sunday’s commemoration of the anniversary at Ground Zero, which both President Obama and his predecessor George Bush are expected to attend, the heightened security that had been promised by several federal and local agencies was clearly visible on the streets of Manhattan. All lorries were being stopped on George Washington Bridge and there were increased security at all other bridges and tunnels. Police road blocks were set up in key intersections of the city, including 59th Street and Lexington Avenue. In Times Square the police presence was especially evident, perhaps mindful of the car bomb of inflammable fuel and fireworks that came close to exploding there on a busy Saturday night in May 2010. A road block was set up in the middle of the square itself, and on main cross-streets leading into it, causing virtual gridlock. Despite the inconvenience, truck drivers who were the focus of police attention showed no signs of disgruntlement. “I’m happy in a way, as the truck in front of me could be stuffed with explosives,” said Henry Simon, shortly after his removal van was stopped and searched. A Scottish choir of 123 singers formed by the Lothian & Borders and Tayside police choirs went ahead with an impromptu performance in Times Square, but cancelled its plans to sing on the subway, fearing that they might be suspected as a decoy. “We are here to show Scotland’s compassion for those who lost their lives on 9/11, we don’t want to upset anyone,” said the musical director Andrew Russel. As New York knuckled down for what promises to be a tense weekend, US intelligence agencies were continuing to try to track down three men who, according to the threat warning, had entered the US since August with the aim of launching an attack. The report of a plot, which Obama was told about on Wednesday night, were said to be plausible and more specific than usual, although it came from one source and was uncorroborated. The vice-president, Joe Biden, said the intelligence gathered by the CIA suggested the three men might be planning a vehicle-based attack. “We do have talk about using a car bomb. But we do not have confirmation of that – we don’t have a smoking gun,” Biden told ABC News. The CIA is working with Pakistan to gather information about the men, who may be from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. One of the men is reported to be a US citizen, and the other two may have had US papers, and intelligence officials are understood to be scouring databases to track several names of individuals who entered the country after mid-August. Congressman Pete King, who sits on the House intelligence committee and receives regular briefings from the agencies, told CNN that the level of detail stretched to how it would be carried out and that “it is plausible, though there are some holes in it”. A US official said: “US counter-terrorism entities have been alert for any leads, and for the first time we’ve received specific and credible – but unconfirmed – threat information linked to the 9/11 anniversary. Any and all leads related to possible plots are of course being run to ground.” One of the key findings of the 9/11 commission report that looked at the events leading up to the attacks on New York and Washington 10 years ago was that there were ample warnings in the weeks leading up to 9/11 of a massive attack in the pipeline, yet the intelligence was not acted upon and shared between agencies. Everybody involved in the current scare, from Obama and the CIA through to the FBI and NYPD, is very aware of that finding and determined to avoid making the same mistakes again. New York United States Global terrorism September 11 2001 Barack Obama Ed Pilkington Ewen MacAskill guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Colombia’s new defence minister told top priority is to see off the Farc
September 9, 2011 No Comment
Juan Carlos Pinzón sworn in with instructions to come up with a definitive strategy against the guerilla group Colombia’s new defence minister, Juan Carlos Pinzón, received the same instructions when he was sworn in this week as dozens of his predecessors: finish off the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), South America’s oldest leftwing insurgency. But though the rebels have been weakened by a series of bruising blows to their leadership and massive desertions, the Farc is back on the offensive, recruiting new fighters, ambushing government troops and creating the sense that security gains made in the past decade are slipping. Across the country, the guerrilla group – which first appeared in 1964 – has stepped up attacks on the military and civilians. In Puerto Guzmán, a small town in the southern Putumayo province, residents fear the guerrillas could attack at any time. The police are jumpy and suspicious of outsiders. The small army contingent in the centre of town hunkers down behind sandbag barricades, trying to maintain a sense of control. But outside the urban perimeter the Farc is still in charge. “We have to ask permission from the guerrillas to move around the countryside, and there are landmines everywhere,” said Yolanda, a woman in her 50s who spoke in hushed tones in the front room of her house. “You never know who might be listening,” she explained. Ten years ago there was no police presence and rebels placed a plaque in the town centre declaring Puerto Guzmán “Farc territory”. Every Monday residents were made to clean the streets and almost every day someone in the town was killed on rebel orders. Government forces returned in 2002, amid a nationwide military campaign launched by the then president, Álvaro Uribe. His tough security policies brought the country back from the brink of collapse but used questionable methods : civilians were murdered and passed off as guerrillas killed in combat, and illegal phone taps were put on opposition figures, journalists and human rights activists. A string of senior rebel leaders were killed while army operations and desertions cut Farc ranks from 18,000 in 2002 to about 8,000 today. Senior military commanders started talking about “victory” over the 47-year-old insurgency. But analysts and some army officers say such talk does more harm than good. The Nuevo Arco Iris organisation, a thinktank that monitors the conflict, said in its latest report that the security gains under Uribe were “overrated”. And one army colonel in southern Colombia said: “The worst thing that could have happened for us was when the commanders started talking about the ‘end of the end’ of the Farc. That’s when the rebels started changing their strategy.” The Farc rebels have gone back to their roots, using traditional guerrilla tactics, making themselves more mobile, more agile and more dangerous. They have also declared a truce with their smaller rival, the National Liberation Army, and according to intelligence sources the two groups now plan and execute attacks together in some areas. Elsewhere, the Farc is allied in the cocaine trade with criminal bands made up of former rightwing paramilitaries – once their arch-enemies. Intelligence sources say only a third of the Farc forces are armed fighters. The rest blend in with the civilian population, although they are well trained in the use of explosives or act as snipers. This makes it harder for the government to combat them and also places the civilian population at risk. One humanitarian worker in Putumayo said she received daily complaints of abuse by police and the military that “tend to think everyone is a guerrilla”. The president, Juan Manuel Santos, has dismissed concerns that security is deteriorating, but this week named a new defence minister and a new high command. Topping the new minister’s priorities is to “design a definitive strategy against the Farc”, he said. “We are right at the moment of confrontation when it is again necessary to innovate and respond effectively to the challenges that we face,” Pinzón said. Only the most hawkish of generals believes the Farc can be defeated militarily. Amid the increase in violence, both sides have been making overtures towards possible peace talks. Santos said the door to peace talks was not locked but insisted he needed to see real will on the part of the Farc. The rebels’ senior commander, Alfonso Cano, said the guerrillas were open to talks and even praised some of the government’s policies on land restitution. But Colombians are still wary about negotiations after a failed peace process from 1999-2002 only left the Farc stronger and richer. “The guerrillas will have to be weaker before any formal talks can start,” said one general overseeing counter-insurgency offensives in the southern jungles. Colombia Farc Sibylla Brodzinsky guardian.co.uk
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Speculation grows in Jerusalem over Turkey prime minister’s trip to Cairo amid concerns it could deepen regional tension The Turkish prime minister is to visit Cairo on Monday amid concern in Israel that he may seek an alliance between the two countries with the aim of increasing the Jewish state’s isolation in the region. The visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan – the first by a Turkish leader to Egypt for 15 years – comes against the backdrop of a spiralling diplomatic offensive against Israel by Ankara, which the US is seeking to contain. A separate crisis between Israel and Egypt after the killing of five Egyptian security officers last month appears to have been averted. But relations between the two neighbours remain delicate, a situation Erdogan may seek to exploit. Turkey and Egypt are expected to explore areas of co-operation, and Erdogan may offer the post-Mubarak government much-needed financial aid, which would inevitably secure him leverage. “Turkey may be ready to invest a lot of money and effort into building Egypt as a regional ally,” said Alon Liel, a former Israeli envoy to Ankara. “He may try to persuade them to downgrade relations with Israel.” According to Yossi Alpher, an Israeli analyst and co-editor of the BitterLemons website, Erdogan “is flexing Turkey’s muscles. He’s now trying to project Turkish influence into Egypt. There’s concern that he will offer financial aid to Egypt, which needs it desperately, and that will give him a degree of influence. There’s concern that Erdogan will hook up with the Egyptian Islamists, who are growing in influence. And there’s concern that he will persuade the Egyptians to allow him to visit Gaza, where he will proclaim himself its saviour. None of this is good from Israel’s perspective.” In Gaza, the Turkish prime minister would be assured of both a hero’s welcome and of incurring Israel’s wrath. However, Israel has not so far picked up indications that the Egyptians have agreed to Erdogan crossing their border into Gaza, according to an Israeli government source. The visit to Cairo follows a series of punitive measures taken by the Turkish government – including expelling the Israeli ambassador, suspending defence trade agreements and threatening to deploy Turkish gunboats to patrol the eastern Mediterranean – in the aftermath of Israel’s refusal to apologise for its deadly attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla last May. A UN report published a week ago concluded that Israel had used “excessive and unreasonable” force in stopping the Mavi Marmara, although it also said its naval blockade of Gaza was legal. Nine Turkish activists were killed on board the ship, for which Turkey demanded an apology and compensation paid to the men’s families. The US, concerned about the breach between the allies, has stepped in to try to contain the crisis. Dan Shapiro, US ambassador to Israel, said: “We are encouraging both countries to find a way to work together to overcome their differences and restore at least some of the friendship that they previously had.” Israel’s refusal to apologise for the deaths was in contrast to its swift statement of regret three weeks ago after the fatal shooting of Egyptian security personnel in the aftermath of a militant attack near the Egypt-Israel border in which eight Israelis were killed. “The mistakes that Israel is making are much more evident in the case of Turkey than in the case of Israel,” said Alpher. “Damage control was relatively more forthcoming with the apology to Egypt than in the case of Turkey, where we basically allowed ourselves to walk right into repeated traps that Erdogan has set for us.” The regret expressed to Egypt was not enough to prevent days of vociferous anti-Israel protests in Cairo. To Israel’s alarm, the post-Mubarak government made it clear it was listening to the mood on the street. Israel can ill afford to lose regional allies, especially in the runup to an expected vote in favour of recognising a Palestinian state at the UN this month. Turkey and Egypt are backing the Palestinian bid. As well as wide political ramifications, a breach with Turkey could have serious economic consequences, Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel, warned this week. Trade between the two countries is worth $3.5bn-$4bn a year. The breach “will affect tourism, trade, culture and sport” as well as diplomatic relations, said Liel. Israeli government ministers and officials have been issued clear instructions to refrain from comment in an attempt to de-escalate the crisis. However the Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Friday that Avigdor Lieberman, the provocative rightwing foreign minister, was considering a series of measures against Turkey in retaliation for Ankara’s moves. According to Alpher, retaliatory steps would exacerbate the crisis. “We have a lot to lose not just economically but also regionally, to the extent that we get drawn deeper into a clash with Turkey,” he said. “We were foolish not to apologise [for the Mavi Marmara deaths]. We should still be trying to maintain a low profile and hope friends like the US can try to some extent mend fences here before things get worse.” Turkey Israel Egypt Gaza flotilla Gaza Recep Tayyip Erdogan Palestinian territories Middle East Africa Europe Harriet Sherwood guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Kaleidescape adds iPad control, ultrawidescreen support to its media servers
September 9, 2011 No Comment
Two years after launching its iPhone remote , Kaleidescape has brought a new iPad app to CEDIA 2011 that gives owners of its media servers full control of their media from anywhere in the house. Users can browse their collections based on various metadata, jump directly to favorite scenes of stored movies, or control displays and audio in other rooms of the house. Also new for 2011 is support for 2.35 widescreen viewing with its CinemaScape feature, a software upgrade that can automatically process the video internally and reformats the UI as well. Check after the break for a quick demo of the iPad app which will launch later this year as a free add-on — assuming you can afford the hardware of course. Gallery: Kaleidescape iPad app, M700 media server Continue reading Kaleidescape adds iPad control, ultrawidescreen support to its media servers Kaleidescape adds iPad control, ultrawidescreen support to its media servers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Zimbabwe’s top Anglican bishop says Bishop Nolbert Kunonga has refused to hand back buildings taken by force with help of police Zimbabwe’s top Anglican bishop has said that a breakaway church leader close to the country’s president is intensifying a campaign to seize church properties that include missions, schools and priests’ homes. Bishop Chad Gandiya, leader of the mainstream Anglican group, said a new wave of evictions has even targeted an orphanage. Breakaway Bishop Nolbert Kunonga claims to lead Zimbabwe’s Anglicans and has already refused to hand back the Harare Cathedral, offices, buildings, church bank accounts and vehicles he seized with the protection of police loyal to President Robert Mugabe. In 2007, Kunonga was excommunicated by the main Anglican Province of Central Africa and the worldwide head of the church after he was accused of inciting violence in sermons supporting Mugabe’s party. The schism in the Zimbabwe’s Anglican community has left mainstream Anglicans without places of worship and they have experienced intimidation and alleged threats of violence. Gandiya told the Associated Press that unknown intruders broke into his home on Thursday. He said he was suspicious of their motives after they stole only mobile phones and computers containing diocese files. Prior to the break-in, Gandiya had sought legal action against the new evictions and property seizures. “The coincidence is too much,” he said. On Tuesday, police arrested an Anglican priest loyal to the mainstream group in Harare for alleged theft of church property. The Rev Julius Zimbudzana was held in police cells for 48 hours then released without charge because of lack of evidence. Court officials in Murewa on Tuesday served eviction orders to St. John’s mission and the Shearly Cripps orphanage, home to more than 100 children and named after its founder, an Anglo-American missionary who died in 1952, lawyers for Gandiya said. Murewa is about 60 miles east of Harare. “We are refusing to vacate. We have to find alternative accommodation for the nuns and teachers. And who will look after the children? Where will they go?” Gandiya said. He said attempts were also being made to order priests and staff to leave another mission and school near Masvingo in southern Zimbabwe and there were fears the breakaway faction would not provide qualified replacements. Gandiya’s attorneys said the evictions follow a flawed ruling last month by Zimbabwe’s supreme court that allowed Kunonga to retain control of Anglican properties until a court appeal by the Gandiya-led church is resolved. That ruling was made by chief justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, who, like Kunonga, is an open supporter of Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party. Kunonga insists he broke away from the mainstream Anglicans after the church in Britain recognised gay marriage and the rights of same sex partners. Mugabe is a bitter critic of homosexuality. Witnesses in the western Harare township of Mbare said their Anglican priest was evicted last month from his rectory, but travels back from a village outside the city to meet congregants on Sundays. Other Anglicans across the city use public halls and some Roman Catholic buildings for their activities. Pro-Gandiya worshippers barred by police and Kunonga loyalists from the Harare Cathedral and a main Anglican church in the upmarket suburb of Borrowdale also hold services in private homes and gardens. “This is what we are dealing with every day. Our congregations get discouraged but we must remain resolute. As always, Kunonga’s people can do what they want without restraint,” Gandiya said. The worldwide head of the church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, wants to meet Mugabe in October to discuss the tensions. Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe Africa Anglicanism Religion Christianity guardian.co.uk
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The right-wing Village has been up in arms over Hoffa’s recent statements because they are pros when it comes to playing the victim card. They are trying to find anything which gives them the opportunity to try and white wash the entire tea party hate speech. And suddenly being a kindergarten teacher is a useless job. Coulter: Hoffa Represents “Useless” Workers Like “Kindergarten Teachers” Instead Of “Men Who Have Actual Jobs” I don’t write much about her anymore almost the entire House of Representatives are all versions of Coulter now. She’s old news, a has been, passe, out dated, washed up. Please check out your thesaurus to add to the list. But she still can be as vile an anyone on the planet. Remember when she called all New Yorkers “cowards” back on 08/24/2005 . Click here to view this media On H&C tonight, Alan Colmes asked Coulter to explain a statement she made in her recent column calling New Yorkers ‘cowards.’ via column: (…and it’s far preferable to fight them in the streets of Baghdad than in the streets of New York (where the residents would immediately surrender ) Colmes: You don’t feel that New Yorkers are cowards? (pause) Coulter: ahhh…I think they would immediately surrender… With the tenth year anniversary of the attacks on 9/11 coming upon us, I imagine Ann will stay out of the Big Apple. New Yorkers have long memories . Ann Coulter questions the courage of New Yorkers in the face of terrorism. She says of terrorists, “it’s far preferable to fight them in the streets of Baghdad than in the streets of New York (where the residents would immediately surrender).” That’s what Ann Coulter thinks of the cops and firemen of New York City, and of the family members of those lost on 9/11, and of the everyday people who refused to let the attacks keep them from going on with their lives. Never mind the courage and character New Yorkers have demonstrated in the face of terror. People in the city tend to vote for people other than the ones Coulter supports, so she calls them cowards. I usually ignore her. Today I read her because Yes Weekly picked up her column and I didn’t have anything else to read at lunch. Nice move, Yes Weekly. Maybe next time I’ll just leave it in the rack.
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• Hit F5 for the latest or select the auto-refresh button below • And email your thoughts to rob.smyth@guardian.co.uk 5.32pm “I hate all this nonsense about Murray not having the winning mentality (invariably said by journalists or pub pundits who – like me – have won nothing of significance in their lives),” says Jonathan Wood. “Absolutely he has, and he’s comfortably the fourth best player in the world – which is more than any British footballer or rubgy player can claim to be. And Darren Holliday might be interested to know that on US TV last night, that former choker John McEnroe (who is also a huge Murray fan, of course) said he believes, with the current top four, this is the golden age for men’s tennis.” 5.30pm Here come the players. It’s a gorgeous day in New York, although the court is barely half full at the moment. 5.13pm No sign of the players. Here’s Darren Holliday. “You wrote: ‘ As my colleague Jacob Steinberg has noted, Murray has the misfortune to be playing in an age when excellence is not enough. You have to be perfect ,’” says Darren. “But as a tennis fan I can tell you that this era of Federer/Nadal/Djokovic is no more special than any other era. Back in Henman’s time the excuse was that he was unfortunate to be playing at the same time as Sampras/Agassi. Go back a bit earlier and people will tell you the Becker/Edberg/Lendl was the greatest of eras. Go back a few more years we had the Borg/McEnroe/Connors era. Murray has no excuse other than that he is not good enough to win a Slam and would not have been good enough in earlier times either. As you know being a Man Utd fan, being champion isn’t just about technical ability, it’s a state of mind. This Murray lacks most of all and it has nothing to do with this era of tennis being particularly special.” Look, as will soon become apparent, I have no idea what I’m talking about. But wasn’t the spread of grand slams much greater in those previous eras? Isn’t Del Potro the only other man to win one in the last five or six years? I do share the view that Murray will never win a slam, although I don’t entirely agree with your reasoning. Play will start just after 5pm . When I say ‘play’, I mean ‘the match’. I’m not from round these tennis parts, and I’m not really used to the terminology, so please forgive me if I confuse a backhand with a hook shot and a forehand with a DDT. Preamble Who’d be Andy Murray, eh? Anyone with a brain, obviously. What’s not to love? He has an admirable temper on him and doesn’t suffer Englishmen gladly. He’s also talented, smart, humble, funny and self-deprecating – genuinely so, rather than those execrable phonies all over Twitter and society who have swallowed their Peep Show boxset. But Murray is in a pretty unenviable position when it comes to grand slams. If he loses to one of the top three, he’s failed; if he loses to someone outside the top three, he’s really failed. I suppose he could win the darn thing , but you try beating two of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the space of 72 hours. Or even taking a set off one of them. As my colleague Jacob Steinberg has noted, Murray has the misfortune to be playing in an age when excellence is not enough. You have to be perfect. If Murray beats the dangerous John Isner today, he will meet Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick in the last four. He will also have reached the semi-finals of the four grand slams for the first time in a calendar year, a feat that has only ever been achieved by six men. Yet nobody will care about that if the semis are as far as he goes. US Open 2011 US Open tennis Tennis Andy Murray Rob Smyth guardian.co.uk
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Lydia Besong asylum claim rejected before raid, campaigners including Juliet Stevenson claim in criticism of UK Border Agency The forced deportation of a Cameroonian playwright and her husband, scheduled for Saturday, is “disturbing, shocking and unjust”, the actor Juliet Stephenson said yesterday. The actor joined campaigners including writers Joan Bakewell and Andrea Levy in condemning the UK Border Agency , which they say has disregarded its own procedures . Lydia Besong – who has written three plays since coming to the UK in 2006 – was not in her Manchester house when it was raided at dawn on Monday this week, but her husband Bernard Batey was taken by UKBA officers and has since been detained at the Colnbrook Removal Centre , near Heathrow airport. Besong has gone into hiding, with the couple both scheduled to take a flight to Cameroon at 8pm on Saturday. The couple had filed a fresh, joint asylum claim with new evidence given to UKBA in July but were not told it had been rejected before their house was raided. Documents from UKBA, that were subsequently faxed to the couples’ lawyer, reveal that the decision to refuse further submissions was taken on 17 August. The couple have also been supported by Ali Smith, Sarah Waters, Lisa Appignanesi, Linda Grant and writers’ group English Pen Stephenson, who hosted the first production of Besong’s play How I Became An Asylum Seeker , said the playwright was a “remarkable” woman. “It is just appalling. Lydia Besong is an incredibly courageous woman who has been imprisoned and raped in her own country and then has put her head above the parapet to talk about her experience and write her plays. To snatch her without giving her to prepare a defence is legally indefensible and humanly abusive and unjust,” she said. Broadcaster and member of House of Lords Lady Bakewell said: “Officers arriving at 7am does smack of bullying, and I don’t like that.” In a letter to immigration minister Damian Green urging him to consider their case she wrote: “As concerns about differing loyalties in Libya make the headlines, protesters such as Lydia and Besong from Cameroon need to be heard. Perhaps in years to come they may be leaders of some Cameroon ‘spring’ and in a position to judge how they were treated by Her Majesty’s government.” The couple say they were imprisoned and tortured in Cameroon as punishment for their involvement with the SBNC, a pressure group which campaigns for independence for southern Cameroon. While in prison, Besong was raped by a prison guard, she said. The pair believe their lives would be in danger if they returned to Cameroon, especially after Besong’s play garnered negative media coverage in their home country. Kath Grant of Manchester-based human rights organisation Rapar said the move contravened UKBA own procedures. “We are shocked at the behaviour of the UKBA. They have known about this decision for almost a month but have failed to inform Lydia and Bernard, or their lawyer.” An Amnesty International report in May confirmed that the regime of President Paul Biya continues to persecute the SCNC. “Lydia and Bernard will be in grave danger if they are returned to Cameroon,” said Grant. A spokesman from UKBA said the couple had been in 2006 and had no legal basis to remain in the country. “Decisions not to inform applicants of the outcome of their representations in advance will be taken where we believe individuals may deliberately seek to frustrate or delay the removal process,” he said. Speaking from an undisclosed location Lydia Besong said she feared for her life and that of her husband. “We are members of the SCNC in Cameroon, we have been targeted and put in detention. When the UKBA came for us on Monday it was like when [the government] came for us in Cameroon. I thought we would be safe in the UK, I did not think we would be put in a situation where I am not safe to go home.” The English literature graduate, who was a teacher in Cameroon, said writing plays in the UK had been a positive experience for her, but had put her in further danger. “Many people have opinions about asylum seekers and I hope my play helped them see that we are people and give them the truth. If I get sent back to Cameroon I will not be able to write any longer, I will be persecuted.” Cameroon Africa Theatre Immigration and asylum Alexandra Topping guardian.co.uk
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