GFI Condemns Harassment of Cameroonian Journalist
July 6th, 2009
Task Force member Global Financial Integrity echoed the sentiments of other civil society organizations today, including Task Force member Tax Justice Network, in condemning the harassment of Cameroonian journalist Jean-Bosco Talle for his part in fighting corruption in the West African nation. From GFI’s statement:
Following publication of the report “Biens mal acquis” or “Ill-Gotten Gains,” by the French non-profit organization Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (CCFD) last month, Mr. Talla, editor of the Cameroonian newspaper Germinal, has been harassed and his life has been threatened. The report presents estimates for assets stolen by 30 heads of state during the past 50 years, including Cameroon’s President Paul Biya. The report also draws upon GFI research of illicit financial outflows from developing countries which found that Cameroon lost an estimated $842 million per year to illicit financial practices, including government corruption.
“The case of Mr. Talla and the report on ‘Ill-Gotten Gains’ demonstrates how corruption can entail more than just thievery of a country’s wealth; it can also entail coercion, repression, and violence,” said GFI director Raymond Baker. “This is truly one of the most detestable elements of an overarching problem.”
You can read the full statement at www.gfip.org…
You can also learn more about the CCFD report on their website (in French) at ccfd.asso.fr