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Dear PM Lee and Minister of Law K Shanmugam,

We would like to propose:

1) The law to mandate landlords to waive rental for one month for non essential businesses. This is on top of the mandatory property tax rebate which was mandated to be passed down to tenants.

2) Late interest fees on 2 months rental payments  to be waived. Late interest fees will continue to accrue for the other months as per rental contract.

Tenants are locked in on rental agreements with landlords. Due to the extended circuit breaker announced, tenants of non essential businesses are forced to close for 2 months. During these two months, most of these non essential business are unable to operate at all and earn zero revenue as a result. Yet, many of the tenants have high rental payments that continue to accumulate. Tenants have been recommended to speak to our landlords but many of us are facing roadblocks as the landlords refused to speak to us or hear our request.

The temporary measures bill that was passed allows rental to be suspended for 6 months. However, it was announced on 20 April 2020 that late interest payments and rental payments will accrue depending on the rental contracts. Some of these tenancy contracts charge exorbitant interest rates but we were not able to predict that we will be forced to close for two months. Tenants all wish to operate their businesses at the rented premises and continue to pay rentals in a timely manner. Tenants are already suffering directly from the impact of the dwindling businesses during operation. Landlords, on the other hand, are just tasked to pass on the property tax rebates to tenants, not sharing the burden of the crisis. 

I put forward two propositions as above. Firstly, landlords need to share the burden of the crisis just like everyone else. Assuming their unit is currently empty, are they able to rent out their unit to any tenant in such economic circumstances? 

Secondly, late interest fees on 2 months rental payments which were suspended should be waived  given that zero revenue is earned during the forced closure period. 

I quote Law Minister K Shanmugam: ‘In such a situation, you don't talk contract. You talk equity, you talk justice, you talk about what is the right thing to do... The State looks at who can bear the pain more, and it's also sharing of the pain. If you insist on your minutest, every single contractual right at this point, that will suck the life out of the economy. You've got to protect everyone.’

EN FR DE

We friends would like to introduce the case of Wilfried Siewe, a German engineer of Cameroonian origin, who has been innocently detained since February 18, 2019 in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Wilfried was on holidays since February 1, 2019 with his wife and two children ind in the Cameroonian capital. The family was due to return to Germany on February 18, 2019, as Wilfried a Siemens employee was supposed to return to work on February 20, 2019.

On the morning of February 18th, 2019, Wilfried went to Nsimalen International airport to register for his return flight. After completing their depature formalities, he decided to stop in town to buy some books as a souvenir to take some final pictures before departing.

While taking pictures of the justice building, he was arrested by police officers who made him delete the pictures. Nevertheless, this led to a provisional arrest by the police. He was then taken to a police station where his camera and mobile phone where searched. They found photos and videos of recent legal political demonstrations against the Cameroonian goverment in some European Countries. Some of these photos and the videos were those shared in large number on social netwoks and available to all.  He was also accused of taking pictures of public buildings and being in possession of books by Cameroonian politicians.

The Cameroonian police accuses Wilfried Siewe to be a dangerous person who has organized political demonstrations against the Cameroonian regime. He was also accused of participating in the riots in the Cameroonian embassy in Berlin which took place on January 26, 2019. However Wilfried was demonstrably in another German City that day.

Theses are the reasons for the arrest and charges against Wilfried.

He has been detained since February 18, 2019—initially in the Yaounde court police station and since March 1st, 2019 in the Central Kondengui Prison.

How can a foreign citizen be arbitrarily arrested simply for taking pictures, owning books sold in public library and for using social medias?

Wilfried Siewe has so far gone through two military court cases, the last of which led to a six-month pre-trial detention. Hearings were supposed to be held, one was done so far but because the procesutor was absent, there are no further dates communicated. According to the latest information, it may take months and there is even a possibility of prolonging the pre-trial detention twice for 6 months each.

One disturbing aspect of this case is  that the entire file on this case, including copies of his wife and children´s ID had been shared on social media for several weeks. These files reveal very private information about Wilfried Siewe and his family. Sharing those on the web exposes them to serious and continuing identity theft.  

The German embassy in Yaounde was informed on the day of the arrest and the Foreign Office in Germany a few days later. The only official feedback from these institutions could be found in the aforementionned file. It does not contain an opinion on the case and no request for release. On May 2nd, 2019, Wielfried was taken from the prison without any prior notice and presented to the magistrate. As a result, his lawyer was not present at the time of the trial before the magistrate.

The German embassy in Cameroon and the Federal Foreign Office appear very passive, and not willing to put any pressure on the Cameroonian government-despite the great reputation in the international political scene and its desire for worldwide respect for human rights. The Cameroonian government is actively engaging in brutal human rights violations and abuses by unlawfully detaining individuals and barring fair and timely investigations. A temporary release could have been requested at a minimum, allowing Wilfried to stay at home with his relatives during the time of investgation instead of locking him in a prison.

We ask you therefore to sign this petition in order to put pressure on the Foreign Office and the German embassy in Cameroon. Germany has the the duty of protecting the fundemental rights of its citizens, Wilfried does not belong in a prison in Cameroon but with his family in Erlangen (Germany).

Thank you and best regards,

A cabinet paper was approved to shift a part of the A/L section of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo 8 to Udahamulla Sri Wijayarama Vidyalaya. A vast majority of the well-wishers of the school, including past pupils, former principals & teachers as well as parents, are against this proposal. Devi Balika Protection Front represents all of them. 

A private organisation Dhammika Preshila Foundation, which belongs to a business tycoon in Sri Lanka has offered to sponsor the project by donating 100mn. However, there are huge concerns:

• Lack of policy to substantiate the project
• Absence of a feasibility study report or a project plan 
• The impracticality of using the private school model in state schools
• Administration issues of having two separate locations that are 10km apart from each other
• Businessman directly intervening in decisions on the public schools
• Private capital penetration to destroy free education in the country

It must be noted that the Minister of Education stated in the parliament that this is not a decision backed by a policy reform but is a one-off project to meet the requests of parents who wished to enrol their daughters at Devi.

The Secretary to the Governor of the Western Province requested from the Provincial Director of Education, a feasibility study report in a letter dated 18/03/2021. Surprisingly, in a letter dated 19/03/2021 (the very next day) the Governor approved the proposed project without a feasibility report. 

There is a special committee for educational reforms but this "pilot" project is rushed even before the committee issue their report of recommendations.

We the DBPF, represent not only Devi Balika but also Wijayarama Maha Vidyalaya which is the other affected party of this project. The school currently has very talented students who have won international awards and they are being re-allocated against their wish to other schools to free up the premises to establish the so-called branch of Devi Balika. 

As responsible citizens and products of free education, we vehemently condemn this project. We request everyone who has an interest in safeguarding free education in the country to join hands with us to stop businessmen from interfering in the public school system and also to demand policy-driven, well planned educational reforms. 

We urge the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and the first lady to immediately intervene and stop this unlawful act.

¡Volvió la señal de Directv a Venezuela!  More

South Africa was one of the first countries to be added to the Red list when it was created because of the "South African" variant and has been on the Hotel Quarantine list for over 9 months with no change in sight. Previously it was on a full travel ban prior to the traffic light system.

The South African variant is no longer a concern in the UK because of the newer and more infectious Delta variant from India which is now the most common variant in the UK. India was added to the Red list but have subsequently been moved to the Amber list for political reasons while South Africa remains on the Red list.

UK residents with family in South Africa have been unable to visit loved ones because of the crippling costs and nightmare of the dreaded Hotel Quarantine.

While the government walk the political tightropes and scramble to please UK residents with holiday destinations, the residents with family abroad are completely overlooked.

We beg the government to reconsider Hotel Quarantine from South Africa for those who have been fully vaccinated so that families may reconnect.