[Intl-tobacco] Donations needed to cover Alphonse Issi's medical expenses

[Robert Weissman]

Dear Friends in the U.S. and Canada,

As we recently informed you, GPTC member Alphonse Issi, President of the
Mouvement National des Consommateurs (Cameroon) was brutally attacked in
December. We have since learned a few more details.

On December 13th,  Alphonse took a bus to Douala, where he planned to
catch a plane the next day to Niamey, Niger for an important meeting of
tobacco control advocates from French-speaking Africa.  He arrived in
Douala late in the night. Several minutes after he got off the bus, he
was attacked by three men armed with machetes.  We are told that
Alphonse would have been killed, if it were not for the intervention of
several bystanders.  By the time that Alphonse arrived at Douala's
general hospital, he had lost a considerable amount of blood. He has
since undergone two surgeries and many blood transfusions in two
separate hospitals. His condition is still very serious, as you can see:

http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/alphonse.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/alphonse2.jpg

At this point, it is unclear whether the attack was random or targeted.
Alphonse, a leading consumer advocate in his country, has been singled
out in the past. According to Louis Gauvin of the Coalition Quebecoise
pour le Control du Tabac (Canada), Alphonse was arrested a couple of
years ago by the local police -- without documentation or any initial
explanation -- for daring to remove tobacco advertisements (which are
prohibited in Cameroon)  from the walls of a school attended by
children.  He was held in jail for five days, during which he was
forbidden from communicating with anyone outside. An international
consumers group based in London intervened to get him out of jail.

Alphonse needs a different type of international support this time. The
Association pour la D=E9fense des Consommateurs (Chad) sent one of its
members to visit Alphonse in the hospital and learned that his family
does not have sufficient financial resources to cover the cost of his
multiple surgeries which amount to 1,200,000 Fcfa (roughly $2,000). To
put this amount in perspective, the average per capita income in
Cameroon is $1,700.

Essential Action is collecting money to help cover Alphonse Issi's
hospital expenses. Any amount, small or large, that you would be able to
donate, would be greatly appreciated.

Checks should be made out to "Essential Information" and sent to:

     Anna White
     Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
     Essential Action
     P.O. Box 19405
     Washington, DC 20036

Please note "Alphonse Issi Fund" in the bottom left corner of the check.

Alphonse is a key leader in the African tobacco control movement. He has
supported many of our tobacco control efforts over the past few years.
Let's support him now in his time of need.

Thank you,
Anna

Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Essential Action
P.O. Box 19405
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030
Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: awhite@essential.org
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco