PETITION: To Chief of National Traffic Police, Finland

Recipient: Kari Rantala, Chief of the National Traffic Police

Subject: Guarantee Immediate Return of Driver's Licence

Dear (recipient's name),

I am writing to express deep concern in regards to the controversial seizure of a driver's license by police in Jyväskylä. The circumstances surrounding the seizure put into question the values of fairness and objectivity of the National Traffic Police.

On 28.10.2012, police seized the driving licence of X [name withheld here because the affected party wishes to remain anonymous online], a 29-year-old student of African origin in Viitasaari, Jyväskylä. He was driving to Helsinki from Oulu when he noticed a police van behind him in Jyväskylä. The van drove behind him for about 20 minutes and then pulled him over. The officers invited him into the police van where they checked his driving licence and car registration. According to his report, he was told that someone had called the police and reported that he had violated traffic regulations by driving over a yellow line and overtaking many cars in the process. According to the police, X overtook cars in front of him twice in a junction and once through the lane of oncoming traffic.

X disputed the claims to the no avail. Police seized his license - based on what they heard from a caller. The officers reportedly intimidated him to accept the claim but he stood his ground. Despite his word against the unknown caller's word, police seized his license for "gross traffic safety endangerment".

The police tested X for alcohol after seizing his license. Results revealed that he had not drank alcohol.

It has been three weeks, as of the time of this writing, since the driving licence was confiscated and X has not heard anything from the police. Neither has he been invited for a hearing. He has repeatedly contacted the Helsinki Police Department numerous times but there is no information about his driving licence. He has lost a job that requires him to have a driving licence.

I believe seizing a driver's license based strictly on hearsay constitutes a due-process violation and goes against values of fairness and objectivity promulgated by the National Traffic Police. The action of the officers in this case suggests bias based on the origin of the driver involved. I therefore respectfully demand the following:

• Immediate return of the driver's license pending an investigation into alleged violation of traffic regulations
• An investigation into circumstances that surrounded the seizure to ensure that there was no abuse of power by the police officers involved
• Ensure that police do not take punitive measures without enough evidence to support a claim

I recognize the important role of traffic police in ensuring road safety. However, due process and National Traffic Police values of fairness, neutrality and objectivity should not be compromised in the process of keeping roads safe.

Sincerely,

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UPDATE: Petition closed for signatures.

*Photo: Yle.

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Finland: Questionable seizure of driver's license by police

I received a phone call two weeks ago that brought my attention to a case of questionable police action in Jyväskylä, central Finland. I hoped the situation would be rectified fast enough so that I would not have to write this blog post. The incident hit a little too close to home because it involved someone I know personally. It puts into question the professional conduct of Finland's traffic police and their commitment to guarantee everyone within Finland's borders equal protection without distinction of any kind.

On 28.10.2012, a friend of African origin was driving from Oulu in northern Finland to Helsinki in the south. After driving for about 4.5 hours, he noticed a police van by the side of the road. The van followed him and drove directly behind him for about 20 minutes - during which he committed no traffic offence - then pulled him over. He was invited into the van - where his driving licence and car registration were checked. One of the police officers [name withheld] told him that an unknown person (presumably a motorist) had called the police and reported that he (my friend) had violated traffic rules by overtaking in an area where he was not supposed to. According to the [ghost] caller, my friend drove over a solid yellow line towards on-coming traffic.

The driver disputed the claim to no avail. According to a written report he submitted to a number of authorities in Helsinki, including the Central Police Department and  the Registry of the Ministry of Justice, the police intimidated him to admit the traffic offense but he did not.

Word against word

My friend's license was confiscation based on an alleged phone call from an unknown caller. One of the officers said he "trusted" the caller hence seized the driver's license for "gross" traffic violation.

In a clear case of one man's word against another's, the police chose to believe one party without enough evidence to support his/her claim. This constitutes a due-process violation and goes against values of fairness and objectivity of the National Traffic Police.

Everyone with a driver's license in Finland should be concerned. The action of the police in this case is an indication that it only takes one phone call from an unknown caller for a driving licence to be suspended. Anyone who perhaps does not like you - either because you are an immigrant, Roma, Black, White, Hispanic, Christian or Muslim - could exploit this simple option: call the police and have your license seized thereby making life difficult for you.

Imagine a world where police acted purely on hearsay. People would exploit the situation for personal gains.

Alcohol testing

It was only after confiscating the driving licence that my friend was tested for alcohol. According to his report, he had not drank alcohol for weeks. He was clean.

The police took his license and issued him a 5-hour authorization to drive home. He has not driven since 28.10.2012 and as of the time of this writing, he has not heard anything from the police. He has been left in the dark for two weeks without any information about his license.

Anti-immigration sentiments

The police acted strictly on hearsay. As law enforcement officers, they know better. Hearsay is not admissible in the eyes of the law, yet they seized someone's license because they "heard" that he had committed a gross traffic violation. Mindful of reports about the rise of racism and xenophobia in Finland, it is plausible to believe that the immediate seizure of the driving licence of a driver of African descent without due process was motivated by bias, race, color, ethnicity or other discriminatory grounds.

Petition for restoration of driving licence

Based on the conviction that bias and discriminatory motives instigated the seizure of the license in question, we decided to petition the authorities to immediately restore the arbitrarily suspended right to drive. The petition is addressed to Mr. Kari Rantala, Chief of the National Traffic Police.

In a country where xenophobia runs deep, it is dangerous for the police to take drastic measures based on phone calls from unknown callers. Punitive measure based on phone calls could encourage xenophobes to victimize immigrants and other people with foreign backgrounds by making unsubstantiated calls to the police. While such calls should not be dismissed entirely, there should be thoroughly investigated before acting upon. Seizing a driver's license without enough evidence amounts to abuse of power and a violation of his right to due process and perhaps equal protection of the law.

We demand the following:

• Immediate return of the driving licence
• An investigation into circumstances that led to seizure in order to ensure that there was no abuse of power by the police officers involved
• Ensure that police do not take drastic measures without enough evidence

A petition needs signatures in order for it to have more weight. Please, add your voice to the call for the restoration of the driving licence in question by signing the petition. Your signature could make a difference.

The petition will be open for signatures until Sunday 18.11.2012 at midday. It will be delivered to the Chief of the National Traffic Police on 19.11.2012. The driver whose license was confisticated wishes to remain anonymous online. However, his name is mentioned in the petition that will be delivered to the traffic police chief.

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UPDATE: Petition closed for signatures.

*Photo: TISPOL.

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Cameroon: An assessment of President Paul Biya's 30 years in Power

Following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1789, the U.S. has had 44 presidencies and has seen 43 people sworn into office as president. [Source] On 6 November 2012, Americans return to the polls to renew their 44th President's contract or elect (God forbid) their 45th president. Elsewhere in my home country, Cameroon, 6 November 2012 marks thirty (30) consecutive years since a politician by the name of Paul Biya was sworn into office as president.

Paul Biya, 79 years old, replaced Cameroon's first president Ahmadou Ahidjo after the latter's resignation in 1982. He became the country's second president since independence in 1960 and has been at the helm of government since then. His presidency has been marred by allegations of corruption, electoral fraud, economic stagnation, poverty and gross human rights violations including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary  arrests and imprisonment of journalists and authors, and brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, including University student demonstrators. Freedom of speech and expression - the foundation of free democratic countries - are restricted. Intimidation by security forces is rife. The right to good quality education is limited. Dilapidated schools abandoned by the government are a common sight. The regime has failed many of its young school goers. In certain government schools, children have no benches or tables. Good roads are almost non-existent. Health care in nothing to write home about. The list goes on.

Allegations of corruption and embezzlement of huge sums of money by government officials are rampant, while many ordinary people live below the poverty line. Police corruption is endemic and happens with impunity in broad day light.

Unemployment stood at an estimated 30% in 2001. [Source]

At face value, you would think that Cameroon is a lawless state where human rights are unknown, but we do have laws that guarantee respect for human rights. In fact, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights are incorporated in our Constitution.

While Americans, disappointed with the pace of change and economic growth under a president elected only four years ago head to the polls with the conviction that their votes count, in Cameroon, the story is different: votes do not necessarily count. We have had one president with a track record of failure for thirty years. He recently won the 2011 presidential election that gave him seven more years in office. If you do the arithmetic - you will realize that Paul Biya will be 86 years old at the end of his current term.

Despite his record, there is little expectation that he will relinquish his grip on power after his current term. In 2008, his administration masterminded a controversial Constitutional amendment that eliminated presidential term limits - thereby highlighting the possibility that he could be president for life. The amendment was followed by a "riot" that was brutally suppressed by heavy-handed security forces. Demonstrators were killed and critics like a popular musician called Lapiro de Mbanga were arrested, persecuted and imprisoned.

I am ashamed to say that I have known only one president throughout my adult life. Many Cameroonians my age share my frustration and we long for the day when change will come to Cameroon.

Many people have asked me why we have allowed one man to take us hostage for thirty years. Many wonder why we have not [violently] demanded regime change. Some think we do not care about the wrong direction in which our country is headed.

The truth is --- we do care.

The motto of our republic is PEACE - WORK - FATHERLAND. We are a peace-loving people. This partly explains why Cameroon is a beacon of peace and stability in a turbulent region marked by coups d'état and civil wars. Cameroon hosts refugees from neighboring countries like Central African Republic and Chad. [Source] We have lost fellow countrymen in demonstrations against the regime and the impact of civil unrest around the world is there for all to see. We know what instability looks like and we do not want to go down that road. At 79 years old and counting, Paul Biya can not be on the "throne" for another 30 years. We have survived thirty years of human rights violations and failed socio-economic policies. We are unhappy with the state of affairs in our country, but we refuse to push our country into instability because of one man. Cameroon is bigger that one man.

By virtue of our motto --- we love peace; we love our Fatherland and we will non-violently work our way out of this political hostage situation. It might take some time, but the country will soon rise from the rubble. Cameroon is bigger that one man.

President Paul Biya - the giant of Etoudi - has gone down in history as one of the longest serving Heads of States. However, when it is all said and done, history will judge him as a failure; a leader who failed his people for three decades. History will frown on him and on the few people in the so-called "équipe nationale" who benefit from the spoils of his administration to the detriment of the majority. His supporters say one of his achievements is peace and stability that Cameroon enjoys. But make no mistake: Cameroon is peaceful not because of its leader. Credit goes to the peace-loving Cameroonian people who have been pushed to the wall in unimaginable ways but reject a violent uprising.

We the people of Cameroon deserve a Nobel prize for peace for our handling of the situation in our homeland.

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