Legendary Cameronian singer Longue Longue has received sympathies from some fellow musicians after a video of him being tortured by Cameronian soldiers surfaced on social media.
The blurry video, reportedly shot in 2019, shows an officer in civilian attire whipping Longue Longue’s feet with a machete while another person holds him down with a chair.
A military officer arrested the 50-year-old in 2019, and he endured torture at the military security premises in Douala.
Authorities did not communicate the exact reason for his arrest, but Longue Longue questioned the integrity of the 2018 presidential elections, suggesting that they were rigged to keep long-serving President Paul Biya in power.
After his release from prison, he appeared in a viral video, apologising to Paul Biya and pleading for mercy.
This was definitely after he was tortured, as revealed by the video that has surfaced five years later.
Inhuman Treatment
Bikutsi music star, Lady Ponce, has said the torture of Longue Longue, whose real name is Longkana Agno Simon, is inhumane and should not happen to anyone.
“Let’s forget he is an artist and a celebrity. He is first and foremost a human being, a family father, a colleague, a friend, and a Cameroonian brother,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
“This has nothing to do with politics, tribe, or even his social rank. This can’t happen to anyone of us, no matter your tribe, your social rank, or your political affiliation; imagine your father in this state,” she added.
Musician Tzy Panchak, who has collaborated with Longue Longue on a number of tracks, sympathised with him, stating, “My heart is with you.”
Longue’s torture Longue stands out among numerous civilian tortures associated with the Cameroonian police and military.
After watching the video of Longue Longue being tortured, fellow musician Kareyce Fotso recalled the case of journalist Samuel Wazizi, who died in a state detention facility in 2020.
The authorities tortured and killed him in 2019, but they announced his death only the following year and have never produced his body.
“The video captures Longue Longue Ambassadeur des Causes Sociales being martyred, showcasing the torturers in the well-known footage.” “What more do you need for human rights to achieve justice?” she asked.
