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151:, which limited presidents to two seven-year terms. The Cameroonian government banned "Constitution constipée" from the airways, however thousands of Cameroonians students used the song as an anthem as they rallied and rioted in the streets in February 2008 in protest against the proposed constitutional change, which would allow Biya to run for a new term in 2011.
202:. Piercy had to set up to paint the portrait on the ward. During the painting Lapiro, though still very ill was in good spirits and was discharged in order to continue with the portrait at home and be painted in his Cameroon chieftain's costume. On his portrait he signed 'I am Lapiro Paul Piercy thanks to immortalise me forever. Lapiro free from prison'.
189:
In a July 2011 interview, Mbanga described the prisons in which he had been incarcerated as "rotten" and insisted that he had never encouraged young people to damage and steal other people's property. "I've never done anything of the sort. Instead, I did everything to prevent that from happening." He
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and nearly died of that disorder and respiratory complications. When authorities refused to send him to a hospital, his wife brought medications that helped save his life. In an interview, Mbanga said that he and his fellow prisoners had "penal rations twice a day. At 1pm we are given boiled corn and
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Mbanga was arrested on 9 April 2008, and charged with "complicity in looting, destruction of property, arson, obstructing streets, degrading public or classified property, and forming illegal gatherings." Two days later, the
Cameroonian parliament adopted the new constitution that Mbanga had attacked
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On 2 September 2012, Mbanga, his wife, and three of their children left
Cameroon for the United States, where they had been granted asylum. They arrived in the US on 14 September. A few days later Lapiro was rushed to The Buffalo Oncology Hospital with sickness and acute abdominal pain. On October 8
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Nicknamed "the guitar man," Mbanga became "the idol of the downtrodden and forgotten workers who people the slums and bus stations of
Cameroon" and "the spokesman for the youth of his country." His hits of that period included "No Make Erreur," "Surface de Reparation" "Kop Nie," "Mimba We," and "Na
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monitored Mbanga's case throughout his incarceration. In April 2010, the
Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN also launched a campaign to help win Mbanga's freedom. In 2011, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared that Mbanga's arrest was an infringement of the
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where he recorded his first single that made no headway. He returned to
Cameroon and then quickly moved to Gabon where he did his first popular song "Pas d'argent, no love" with Haissam Records. He returned in 1985 to Cameroon, where he proceeded to compose and record what Index on Censorship has
169:, a Danish-based NGO, mounted an international campaign for Mbanga's release. In a 2010 interview from prison, he said that "If my wife didn't travel four hours here and four hours back every day to give me food and if Freemuse hadn't publicised my case worldwide, I'd have been dead long ago."
180:
During his detention, Mbanga repeatedly appealed his conviction to the
Supreme Court. On 17 March 2011, he refused to take advantage of an offer from the Supreme Court to be released on bail. Mbanga was released from prison on 8 April 2011, one day before the official end of his sentence.
205:
In late 2012 it was reported that Mbanga was seeking a publisher for his book Cabale
Politico-Judiciaire Ou La Mort Programmée D'Un Combatant De La Liberté (Politico-Judicial Cabal or the Planned Death of a Freedom Fighter). The book is set for release late this year.
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On 13 July 2011, in Lille, France, Mbanga returned to the stage for the first time since his release from prison. During the summer of 2011 he also played in
Lausanne, Brussels, Paris, Barcelona, and at various venues in the United States, Canada, and Britain.
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In 2013 Mbanga's case was reopened before the
Cameroonian Supreme Court. He died on March 16, 2014. The Supreme Court in June 2013 annulled the TGI judgment and ordered a retrial.
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On 24 September 2008, Mbanga was sentenced by the
Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI) to three years in the New Bell prison near Douala. In December 2009 he contracted
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277:"Voice to the Voiceless. Cameroonian singer Lapiro de Mbanga gives an exclusive interview to Daniel Brown from prison on protest, politics and the art of satire"
114:, was a Cameroonian singer who is noted for his 1985 recording of "Pas argent no love" and for being imprisoned in 2008 after criticising Cameroon president
536:
147:
In 2008, Mbanga criticised Cameroon president Paul Biya in the song "Constitution constipée" ("Constipated Constitution"). The song denounced the proposed
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described as "a long list of biting texts on the socio-economic realities in his beleaguered country." His first song in this regard was "No Make Erreur".
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called his trial "Kafkaesque", saying that his fate had been "decided in advance," despite the utter lack of evidence against him.
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383:"Actuellement installé aux Etats-Unis, l'artiste sera représenté par son Avocat au cours de l'audience prévue jeudi prochain"
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at 5pm there's rice in some warm water. It's the same every day. It's way below minimum requirements."
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605:"Supreme Court Orders Retrial of Lapiro Case | Cameroon Mirror | Beyond the Frontiers"
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353:"Lapiro de Mbanga. Ce nom est difficile Ă rayer du paysage politique et artistique camerounais"
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552:"Lapiro de Mbanga: "Le Sénat ne peut pas résoudre les problèmes des Camerounais""
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For several years, Lapiro's music career took him to West African countries like
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In addition to Freemuse's campaign, the US-based lawyers' organisation
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471:"Emeutes de février 2008: Lapiro de Mbanga convoqué à la Cour suprême"
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he was due to have his portrait painted by UK artist Paul Piercy for
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in the song "Constitution constipée" ("Constipated Constitution").
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You." He was regularly censored by the Cameroonian government.
239:"Cameroon: I'm Prisoner Without a Crime - Lapiro De Mbanga"
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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
637:. Freedom of Musical Expression. 2014. Archived from
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327:"Campaign to free Cameroon singer Lapiro de Mbanga"
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110:(7 April 1957 – 16 March 2014), better known as
583:"Cameroun: décès du chanteur Lapiro de Mbanga"
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149:amendment of Cameroon's constitutional clause
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443:"Lapiro de Mbanga Granted Asylum in the USA"
673:Cameroonian emigrants to the United States
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20:
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413:"Arrested for a song: Lapiro de Mbanga"
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678:Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
688:21st-century Cameroonian male singers
668:20th-century Cameroonian male singers
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281:Xindex, the voice of free expression
217:In 2014, Lapiro died of cancer in
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16:Cameroonian musician (1957–2014)
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155:in "Constitution constipée."
581:par RFI (18 February 2014).
533:Chronicle Live, Newcastle,UK
504:"Lapiro de Mbanga de retour"
260:"Lapiro de Mbanga de retour"
417:Radio Netherlands Worldwide
200:The Black Portraits project
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57:Mbanga, Littoral, Cameroon
237:Tebug Ngoh, Olive Ejang.
108:Lambo Sandjo Pierre Roger
44:Lambo Sandjo Pierre Roger
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631:"RIP Lapiro de Mbanga"
447:World Music Network
683:Label Bleu artists
306:Oslo Freedom Forum
302:"Lapiro de Mbanga"
641:on 17 March 2014.
219:Buffalo, New York
185:Post-imprisonment
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74:Buffalo, New York
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607:. Archived from
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112:Lapiro de Mbanga
101:Louisette Noukeu
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68:(2014-03-16)
54:7 April 1957
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663:1957 births
658:2014 deaths
537:The Journal
508:Rfi Musique
174:Freedom Now
85:Cameroonian
82:Nationality
652:Categories
225:References
90:Occupation
50:1957-04-07
243:allafrica
116:Paul Biya
635:FreeMuse
615:19 March
589:17 March
585:. Rfi.fr
556:Cameroon
475:Cameroon
387:Cameroon
357:Cameroon
167:Freemuse
93:Musician
128:Nigeria
98:Spouse
76:, U.S.
566:5 May
518:5 May
485:5 May
452:5 May
422:5 May
397:5 May
367:5 May
336:5 May
311:5 May
286:5 May
132:Benin
617:2014
591:2014
568:2013
520:2013
487:2013
454:2013
424:2013
399:2013
369:2013
338:2013
313:2013
288:2013
130:and
63:Died
40:Born
331:RFI
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