Monthly Archives: January 2017

17, January 2017

UN, EU reassure support for Iran nuclear deal ⁰

The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) have both reaffirmed their support for the Iran nuclear deal on the first anniversary of the accord’s implementation. The deal, officially titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was reached between Iran on the one side and the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany on the other in July 2015. It began being implemented on January 16, 2016 and terminated nuclear-related sanctions against Iran in return for certain limits on the Iranian nuclear program.

During the course of the negotiations that resulted in the deal, the EU acted as coordinator for the negotiating parties and, together with the UN, hosted the talks. In a statement on Monday, the EU’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, once again reaffirmed the bloc’s support for the deal in the face of potential threats from the future US administration to undermine it. “The full and effective implementation throughout the entire lifetime of the JCPOA remains essential,” said Mogherini in a statement. “The EU has clearly affirmed its resolute commitment to this objective.”

She said the bloc “will continue to work hand in hand with all those willing to contribute to its full implementation and in achieving the objectives which brought us together.” There has been concern that the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump, a former businessman and a self-admitted non-politician, may breach the deal or stop implementing US commitments under it altogether. Trump has previously threatened to “tear up” the deal. Throughout her Monday statement, Mogherini, the top EU diplomat, pointed to the merits and strengths of the deal in what sometimes seemed to be directed at an audience of one.

She said the agreement “is working for all” and now belonged to the entire international community. “The JCPOA is a multilateral endeavour, achieved through diplomatic means and endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution. It was born out of the efforts of the E3/EU+3 and Iran, but it now belongs to the entire international community. The JCPOA provides benefits for all and creates opportunities for improved regional cooperation that should be seized by all,” she said.

She was referring to Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which unanimously endorsed the JCPOA on July 20, 2015. She also highlighted that, “Iran has delivered on its nuclear-related commitments as confirmed by the four reports issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency.” The Agency has taken up the task of monitoring the technical implementation of the Iran deal. Also on Monday, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, reassured the world body’s support for the accord in his office’s daily press briefing.

He praised the first anniversary of the JCPOA’s implementation as “a significant milestone in the historic agreement.” “The United Nations shall continue to support the implementation of the JCPOA, in accordance with resolution 2231 (2015) and other relevant decisions of the Security Council,” he said.

All the other parties to the JCPOA, including the outgoing US administration, Russia, and China, have also already stressed the need to sustain the deal amid the Trump threats. Meanwhile, Trump, in a shift from his usual rhetoric of lambasting the Iran deal, has refused to say what policy he would want to take regarding it, also admitting that he is “not a politician.”

“Well, I don’t want to say what I’m gonna do with the Iran deal. I just don’t want to play the cards. I mean, look, I’m not a politician, I don’t go out and say, ‘I’m gonna do this’ — I’m gonna do, I gotta do what I gotta do,” he told the British daily The Times on Sunday.

Trump has flip-flopped on policy issues before, too.

Russia sees no reason for non-performance

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who was his country’s lead negotiator in the talks over the Iran deal, also stressed that the JCPOA was an important and constructive agreement and that Russia would remain committed to it.

Speaking at a UN roundtable on the one-year anniversary of the deal’s implementation, Ryabkov said Russia saw no grounds for any failure to fully implement the deal and downplayed the rhetoric by Trump, TASS reported.

He said very little was known about the “approaches of the next US administration to this issue and the foreign policy agenda in general.”

He said that, while Moscow was studying the public statements by Trump’s advisers and cabinet nominees made during the US Senate hearings, he saw “no signs… that a completely new situation will occur.”

Presstv

17, January 2017

US: 26 House Democrats boycotting Trump’s inauguration ⁰

More than two dozen Democratic lawmakers have announced their boycott of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, particularly over Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election and his criticism of a civil rights leader.

Some Democrats have said they will be protesting in Washington, DC, and in their districts instead of participating in the swearing-in ceremony of the 45th president of the United States on Friday.

All the 26 lawmakers, who will be shunning Trump’s inauguration, are members of the House of Representatives; no senators have said they are boycotting the event.

Some of the Democrats had declared their absence during the oath ceremony on the Capitol Hill prior to Trump’s row with African American civil rights icon and Democratic Congressman John Lewis.

African American civil rights icon and Democratic Congressman John Lewis

Last week, Trump sparked outrage by condemning Lewis after the congressman said he would boycott the president-elect’s inauguration because he doesn’t see him as the “legitimate” president in light of reports of Russian interference. “You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong,” Lewis said.

In a Twitter outburst on Saturday, Trump said Lewis, the Representative for Georgia’s 5th congressional district, should spend more time trying to fix his “horrible” and “crime-infested” district rather than “complaining” about the Russia’s role in the US presidential election.

Earlier this month, the US intelligence community released an unclassified 25-page report, claiming that the Russian government had directed hackers to target various Democratic Party organizations and operatives to influence the outcome of the election.

The intelligence community’s document accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of personally ordering his government to help Trump win the November election.

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City, January 11, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

Meanwhile, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denounced the intelligence community’s report on the alleged Russian meddling as a politically motivated “press release.”

Speaking at a news conference on January 9, Assange called the report politically motivated and damaging to the intelligence community’s reputation.

James Jatras, a former US Senate policy adviser and diplomat, told Press TV recently that the outgoing US administration, mainstream media and intelligence community are spreading the Russian hacking fiction in order to undermine Trump’s presidency and potential efforts to mend ties with Moscow

Presstv

17, January 2017

Ghogomu Paul Mingo announces end of Ad Hoc Committee mission, attacks the Consortium ⁰

The head of the so-called Ad Hoc Committee has announced in a press release issued in the French language that negotiations between the Biya Francophone regime and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium have come to an end. The pronouncement came as Southern Cameroonians are observing day-two of the civil disobedience campaign earlier decreed by the Consortium.

The regime had established the Francophone dominated Ad Hoc Interdepartmental Committee to review and propose solutions to the problems identified with respect to the demands of Anglophone teachers. This committee, chaired by Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, held two meetings with representatives of striking teachers in Bamenda. The last one took place on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 January.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium made it abundantly clear to Ghogomu Paul Mingo and his team of inexperienced negotiators that the demands of the Common Law Lawyers and the Anglophone teachers were linked to the marginalization policy instituted by the Francophone regime in Yaounde.

It was evident the Ad Hoc Committee had to fail in its attempt to induce trade unionists to lift their call to strike. In a communiqué released yesterday Monday 16 January 2017, Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, announced the end of his mission and blamed West Cameroon leaders for erecting a stone wall during the dialogue process. The light weight political elite from the Bamenda province of Southern Cameroons also accused the new generation of Anglophone leader of taken parents and students hostage for political reasons.

By Rita Akana

16, January 2017

Ghost Town: Gun shots heard at Njinikom ⁰

Gun shots were fired and tear gas used by elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR as the beautiful town of Njinikom in the Bamenda province of Southern Cameroons was today transformed into a battle ground.

Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that an open confrontation erupted during the civil disobedience campaign between the youths and the Francophone elite force deployed to the area from Bamenda. Our informant also revealed that the atmosphere was chaotic in Wombong down town.

Calm finally returned following a truce deal struck by the mayor of Njinikom, Terence Chah Bam and the Divisional Officer Bontang Justine. All okada riders who were arrested during the troubles were released.

The people of Njinikom have promised to respect the orders of the Consortium and continue with ghost operations tomorrow. The Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime is yet to issue a statement.

By Eyong Ebai Samuel

16, January 2017

Scandal!! Budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture spent on Biya family’s private plantations ¹

It has been revealed that a part of the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) to build boreholes and maintain agricultural roads in the South region has been used to develop private farms belonging to Foumane Akame, a senior aide and cousin to President Biya.

The Public Investment Budget (BIP) in the South Region for 2017 amounts to FCFA 125.4 billion and the Ministry of Agriculture has reportedly included private farming facilities located at Ndonkol into the budget. The Ndonkol Farms belong to Jean Foumane Akame, Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic.

A source at the Ministry of Agriculture has also hinted that the minister has already paid for the rehabilitation of agricultural tracks leading to plantations own by the Head of State. Our informant noted that “it is a real mess when you know the number of entire poor villages that do not even have a water point.”

Local media reports say tension is mounting in the South region over the 2017 budget. We learnt that out of an envelope of 125 billion CFA francs, the Department of the Mvila which is home of the chief town of the South region has been accorded only 11 billion FCFA against 43.6 billion FCFA for Dja and Lobo Division, the home constituency of President Biya.

By Rita Akana

16, January 2017

West Cameroon observes ghost town against Biya’s tyrannical genocidal regime ⁰

The people of West Cameroon are protesting against unprecedented attacks by troops from the French speaking part of country. It what has been described as the second round of a massive civil disobedience campaign, all major towns and cities in the Anglophone section of Cameroon have been shut down following orders from the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

Our cream of reporters in the South West and North West regions have all observed that “Everything is dead,” while describing life in Southern Cameroons. Furthermore, they added that the Francophone regime in Yaoundé has militarized the entire Anglophone territory. The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium launched a civil disobedience campaign which is now been supported by pro Francophone groups such the South West Elites Association, the South West Chiefs Conference and the Cameroon Anglophone Bishops Conference.

Nevertheless, the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo government has responded by massive killings and arrest of more than a dozen West Cameroonians and shutting down local media houses. Neighborhoods across the capitals of the North West and South West regions and other towns are said to be quiet as West Cameroonians have boycotted shops and schools. The success of the first ghost town operation of Monday the 9^th of January 2017 greatly motivated British Southern Cameroonians to participate in further steps against Paul Biya’s tyrannical genocidal regime that has ruined the country and impoverished and killed its citizens.

The authority of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium in West Cameroon is shown by refusal of the West Cameroon public to listen to the calls from its political elites serving the Francophone regime. Cameroon Intelligence Report gathered that Smart mobile phone has been the game changer by using social media of twitter, face book, viber, WhatsApp for the anonymous youth to make the ghost town a success.

The West Cameroon ghost town operation has many faces and multiple means of configuration and persuasion and implementation. The leaders of the Consortium recently pointed out that it includes:

Strike action
Sit at home and never go out unless necessary
Information distribution
Solidarity with the parties resisting peacefully
Talk through the means of social communication – Talk via social media
Publish videos in the same media containing songs, poems or sayings
Upload pictures symbolizing resistance, such as images of the martyrs

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Sama Ernest, Sonne Peter

16, January 2017

Gambia: A tale of two Heads of State ⁰

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) announced last week that they will no longer recognize President Yahya Jammeh as the Head of State of the Gambia from the 20th of January 2017 if he refuses to cede power to President-elect Adama Barrow.

The idea of resorting to the deployment of military force in the country was also discussed last Friday during the visit of the ECOWAS leaders in the Gambia which was attended by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for West and Sahel Africa.

To ensure that the electoral verdict is respected, Chambas said that ECOWAS should ask the Security Council to approve the deployment of military troops in the Gambia if President Jammeh refuses to give up power. Jammeh warned the international community last week that the crisis will be resolved in accordance with the laws in force in the Gambia and that an “external interference” will not be accepted.

The steps to resolve the crisis through dialogue are continuing while ECOWAS has asked President-elect Adama Barrow to stay put in Senegal, while negotiations continue for his likely inauguration on the 19th of January. De facto, Barrow finds himself by force of circumstances outside the country while Jammeh who received the support of the Army barricades in Banjul.

A private meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of ECOWAS was held last Saturday in Abuja to reflect on the deployment of a force called Group Military Intervention (ECOMIG) in the Gambia if power does not handed to the President-elect. The ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff have started to set up troops for a possible deployment in The Gambia. In this controversial circumstances, many political commentators fear of another Libya as Nigerian leader, Buhari and the other ECOWAS heads of state have been blowing the heat and cold for Adama Barrow inauguration.

By Chi Prudence Asong

16, January 2017

Consortium condemns attack on Dr. Fontem!! Says La Republique thrives on divide and rule ¹

Fellow West Cameroonians,

One of the weapons most adapted to Government’s quest to keep us permanently Subjugated has been “divide and rule”. For years, this was used very skillfully to Sharpen ethnic divisions within the SW Region as well as between the SW and NW Regions. The consequence was the exclusion of our people from political appointment (only inconsequential positions in government are given to us), the francophonization of local administration (almost all our governors and DOs are French-speaking), Etc. The use of force in administration was entrenched as a way of life. Today, gendarmes and police are everywhere on our streets, in the villages forcing our people to march; in short, our lives have been militarized as you can see everywhere today.

For years, our own brothers and sisters contributed to this situation with the kind of tribal or regional politics they played. They fuelled the hatred of the other and fought each other over positions which did not matter one bit. In parliament, they failed to present our plight and even clapped when the bill being passed was clearly anti-us.

My brothers and sisters,

Why has this become our preoccupation in the Consortium? We have noted with shock, an increase in hate speech among our academic and political elite. They castigate our very effort to bring justice to our people hoping that it could fetch them a promotion or an appointment. The number of nocturnal tribal meetings is on the increase, because some of our politicians think that the continuation of the ‘people’s

strike’ might jeopardize their political chances. The strike to them, means freeing ourselves from the vicious grip of this government which has used our political elite like ‘hand cuffs’. Yesterday, we all saw how the hatred some of our elite expressed in the social media resulted in an arson attack on Dr. Fontem Neba’s car. We strongly condemn such violence and are surprised that the government has not said a word about this shameful incident. As a community, we condemn all our brothers and sisters who toy with our destiny and think that they are justified in sowing division among us or spreading hatred.

CAMEROON ANGLOPHONE CIVIL SOCIETY CONSORTIUM

Propose policy alternatives to improve on the lives of the people

Commission studies to collect and analyze data on the problems identified

Identify problems affecting the existence of Anglophone People in Cameroon

Educate, advocate, mediate, advise and speak for Anglophones rights in Cameroon

Source for award/grants and scholarships to determine and influence policy orientation

Our social movement is a peaceful one, but all we have experienced is shootings, killings, arrests and now destruction of property. The Consortium holds Government responsible for this attack and demands that Government investigate the arson attack on Dr. Fontem and punish all those behind it immediately. The Consortium holds Government responsible for such attacks since they have failed to control their partisans and demands full reparation for such damage.

Fellow West Cameroonians,

Our unity, especially in such trying moments, is precious to us. If we have been able to ask the oppressor for accountability, it is because for once, we have united with each other. We must not allow the selfish ones among us to destroy our quest for a better life. Tribalism and narrow mindedness help to keep our people in bondage and we say NO to that.

We thank all West Cameroonians for remaining very peaceful and resisting all forms of provocation. Let it be clear, we must not break our unity; it is a strong weapon against oppression. Anyone propagating tribalism at this time of the struggle is an enemy of our people – shun him.

God is our strength.

16, January 2017

Cameroon: Boko Haram slaughters 17 elderly people in Gnam-Gnam ⁰

17 elderly people including 5 women were slaughtered at the end of last week in Gnam-Gnam, a village about a dozen kilometers from the tourist town of Waza in the department of Logone-et-Chari , in the Far North region by militants of the Nigerian Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Their bodies were discovered in decomposition, in a bush with the heads of the victims sliced and meticulously placed on the chest or beside certain body parts as if Boko Haram wanted to send us a message and a challenge, “says a Cameroonian military source.

The attackers would have entered the village in retaliation, against the population they suspect of collaborating with the security forces that track them, continues our source. We also gathered that some robust men were kidnapped to be enrolled in the ranks of the sect.

A few days before the attack, the members of the sect had given instructions that forbade the populations to collaborate with Cameroonian authorities and the security forces. This attack by Boko Haram comes at a time when 33 members of the Nigerian Islamist sect, who allegedly became a member of the Islamic State, were released from a Maroua prison.

By Rita Akana

15, January 2017

South West Elites Association endorses the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium ⁰

SWELA Secretary General’s consultation with some senior South West opinion leaders:

Concerned about the present strikes by Common Law Lawyers and Anglophone Teachers in our Country;

Aware of the sacrifices that the members of the Education Community and Lawyers in the North West and South West Regions are making;

Cognizant of the short term, mid-term and long term gains these sacrifices shall bring to our Educational and Legal System;

Sensitive to the overtures made by the Head of State in his end of year speech with focus on frank dialogue and the imminent creation of a National Entity that shall discuss reforms related to our bi-cultural co-existence;

The under mentioned Opinion Leaders from the South West Region meeting in Buea on 8th January 2017 resolved as follows:

Urge Government as a matter of urgency to deliver on her development promises in the South West Region,
Urge the Anglophone Teachers Trade Unions and Common Law Lawyers to remain steadfast in their demands related to their professional growth within the Anglo-Saxon heritage,
Appreciate the inclusion of South West members into the Inter-Ministerial Dialogue Committee charged with seeking solutions towards an unadulterated and unfettered Anglophone subsystem of Education,
Congratulate the Clergy on their commitments towards breaking the stalemate through their patriotic publications,
Call on Government Ministers and Administrative Authorities to show restraint in their overt and covert actions that can only escalate the crisis,
Call on residents of the South West Region to desist from street violence that can likely provoke armed response,
Call on both appointed and elected Officials in State machinery to honestly in public domain present the facts of the retarded development of the South West Region and by extension the Anglophone problem.
Propose a broad-based National Consultation to discuss the form of state which has been the sticking point in the “LIVING TOGETHER” experiment between the former West Cameroon and East Cameroon,
Call on South West Elite Association (SWELA) to review their stance on a loose ten-state Federation in the face of a systemic erosion of the Anglophone political, economic and socio cultural values,
Support the Consortium whose role is to carry through the grievances of the Anglophone People in all its facets;
Endorse the Anglophone struggle for the protection of their minority rights.