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Anglophone Crisis: Harmony Bobga on The Stream on Al Jazeera

26, February 2017

Anglophone Crisis: Harmony Bobga on The Stream on Al Jazeera 0

Harmony Bobga Mbuton, president of Cameroon’s North West Lawyers Association, returned to The Stream on Al Jazeera this week, just over two months since the show originally explored the protests among his country’s English-speaking communities, who claim French-speaking President Paul Biya’s government is treating them as second-class citizens.

The Stream host Femi Oke says that, since that show, “The government of Cameroon has pulled the plug on the internet and banned public gatherings in the regions fraught with tensions. What started as strikes for bilingualism in the Northwest and Southwest territories have revealed very deep political divides that spread beyond language, culture and geography.”

On The Stream in December, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the Minister of Communications, promised negotiations but Mbuton says these broke down quickly. “In fact, I was part of the negotiations that ensued and took place in Yaounde on 27-28 December 2016. The government had constructed the questions that had to be dealt with in the negotiation to suit their own purpose. We walked out of the dialogue and the next thing we heard was that they started arresting us, which is what forced me to flee from Cameroon, through Nigeria to here [Washington DC] now.”

Mbuton’s wife and children are still in Cameroon, where he says, “The situation is bad,” comparing it to “what happened in Rwanda when the genocide began.” He claims that people are being arrested and taken away, with their families unable to find out where. “It is tipping into the point where the population is saying that even with their empty hands and sticks, they are ready to start providing resistance to protect themselves.”

The media and internet blackout makes it difficult to verify claims like this; as Mbuton says, the internet ban has meant “that the government has operated behind the curtains because there is no easy access to information within the territory anymore.” Mbuton says people are using smartphones to send images and information out to the world by traveling to the French-speaking parts of Cameroon where there is still internet, “but it’s not flowing as it was.“

Since the protests began nearly four months ago, Biya has signed a decree establishing a national commission to promote bilingualism and has addressed protesters several times in major speeches. At least several hundred protesters have been arrested. Some are being tried for terrorism for allegedly calling for secession of the Anglophone regions. They could face the death penalty if convicted.

Mbuton says the strike is ongoing and international protests are increasing. Even Cameroon’s recent victory at the African Cup of Nations was not enough to unite the country. “The provocative move to go and show off the African Cup that was won by Cameroon was welcomed by ghost towns,” says Mbuton. “People abandoned the streets. Only the entourage from Yaounde was parading the streets – in military vehicles.

Consortium announces massive ghost town campaign on Monday

26, February 2017

Consortium announces massive ghost town campaign on Monday 2

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society has announced a civil disobedience campaign for Monday the 27th of February 2017 as political tensions mount in the La Republique du Cameroun over the Biya’s regime failure in resolving the Southern Cameroons crisis.

The interim leaders of the Consortium: Tampa Ivo and Mark Bara have appealed to Southern Cameroonians in the Diaspora to mobilize their people back home and to forge ahead with the struggle. Ever since the Biya Francophone regime detained the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, there have been many diabolic plots to stifle the Consortium and put an end to the Anglophone uprising.  On Saturday in connection with the boycott policy and ghost operation, Southern Cameroonians snubbed the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. Cat calls greeted some of the Francophone officials who traveled to Buea for the event.

The Consortium statement added that some slight modifications have been made in the resistance and ghost town operations.  For three months now, scores of Southern Cameroonians have been killed and hundreds arrested by troops loyal to the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime. In December last year, many Southern Cameroonians were killed in Buea, Kumba, Kumbo, Bamenda and Njakiri when the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society showed strong opposition to the so-called Ad Hoc Committee created by the government.

Opposition politicians in French Cameroun have recently called for President Biya to release all those arrested in West Cameroon and urged authorities to probe the rapes and killings going on in the Anglophone regions of the country.  Biya has so far not declared his intention to run in the presidential vote set for 2018 as his ruling CPDM party has been politically volatile in recent times in the Anglophone regions. The country is now experiencing a revolution that could unseat the president.

By Sama Ernest

Omam Biyik appointed Head Coach of the Central African Republic

26, February 2017

Omam Biyik appointed Head Coach of the Central African Republic 0

Cameroonian football legend Francois Omam Biyick, has been appointed Head Coach of the Central African Republic football team known as the Oubangui Foxes on a two year contract.

The 50-year-old former Indomitable Lions striker has replaced Blaise Kopogo at the head of the RCA national team, where he will be assisted by his compatriot Jean Baptiste Bissek.

The Cameroonian technician will lead the Oubangui boys who are currently 108th in the FIFA standings and has been given the onerous task of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations 2019 (AFCON), which shall be played in Cameroon.

By Sonne Peter

Mount Cameroon Race of Hope: There are reasons why the regime has brought in Lady Sarah Liengu Etonge

25, February 2017

Mount Cameroon Race of Hope: There are reasons why the regime has brought in Lady Sarah Liengu Etonge 2

The Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo government is attempting to use all available means to stifle the Southern Cameroons uprising and any actor who can achieve that is highly solicited. This time around the baton has been handed over to Lady Sarah Liengu Etonge-the forgotten hero.

The 2017 edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope has coincided with the Anglophone crisis that has rocked the nation. Correspondingly, the regime in Yaoundé is now using retired Queen of the Mountain, Sarah Liengu Etonge as bait to capture the minds of Southern Cameroonians who regularly attend or watch the race over the years. The seven times champion has come out of her retirement and announced her participation but added that “It is for Peace and Unity.”

Lady Sarah Etonge is yet to condemn the rapes, extra judicial killings and massive arrest going on in Southern Cameroons but is only quick to speak of peace and unity. The woman whose statue was poorly erected by ruling CPDM gang in 2006 and was immediately brought down by youths of the Buea city council is now seen as a unifying figure. The million dollar question is: Can she go beyond lips and participation to bring back peace and Unity when underneath the race lies litany of problems plaguing the two English speaking regions with massive arrest, shootings, killings and imprisonment?

Observers hold that no matter the popularity of the Queen of the Mountain and the efforts made by the CPDM crime syndicate to call for peace and activities in schools to return to normalcy, things will continue to grow from bad to worse if  a better approach to the crisis is not adopted and the highhandedness of the government on the population withdrawn. Furthermore, if those arrested are not freed, if massive arrests are not stopped, if intimidation, phone checks are not abolished above all, a resumption of dialogue chaired by Mr. Paul Biya, Southern Cameroons as part of the La Republique du Cameroun will be history.

Cameroun Info.Net

Anglophone Crisis: Yang Philemon orders transfer of financial resources to local councils

25, February 2017

Anglophone Crisis: Yang Philemon orders transfer of financial resources to local councils 4

Prime Minister Philemon Yang has made another vain attempt at appeasing Southern Cameroonians to end the strikes and civil disobedience campaign that has rocked the entire Anglophone regions. The so-called Head of Government on Thursday the 24th of February 2017 signed a text that makes effective the transfer of financial resources to local councils across the country.

Cameroon Radio and Television reported that the move is intended to speed up the execution of development projects and especially render local councils more autonomous. The Philemon Yang order also stated that the sum of ten billion FCFA will be transferred to the councils for the 2017 Financial Year for the purpose of development and the day-to-day management.

Some pro CPDM comedians opined that the Prime Ministerial order appears to be one of most ground-breaking decisions taken for an effective decentralization process that began in the early 2000’s. At the time of filing this report, the interim leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium had not reacted to the text from the Star Building. However, information filtered that the Consortium plans to intensify the strikes and the ghost town operations as of next week.

By Rita Akana with files from CRTV

Guinea-Bissau: Hundreds of protesters demand departure of President Jose Mario

25, February 2017

Guinea-Bissau: Hundreds of protesters demand departure of President Jose Mario 0

Hundreds of protesters have marched through the capital of Guinea-Bissau, demanding the departure of embattled President Jose Mario Vaz. On Thursday, the crowd of angry demonstrators on the main avenues of the capital Bissau held anti-government placards and repeatedly chanted slogans such as “Jomav get out”, using the president’s local nickname.

They also called for fresh elections to end the political crisis gripping the African country. The demonstration came a day after parliament rejected a program submitted by Prime Minister Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo.

Vaz appointed Sissoco in November after months of regional talks seeking an end to an 18-month political turmoil in the country. The prime minister has already missed a 60-day deadline to present a government program and budget that have to be accepted by parliament.

“The party … voted against the program of the PM because his government is illegitimate,” said Seidy Ba Sane, a spokesman for the country’s ruling PAIGC party. Sissoco has stressed that he would continue ruling without the confidence of parliament.

People in the West African country say the failure to pass a budget has begun to affect their daily lives and caused delays in payment of salaries for civil servants.  In addition, the ongoing crisis has stoked fears that drug traffickers might profit from the power vacuum in the country. Earlier this month, the United Nations expressed concern “over challenges posed by transnational organized crime and emerging threats, including drug trafficking, in the country.”

The economy of Guinea Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, is heavily reliant on cashew nut production.  Violence has rocked Guinea-Bissau since 1974 when it gained independence from Portugal. Since its independence, the country has suffered from political turmoil, including a series of military coups largely due to the unprecedented expansion of the army.

Presstv

West Cameroonians: Thanks to you, there is freedom of expression and multiparty politics in Cameroon

24, February 2017

West Cameroonians: Thanks to you, there is freedom of expression and multiparty politics in Cameroon 0

Open Letter to West Cameroonians

Dear West Cameroonians,

Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you on your achievements over the last 25 years. While many will be critical of your current efforts, be rest assured that they are aware that without you, your country will not be where it is today. Thanks to you, there is freedom of expression and multiparty politics in your country. Without you, there would not have been an “Office du Baccalaureat” and a GCE Board. The creation of these two bodies came after your parents paid a huge price. New generations of West Cameroonians may not be aware of what happened in the early 90s. Many of them have just been lucky to grow up to see Anglo-Saxon universities in Buea and Bamenda. For those who are fifty years old and up, the thought of attending an Anglo-Saxon university in Cameroon never crossed their minds. Theirs was a one-university state where West Cameroonians were robbed of their confidence. If they did not have the resources to go out to school in Nigeria, Canada, the UK or United States, then theirs was the Kingdom of hard life.

Getting an Anglo-Saxon university just like calling for multiparty politics was an uphill climb. Blood was spilled and many have been scarred for life. Go to Bamenda and you will see the victims of the struggle for multiparty politics in Cameroon. Many were amputated and others defaced. The journey to where you are today has been long and the road on which your parents have traveled has been tarred with the blood of those who have not been lucky to see the achievement of some of these feats. Those achievements should advise that there is strength in unity and that there is power in numbers. No individual, regardless of their position, could have posted such results without the collaboration of others who were also determined to make life better for posterity. Though there is significant progress, it must be underscored that the road ahead is still long and challenging.

This brings me to the current situation that is playing out in Cameroon. The call for federalism has met with ferocious brutality, with many getting arrested and taken to unknown places, while some have lost their lives in a cause they believe will help future generations to live a life that will bring positive experiences to their lives. Today, many kids in West Cameroon are not going to school. Many businesses are not operating because of the disconnection of the Internet. Many journalists have been thrown into jail for telling the truth and the leaders of the consortium are still languishing in jail for peacefully asking for a system they believe will make their country a better place than they met it. This is surely the price to pay for a better life for all. Nobody gets an omelet without breaking eggs. These unfortunate situations speak to the intolerance of the State that is clearly seeking to crush any opposition or contrary view. Faced with such a situation, West Cameroonians must understand that if they have to post any results, they must make common cause and must avoid focusing on the small picture.

In recent times, some cracks have appeared on the Consortium’s wall. These cracks should not dampen your determination to right the wrongs of the past. Disagreement is as old as man. When people disagree, it is not always because they hate each other. In some cases, it is because all those involved simply want things to be done in a new and innovative way.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with disagreeing, but be advised that when you disagree you must not be disagreeable as such an attitude might ruin a golden idea that is expected to lead an entire people to the land of promise. It is therefore important for the Consortium which, in many minds, is an idea and a spirit, to continue operating as it has over the last three months. It will be appropriate for you, West Cameroonians, to focus on the big picture – the achievement of your goal or whatever that may be – rather than focus on your differences. Let the spotlight or fame not be the reason why you will lay to rest an effort that will transform lives and include your name in your country’s history as one of those who used peaceful civil disobedience to post outstanding results.

Allow me to also point out something that has been disturbing to many observers. In recent times, it has been reported that some West Cameroonians have been destroying state property as a means to demonstrate their frustration with the current state of affairs in the country. Be rest assured that your pain is known world-wide and you must also understand that the property you are destroying is your property too. Regardless of the outcome of your effort, you will need this infrastructure to serve your people and children. In Mamfe, the delegation of education was burned down a few weeks ago. The Mayor’s cars were also destroyed in a similar display of anger. In Akwaya, similar destruction has taken place as the inhabitants of this region seek to let the government understand how angry and frustrated they are following the arrest of Barrister Agbor Nkongho Balla and Judge Paul Ayah, both of whom are illustrious sons of Manyu Division.

In Mile 17 near the city of Buea, several stores were destroyed early this month because the shop-owners failed to respect the call for ghost towns. Yesterday, some angry young men attacked a police station in Mutengene following allegations that a police officer had shot and killed a young man. It was later reported that the police building was not destroyed but police equipment was brought out and burned by the angry mob. While it is easy to understand your anger, it is also disturbing to see young men developing the bad habit of taking the law into their hands. It should be understood that when the dust settles, West Cameroonians will still need the police. No matter how irresponsible some policemen may be, West Cameroonians should never consider these men in uniform as their enemies. Some of them just want to do their job, unfortunately, they have to work with some overzealous colleagues.

The people of West Cameroon should be exemplary. They must listen to the recommendations and principles of the Consortium which clearly believes in peaceful civil disobedience as a means to an end. Resorting to violence only gives criminals an opportunity to have a field day. No anger can justify any destruction of your own property. Do not create a lawless environment out of your struggle as you will be the first victim of such lawlessness.

Accept differences of opinion. Not everybody will be part of your struggle, but never consider such people as your enemies. In every issue, you will always have some people on the fence. They prefer to be onlookers instead of actors. They may share your pain, but might simply not be in agreement with your strategy and approach. You have the burden of persuading them that your approach is as justified as your frustration. Shun violence as it will overshadow your legitimate frustrations. Be a victim of injustice instead of a criminal. Always bear in mind that the road ahead will be long. Manage your expectations, if not, you will be more frustrated and your frustration could easily spill over when the expected results take long to come. Be hopeful. Tomorrow could be a better day. Mine is just a piece of advice. It is your duty to make your dream come true through peaceful means.

Sincerely,

Joachim Arrey

About the Author: The author of this piece has served as a translator, technical writer, journalist and editor for several international organizations and corporations across the globe. He studied communication at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and technical writing in George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. He is also a trained translator and holds a Ph.D

Clashes erupt in South Africa amid xenophobic attacks

24, February 2017

Clashes erupt in South Africa amid xenophobic attacks 0

Police in South Africa have used rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas to scatter people clashing at rival rallies by locals and refugees.

Hundreds of nationals and non-nationals were rallying in separate marches in the capital, Pretoria, on Friday. Police forces had formed lines to keep the two crowds apart. Clashes erupted nevertheless.

The refugees were from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Somalia, and Pakistan. Violence has emerged against refuges in South Africa in recent weeks. Locals have looted and torched houses and shops belonging to the refugees.

A Nigerian refugee (bottom) is attacked outside a church in Pretoria, South Africa, February 18, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

President Jacob Zuma said in a statement on Friday that there had been “threats of violence and acts of intimidation and destruction of property directed at non-nationals.”

“Residents in some communities blame non-nationals for the escalating crimes especially drug trafficking,” the president said, calling on South Africans not to blame migrants for the country’s widespread crime problems, but said the government would crack down on drug-dealing and illegal immigrants.

According to reports, local citizens targeted more than 20 shops in Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria, over the last week. Residents in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg, also attacked at least 12 houses.

“We have decided to not to leave the house [during the anti-migrant march],” said Alain Bome, 47, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has been in South Africa for 14 years. “We know very well there have been attacks. We are scared because we know South Africans.”

Nigerian refugees take cover during an attack by an angry mob outside a church in Pretoria, South Africa, February 18, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

The rise in violence prompted the Nigerian government this week to call for the African Union to step in to stop the “xenophobic attacks” on its citizens in South Africa. Nigeria says at least 20 of its nationals were killed in South Africa last year.

South African authorities, however, rejected the number, saying many violent deaths in the country had occurred due to victims’ own criminal activity. South Africans blame refugees for the country’s near-record unemployment, accusing them of taking jobs from citizens and engaging in crimes.

Presstv

Mutengene: Population at war with police over the killing of a carpenter

24, February 2017

Mutengene: Population at war with police over the killing of a carpenter 7

The people of Mutengene, Tiko sub division in the South West region are still demanding answers from the Police on who killed Chrispo Akem Leku,a carpenter shot last Wednesday night February 22,2017.

It was a tense atmosphere Thursday in that locality of the sub division known for its hostile nature especially during situations like this, heavily armed police officers took over the entire Quarter Two as the Tiko Divisional Officer Che Ngwashi and his collaborators made preliminary investigations. Access into Government Bilingual High School Mutengene was denied as Police have also closed the building which was partially burnt by unidentified men.

Eyewitnesses say Chrispo Akem was killed by a police officer. However, Assistant Police Commissioner for Mutengene, Peter Nusta, observed that there were several versions of who killed the carpenter on that fateful night. While others say he was shot by Police on patrol, others say it was an element of ESIR, Mobile Intervention Unit of the Police.

Though investigations have been opened, the population of Mutengene has promised sleepless nights to the police department if the killer-police is not exposed and brought to justice.

Cameroun Info.Net

Supreme Court President says Cameroun has failed under Biya

24, February 2017

Supreme Court President says Cameroun has failed under Biya 0

The President of the Supreme Court of Cameroun, Lord Justice Daniel Mekobe Sone used the solemn sitting of the judicial recess on February 22nd 2017 and gave a shot at the ills that have rocked the Cameroonian society under Paul Biya. In accordance with article 33 of the law of December 29th determining the organization and functioning of the highest court in the land, Lord Justice Mekobe wondered aloud if Cameroun is governed by the rule of law.

The Supreme Court president avoided statements on the arrest of Lord Justice Ayah Paul Abine and observed that Cameroun was facing an intolerable drift in the rule of law. To illustrate his message that the nation has failed, Lord Justice Daniel Mekobe Sone cited as an example, “people beaten at public places for robbery, the triumph of popular justice, inflation of crapulous crimes, ritual crimes directly or indirectly attributed to individuals suspected of witchcraft, the example of employees who hold their employers hostage in the enterprise, the populations of our villages who barricade roads to claim payment of their compensation, the landlord who remove windows of their tenants, the attitude of some teachers who desert classrooms or amphitheatres to demand improvement in their working conditions or the response to their various demands and the media lynching of honest citizens.

Daniel Mekobe Sone issued the normal CPDM statement that Cameroon remains a state of law. Critics of the speech said the Supreme Court president is a toothless bulldog that barks but cannot bite and that Lord Justice Mekobe is just another ordinary Biya appointee.

Culled from Cameroon Intelligence Report

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