Headline News

14, February 2017

11 killed in series of violent clashed in Congo-Kinshasa ⁰

At least 11 people have been killed in a series of violent clashes between the army and fighters loyal to a slain militia chief in central Democratic Republic of the Congo, a local activist says.

Jean Rene Tshimanga, a local activist, said that the clashes took place between the DR Congo soldiers and the militia loyal to a traditional chief killed in fighting with security forces last year. He added that the violence occurred near the town of Tshimbulu in Kasai-Central Province on Monday.

“This morning, we learned again that (the militia) attacked the men in uniform [who] repelled them,” Tshimanga, the president of the Civil Society of Kasai-Central Province, said. The activist did not specify how many of the dead were militia members and how many army soldiers.

The town, where the army killed more than 60 militia members in fighting last Friday, has been the scene of constant clashes between the soldiers and armed groups over the past few months. Similar clashes in recent months have killed hundreds and uprooted thousands across the troubled region.

Presstv

14, February 2017

Southern Cameroons unrest: Mamfe gov’t building torched as arrest protests rage ²

Violent reactions are reportedly increasing in Manyu Division over the arrest and continued detention of Lord Justice Ayah Paul of the Supreme Court of Cameroon and the Chairman of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, Barrister Agbor Felix Nkongho.

The people of Manyu have declared their unflinching support for the interim leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and have vowed to counter violence with violence. On the 11^th of February, some angry youths burnt down two vehicles belonging to the mayor of Mamfe and on Monday the 13^th of February, the Divisional Delegation of Basic Education for Manyu was set ablaze following what the people termed provocation from the Divisional Delegate, Mr. Arreyngang Haman.

Tracks had been distributed in Mamfe town calling on every Manyu citizen to follow the instructions of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and boycott Youth Day celebrations. Arreyngang Haman who defied the 11th Feb boycott and marched alone in front of the colonial SDO for Manyu was targeted by an angry mop. The said delegate has been quoted as saying that he did not march alone. However, Consortium sources in Mamfe say, Mr. Arreyngang is not a youth and will remain a target until the struggle is won.

Manyu Division has had a long history of romance with the Biya Francophone regime and has always ended up with nothing. Ever since independence, the people of Akwaya the home constituency of Lord Justice Ayah Abine have never been linked by road to the rest of Manyu. All what Manyu political elites claimed to have done for their area ranges from plain fiction to the most absurd.

By Eyong Johnson

13, February 2017

Biya Francophone Politics: One year after, Still No Laptops ⁰

Laptops were not promised only to Anglophone students!! It was a gift from the Head of State Paul Biya to all university students in Cameroon. The Biya gesture was made public on the 10^th of February 2016 following his address to the youths of the nation last year. Students now say they are disappointed that they are not yet in possession of these machines.

On the 10^th of February 2017 and in the presence of 5 members of government, students from the University of Yaoundé 1 asked for the computers that the Head of State promised to offer them. The students had assembled at the Amphi 700 to listen to the Youth Day address of the Head of State and they expressed their disappointment and disapproval of the 84 year-old leader.

In front of the cabinet ministers, the predominantly Francophone student audience shouted immediately the broadcast of the speech came to an end “What about the computers he promised on this same day last year? No no ! He still forgot about our computers. We are disappointed; all students were waiting for these computers.”

The Minister of Communication made matters worse when he noted to the angry student community that “I want to reassure you that you will be in possession of the computers. It is a question of preparing them. The Government was not obliged to make this offer to you. It’s because you’re an android generation, you’ll have them. “

Yves Emvudu Wono, head of the IT department of the Ministry of Higher Education, recently said that the computers would be distributed during the academic year. A leading opposition figure in Yaounde was quoted as saying that even a small business center in Douala is capable of supplying Cameroon will a million laptop computers.

However, Speaking of the state of progress of this project, Mr Emvudu Wono said: “the first part including all the administrative procedures has been finalized. Cameroon has already fulfilled all its specifications. All those involved, namely the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, the Caisse Autonome d’Amortissement and the Prime Minister’s office have already fulfilled their part in this long procedure. The other stage concerns universities. It was necessary for the Ministry of Higher Education to develop the modus operandi and discuss it with the heads of these academic institutions. Now these institutions are working to produce the list of beneficiary students. As for our third step, the Chinese designer started manufacturing these machines. We must speed up the preparation of the lists. We should not be late when the computers are available. “

As a reminder, it was during his speech on the 10^th of February 2016 that the Head of State made the announcement of the donation of computers to students of state universities. Jacques Fame Ndongo, the Minister of Higher Education, added that the objective of the project was to provide 500,000 Cameroonian students with computer tools to link them to the digital university economy.

By Chi Prudence Asong

13, February 2017

Biya turns 84: A birthday of many dangers ¹

President Paul Biya is celebrating his eighty-four (84) birthday today, February the 13th, 2017. The Cameroonian dictator has reportedly spent some fifty years in Cameroon’s top administration and nearly 35 as Head of State. Biya’s birthday celebrations have been marred by the Anglophone crisis and the lack of electricity and drinking water in his home constituency over the past weeks.

After surviving a controversial coup attempt in April 1984, the violent demonstrations during the advent of multi-party politics in 1990 including the 2008 hunger riots and the war against the Nigerian Islamist sect, Boko Haram, Biya’s regime is now confronting one of the greatest challenges in its history-the Anglophone uprising.

Originally a trade union affair, the Anglophone issue has quickly and very clearly evolved and turned out to be political in nature. To be sure, Southern Cameroons demands have moved from a two-state federalism to complete and total secession. The struggle headed by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has received the support of every single West Cameroonian both at home and in the Diaspora including Senator Mafany Musonge, Minister Atanga Nji and Mayor Ekema Patrick.

Publicly, the 84 year-old Francophone politician affirmed the uniqueness and indivisibility of Cameroon. He, in a typical Francophone arrogance boasted that the country, “will remain one and indivisible.” Biya described Southern Cameroons freedom fighters as “extremists” and “separatists” and observed that they were exercising violence against their compatriots who want to enjoy the right to education and who do not adhere to the slogan of disobedience. He added in his message to the youth that “The State shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the exercise of this right [of education] is respected.”

However, Cameroon Intelligence Report has been informed that the socio-political situation in West Cameroon is so worrying and has limited Mr. Biya’s numerous private trips abroad. We got intelligence that he is planning to reshuffle both his cabinet and the political bureau of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate in order to win the support of the Anglophones. Our informant also hinted that Etoudi is now monitoring the happenings in the Central African Republic very meticulously. Biya attempted to name a replacement for his man, the late General Tumenta to head the UN force in Bangui, but the French outsmarted him and gotten a Senegalese army general. The too many internal and external crises are weakening the regime in Yaoundé.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

13, February 2017

UN Special Rapporteur calls on Yaounde to restore internet services in Anglophone Cameroon ³

A United Nations expert has called on the Government of Cameroon to restore internet services to predominantly English-speaking parts of the country which have been cut off in what he termed “an appalling violation of their right to freedom of expression.”

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye said “I am particularly concerned at the tightening of the space for free speech at a time where its promotion and protection should be of the utmost importance.”

His call follows reports that Cameroonians in the Northwest and Southwest regions, which are predominantly English speaking, have been unable to connect to the internet since 17 January. It also comes against a background of widespread protests against government policies which have reportedly marginalized the country’s English-speaking population.

Cameroon has two official languages: French and English. But English speakers have long reported that they face discrimination and marginalization, and are excluded from top civil service positions and public services. They also complain their access to justice is limited because the majority of legislation and judicial proceedings are in French.

According to Mr Kaye, a network shutdown of this scale violates international law – it not only suppresses public debate, but also deprives Cameroonians of access to essential services and basic resources.

In 2016, the Human Rights Council passed a resolution which unequivocally condemned measures to intentionally prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online in violation of international human rights law, and called on all States to refrain from and cease such measures.

This followed the 2015 Joint Declaration of UN and regional experts in the field of freedom of expression, which stated that network shutdowns or internet ‘kill switches’ are measures which can ‘never be justified under human rights law’. Reports say the UN Special Rapporteur will continue to monitor developments in Cameroon closely, and is at the disposal of the authorities to provide assistance or advice as required.

CIN

13, February 2017

Angola: President dos Santos orders probe after stampede kills 17 ⁰

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has ordered a probe into the cause of a deadly stampede at a football stadium during a match that left at least 17 people dead and nearly 60 more injured. The presidential decree was issued late on Friday following the stampede that occurred earlier in the day at a stadium in the northern city Uige where hundreds of fans rushed towards the stadium’s gates.

“I express my solidarity with the families of the deceased and have instructed the Provincial Government of Uige to provide all necessary assistance to the injured,” he said in a statement.

Dos Santos said he had given “guidance to the competent authorities to open an inquiry that will establish the cause of this serious incident.” Panic spread through a crowd of fans during a match between Santa Rita de Cassia and Recreativo de Libolo football clubs in Angola’s domestic league season, local media said. “There was a blockage at the entrance to the January 4 stadium… this obstruction caused multiple fatalities — 17 deaths, and there are 56 injured in the hospital,” police spokesman Orlando Bernardo told AFP.

There were an unknown number of children among those killed in the stampede, and that hospitals were still treating those wounded, he added. Police authorities said hundreds of fans had attempted to gain entry into the already-packed stadium to watch the match, leading to a crush that pushed some people to the ground. Many of those killed were reportedly trampled to death or had suffocated. According to a statement published on the website of the Recreativo de Libolo club, “while the players were on the field, outside fans were trying to get into the stadium.”

“A gate probably gave way to the pressure of the crowd causing several people to fall who were literally trampled on by the crowd,” it added. The Portuguese news agency Lusa cited the president of the Uige-based host team Santa Rita de Cassia as saying that local security forces were to blame for lack of crowd control.

Pedro Nzolonzi cited serious police error in letting the people so close to the field. “Many of them did not want to pay and those who had tickets could not get in. Then the confusion began,” he said. “It is all the fault of the police. It was easy to avoid. They just need to extend the safety cordon,” he added. The country’s sports ministry also called on the local football association as well as provincial officials to conduct investigations into the tragic incident, according to state news agency Angop.

Presstv

13, February 2017

US: Trump’s mental health questioned ⁰

US President Donald Trump’s mental health is a source of great concern for some of his Republican colleagues, says a senator. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democratic lawmaker, made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” released on Sunday.

Asked by the host if it is “true that Republican colleagues of yours express concerns about President Trump’s mental health,” Franken replied, “A few… There’s not a majority of them.” Franken, who is a possible Democratic candidate for the US 2020 presidential candidate further outlined some of the “lies” that could prompt others to think so.

“We all have this suspicion that, you know, he lies a lot. He says things that aren’t true. That’s the same as lying, I guess,” Franken said. “You know, 3 [million] to 5 million people voted illegally,” added the Democraic senator, referring to Trump’s claims that he lost the popular vote against Hillary Clinton because of widespread voter fraud. His critics have on several occasions called for evidence of such fraud but to no avail. “That is not the norm for a president of the United States or actually for a human being,” Franken noted.

Presstv

13, February 2017

Consortium halts its Monday ghost town operation ⁰

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has halted its Monday ghost town operation. The interim leaders hinted that Southern Cameroonians deserve a day off following the massive civil disobedience campaign that disrupted Youth Day celebrations throughout the Anglophone regions. The interim leaders in a statement released late yesterday observed that ghost towns will return tomorrow Tuesday the 14^th of February 2017.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has gotten the endorsements of senior Southern Cameroons groups including the religious leaders. Tapang Ivo and Mark Bareta on Sunday said they had halted today’s ghost town after very intensive and productive discussions with the operation command of the Consortium in both the Buea and Bamenda provinces of West Cameroon. The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium will however, use the time today to monitor minute by minute the trial of the detained leaders; Dr Agbor Felix Nkongho and Dr. Neba Fontem that opens today in Yaoundé.

The Consortium leaders have warned La Republique that “If no word comes from the Biya Francophone regime on the independence of Southern Cameroons soonest, we will prove to the world what really demonstrations mean.” There have been fears among prominent Francophone political elites that the Anglophone protests could lead to widespread civil disobedience.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium leaders, who are now pushing for an independent state for Southern Cameroons, said they were suspending the ghost town only for today to allow Southern Cameroons to get some rest. However, the Francophone political elites have warned that the Biya regime will not accept any proposal to hold talks with the outlawed Consortium. Cameroun government Minister of Communication said that any talks outside what the regime wants will be contrary to the Constitution.

A prominent Southern Cameroons barrister was quoted as saying “We are not going to accept dialogue with any Biya emissary because our Southern Cameroons sovereignty is not vested in the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo government.”

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

12, February 2017

Chelsea FC legend Didier Drogba meets Ghanaian Head of State ⁰

Ivorian and Chelsea FC legend, Didier Drogba recently paid a surprise visit to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. The Ghanaian Head of State himself announced the visit on his Face Book page with the precision that “… the legend of Chelsea football club Didier Drogba, paid me a surprise visit at the presidency in Accra.”

In the published photo, both men greeted with smiles on their faces. Nothing has so far filtered from the presidency about the visit of Drogba to Akufo-Addo.

By Chi Prudence Asong

12, February 2017

French police stealing homeless refugees’ blankets in freezing conditions ⁰

French police are stealing blankets and sleeping bags from refugees who are forced to sleep in freezing conditions in Paris, says a report. According to an exclusive report published by The Independent on Saturday, police in the French capital are also using teargas on men, women and children refugees and “violently” forcing them out of the city.

Several Eritrean families said that police told them to “get out of France” while officers took their blankets in terrible weather conditions, with temperatures reaching below -7 degrees Celsius.

“While we were there we witnessed the police taking people’s belongings – some in the night, some in the daytime – it’s quite a visible phenomenon,” said the deputy director of the Refugee Rights Data Project, Natalie Stanton. “The same night the government announced a plan to keep everyone warm, we witnessed police picking up blankets and putting them in a big rubbish bin on the back of a truck, then driving away,” she added.

According to the report, around two thirds of the refugees interviewed said they were woken in the middle of the night by police and forced to relocate. Around half of those interviewed reported the incident as being violent.

One middle-aged man said that the police had kicked him so hard that he was forced to stay in hospital for 20 days. Some others said that the police used teargas against them when they did not immediately comply. “If we question them or say we have nowhere to go, they bring out the teargas,” said an Afghan refugee.

Refugees queue up in front of the refugee reception platform of France Terre d’asile NGO on boulevard de la Villette, northern Paris on January 26, 2017. (Photos by AFP)

“Some people had such horrendous experiences during their journeys that it’s just another problem,” said Stanton, noting that most of the refugees were “shocked” by the treatment they received in France. “They were thinking they would have somewhere safe to sleep,” she added.

Over 340 refugees and people displaced by war in their countries — staying on the streets of Paris’s La Chapelle district — were interviewed for the report. Most hailed from Afghanistan, the rest were from mainly African nations.

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