Headline News

3, June 2016

Yaounde: CPDM taxis still in circulation ⁰

In Yaounde, it is common to find township taxis circulating with shattered head lights, door handles fastened with ropes to enable them open or close, worn-out tyres, cracked windscreens, unstable seats and at times, too dirty with cockroaches running on passengers. This unkempt state of cabs in Yaounde has not only left passengers disappointed as they break down in the course of transportation but has also left others injured due to the presence of exposed sharp objects.

Most passengers in Yaounde, can testify on the risk in boarding a cab while wearing a white dress or carrying something delicate. Rose Ebot is one of those who got into a cab and after alighting she could not continue her other activities for the day just because the back of her dress was not only dirty but wet. Rose explained “the moment I stepped out of the taxi, a passer-by called my attention to the fact that my dress was dirty behind. I quickly patted my palms over and moved on thinking it was okay. But later I was made to understand that I was dirty because there was this visible trace of wetness around the buttock region of my dress.” It is at this point that Rose realised that the taxi she had entered was not only dirty but had wet chairs.

There are those who have sustained bruises and wounds because they came in contact with sharp objects in the taxi either from the ramshackle nature of the taxi chair or the instruments the driver has used to either support an old door or the widescreen. Helene B narrates how she sustained a wound on one of her legs as she struggled to alight from a cab. The driver of that cab instead said “be careful not to dirty my car chairs with blood”. In spite of the worrying state of cabs in Yaounde, the appearance of the cab drivers leaves much to be desired. Most cab drivers are very unkempt especially in the morning.

Most passengers say it is unbearable to pick up a cab in the morning because of the odour from the driver who had not even brushed his teeth before leaving his home. Some of them do not even clean their faces talk less of putting on a clean dress, another passenger Ebenye M noted. Only the smell from some taxi driver and the bad state of their taxis has left many wondering. But many people say despite such, they have had no choice but to board such cabs especially when in a hurry. The current decision by the government to clear Cameroonian roads of such taxis as the country awaits the Female African Nations Cup is welcomed.

Cameroon Tribune

3, June 2016

Iran braces for a decisive and difficult confrontation with the US ⁰

A senior military commander says Iran is ready for a “decisive and difficult confrontation” with the US after Hillary Clinton threatens Tehran with military action. Defining her hawkish foreign policy in a speech Thursday in San Diego, Clinton said the US could disarm Iran by military action if she became the president. “Although talk of all options being on the table against Iran is a propaganda show in the United States, the Islamic Iran is prepared for a decisive and difficult confrontation with any American option,” Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran armed forces, said on Friday.

“Our nation and armed forces have never sought a war, but they have not neglected their defensive preparation for a moment,” the commander said. “In case the American military threats are implemented, they (Iranians) are ready to rid humanity of the evil of America’s warmongering and hegemonic policies in a real and direct battle,” he added. In her speech, Clinton took credit for a nuclear agreement that allows Iran to continue its peaceful nuclear program but keeps Clinton’s hypothetical war with Iran on the table.

“The world must understand that the United States will act decisively if necessary, including with military action, to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon,” Clinton said. “In particular, Israel’s security is non-negotiable. They’re our closest ally in the region and we have a moral obligation to defend them,” she added. The nuclear agreement was reached after the UN confirmed the peaceful nature of Iran’s program after years of inspections. A self-imposed ban under a fatwa issued by Iran’s top religious authority prohibits the country from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran’s biggest enemy in the region, Israel, is widely believed to possess the only arsenal of nuclear warheads in the Middle East.

Culled from Presstv

3, June 2016

In or Out: Cameron hits out at Brexiters ⁰

British Prime Minister David Cameron has hit out at ‘Brexiters’ who grilled him during a live TV debate on the future of the United Kingdom in the European Union. The debate aired by Sky News shows Cameron criticizing UK’s possible exit from the EU as an act of “economic self-harm.” Audience in the debate, however, slammed Cameron, accusing him of scaremongering over the impact of quitting the 28-nation bloc.

On thorny issues such as immigration, Cameron said a Brexit was not the solution. “There are good ways of controlling migration and there are bad ways,” Cameron said. On economy, he lashed out at critics of Britain’s continued membership in the EU, saying, “It would be madness to try to do that by trashing our economy and pulling out of the single market.” Cameron conceded, however, that he often found dealings with the EU frustrating. “Sometimes this organization drives me crazy,” he said. “But do I sit there thinking Britain would be better off if we left? Are we quitters? Absolutely not.”

Britain will vote on June 23 on whether or not it should stay in the EU. The decision has far-reaching consequences for both the country and the bloc. Membership of the European Union has been a controversial issue in the UK since the country joined the then European Economic Community in 1973.Those in favor of remaining in the bloc argue that leaving it would risk the UK’s prosperity, diminish its influence over world affairs, and result in trade barriers between the UK and the EU.

On the spectrum, Britons who favor withdrawal believe that outside the bloc, the UK would be better off in conducting its own trade negotiations, better able to control immigration and free from what they believe to be excessive EU regulations and bureaucracy.

Presstv

3, June 2016

5 US marines killed, 4 swept away by flood-swollen creek in Texas ⁰

At least five American soldiers have been killed and four other army troops swept away by a flood-swollen creek in the state of Texas. The Thursday accident happened at Fort Hood when an army troop carrier was washed away from a crossing at Owl Creek, the Texas Army post said. Three soldiers were found dead shortly after their truck was overturned by a swift current of the creek during a morning training exercise.

Two more bodies were found late Thursday night. Three other soldiers were rescued and taken to hospital. Local military spokesman Chris Haug said a search was on for the four soldiers who remain missing. The army did not release the names of the dead as it was still notifying relatives. Parts of Texas have been flooded with rain over the last week, where at least six deaths have been blamed on flooding.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement saying the state “stands ready to provide any assistance to Fort Hood as they deal with this tragedy.” The heaviest downpour Thursday night was reported in LaPorte, on the western shore of Galveston Bay, where several inches of rainfall was recorded between, according to ABC News. This week’s storms are the latest in a string of torrential rains since May 2015 that have put swaths of the state underwater.

Other areas of Texas dealing with heavy rainfall include Bexar County, where San Antonio is located. Meanwhile the rising Colorado River was expected to cause minor flooding in the coming days around Bastrop and La Grange, cities located southeast of Austin, according to the National Weather Service.

Presstv

3, June 2016

US says Boko Haram-Daesh collaboration on a rise ⁰

The rising collaboration between the Daesh and Boko Haram terrorist groups has raised alarms that the two are working together to wreak more havoc in northern and central Africa. US Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, the commander of the US military’s Special Operations in Africa, said Wednesday that a Daesh weapons convoy departing from Libya was intercepted on its way to the Lake Chad region, an area devastated by Boko Haram.

The shipment was seized near the Chadian border with Libya on April 7 and included small-caliber weapons, machine guns and rifles, officials said. US military officials said the convoy hints at a direct link between the two terror groups. Last year, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to Daesh.

Bolduc added that the two groups were also sharing “tactics, techniques and procedures.” Nigerian General Lamidi Oyebayo Adeosun, the commander of the regional group of African countries fighting Boko Haram in the Lake Chad area, echoed Bolduc, adding military officials were still trying to learn more about relations between the two groups.

The disclosure came during a tense series of meetings between Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, and top Chadian officials, including President Idriss Deby. US President Barack Obama has been increasingly asked by some of his top military and intelligence advisers to authorize a broader US military presence in Libya and Nigeria.

Earlier this month, Obama admitted that his “worst mistake” in his presidency has been the mishandling of the crisis in Libya after the US-backed ouster of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The Pentagon has proposed a $200 million budget for this year to train and equip security forces in north, central and west African countries. The US is also constructing a $50 million drone base in Agadez, Niger, that would allow aerial surveillance of the region.

An estimated 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million others made homeless since the beginning of the Boko Haram bloody militancy in Nigeria in 2009. Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden,” has spread its attacks from northeastern Nigeria, its traditional stronghold, to the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Presstv

3, June 2016

Cameroon Mourns a Statesman ⁰

Chief Michael Tabong Kima: The Silent Diplomat Goes Home

The country lost a true patriot and statesman in the person of Chief Michael Tabong Kima, foremost traditional ruler, quintessential diplomat and humanist. The passing of Ambassador Kima, as he was fondly called, is a great national loss; but it is also an occasion for the country to celebrate a truly great life and a man of virtue. A fine technocrat and astute administrator, he was by any measure, a hallmark of integrity in service and post-service life. His immediate constituency – Bakebe village; his family and the nation at large can only take consolation in his sterling qualities and the fact that he lived a most fulfilled life, in both public and private circles. He was a meticulous public servant who stood to be counted when it mattered. His private life was devoted to philanthropy and mentoring the young. His family, friends and the entire nation should be proud of his acclaimed virtues. Such are the memories of outstanding men in history.

A light-hearted man of fulsome humor, who taunted himself even as he did everyone who came around him, Chief Kima was a man of many worlds; a universe of politics, diplomacy, hearty socialization and community service, all neatly woven by a life of quiet philanthropy. What is striking is that his diplomatic career was the by-product of circumstances and a historical accident. In a 2005 interview, he recalled how it all began and paid special tribute to his mentor and former boss, Nzo Ekangaki:

“Nzo Ekangaki was a boss and a friend. Thanks to him, I left Buea for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was a very important person in my life. I was Executive Officer in the Secretariat in Buea in 1962, when he (Nzo) was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister. He came to my little office and did something, which I think others have never done. He spoke in Bayangi; “I have to see you. I (Nzo) have been appointed Deputy Foreign Minister and I have a post – Chief of Cabinet, so I want you (Kima) to come and help me to run this cabinet. I gave him some reasons why I might not be able to fill that office…but as we were talking, he already had my file. Before I could even convince my wife, a decree was published on May 5, 1962, appointing me Chief of Cabinet. And from there, I set sail for further studies on diplomacy and international relations. Subsequently, I was integrated into the career of diplomats. That is why I owe him a lot of gratitude”.

Before his first international posting to the Cameroon embassy in Moscow, as 1^st Secretary, in 1968, he obtained Diplomas in Public Administration and International Relations from the Institute of Social Studies, the Academy of International Law at The Hague, Holland and the Cité Université de Grenoble in France. After three years in Moscow, he was recalled home and later appointed Deputy Director of Protocol and Treaties in 1973. In 1976 he was posted to the Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC, where he was 2^nd then 1^stCounselor and later Chargés d’Affaires. In 1982 he was named Minister Plenipotentiary and Ambassador Extraordinary to Liberia; with accreditation as Head of Mission in Sierra Leone and Guinea.

He returned to Cameroon on February 4, 1984, following his appointment to replace Philemon Yang Yunji as Minister of Mines and Energy; a position he held until May 16, 1988. Amongst his numerous accomplishments, he oversaw the rural electrification of Cameroon. This was his defining legacy to his native Manyu Division and the country at large. As a pioneer member of the central committee and politburo of the ruling CPDM party, Pa Kima was an indomitable political force. It is to this adroitness that as a one-man political powerhouse, he took on the Manyu political establishment and opened up the political space to a younger generation of politicians.

Despite the controversy surrounding his politics, Chief Kima was a kind and humane person; a man of power and means, whose heart was at one with the people. Following his father’s death in 1986, he became 2^ndclass Chief of Bakebe village. In his life-time, his generosity transcended socio-cultural barriers and he was everywhere a peace-maker. Once, at a Manyu parley, then Gov. Oben Ashu tongue-lashed former Gov. Enow Tanjong, for militating in the SDF. The situation degenerated into a shouting match when Pa Tanjong retorted that when he was governor, Oben Ashu was a clerk. It took the energetic efforts of Chief Kima, invoking an Ekpe injunction to prevent an escalation into a fist fight.

After leaving the cabinet, he got another ambassadorial posting to Italy in 1989, where he distinguished himself; becoming the longest serving envoy and Dean of the Diplomatic corps. After 19 years in Italy, by which time his qualification for retirement was no longer a secret, and his continuous stay in office was marked by diminishing returns, the old-horse was given a deserved retirement in 2008. He died May 9, 2016 aged 88.

Born July 5, 1928 in Bakebe, Upper Bayang, Manyu Division, Southwest region, he attended Sasse College and did post-secondary education at Gov’t Clerical Training School Oshogbo, Nigeria where he studied Public Administration. He returned to Cameroon and worked with the Victoria Council. In 1954, he married Frieda Moloke, the love of his life and soulmate for over 60 years, who passed on in 2011. A man of honor; even in death, Chief Kima is survived by four children, nine grandchildren, 12 brothers and sisters, a large extended family and the people of Bakebe and Nkockonock clan.

Chief Kima was an unapologetic traditionalist who lived life to the fullest; his philosophy anchored on his belief that a man is who he is; not what he has! A transdisciplinary intellectual, who gave his diplomatic portfolio a wide social context through his creative output and socio-political engagements, Chief Kima by natural inclination, had time for everybody who came his way, status notwithstanding. That was a mark of his modesty and simplicity. A silent gentleman of quiet decency, sardonic wit and great mentoring skills, he was of that rare breed of Cameroonians, for whom integrity was all. Hence his entire life was a case study in selfless patriotism.

His legacy of personal integrity and patriotism represents a high value system difficult to reestablish in a country embroiled in governance anomie and blatant moral bankruptcy. His life is a lesson for contemporary public servants and a classic example that a person of means, privilege and power can live a fulfilled and happy life serving other people to the best of his ability and satisfaction of his true conscience. Cameroon has lost a quintessential public servant and distinguished personality. Indeed, the nation has lost one of her best. To have known Chief Kima was to value him. Good Nite Your Excellency, you will be sorely missed.

Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai

Harvard Kennedy School of Government

United States of America

2, June 2016

Germany: MPs passes Armenian genocide motion ⁰

The German parliament has approved a resolution recognizing as genocide the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago, in a move which risks damaging ties between Berlin and Ankara. On Thursday, the lower house of the German legislature, Bundestag, voted overwhelmingly for the motion, which is symbolically significant and has no legal effect.

“With one vote against and one abstention, this resolution has been passed by a remarkable majority of the German Bundestag,” said Norbert Lammert, the Bundestag president. Titled “Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916,” the motion was put forward by the ruling left-right coalition and the opposition Greens.

The resolution uses the word “genocide” in the headline and text. It says Germany – the Ottoman Turks’ main military ally at the time – bears some guilt for doing nothing to stop the killings. It also calls on the German government to “encourage” Turkey to “deal openly with the expulsions and massacres” so as to “lay the necessary foundation stone for reconciliation with the Armenian people.”

Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its nationals were killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, but Turkey argues that it was a collective tragedy, during which 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks lost their lives. Yerevan has long sought international recognition of the genocide, but Ankara dismisses the term. Over 20 countries, including France and Russia, have recognized the Armenian genocide.

Reactions to ‘genocide’ resolution.Yerevan praised the recognition, with Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan saying, “Armenia welcomes the adoption of the resolution by the Bundestag.” However, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus denounced the German parliament’s move as “null and void.”

He said on his official Twitter account on Thursday that the “recognition of ‘distorted and groundless’ allegations as ‘genocide’ is a historic mistake.” Kurtulmus further noted that the decision was not beneficial for friendly Ankara-Berlin relations, warning that his country “will give an appropriate response to this decision on every level.”

In addition, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Ankara has recalled its ambassador to Berlin for consultations over what he called a “historic error” by the German legislature. Speaking at a speech in the Turkish capital of Ankara, the premier further blamed a “racist Armenian lobby” for the move by German lawmakers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also warned that the decision “will seriously impact Turkish-German relations.” Speaking during a visit to Kenya, Erdogan said recalling the ambassador for consultations was a “first step,” adding that the Turkish government would consider further steps in response to the vote. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the German embassy in Ankara said Germany’s charge d’affaires has also been summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Culled Presstv

2, June 2016

Photo exhibition in honor of late Minister Peter Agbor Tabi ⁰

A photo exhibition in honour of the late Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency took place at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC). It is said a picture is worth a thousand words. The over two dozen photos exhibited in lecture hall AB2 of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, yesterday June 1, 2016, in honour of late Prof. Peter Agbor Tabi, former Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic and the Board Chairman of the University of Yaounde II, spoke volumes of his stewardship at IRIC as Director as well as Minister of Higher Education.

The pictorial exhibition to pay tribute to the fallen university don was opened by the Secretary General in the Ministry of Higher Education, Prof. Horace Manga Ngomo, in the presence of the Rector of the University of Yaounde II, Soa, Prof. Ibrahima Adamou, staff and students of IRIC. The Director of IRIC, Pierre Emmanuel Tabi, led officials into the exhibition hall where he explained the importance of some of the photos. The pictures essentially showed his administrative life as Director of IRIC, Minister of Higher Education and Honorary Director as well as his academic life as lecturer in the institution.

Some of the pictures as Director of IRIC were taken when he received the then Higher Education Minister, Abdoulaye Babale, the then Deputy Secretary General of Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Tiendreberogo amongst others. Other pictures such as those he chaired a jury of PhD defence and dispensing lectures portrayed his academic life in IRIC. Meanwhile a condolence register has been opened at the Institute.

2, June 2016

Cameroon: Mysterious snake at residence of former Prime Minister ⁰

Scores of panic-stricken inhabitants of Mvog-Atangana Mballa neighbourhood in Yaounde on May 29, 2016, thronged the home of the late former Prime Minister of Cameroon, Charles Asale. This followed news that a mysterious snake had been noticed in a tall tree inside the compound. The snake was reportedly spotted at about 3 pm by some neighbours and members of the nearby Jehovah Witness Church.

One of the Christians said after service, they went out for evangelism. They were praying not far from the area when they were alerted by the shouts of neighbours who said there was a snake at the top of one of the trees in the compound. They immediately informed family members who in turn called in Fire Fighters. Even though some people claimed to have seen a big black snake in the tree, many others said they saw nothing. The only thing they could see was a dark bundle on one of the branches which some alleged was the snake that had “suddenly changed into the bundle!”

Also crows were seen flying on top of the tree, with some onlookers suggesting that it was the sign of the presence of a serpent nearby. Efforts by Fire Fighters to flush out the said snake with water hoses failed. After about two hours of trying, the officers returned to base to refill their tanks, while waiting for any further alert. Some neighbours said that the recent demolition of a portion of the fence and structures around the compound of the Asale’s by the Yaounde City Council might have forced the mysterious snake out of its hideout into the tall tree.

2, June 2016

Cameroon: June parliamentary session begins ⁰

The 2^nd Ordinary Session of Parliament for the 2016 Legislative Year has been convened for Thursday June 2, 2016. Ahead of the opening session, preparations are intensifying at the Senate and the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House of the National Assembly to ensure a hitch-free session. At the Conference Centre, the Senate is scheduled to hold in its traditional chamber in spite of ongoing rehabilitation works on the edifice.

When the nation’s national daily, Cameroon Tribune visited the Conference Centre yesterday May 30, 2016, the inner-chamber of one of the auditoriums of the venue where plenary sessions usually take place was being arranged to host Senate deliberations. Staff of the Congress Centre were busy packing out conference chairs in order to clean the red carpet and rearrange the hall with the usual chairs and tables adapted to the Senate setting.

One of the workers, Jerome Bangu, observed that they had two days (yesterday and today) to prepare the hall for the Senate. The air conditioning and sound systems were also being verified to ensure they are functioning. Bangu added that they will also prepare space to serve as offices for the General Secretariat, which was relocated to the ARMP Building in the Dragages neighbourhood in Yaounde.

At the National Assembly, all is almost set as final touches are being carried out to prepare the Hemicycle and the Committee rooms for the 2rd Ordinary Session of Parliament. A preparatory meeting of the different departments of the National Assembly reportedly held on May 24, 2016 to identify pitfalls during the last session and propose corrective measures for the upcoming session. Emphasis during the meeting was laid on security, lodging, restauration and logistics, so as to ensure a smooth session.

Source: Cameroon Tribune