22, June 2018
Southern Cameroons Crisis: Biya regime launches emergency humanitarian plan 0
The PM on June 20, 2018 gave details on the strategy and how the money will be raised to restore a conducive environment for the socio-economic development of the affected areas.
People and structures affected in one way or the other by the close to two-year socio-political crisis raging on in the North West and South West Regions will receive multifaceted assistance from an Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan put in place by government with instructions from the Head of State, Paul Biya. Prime Minister Head of Government, Philemon Yang, launched the Contingency Plan in Yaounde yesterday June 20, 2018 in a ceremony at the Cabinet Meeting Hall of the Star Building hugely attended by Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and some elite of the restive regions.
Setting The Base
The Head of Government used the launching ceremony to remind the attendees of the atrocities committed thus far by terrorists since the second quarter of 2016 when legitimate concerns on the functioning of the Common Law System and the English System of Education were hijacked by lawbreakers to wreak havoc on the population and government structures. Prime Minister Yang notably highlighted the attacks on security forces, administrative and traditional authorities as well as acts of arson that have left far-reaching consequences on the population. For instance, he said as at June 11, 2018, some 123 attacks had been perpetuated on security officers causing 84 deaths, cases of arson on some 120 schools in the North West and South West Regions as well as some 15 attacks on traditional rulers. Cases of children being forced into the terrorists forces, racketeering, looting, rape and gruesome killing of citizens by the terrorists, the PM said, were regrettable and could not leave the Head of State indifferent. This as it created a serious humanitarian crisis that today requires substantial resources to guarantee a promising future for the affected population.
Telling Statistics
The Prime Minister disclosed that so far, the two regions have registered over 74,966 internally displaced persons from the crisis. 8,554 for the North West and 66,412 for the South West. He said children who could not brave the odds in the regions took refuge in others to pursue education thanks to which they successfully sat end-of-course and year examinations.
Priority Areas of the Emergency Plan
QIt emerged from the Head of Government’s presentation that priority will be given to the protection of displaced persons, healthcare, education, the resumption of economic and agricultural activities and housing among others. Restoring a conducive environment favourable to the return to normalcy of the socio-economic development of the affected areas, promotion of social cohesion and living together, he added, will be given due consideration. Mr Yang disclosed that emphasis will be given to the rehabilitation of health structures either destroyed or abandoned likewise school edifices that equally suffered the same fate before the resumption of the next academic year. Meanwhile, farm inputs will be dished out to the affected population to boost agro-pastoral activities which have been the mainstay of the affected population.
The Funds And Sources
The Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan, the Head of Government said, needs FCFA 12,716,500,000 to attain set objectives. The money, he added, will come from the State budget, call for national and international solidarity as well as assistance from development partners. An Ad Hoc Committee placed under the Minister of Territorial Administration will pilot the plan to fruition. The Prime Minister will flag off the fundraising in Yaounde this June 21, 2018.
Talking points on the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan for the North West and South West regions
1. The socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions started with some concerns raised by some lawyers and teachers of English expression in the two Regions.
2. The Government has been taking measures to dialogue with representatives of the two socioprofessional groups. Two Ad Hoc Committees were created to this effect in November 2016, on the instruction of the Head of State.
3. The Head of State took important measures to respond to the concerns raised by the teachers and lawyers of English expression. The Head of State has provided more than what was requested.
4. Representatives of the teachers’ trade unions have continued to dialogue with the Government.
5. The President of the Republic went further and created the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (NCPBM) which is currently at work.
6. Terrorists have transformed such legitimate concerns into an opportunity to create terror in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
7. Acts of terrorism are directed on schools, economic activities, security forces, and administrative and traditional authorities.
8. These acts of terror have resulted in the death of many security officials: 84 deaths have been recorded.
9. The Head of State is working to restore peace and security in the two Regions in line with the laws and regulations in force.
10. Terrorist activities have led to internal displacement of some people, while others have sought refuge in foreign neigbouring and friendly country.
11. Under the authority of the President of the Republic, the Government is responding to the problem of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and wishes to increase support measures in collaboration with its partners and people of good will.
12. In the face of these challenges, the Head of State has instructed the putting in place of the Emmergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan for the North West and South West Regions, placed under the supervision of the Minister of Territorial Administration, with a budget of 12.7 billion CFAF.
13. The call for solidarity and generosity to finance this humanitarian plan is not new to Cameroonians. A similar show of solidarity and generosity was recorded in the case of the humanitarian crisis caused by Boko Haram
14. The following areas have been identified as priority: protection of displaced persons, food and basic needs, healthcare, education, the resumption of the economic and agricultural activities, housing, and the reconstitution of individual administrative documents.
Culled from Cameroon Tribune
23, June 2018
US throws weight behind Cameroon’s humanitarian plan for Southern Cameroons 0
The US says it may support a humanitarian plan unveiled by the Cameroonian government aimed at responding to the crisis in the north west and south west regions of the country. The authorities in Yaoundé outlined a 19-million-euro project to carry out reconstruction as well as provide food and basic necessities including blankets and mattresses.
“The United States commends the Cameroonian government for taking the initiative to address the problem of humanitarian assistance and access in the north west and south west regions,” said US Ambassador Peter Barlerin.
“We will be examining the proposal closely with a view towards considering how we may be able to support it. We call on both sides to renounce further violence and urge broad-based dialogue with no pre-conditions,” according to a statement sent to RFI.
Cameroon’s Prime Minister Philemon Yang on Wednesday presented a report detailing the government’s assessment of the crisis in the Anglophone regions. The humanitarian aid package will be paid for through the state budget, a national solidarity fund and contributions from international partners, according to the 23-page report.
The package includes 7.6 million euros for reconstruction, 5.7 million euros for food and 4.7 million euros for basic necessities such as blankets and mattresses.
Almost 75,000 people have been internally displaced by violence in the Anglophone regions, according to the government report. In addition, more than 20,000 people from the north west and south west regions have registered as refugees in neighbouring Nigeria, according to the UN refugee agency.
The government report also blamed armed separatists for the violence in the Anglophone regions, attributing the deaths of some 84 members of the security forces to assassinations and several decapitations.
“These terrorist groups have carried out a number of crimes, executions,” Prime Minister Yang said during the presentation of the report in Yaoundé. “The terrorists have notably attacked the education sector, economic activity, the security forces, administrative and traditional authorities as well as civilians,” he added.
The Cameroonian authorities said the Anglophone separatists had burned schools, recruited child soldiers, committed rape and spread disinformation and fake news designed to promote “imaginary atrocities” carried out by the security forces.
However, the separatists, who are fighting for the establishment of an independent state called Ambazonia, rejected the government’s accusations, despite taking credit for the killing of Cameroonian security forces.
“If there have been military deaths within the conflict, we have no apology to give Cameroon about the deaths of its terrorist forces within Ambazonia,” said Cho Ayaba, leader of the Ambazonia Governing Council. The Ambazonia Governing Council is linked to the Ambazonia Defence Forces, one of the armed groups involved in clashes with the security forces.
“Armed separatists are not responsible for the burning of schools,” Ayaba told RFI in a telephone interview, saying that the separatists do not use child soldiers or incite hatred via social media.
“It’s a laughable plan,” Ayaba said of the government’s humanitarian proposal. “It invades, it shatters communities, deprives them of their livelihood, burns down their means of survival, chases them out of their homes and then throws a bone and hopes that, like hungry dogs, they’ll fight over it.”
Rights group Amnesty International has accused both sides of being responsible for rights abuses since a spike in violence in the Anglophone regions.
The Amnesty report accused the separatists of being responsible of the burning down of at least 42 schools. But also levelled allegations at the security forces, blaming them for targeting whole villages in the north west and south west regions.
Amnesty described the response to the Anglophone crisis as “heavy-handed” with the army and police responsible for unlawful killings, extra-judicial executions, destruction of property, arbitrary arrests and torture.
The crisis in the Anglophone regions of the country began with protests demanding the use of the English language in classrooms and courts. But since last October it has escalated with the self-declaration of independence for so-called Ambazonia. Separatists with basic weapons and little training have clashed with Cameroonian security forces.
Source: RFI