As many as 70 West Cameroonians were arrested yesterday Sunday the 5^th of February 2017 in Bamenda and Buea by plain cloth police officers deployed from French Cameroun as part of an ongoing protest calling on the Biya administration to accept a return to the 1961 federal structure which would deliver fairness and put an end to the marginalization of Anglophone Cameroonians.

An estimated 4 million Southern Cameroonians have signed up to hold sit-ins and commit other acts of civil disobedience as demanded by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium until all demands made by the body are met by the Francophone political elites. A majority of Southern Cameroonians boycotted the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON as a sign of protest and solidarity with all those raped and killed including the many hundreds now in detention centers in French speaking Cameroun. Our chief intelligence officer has revealed that over 700 Southern Cameroonians have so far been arrested.

The Biya Francophone regime issued a political statement at the end of the AFCON final which saw Cameroon beating Egypt by 2 goals to 1 in Libreville Gabon. The Cameroonian footballers were ordered to wear jerseys bearing the message “Forever Cameroon” reportedly seen in West Cameroon as a sign of bad faith and incessant provocation.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has announced a massive ghost town protest beginning today Monday, the 6^th of February and the supreme Anglophone body says, the civil disobedience campaign will be intensified to stifle 11 of February nationwide celebration.  Academic establishments remain closed in West Cameroon despite numerous vicious attempts to get them running again by the Francophone government.

Yaoundé has blatantly refused to dialogue and is currently carrying out a form of ethnic cleansing in Southern Cameroons. Recently, senior political elites from the South West region encouraged the semi Bantus and Bantu tribes to launch attacks against the Tikars of the North West region. The group that was led by former Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge made a mockery of themselves by trying to trivialize the Southern Cameroons revolution.

Also joining the protest are both Francophone and Southern Cameroons indigenous business community leaders whose businesses have been paralyzed ever since the Biya regime shut down internet services in the Anglophone regions.  Both the Roman Catholic and the Presbyterian Churches in Cameroon have joined in calling on the Francophone dominated government to stop the extra judicial killings and arbitrary arrest going on and proceed with genuine dialogue to resolve the matter.

Meanwhile, some renowned Francophone political commentators have opined that at 83, President Biya is no more physically and mentally fit to run the country. They emphasize what they say are the political and economic benefits to Cameroon as a nation, if there were to be real dialogue with the leadership of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

Tension is reportedly mounting and there are already calls for an armed struggle as the Biya Francophone administration remains undecided whether to approve dialogue with the leadership of Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.  The interim leaders of the Consortium were quoted as saying that “This is the first real Southern Cameroons ghost town of this scale against marginalization in ages.”

We are keeping a watchful eye on today’s ghost town operations and we will bring to you all the latest developments as we have it.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Former political commentator with the Cameroon radio and television, Lawrence EyongEchaw has broken the silence he maintained ever since the Anglophone uprising started in 2016. Larry Eyong who also moonlighted as the Shadow Minister of Communication for the Social Democratic Front posted on his Face Book page an endorsement of the leadership of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. In this soul-searching write-up, Larry argues that there are no anointed ones and that some people need to get over themselves:

For nearly a quarter century, the restoration of the independence of Southern Cameroons has been spearheaded by, a desultory consternation of mutually antagonistic, and self –serving organizations, with larger-than-life leaders, who are more concerned with undercutting one another, than creating the synergy for the realization of the goal of liberating the people.

Paradoxically, the upstarts leading the rival liberation movements, operate in the same monolithic political culture that they condemn in the leader of “La Republique du Cameroun”, with each leaders, perpetuating himself as, “Leader of the People of the Southern Cameroons’, like Kim Il Sung, in North Korea, and Moi Tse Tung in China.

Like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, each believes that because he make so much sacrifice for the liberation struggle, he has carte blanche to run roughshod against the participatory democratic principles that we cherish and want to restore in the Southern Cameroons.

Early in the life of the movement in the Diaspora-which has become the spear of the nation- there was an existentialist debate, about whether to support fugitives of “La Republique du Cameroun” who were seeking asylum in the United States, or to allow these fugitives to swim or drown by their own devices.

Ironically, the decision to extend our support to the fugitives, created the financial wherewithal to support some of our leaders who were languishing in the dungeons of “La Republique du Cameroun’. But, in a classic case of, killing the goose that laid the golden egg, some of these leaders, out of egotism and the need to enhance their credibility in the eyes of the world, decided to substitute themselves for the immigration authorities of Western countries, by wanting to personally vet those who claimed to be fugitives of the struggle.

Fortunately, the laws of these countries afford the opportunity, for a case by case, evaluation of the factual basis of each émigré’s claim, resulting in the acceptance of a huge number of émigrés, who are now the backbone sustaining the struggle in the Diaspora, to the extent that the regime is suspending social media, and sending marksmen to the West, to physically eliminate some émigrés and scare others.

Yet, the self-proclaimed leaders of the Southern Cameroons Independence movement must remember that, but for the ingenuity of these compatriots who have settled in the West, and are able to make financial contributions to the struggle, they would not have audiences to deliver speeches and extol their exploits in the struggle.

The regime in Yaounde had become comfortable with the consternation of rabble-rousers who were rivaling each other, in claiming legitimacy in leading the liberation movement. This would generally enhance their negotiating position and increase their bribe offer with the Yaounde regime.

But when a new organization was borne with leadership that had the bona fides to leverage the momentum that had been created by the “coffin revolution” back home, the factional leaders of the Southern Cameroons resorted to a scorched earth policy of distraction, disorientation, division and doubt that was intended to result in desperation and despair in the people of the Southern Cameroons in the Diaspora.

Fortunately, Southern Cameroonians are able to see through these smokescreens and maintain their eyes on the prize. Outrageous and unfounded accusations have been levied against people who had a pioneering role in advocating for multi-party democracy in Cameroon, and spending time in the Kondengui maximum security prison, for being agents of the Yaoundé government.

The reality is that, some Southern Cameroonian leaders, who have developed a bunker –mentality are scared of new leadership with the wisdom and connections to take the struggle to greater heights. These Machiavellian machinations have already failed as the bulk of Southern Cameroonians have vowed to support the new leader, ready to put his ingenuity at the service of the people of the Southern Cameroons.

By Larry Eyong

The interim leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium have dismissed reports over state radio and television calling off the strike. The leaders say, the government succeeded in getting signatures of some insignificant members of one of the teachers’ trade unions and claimed that the Consortium had agreed to stop the strikes and the civil disobedience campaign. The leaders have announced a ghost town operation for Monday and maintained that all schools should remain closed.

Inside sources deep within the Consortium hinted our Buea undercover reporter that it is the people’s revolution and only the detained leaders have legitimate authority to call off the strikes. The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium is pushing for a highly publicized sit-in civil disobedience on the 11^th of February.  Approximately eight teachers met with CPDM agents from Yaoundé and traded their signatures for blood money.

The Consortium maintains that the Francophone government has been ineffective and biased because it is tied to Anglophone political elites who are not the genuine representatives of Southern Cameroonians. The leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, who began the sit-in action in 2016, said that since no progress has been made schools will not resume until a proper agreement is reach between the Francophone political elites and the people of Southern Cameroons.

The interim leaders noted that they were pleased with the South West reaction against the Buea Musonge meeting that attempted to invoke the North West/South West Divide tactics.  Southern Cameroonians have held rallies in major cities in the West to generate support for the struggle and the West Cameroon cause, attracting thousands to the resistance.

Biya is reportedly feeling the pressure and is now taking the issue a lot more seriously. During a ceremony held in honour of the 4 senior army officials who died when their helicopter crashed in the Far North region, the 83 year-old leader appealed for unity.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

President Biya will for the first time since the outbreak of the war against the Nigerian Islamic sect, Boko Haram, be present at a ceremony of tributes to military officers engaged in the defense of the national borders, specifically those deceased in the helicopter crash on January 22nd in the Far North region.

Cameroon Intelligence Report has been informed that the 83 year-old is under pressure from the French to begin a transition program that will get the nation out of its current stalemate and confused identity.  According to the official program, Biya will get to the military headquarters at 11 am on Friday the 3^rd of February 2017.

 The Chief Executive will hand over the attributes and honorary attributions, posthumously to the four soldiers who died in the helicopter crash. The final journey of the four senior Cameroon officers began yesterday with an interfaith ceremony where the participants prayed for the souls of the departed.

The remains of Brigadier General Jacob Kodji, Colonel Alphonse Kameni, Lieutenants Brice Nchinda and Basil Sulukna, will be transferred to their burial sites after the ceremony.

Culled from CIR

Inhabitants of Buea Sub Division in the South West Region are still wondering what could have caused the fire outbreak Monday night which ravaged some shops in a mall at Mile 17.  Some pro government reports have suggested that the owners were being punished for operating during Ghost Town. Cameroun Info.Net reported that the content of over half a dozen of Council shops at Mile 17,the main entrance into the town of Buea went into flames Monday night January 30,2017 and police are yet to establish the cause of the fire.

While the people of Buea say it must have been carried out by some disgruntled Cameroonians for the non respect of the civil disobedience campaign organized by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, others say it may have been a diabolic harsh ploy by Council authorities to have reasons for sealing shops and victimized opponents of the regime.

Most of the shops destroyed by fire were trading on Monday when others remained closed.  According to shop owners they were afraid of threats from Mayor Patrick Ekema Esunge who had been parading in town sealing shops that were respecting the Ghost Town Operation. Meanwhile one of the taxis bought by the Mayor to counter the Ghost Town has been set ablaze by an unknown man. The passenger alighted from the taxi and set the back sit on fire before running away.

Cameroun Info.net

Growing frustration accentuated by internal rivalry and personality conflicts has left Biya and his cabinet in shambles following the successful on-going civil disobedience campaign in British Southern Cameroons. With age telling on the chief executive and his health now being discussed by hard-liners of the regime, the shutting down of internet services and the arrest of the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium provoked a backlash and has divided even members of the political bureau of the ruling CPDM party.

Some supporters of the One and Indivisible Cameroun philosophy were heard murmuring privately that the decision to disconnect internet services and the arrest of Anglophone senior judges was a deliberate attempt by some Beti Ewondo political elites to rob the regime of knowledgeable and legitimate Anglophone support for President Biya. Conversely, politicians from the Northern regions have been having a field day secretly celebrating the end of the Biya hegemony.

The confusion within the Biya governing council it should be recalled was provoked by the arrogance displayed by Ministers Jacques Fame Ndongo, Laurent Esso and a certain Paul Ghogomu Minglo of the Ad Hoc Committee. Confusing signals emerged when the 83 year old Biya ostensibly with the backing of some moderates scurried Garga Haman Adji to Bamenda and claimed he (Garga) was the legitimate emissary from Etoudi.

Cameroon Intelligence Report sources in the nation’s capital hinted that a majority of CPDM bigwigs are blaming the current Southern Cameroon situation on the secret Head of State now running the country-Minister Martin Belinga Eboutou. Tension is mounting in Yaoundé as more Southern Cameroonians are detained and some from the North West region reportedly being killed and buried in mass graves in Soa.

Ghost town operations are continuing and schools remained closed in West Cameroon. Francophone troops have continued to arrest, detain and torture Southern Cameroonians in Bamenda, Buea and Ekondo Titi. Southern Cameroonians arrested in Kumba, Nguti, Muyuka, Limbe, Tiko and Buea were being locked up in prison cells in Douala. They were rounded up by soldiers from La Republique in various localities, some before the civil disobedience campaign even started.

In the wake of massive demonstrations in various capital cities in the West, and more international condemnation of the excessive use of force on Anglophone Cameroonians, the trial of the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has been postponed. Many Southern Cameroonians have been arrested in Yaoundé, while more were picked up in other towns in the Center and South regions.

We got intelligence that many of the Southern Cameroons detainees including Lord Justice Ayah Paul Abine of the Supreme Court of Cameroun were in bad health and attempts to communicate with family members have been strictly prohibited. Government sources are now reporting that Southern Cameroonians have refused to be cowed and preferred to be killed rather than denounced the struggle. Barrister Agbor Nkongho Felix, the Chairman of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium was cited by a police source to be a lion-hearted man who spared no opportunity during interrogation to hit hard on the “thievery of the Francophone political elites.”

The interim leaders of the Consortium indicated recently that the international community has been informed about the brutalization but no official statement has been made by the British parliament and the United Nation Security Council.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with intelligence cables from Yaounde, Bamenda,Douala and Buea

The 83 year-old Cameroonian dictator has finally compensated the radio technician who helped in foiling the April 6^th Coup in 1984.  Mr. Paul Biya recently offered 40 million FCFA to Gabriel Ebili, a technician with Radio Cameroon at the time of the events who reportedly deceived the vigilance of the coup plotters.

The Biya gesture comes after 33 years of misery and precariousness that Gabriel Ebili, the former technician with Cameroon radio in the 1980s had gone through life.   The former technician received Saturday January 27, 2017, 40 million FCFA in an emotional ceremony presided over by the Sub-prefect of Lolodorf which held in the Bibondi village (Bikoka). The occasion was actually the laying of the foundation stone for a house that will be constructed for Gabriel Ebili who is already 65 years old.

Aged 32 at the time of the coup, the young radio technician deceived the vigilance of the soldiers who had taken over the radio house and after his heroic act on April 6, 1984; the young technician was obliged to leave the Cameroonian Radio. Gabriel Ebili went on exile and had long wandered in the countries of the Sub region, notably Congo Brazzaville.

According to the Sub-prefect, Epenté Tazeu Adray, “this ceremony is intended simply for Gabriel Ebili, and for the people of this village, to say thank you to the President of the Republic for this act of recognition that leaves a hero out of misery.” By way of advice, the administrative authority suggested to Gabriel Ebili not to put all the 40 million in the house, but to consider creating a plantation and opening a small restaurant for his wife.

Overcoming his emotion, Gabriel Ebili expressed his gratitude for this gesture of the head of state. “I say thank you to the President of the Republic who has just put an end to my misery,” he said. This gesture by Paul Biya is undoubtedly the result of a fierce struggle led by several journalists and writers including Charles Ateba Eyené in his book entitled “Gabriel Ebili, the forgotten hero of April 6, 1984”.

By Sama Ernest with files from CIN