Cameroonian security forces have stopped a demonstration in the port city of Douala on Saturday organised by the main opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) in solidarity with the embittered Anglophone regions.

The planned demonstration led by Littoral regional SDF Chairman and activist Jean-Michel Nintcheu was banned by the authorities on Thursday “to prevent violence and damage to public property”.  The party ignored the ban and decided to go ahead with the protest which was joined by Kah Walla, the leader of another opposition party the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP).

Some leaders of the SDF were detained including Nintcheu, the regional president Emmanuel Ntonga and two journalists of Equinoxe TV who were released after a warning. Security forces were stationed at several positions in the city and the Omnisport Stadium of Bepanda where a rally was to be held followed by a march to the Ecole Publique de Deido roundabout.

Despite the heavy security deployment and rains, some protesters came out in small numbers carrying placards demanding the release of those arrested. Cameroon’s English-speaking North West and South West regions are facing repression from the government and security forces after protests since November 2016 in demand for fair distribution of wealth while others are calling for independence.

Several hundreds have been arrested while dozens killed during the protests which have been banned by the government. Human rights groups condemn the government’s violent response to the peaceful protesters. President Paul Biya, who is in Geneva is expected to return to the country on Saturday.

Source: Africa News

• As Discrimination Stirs Discontent
• Protest Against Political, Economic Discrimination Fuelling Clamp Down
• Country Heading Towards Pogrom

Few days before October 1, 2017, the atmosphere was charged on the two campuses of University of Bamenda and University of Buea. On the orders of President Paul Biya, troops were drafted from the Francophone region to Anglophone towns and cities to carry out a specific mission- stop, by all means, the symbolic proclamation, by students and university teachers, of the “Republic of Ambazonia,” a name for Anglophone Cameroon.

The political union of both Anglophone and Francophone Cameroon, two separate and sovereign legal entities, came into existence on October 1, 1960 via a referendum; whereby Anglophone Cameroun opted to join a united and indivisible Federal Republic of Cameroon.

According to Mesang Rosine Noutsa, a student of University of Bamenda, the soldiers moved into the hostels and residential quarters on the campus in the wee hours of October 1, and started brutalising students and families of lecturers.

“It was a scene of horror, and I have never witnessed such an ugly incident in my entire life,” she declared on her sick bed at the General Hospital, Bemenda, where many students and teachers were receiving treatment for wounds inflicted on them by the soldiers.

The repression by the soldiers was also carried out at the University of Buea. Unconfirmed reports indicate that some students and teachers were allegedly killed by the soldiers on these two campuses.

According to Amnesty International, and eyewitnesses, who spoke to Al-Jazeera, an international satellite television, at least 17 peaceful and unarmed protesters were killed by soldiers drafted to the campuses by Biya.

“In order to avoid further bloodshed, the security forces must cease unnecessary and excessive use of force, and protesters should be peaceful if they want to make their voices heard. The government should investigate these killings,” declared Illaria Allegrozzi, a researcher with Amnesty International in the Lake Chad basin.

Vice Chancellor of University of Buea, Professor Horace Ngomo Manga, and Vice Chancellor University of Bamenda, Professor Theresa Akenji Nkou, were both summoned for a meeting with the Higher Education Minister, Jacques Fame Ndongo. At the meeting, which took place in Yaounde, capital of Cameroun, the two vice chancellors were told, in very clear terms that their campuses would remain closed until “all secessionists were cleared from the campuses.” The meeting only lasted for 10 minutes.

According to diplomatic sources, in order to escape arrests, many ring leaders of the symbolic attempts to declare the Republic of Ambazonia, fled into Nigeria through bush paths, to where they reside a large community of Cameroonian students and teachers on Nigerian university campuses.

Discontentment of Anglophone Intelligentsia
IN an exclusive interview with University World News (UWN), Professor Samuel Wara, Head of Department of Electrical Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, who is a native of Bamenda, Anglophone Cameroun, provided useful insights into the past and present complex history of his country, with particular reference to the difficult relationship with Francophone Cameroun, and the role of the Anglophone intelligentsia in the possible resolution of the current problems in the land.

“Anglophone university community in Cameroun has always played a vital role in the misfortunes and fortunes of the English speaking region of our country. It was the intellectuals, who canvassed and supported a United Nations- sponsored referendum in 1961, in which our people massively accepted the idea that we create a federation with Francophone Cameroun,” he stated.

“It was Professor Bernard Nsokika Folon, Professor Carlson Anyangwe, and Fon Gorji Dinka, a renowned lawyer, who produced, in 1984, a manifesto called the New Social Order in which they stated clearly that by reverting to the name French Cameroon it had at independence, President Paul Biya, had “seceded” from the union and so the English speaking part of Cameroon has the right to revert to its “independence” before 1961. And the new state was named Ambazonia.”

And in 2005, Anglophone Cameroon was registered and recognised as Republic of Ambazonia, with Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), an international organisation affiliated to United Nations,” he informed.

Wara, while shedding light on the current political situation in Anglophone Cameroon, revealed that Bamenda and Buea universities’ communities are in the forefront of what he called, “the struggle for the emancipation of the people of Anglophone Cameroon.”

Instances of marginalisation and discrimination against the Anglophones, which the intelligentsia are fighting against include:
•The National Entrance Examination into schools that develop the human resources are set by the French Subsystem of Education. This makes it difficult for Anglophones and Francophones to compete on an equal playing field. The examination board members are all Francophones, a development, which places some bias against Anglophone candidates. Important examinations into professional schools are set in French only, sometimes sparingly in the English-speaking region.
•There are five ministries in charge of education. None of them is Anglophone.
•State institutions put documents and public notices in French with no English translations.
•Most heads of government offices only speak French, even in the English speaking region. Visitors and clients to government offices are also expected to speak French.
•Most senior administrators and members of the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies in the Anglophone region are French-speaking, and there is lack of effort by them to demonstrate an understanding of Anglophone culture.
•According to the 1961 constitution, the vice president was the second most important person in state protocol. Today, the Prime Minster (appointed Anglophone) is the fourth most important person in state protocol, after the President of the Senate and the President of the National Assembly.
•Of the 36 ministers, who defended the budget for the ministries last month, only one was Anglophone.
•Most of the military tribunals in Anglophone Regions conduct their courts in French.
•Financial documents such as COBAC Code, CIMA Code and the OHADA Code are all in French. These documents are international treaties and conventions to which Cameroon is a signatory.
•Magistrates in Anglophone Cameroon are disproportionately Francophone. In addition, other government –appointed officers such as the senior divisional officers, commissioners, and commandants are disproportionately Francophone.
• There are Francophone principals in Anglophone schools, hospitals, banks and mobile telephone companies.

IN an exclusive chat with UWN, Professor Augustine Awasum, a veterinary surgeon, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who hails from Anglophone Cameroon, said that best solution to put an end to the current  bloodbath in Anglophone region of his country is to create an enabling atmosphere for dialogue by all stakeholders.

He is of the view that all students, teachers held in prison by the government must be released unconditionally. And the universities of Buea and Bamenda must be reopened as soon as possible. “This inevitable dialogue should be supervised by the African Union, and the United Nations, with a view to ensuring that mutual agreements reached at the negotiation table are legally binding on all the parties. The minimum condition to guarantee peace, progress and meaningful development is to reinstate the October 1, 1961 constitution, which guarantees true federalism where Anglophone and Francophone regions are equal partners,” he concluded.

Source: The Guardian

Evaluation of consultations mission that took the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang to the North West since October 15, 2017 is scheduled for the weekend in Bamenda. The way forward, towards lasting solutions in the Anglophone Crisis rocking the North West and South West regions is the subject.

The Mission featured audiences with the Prime Minister receiving socio- professional associations and groups in all seven Divisions of the region. Evaluation meetings have been scheduled at Divisional levels, tomorrow, October 21 ahead of another, Regional evaluation session with the North West Governor on Sunday, October 22, 2017.

The SDO’s office in Fundong was the venue where on October 19, the Prime Minister exchanged with some Biyam sellams from Boyo Division, commercial motorcycle riders, teachers, CPDM and UNDP Members and Boyo Mayors. It was all inclusive with the PM Yang at some point involving all who were around and thirsty to meet him. He reassured the government’s preparedness to work towards the return to normalcy and inspired the population to dominate fear, ensure that children are in schools and keep business activities alive.

Elsewhere, in Mezam, Momo and Ngoketunjia, Divisions, representatives of some trade unions, traditional, political and religious leaders, transporters, traders, development associations and economic operators had the opportunity to express their views on the Anglophone Crisis during audiences with the visiting Prime Minister.

Mgr. Michael Bibi, Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda Archdiocese told Cameroon Tribune after meeting the Prime Minister that, “The other church leaders also shared their own opinions towards moving forward as a nation. Of course, we condemned actions of violence perpetuated by the population or the military. Concerning Cameroonians in the Diaspora who have been championing the secessionist actions, he said, ” We also appealed to the government to look even at the possibility of trying to reach out to members of the governing council because they are still Cameroonians though living abroad. They should be brought to the dialogue table, listen to them and get what they have to suggest and accept points that can be acceptable and drop what is unaccepted.”.

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Parents ran to schools to pick up their children today in the Bamenda County when a  locally made bomb was discovered near a school in the locality of Azire New Church.  Elements from Mobile Mobilization Group regiment  defused the bomb using a crude process that led to a massive explosion.

Cameroon Info.Net reported that the explosion caused great panic and people started running around. Parents rushed to schools immediately to pick up their children. The French Cameroun dominated authorities who came to the scene, reassured parents about the safety of their children and noted that the explosion did not cause any casualties.

The explosion occurred in Bamenda while the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang, was in town holding his so-called  consultation meetings.  Since Monday, Philémon Yang has been in dialogue with pro CPDM groups pleading for a return to normal in activities.

Ever since the beginning of the Southern Cameroons uprising, at least five explosions have been heard in Bamenda. One of them had seriously injured police officers who were on patrol. The Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a chartered member of the gang that plotted the 1984 April 6^th coup against President Biya, described it as a terrorist act.

By Fru James with files from CIN

Cameroonian president Paul Biya is urging citizens to remain patriotic irrespective of what people may think about it. According to him, it was a mark of responsible citizenship.

A terse statement on his official social media handles posted on Wednesday October 18 read as follows: “Patriotism is a virtue that some people might wrongly consider outdated. Even today, it remains a mark of responsible and nobly asserted citizenship for the nation.”

The message was accompanied by a smiling photo of the leader who is currently on vacation since he left the United Nations General Assembly in September.

The president’s quote comes at a time when tensions remain high in the country’s English-speaking regions. In what has become known as the ‘Anglophone crisis,’ people in the North West and South West regions of the central African country are pushing for independence.

The resultant protests which started months back has resulted in deaths, injuries to scores of people and mass arrests of protesters.

The height of the clashes was on October 1 when a symbolic declaration of independence under the Ambazonia republic was planned. The government had deployed heavy security presence to the regions to face off the separatists.

There has been widespread calls for the government to engage leaders of the restive region in dialogue. The president in his last address on the crisis condemned the violence. The government has, however, defended the security forces over the level of force used during protests.

Source: Africa News