News

CPDM government reacts to US State Department human rights allegations

3, December 2016

CPDM government reacts to US State Department human rights allegations 0

The so-called Cameroonian government spokesman and Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has reacted to allegations made by the US State Department which accused Yaoundé of “various violations of fundamental freedoms in Cameroon”, specifically in the management of the demonstrations in Bamenda and in Buea deep within the English-speaking part of the country .

Minister Tchiroma observed that the police acted in strict respect for the international commitments that bind Cameroon. The corrupt government official added that “The government has sought to maintain dialogue and consultation with a view to finding appropriate solutions to the demands of Anglophone lawyers and English-speaking teachers.”

In this regard, Tchiroma said, appropriate measures had been taken, namely: – the working visit to Bamenda by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, from the 25th  to the 27th of November 2016, to discuss with representatives of lawyers and teachers; – the creation by the Prime Minister, Head of Government of an inter-ministerial committee to examine the problems of teachers.

The controversial politician chanted the same old CPDM slogans no longer listened too in British Southern Cameroons and enlisted “the opening of sectoral negotiations, to the respective diligence of the Minister of Justice, on the one hand, and the Minister of Higher Education on the other as positive steps taken by the Francophone government.”

Issa Tchiroma also noted that the special donation of 2 billion FCFA to private sector teachers, the announced recruitment of 1000 young bilingual teachers and even the creation of an ad hoc committee, are signs of openness to dialogue. It is of vital importance to include in this report that Minister Issa Tchiroma was addressing the wrong audience and that the Anglophone leaders have rejected all government proposals not linked to a new constitution for the country that will guarantee Anglophone autonomy.

By Rita Akana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Biya-Yang Philemon diabolic harsh plot to stifle Anglophone nationalism

2, December 2016

The Biya-Yang Philemon diabolic harsh plot to stifle Anglophone nationalism 0

The Prime Minister Head of Government, Philemon Yang has ordered the setting up of an inter-ministerial ad hoc committee to examine and propose solutions to Anglophone Teachers currently on strike.

The ten articled decision reads;

Article 1: The creation, organization and functioning of the committee tasked with examining and proposing solutions to the concerns raised by the Anglophone Teacher’s Trade Unions

Article 2: Placed under the PM, Head of Government, the ad hoc committee’s main mission shall be to examine appropriate solutions to all the concerns raised by the Anglophone Teachers Trade Unions.

Article 3 : The ad hoc committee shall be made up of;

-Chair: Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, Minister, Director of Cabinet at the PM’s Office

Members: Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Secondary Education, Minister of Basic Education.

The following bodies shall have representatives in the committee

-The National Union of Teacher’s of Higher Education, SYNES University of Bamenda.

-The National Union of Teacher’s of Higher Education, SYNES University of Buea.

-The Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union ,CATTUC.

-Teacher’s Association Cameroon,TAC

-The Presbyterian Education Authority Teacher’s Trade Union.

-The Catholic Education Worker’s Trade Union.

-The Baptist Teacher’s Trade Union Cameroon.

-The Cameroon Education Forums.

-Government Schools

-Lay Private Schools

-Private Denominations Schools

-Parent/Teacher association government schools

– Parent /Teacher association of private lay schools

-Parents/Teacher Association of Private denominational Schools

Depending on the agenda for discussion, the Chairperson of the committee may invite any other resource person

Article 4: The ad hoc committee shall meet in Bamenda when summoned by its Chairperson.

The ad hoc committee proceedings shall be recorded by the Coordinator of the Technical Secretariat.

Article 5: Every meeting of the ad hoc committee shall be sanctioned by a report and the Chairperson shall without delay report on the deliberations of the ad hoc committee to the Prime Minister and solicit his arbitration whenever necessary.

Article 6: The ad hoc committee shall have a Technical Secretariat to execute its instructions of the committee, identify necessary actions, prepare an action plan, and prepare files, draft reports among others

Article 7: The Technical Secretariat shall comprise the following;

The Coordinator, a senior official at the cabinet of the PM.

Members:

-Representative of the Minister in charge of Higher Education.

-Representative of the Minister in charge of Secondary Education.

-Representative of the Minister in charge of Basic Education.

These officials shall be designated by their various Ministries

Article 8: miscellaneous

Duties of Chairperson and member of the ad hoc committee as well as those of the Technical Secretariat shall be honorary.

Article 9: The provisions of order number 118 CAB/PM of 28 November 2016 relating to the creation and organization and functioning of the inter-ministerial ad hoc committee tasked with examining and proposing solutions to the concerns raised by Teacher’s Trade Unions shall still remain in force

Article 10 : This order shall be registered published in the official gazette in the English and French

Culled from CRTV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gambia’s authoritarian president suffers a surprise defeat

2, December 2016

Gambia’s authoritarian president suffers a surprise defeat 0

Yahya Jammeh, The Gambia’s authoritarian president of 22 years, has suffered a surprise defeat in the country’s general election. He will be replaced by a property developer, Adama Barrow, who won more than 45% of the vote.

Mr Jammeh, who came to power in a coup in 1994, has conceded, said electoral commission chief Alieu Momar Njie. Before announcing the final result, Mr Njie appealed for calm as the country entered unchartered waters.

The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence in 1965. Mr Barrow won 263,515 votes (45.5%) in Thursday’s election, while President Jammeh took 212,099 (36.7%), according to the electoral commission.

Mr Barrow, who runs his own property company, reportedly used to work as a security guard at an Argos catalogue store on London’s Holloway Road. On the electoral campaign, he promised to revive the country’s economy, which has forced thousands of Gambians to make the perilous journey to Europe.

BBC

Yang Philemon faces African leaders in Libreville

1, December 2016

Yang Philemon faces African leaders in Libreville 0

Prime Minister Philemon Yang took part in the security and political crises meeting grouping member states of ECCAS on Wednesday in Libreville.  The forum was the 8th Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on the political and security situation in the sub region. The Presidents of Chad, Idriss Déby Itno, Rwanda, Paul Kagame and Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, traveled to Libreville for the summit.

Under the impetus of Ali Bongo, the current Chairman of ECCAS and of the Security and Peace Council of Central Africa (COPAX), the meeting discussed terrorism, electoral issues, Peace building, international peace missions, sub regional integration, youth, the humanitarian situation and maritime safety and security.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that the leaders also agreed to strengthen coordination on surveillance and intelligence gathering efforts between States to prevent the rise of violent extremism and terrorism and support for regional economic integration efforts through inter alia, A Free Trade Area (FTA), enhanced cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the fight against terrorism and dialogue in the countries of the sub- region affected by political conflicts.

By Chi Prudence Asong

Rwanda: Government opens probe into role of French officials in 1994 genocide

1, December 2016

Rwanda: Government opens probe into role of French officials in 1994 genocide 0

Rwanda has opened a formal investigation into the alleged role of 20 French officials in the 1994 genocide. The Rwandan government accuses France of complicity in the genocide. The French officials are accused of supporting the Hutu nationalist government, which carried out the mass killing of an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans, mainly from the Tutsi ethnic group. Paris denies the allegation.

“The inquiry, for now, is focused on 20 individuals whom, according to information gathered so far, are required by the prosecution authority to explain or provide clarity on allegations against them,” said Rwanda’s prosecutor general Richard Muhumuza.

He added that the probe would enable prosecutors to decide “whether the concerned individuals should be formally charged or not.” Muhumuza said that he had contacted the French government and that full cooperation was expected.

The Rwandan genocide began following the shooting down of a plane carrying former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994. Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira was also killed in the plane crash. They were both ethnic Hutus.

After the crash, Hutus who were in majority, were incited to commit acts of ethnic violence against Tutsis. France’s Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on November 16 that it was “a disgraceful lie” to say that the French army took park in genocide.

Relations between the two countries have gone through ups and downs since the genocide. In 2014, Rwandan President Paul Kagame repeated accusations that French troops were both accomplices and “actors” in the massacre.

In October, Paris re-launched an inquiry into the shooting down of Habyarimana’s plane to hear testimony from a former general who accuses Kagame of being behind the attack. The Rwandan government has rejected the claims, saying it is an attempt by France to cover up its role in the genocide.

Presstv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biya snubs Anglophone leaders, dispatches Philemon Yang on a new mission to Gabon

30, November 2016

Biya snubs Anglophone leaders, dispatches Philemon Yang on a new mission to Gabon 0

Prime Minister Philemon Yang will not be meeting with the Anglophone leaders today Wednesday November the 30th 2016. The Head of Government will represent President Biya at the Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), which opens today in Libreville, Gabon.

Philemon Yang reportedly promised the new generation of Anglophone leaders that he was going to meet with them for a second round of dialogue today. But his political boss who has no feeling for the Anglophone community has decided to dispatch the Prime Minister to Gabon.

According to Alain-Claude Bilie-Bi Nzé, Gabonese Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, the Libreville summit will be devoted to peace and security in the sub-region. Specifically, at the summit in the Gabonese capital, the Heads of State, Government and delegations present will examine the situation of the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Chad. Important resolutions are therefore expected.

By Fru James in Yaounde

NB This reporter is not a staff of the Cameroon Concord News Group

 

UK: Members of Parliament sexually harass young employees but can go unpunished

30, November 2016

UK: Members of Parliament sexually harass young employees but can go unpunished 0

A Labour lawmaker in the United Kingdom has revealed that the Members of Parliament sexually harass young employees but can go unpunished as their victims feel helpless. Labor MP John Mann made the remarks at the House of Commons’ Standards Committee on Tuesday, saying that sexual assault by politicians at Westminster was a “major issue” to be addressed. “In here [Westminster], there are alleged sexual assaults by current members of Parliament and nowhere for people to go, or they don’t feel confident in going. That’s a major issue,” he said.

Mann called for the necessity of setting up a whistle-blowing service to help victims come forward, adding that the female employees did not feel secure to raise the issue. The lawmaker told the committee that he was aware of cases where staff had “significant issues” with the way current parliamentarians behave towards them but he was powerless to report colleagues to police because “there is no criminality” involved.

“That is not a matter of criminality but [one] that would be potentially an issue for whistle-blowing to make a complaint. The cases I am aware of, there is no criminality otherwise it would be very straightforward. I would be advising go to the police,” he said. In a shocking example, Mann said that older MPs would force young female interns to work late before “pressing” them into going home with them.

“There has been improper sexual behavior in this building that I am aware of with members of staff by Members of Parliament, including in recent times, the last two years, and I have had complaints of that, the individuals do not feel comfortable or confident, working in a political environment, of raising that issue and explicitly did not want me to raise the issue and therefore potentially have them named,” Mann noted.

UK MPs are already embroiled in other sexual scandals. In 2015 alone, reports by UK media reveled that over 247,000 attempts were made by users of the British parliament’s network to check out pornographic material.

Presstv

UN chief denounces recent bloodshed in the Central African Republic

29, November 2016

UN chief denounces recent bloodshed in the Central African Republic 0

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has denounced recent bloodshed in the Central African Republic (CAR) where clashes between members of the former Seleka rebellion killed scores of people. The clashes between rival armed groups from ex-Seleka in Bria northeast of the capital Bangui killed 85 people and displaced nearly 11,000 people, according to the UN.

In a statement on Monday, the UN chief urged the armed groups to “immediately stop the violence and genuinely commit to ongoing efforts to address the root causes of the conflict.” The fighting was said to have broken out between the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC) and the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC). The two factions have been engaged in sporadic fighting over control of taxes levied on nomadic Fulani herdsman during the current seasonal migration. In March 2013, the Central African Republic plunged into chaos when then-president Francois Bozize was toppled and replaced by Michel Am-Nondokro Djotodia, the first Muslim to hold the presidency in the country.

Djotodia’s opponents then formed “anti-Balaka” vigilante units, drawn from the Christian majority, which began to target Muslims and commit widespread atrocities. The UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the national police are seen conducting a joint operation in the capital Bangui. (Photo by UN) In 2014, some 11,000 peacekeepers were deployed by the UN to the country as part of MINUSCA or the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. Seleka and anti-Balaka representatives signed a ceasefire agreement later that year but the country has not yet fully emerged from its bloody past.

The UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Central African Republic, Fabrizio Hochschild, said in a statement on Monday that almost half of the country’s population of over four million people is in dire need of humanitarian aid. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), hundreds of people have been killed and many more displaced since a deadly series of clashes broke out in the country in September.

Presstv

 

 

 

 

In Loving Memory of Paul Atanga Nji, Mafany Musonge and Philemon Yang

29, November 2016

In Loving Memory of Paul Atanga Nji, Mafany Musonge and Philemon Yang 0

× We have 2 sea ports all in francophone areas

× We have 3 international airports.  All in francophone areas

× We have 2 or 3 hydro electricity dams. All in francophone localities

× Economic and political capitals all francophone

× the 3 first most powerful position in Cameroon Head of State, Senate President, National Assembly Speaker) all occupied by francophones

× The greatest document in public service (integration decision) only in French.

× Ministers of Higher Education, Secondary Education, and Primarily Education are Francophones.

× Ministers of Public Service, Finance, Justice and Defense are Francophones.

×PRIME MINISTER HAS NO REGIONAL DELEGATIONS. AND CAN NOT ACT WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH THE ALL SURROUNDED FRANCOPHONE MINISTER WITH REGIONAL DELEGATIONS EVERYWHERE.

× Government has not done any investment in any Anglophone zone to favor Anglophones.

 

 

Business as usual in La Republique as Biya receives Senegalese Head of State

29, November 2016

Business as usual in La Republique as Biya receives Senegalese Head of State 0

The President of Senegal, Macky SALL has commended Cameroon’s much-envied status in Africa. The Senegalese leader made the acknowledgement during a visit to Cameroon on Monday 28 November 2016.

 President Macky SALL noted that he came to highlight Cameroon’s greatness at the heart of the continent, which has been magnified by its cultural, economic and political stability.

For his part, President Paul BIYA said Yaounde and Dakar will continue to share a sincere and excellent friendship, attached to the promotion of democracy, peace, dialogue, and unity in Africa.

President Macky SALL was welcomed at the Unity Palace by BIYA. Both men held a meeting behind closed doors, which was followed by a special lunch offered by the Presidential Couple. The august guest thanked President Paul BIYA and First Lady Chantal BIYA for the hospitality reserved to him and his delegation.

The Senegalese Head of State was accompanied from and to the Nsimalen International Airport by Prime Minister Philemon YANG.

 

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