News

24, October 2016

French aircraft on surveillance mission crashes in Malta ⁰

A small aircraft conducting a surveillance mission over the Mediterranean for France’s Defense Ministry has crashed in Malta, killing all five people on board. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed that the twin-prop Fairchild Metroliner went down near the runway of the southern Mediterranean island nation’s main airport on Monday morning.

“A light reconnaissance aircraft … carrying out surveillance operations over the Mediterranean for the defense ministry crashed this morning at 0630 at Malta’s Luqa airport, during take-off,” the defense minister said.

The minister noted that three of the victims were ministry staff while the other two were contractors. The French daily Le Monde reported that the officials belonged to France’s intelligence services. Video footage showed flames and thick black smoke billowing from the site of the crash, next to the runway.

The Maltese government said in a statement that inquiries were under way to determine what had caused the crash. “Official information, footage and eyewitnesses … clearly indicate that there was no explosion prior to impact.” The officials have not yet ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the crash.

Airport officials said the plane had been heading for the city of Misrata in Libya, where some countries have sent teams of Special Forces to support the new UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in its ongoing fight against the Takfiri Daesh militant group. Malta’s government said that the flight had been due to return to Malta within hours without landing in any other countries.

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24, October 2016

Governor Otto Wilson passes on ⁰

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Emmanuel René Sadi has confirmed through a statement the death of Governor Otto Joseph Wilson of the Centre region. According to René Sadi, the Governor

died early Monday morning at the American Hospital in Paris. The late Joseph Otto Wilson who hailed from Isangele district in the Bakassi peninsula was born March 19, 1964 in Douala. After high school in Douala, he studied at the University of Yaounde, where he obtained a Masters in Economics. He was admitted in 1987 into the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) in Yaounde and graduated two years later.

Otto Wilson Joseph had a brilliant career in the ministry of territorial administration where he held several positions as DO, SDO and finally Governor. Before his appointment as governor of the North region in April 2012, was the only civil administrator in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation (MINATD) who served as inspector general in charge of electoral matters.

He will be remembered in the North following his skilful management of the 2012 floods, the highway robbery phenomenon and cross-border insecurity. On the 4^th of June 2014, President Biya gave him the honour to serve as governor of the Centre region with headquarters in Yaounde.

The death of his daughter in 2016 reportedly weakened the seasoned administrator who had been diagnosed with cancer. His health condition worsened and he was evacuated on October the 8th, 2016 to the American Hospital in Paris, France where he died this morning.

By Rita Akana

23, October 2016

South Africa: ANC taking the last kicks of a dying horse ⁰

Rifts continue to widen within South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) as a senior member of the party has called on its top leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, to quit after fraud charges were brought up against the country’s finance minister.

Jackson Mthembu, who serves as ANC parliamentary chief, said Sunday that court action against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan reflected an abuse of power to settle political scores within the ANC and that the top leaders of the party, including himself, were no longer fit to control the situation.

“President Jacob Zuma is the president of the ANC. When I said the entire ANC leadership that has already taken collective responsibility must take the fall, I meant everybody, myself included, including President Zuma,” Mthembu told a local television.

Gordhan faces charges of wrongdoing and fraud and should appear in court on November 2. Many say the prosecution is an attempt by a wealthy family close to Zuma to muzzle a Treasury chief who has been acclaimed for his disciplinary efforts to revive South Africa’s economy.

Mthembu said prosecuting Gordhan, which he said was politically motivated, was a further blow to the ANC amid the falling rate of public approval for the party. “In my view, a minister is being pursued for political reasons, and then charged with fraud. That’s why I’ve then said, perhaps we are not the leadership that can take the ANC forward under these conditions,” he added.

ANC, a liberation movement of Nelson Mandela which has been in power in South Africa since 1994, suffered its worst electoral performance in August. Experts said the local government elections changed the outlook for national elections in 2019 and showed that voters were becoming increasingly unhappy with issues like unemployment, economic stagnation and scandals around Zuma.

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23, October 2016

Biya expected in Yaounde today ⁰

President Paul Biya is expected in Yaounde today Sunday, October 23, 2016, Cameroon Concord News has learned from sources at the presidency of the republic. The Right Royal President is reportedly jetting back home via a chartered flight and will then end the controversy over his long absence from the country.

The 83 year old leader left Yaounde on Friday, September 16, 2016 for New York City in the United States to attend the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. But well before the closing session of the UN general assembly, Biya left the US for a destination that was never communicated to the Cameroonian people.

For over 37 days now, he has been appointing and dismissing top government officials from a five star hotel apartment in Geneva, Switzerland. Governing with the support of a tribal constituted military and secret service, none of the major disasters that recently happened in the country could force his return home. Our chief political editor observed at the time of filing this report that “the nation is at the mercy of Biya and his appointees.”

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

22, October 2016

Bafoussam: Governor Awa Fonka says Camair-Co flight QC272 landed safely ⁰

The governor of the West region, Awa Fonka Augustine has debunked rumour of a Camair-Co plane crash in Bafoussam. Information circulated that Camair-Co flight QC272 that left Douala for Bafoussam-Bamougoum had crashed.

Governor Fonka Augustine revealed that the said flight left from Douala at 9:10 am for Bafoussam and made a dramatic landing due to bad weather conditions caused by heavy rains accompanied by thick clouds and fog. Flight QC272 arrived Bafoussam with 33 passengers and departed for Yaounde Nsimalen.

News of the crash sent shock waves around the country as the population is yet to recover from the pain of the train derailment incident and the collapse of a bridge on the Yaounde-Douala highway.

By Rita Akana

22, October 2016

Eseka train disaster: Government spokesman says Biya is following the situation closely from abroad ⁰

The Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma has told the Cameroon people that, President Biya has ordered the opening of an investigation into the terrible train accident that occurred on Friday, October 21, 2016 near Eseka.

In a statement presented in both English and French on state radio and television, Issa Tchiroma Bakary informed the nation of actions taken by the head of state from his holiday resort abroad. The statement reportedly crafted by a Biya acolyte in Yaounde stated that, the President of the Republic was following the situation closely and has given standing and appropriate instructions to Prime Minister Philemon Yang to hold a crisis meeting.

The government spokesman added that President Biya instructed the government to make available financial resources to the bereaved families and the wounded to enable them to deal with the situation. The Biya statement reassured the public that all necessary steps were being taken by the government to deal with the situation and urged the Cameroon people to show their usual solidarity in such circumstances.

By Sama Ernest in Yaounde

21, October 2016

Cardinal Tumi condemns tribalism, says he does not believe in regional balance ¹

Cardinal Christian Tumi, cardinal emeritus of the Douala Arch Diocese has reacted to the issue of tribalism in governance in Cameroon. The retired Roman Catholic prelate was asked to comment on the recent wave of memoranda written by elites from some communities to the head of state, President Paul Biya that have become common practice in Cameroon.

The response of the former Archbishop of Garoua was straightforward. “I do not accept this way of doing things. This is purely tribalism. We must have an acceptable development pattern void of tribalism. We have over 200 ethnic groups in Cameroon. If each tribe or ethnic group began to demand jobs or infrastructure only for their community, what will become of Cameroon?

The Cardinal added that, “We must not think in terms of tribe, but in terms of nation. If a Cameroonian works well, regardless of tribal origin and irrespective of the place where he works, he works for Cameroon. I do not believe in the regional balance. That is why I favour merit and competence. We must promote values such as good work and effort in society. I have never worked as Bishop in Anglophone Cameroon where I am from. As a priest, I never worked in my tribal area. I have worked with the people I met in all the places the Holy Father has sent me to. I’m on my third diocese,” noted Cardinal Tumi.

Cameroon has been rocked by a series of petitions from political elites of the Far North, North, Centre and South regions all claiming that their respective peoples and constituencies have not received the attention they deserve from the ruling CPDM consortium of crime syndicates.

By Sonne Peter with cables from CIN

21, October 2016

Many feared dead as Intercity train derails in Cameroon ⁰

An Intercity train from Yaoundé to Douala derailed this morning at Eseka. The derailment was confirmed by Camrail-a subsidiary of Bolloré Logistics & Transport, responsible for the structures of the railway sector in Cameroon.

The CPDM government has reportedly deployed military intervention and security teams and have so far not made any official statement concerning the happenings in the country. Unconfirmed reports say many bodies were seen littered around the train immediately after the accident.

The country was hit by the collapse of a bridge on the Yaounde-Douala highway, some 65 km from Yaoundé. Consequently, the two main cities of the country were cut off by road.. Many passengers were directed to use the train services from Yaoundé to Douala, called “Intercity”. 8 coaches were added to enhance the movement of users which prompted the incident.

By Rita Akana

21, October 2016

Obama says Trump’s rhetorics are dangerous ⁰

US President Barack Obama has criticized Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his repeated claims that the presidential election on November 8 would be rigged, describing the claims as “dangerous.” Obama made the comments on Thursday at Miami Gardens, Florida, during a rally in support of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

“That is dangerous because when you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy,” Obama said. “You’re doing the work of our adversaries for them because our democracy depends on people knowing that their vote matters. That those who occupy the seats of power were chosen by the people,” he added. With the presidential election less than three weeks away, Trump has intensified his criticism of the American electoral system.

On Thursday, the GOP nominee said he will have the right to challenge the outcome of election if he feels it’s questionable. Hours later, Trump added fuel to the fire by saying that he would totally accept the results of presidential poll if he won.

According to a new poll released on Monday, 41 percent of American voters are saying the 2016 election could be “stolen” from Trump due to widespread voter fraud. During his speech, Obama also condemned Republican lawmakers for taking too long to withdraw their support for Trump, doing so only after the release of the 2015 tape where Trump was caught making lewd comments about women.

“Apparently that was the deal breaker for them. Or at least, his poll numbers dropping after the tape came out was the deal breaker for him,” he said. “But here’s my question: Why would it take you this long to figure out that Donald Trump shouldn’t be president?” “You stand up and nominate and support a guy who says that he would silence reporters, jail his political opponent in the middle of a debate, deport whoever he wants,” he said.

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19, October 2016

New York Police kills 66-year-old schizophrenic black woman ⁰

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has come under fire for the officer-involved death of a 66-year-old African American woman, who was suffering from schizophrenia. NYPD officers shot dead Deborah Danner in the bedroom of her Bronx apartment on Tuesday, after she reportedly confronted them with scissors and a baseball bat.

According to police, Sergeant Hugh Barry had convinced the elderly woman to drop the scissors. However, when she charged to hit the officer with the bat, Barry fired two shots at her chest. She was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The NYPD admitted the excessive use of force in a statement, saying that the incident would undergo a full investigation since the officer could have subdued Danner by simply using his Taser.

“The sergeant was armed with a Taser. It was not deployed, and the reason it was not deployed will be part of the investigation and review,” said NYPD Assistant Chief Larry Nikunen. The NYPD immediately put Barry on modified duty until the investigation was completed.

Danner’s shooting death was condemned by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “This elderly woman was known to the police department, yet the officer involved in this shooting failed to use discretion to either talk her down from her episode or, barring that, to use his stun gun,” he said in a statement.

According to Danner’s Twitter account, she was a keen supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks justice for unarmed African Americans killed by white cops. “The wound, RACISM, continues to fester. PRAY for healing,” she wrote in one tweet.

“Point of the Conversation: How’d U like to move about w/a TARGET on you because of the color of your skin? BLACK LIVES MATTER!” she wrote in another. The shooting occurred at a time when anti-police sentiment is already high across the US due to a surge of unjustified killings of unarmed African Americans over the past few months.

On Monday, Terrence Cunningham, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), one of the largest police organizations in the US, issued a formal apology to minorities for the historical injustice and mistreatment by law enforcement agencies.

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