Politics

4, May 2017

French presidential candidates hold heated debate ⁰

French centrist presidential candidate Emanuel Macron and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen have exchanged barbs at their only televised debate prior to the Sunday presidential runoff in France. The duel on Wednesday night was rife with verbal clashes between the two presidential hopefuls, who discussed an assortment of controversial issues on economy, national security, and foreign policy.

During the two-and-a-half hour debate, Le Pen tried to highlight her flagship policy of “France-first” nationalism, including a crackdown on illegal immigration, scrapping the euro currency, and holding a referendum on European Union (EU) membership.

Macron, for his part, called for political openness, pro-market reforms, and the slashing of public spending. At one climactic point, Le Pen branded the former economy minister as “the candidate of the elite” and a “darling of the system.” Macron called her a “liar” and a “parasite of the system” in response.

Marine Le Pen, France’s far-right Front National (FN) Party candidate

On foreign policy, the 48-year-old candidate of the far-right Front National (FN) party accused her rival of being “submissive” toward German Chancellor Angela Merkel, taking a dig by saying, “France will be led by a woman, either me or Mrs. Merkel.”

Le Pen also accused Macron of having “no plan” on national security and of adopting an “indulgent attitude” toward the terrorist threats faced by the country. The 39-year-old centrist replied that he would be “uncompromising” on terrorism, which he described as the biggest issue of the next few years in France.

Accusing his rival of “hate-filled speech,” Macron warned that Le Pen’s bellicose rhetoric would divide France and lead to “a civil war.” In a final blow, Macron reproached his rival for her policies and said, “I’m sorry, Madame Le Pen; France deserves better than you.”

Emmanuel Macron, France’s presidential candidate for the En Marche! Movement

In an opinion poll immediately conducted by Elabe pollsters for BFM TV after the heated debate, some 63 percent of the people interviewed found the pro-EU former economy minister more convincing versus 34 percent for the leader of the FN party.

Macron and Le Pen won the first round of voting in France’s presidential election on April 23. Macron finished first with 24 percent, ahead of Le Pen with 21.3 percent. They will now have to contend in the runoff, scheduled for May 7. Nearly 47 million voters are eligible to vote on that day. France’s outgoing President Francois Hollande urged voters last week to back Macron and reject Le Pen.

Culled from Presstv

2, May 2017

French PM warns of EU death if Le Pen wins presidency ⁰

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has warned that the European Union will not survive if far-right leader Marine Le Pen becomes president.

“The European Union, weakened by Brexit, would not be able to withstand the new shock that would be constituted by the arrival in power in France of a government that is openly europhobic,” wrote Cazeneuve in a column in the Liberation newspaper on Tuesday.

He further called on the country to vote for front-runner Emmanuel Macron in the decisive May 7 presidential run-off.

Macron, 39, and Le Pen, 48, won the first round of voting in the presidential election on April 23. Macron finished first on 24 percent, ahead of Le Pen with 21.3 percent.

1, May 2017

Blair to ‘get his hands dirty’ with UK politics again ⁰

Former British prime minister Tony Blair has announced his plan to “get his hands dirty” with domestic politics again, 20 years after beating John Major to enter Downing Street.

In an interview with the Daily Mirror newspaper published on Monday, Blair said he is returning to politics in order to fight against the UK leaving the European Union (EU).

Blair led the Labour Party to a landslide victory on May 1, 1997 – two decades ago today — ending its 18 years in opposition and winning 418 seats, the most the party has ever held. He led Labour from 1994 to 2007.

Blair said he will not be standing in the June general elections, but added that he wanted to launch a political movement to formulate the policy debate as Britain begins its two-year-long complex negotiations to leave the EU.

The 63-year-old, whose ten-year tenure as the British PM was marred by his controversial decision to join the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, admitted that he would face intense criticism for returning to politics.

Source: Presstv

29, April 2017

Musonge Commission: The rise and fall of the Peter Mafany Anglophone gang ⁰

The members of the so-called National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism have been installed into their functions. The Thursday 27th April 2017 ceremony at the Yaoundé Conference Centre has been rubbished by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. The team headed by an anti grass-field former Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge was commissioned by the Head of Government, Philemon Yang, on behalf of the Head of State.

In trying to divert from the Southern Cameroon problem and quest for an independent state, the PM called on the members to foster the two official languages for the sake of peace and national unity. The PM said bilingualism remains a rare asset of development and social cohesion at a time when French Cameroun political elites orchestrated the longest internet shut down ever recorded in the African continent against West Cameroonians. The ceremony came just two days after President Biya signed a decree appointing a certain Cornelius Chi Asafor as Secretary General of the commission. The Chairman of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism said work will effectively begin this coming week.

Created by a presidential decree that was made public on the 15th March 2017, the Musonge Commission which composed of 15 members is a primitive and cheap design by the Biya Francophone regime to downplay the Southern Cameroons crisis. Its objective is to ensure the equal use of English and French as two official languages which has no bearing with the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

By Sonne Peter

29, April 2017

Bilingualism and Multiculturalism: David Abouem says “We are not out to impress Biya” ⁰

Former Governor David Abouem a Tchoyi has said that the members of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism are not out to impress President Biya. The members were installed on April 27, 2017 by Prime Minister Philemon Yang.

Abouem observed that “The President has signed a decree setting out our powers, and now there is the law and the spirit of the law, and each one of us should indicate how he understands the spirit of the text.” “We have a road map set by the decree of the President of the Republic. The first task is to understand the full extent and then on the basis of the program of action that we are going to put in place, each one will intervene according to his / her sensitivity and according to the problems on the agenda. What he thinks, we exchange and then we move towards a common position “.

On the fact that the Commission remains an advisory body, David Abouem, noted that “I have been in these commissions before. I can tell you that we sat on a similar commission in 1979 and made a number of recommendations, with medium- or long-term application and President Ahidjo applied all of them, at least, those that were of immediate and short-term application.”

The former baron of the regime pointed out that “If someone had reflected on the problem of Anglophone justice, on the problem of Anglophone teachers who had even made forward proposals to the president of the republic in October when the crisis began, I am sure that the situation would not have evolved.”

Fru James

Cameroon Concord News

28, April 2017

French Cameroun: Businessman to challenge the 84 year old dictator ⁰

A business man who considers himself an advocate of peace, Jean Blaise Gwet has declared his intention to take part in the 2018 Presidential Election in Cameroon. He made the announcement on Wednesday 26^th of April 2017 at a press conference organized in Yaoundé.

Jean Blaise Gwet, a member of the Patriotic Movement for Change in Cameroon MPCC Party was endorsed by his party. Apart from announcing his candidature, the candidate unveiled his plans to reshape the country’s political landscape. Jean Blaise said he will be campaigning for peace, human rights and social cohesion.

Nothing is known of him at the national level and some commentators have already opined that he is a Biya agent. The 60 year old Entrepreneur and Executive Officer of Lucky Gwet Solar Energy Company was candidate in the 2011 Presidential election and later declined due to unpreparedness. He is positive that his party will bring meaningful change to French Cameroun.

27, April 2017

Appointment of Chi Asafor Cornelius: Infantile and Laughable ⁰

The President of the Republic has appointed Chi Asafor Cornelius as pioneer Secretary General of the National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism. His was appointed 48 hours to the official installation of members of the National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, a ceremony to take place today Thursday, 27th April 2017.

Shortly after his appointment, the new Secretary General expressed profound gratitude to the Head of State for the confidence bestowed. He vowed to use his over 30 years experience at the public service and university to foster bilingualism and multiculturalism in the country.

In a CPDM-style declaration, Chi Asafor advised all to be hardworking because “The President never forgets hard workers in this country. By making it possible for me to be part of an important organ like commission to help promote togetherness, to help bring peace in the country is something I have to formally thank him for”.

The 15 commission members appointed on 15th March 2017 will be installed by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, and Philemon Yang. The commission is headed by Peter Mafany Musonge, a common politician and former Prime Minister and Senator.

State radio and television noted that each of the members of the commission is experienced. They are expected to use their knowledge to build a stronger cohesion among Cameroonians while promoting the effective use of the two official languages and the valorisaration of Cameroon’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Southern Cameroonians are justified in holding firmly that with the collapse of the purported federation, the bilingual, bijural and bicultural character of the country, and a return in 1984 of East Cameroon to its name and identity at independence on January 1960, the putative union was dead. They were entitled as a matter of international law, to regain their own identity at independence on October 1, 1961.

The actions by Paul Biya in disbanding the Consortium, kidnapping its leaders and other significant Southern Cameroon leaders and charging them on spurious politically motivated charges before a Francophone court-martial for presenting the very grievances which he has trivialized by decreeing a so-called National Commission on Bilingualism are to say the least infantile and laughable.

Not only are the Consortium Leaders, Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho and Dr Neba Fontem along with Mancho Bibixy, Hon Justice Chief Paul Ayah, Mola Njoh Litumbe and hundreds of Southern Cameroonians still in detention, the perpetration of widespread and systemic crimes against humanity and genocide of the Southern Cameroons is ongoing with impunity.

By Rita Akana

27, April 2017

La Republique: Anglophone Premier chairs April Cabinet meeting ⁰

Prime Minister Philemon Yang has chaired the April 2017 Cabinet Meeting. During the session on the 26^th of April 2017, three Cabinet members took turns to brief the Head of Government on different measures put in place to meet French Cameroon’s objectives. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Jean Claude Mbwentchou presented a CPDM program for urban renovation in the country.

The Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr Taiga spoke of the regime’s initiatives in the development of livestock, animal industries and aquaculture sectors. He also discussed projects put in place to train producers.

For his part, the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelle, enlightened the forum on the implementation of the new identification system. After deliberations, Prime Minister Philemon Yang exhorted the Ministers to keep up with the good work.

He gave specific instructions to all three Cabinet members who did presentations and he recommended that a strategy to stop the importation of aquaculture products by 2020, be elaborated. The Anglophone premier declared his supports for local authorities in designing community plans for urban renewal and authorized the harmonious implementation of the new identification system.

26, April 2017

Biya sacks ELECAM Chairman ⁰

President Biya signed a decree on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, which terminated the functions of Samuel Fonkam Azu’u at the head of Elections Cameroon (Elecam).

Samuel Fonkam served as President of Elecam for 8 years. The new decree of the Head of State appointed Enow Egbe Abrams as new board chairman.

Three other decrees were signed appointing a vice-president and members of Elecam and their mandates extended for another two year period.

Former Governor Enow Abrams Egbe now has the job of guaranteeing Biya continued stay in power.

By Rita Akana

24, April 2017

Macron, Le Pen in French presidential runoff ⁰

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron have advanced to France’s presidential runoff scheduled for May 7. According to the preliminary results released late on Sunday, the two candidates are engaged in a close race as a spokesman for defeated candidate, François Fillon, says he has suffered ‘huge disappointment’. French interior ministry says with 33.2 million votes counted, Macron is leading with 23.11 percent of the votes and Le Pen with 23.08 percent. According to AFP, if this result is finally approved, it would put the eurosceptic, anti-immigration Le Pen within striking distance of the presidency in the forthcoming election.

Nearly 47 million voters cast their ballots on Sunday under tight security to decide whether to back a pro-EU centrist newcomer, a scandal-ridden veteran conservative who wants to slash public spending, a far-left eurosceptic admirer of Fidel Castro, or a first woman president who would shut borders to refugees and ditch the euro.

The final outcome of the French presidential poll is being anxiously monitored around the world as a sign of whether the populist tide that saw Britain vote to leave the EU and Donald Trump’s election in the United States is still rising or starting to ebb. Emmanuel Macron, 39, is a centrist ex-banker, who set up his party just a year ago. Before Sunday election, he was the opinion polls’ favorite to win the first round and beat Le Pen.

Months of campaigning has been marred by scandals, which have left many voters agonizing over their choice. A survey from Harris Interactive estimated the final abstention rate at 21.5 percent, while one from Ifop-Fiducial for Paris Match and CNews put the abstention rate at 19 percent.

The abstention rate was 20.52 percent in 2012, according to Interior Ministry figures. About 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers have been deployed around France to protect voters in the wake of a policeman’s killing on Thursday.