Cameroon national borders will be
closed ahead of general elections polling day on Sunday, according to an order
by the country’s minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji that is
made public Friday afternoon.
“National borders shall be
closed 48 hours to polling day. They will be reopened the following day after
voting,” according to the order, adding that international flights are
exempted from the border closure.
The circulation of goods and
persons within the territory by intercity road, railway, and airlines is also
banned from Feb. 8 at midnight to Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.
The authorities announced the
measure as the election of National Assembly representatives and municipal
councilors is taking place in a context of growing tension in the Anglophone
regions where separatists are fighting to create a new nation they call
“Ambazonia”.
Armed separatist forces have
vowed they will disrupt voting in these regions, representing about 20 percent
of the national population.
Cameroon had taken similar measures
restricting trans-border and intercity transports ahead of last presidential
election in Oct. 2018.
8, February 2020
Biya regime closes borders ahead of general elections polling day 0
Cameroon national borders will be closed ahead of general elections polling day on Sunday, according to an order by the country’s minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji that is made public Friday afternoon.
“National borders shall be closed 48 hours to polling day. They will be reopened the following day after voting,” according to the order, adding that international flights are exempted from the border closure.
The circulation of goods and persons within the territory by intercity road, railway, and airlines is also banned from Feb. 8 at midnight to Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.
The authorities announced the measure as the election of National Assembly representatives and municipal councilors is taking place in a context of growing tension in the Anglophone regions where separatists are fighting to create a new nation they call “Ambazonia”.
Armed separatist forces have vowed they will disrupt voting in these regions, representing about 20 percent of the national population.
Cameroon had taken similar measures restricting trans-border and intercity transports ahead of last presidential election in Oct. 2018.
Source: Xinhuanet