About soter

Posts by :

18, November 2017

Ambazonia Crisis: Human Rights Must Be Respected To End Cycle Of Violence ⁰

The Government of Cameroon must engage representatives of the Anglophone population in a meaningful political dialogue and halt renewed violence in the south-west and north-west, where the country’s English-speaking minority are reportedly suffering worsening human rights violations, a group of UN experts* has warned.

“We urge the Government to adopt all necessary measures consistent with Cameroon’s human rights obligations to end the cycle of violence,” the experts said in a joint statement. Up to 17 people have reportedly been killed, and dozens wounded and arrested in demonstrations in the country’s Anglophone regions since 1 October.

The experts are disturbed by reports of a series of measures taken by the national authorities, including curfews, a ban on public meetings, and other restrictions aimed at preventing peaceful protests. Excessive use of force by the security services, injuries, mass arrests, arbitrary detentions, torture and other ill-treatment have also been reported.

Freedom of expression has been reportedly limited by the blocking of internet connections and of access to social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook, which a UN expert has previously condemned.

“These restrictions must stop immediately, and the Government must ensure a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into all allegations of human rights violations perpetrated during and after the events of 1 October. The Government must take effective measures to prosecute and sanction all those responsible for such violations.”

The appeal for action comes nearly a year after UN experts publicly urged the Government to halt violence against the English-speaking minority , following reports that Anglophone protesters in Buea and Bamenda had suffered undue force.

The experts also denounced any use of violence against members of the security forces, after reports that several were killed last week.

Since December 2016, the experts have repeatedly raised concerns directly with the Government of Cameroon and continue to monitor and seek clarification of the alleged human rights violations in the north-west and south-west of the country.

Source: Modern Ghana

18, November 2017

Zimbabweans call for Mugabe’s resignation at Harare rally ⁰

Thousands of Zimbabweans have taken to the streets in the country’s capital of Harare, calling for the resignation of President Robert Mugabe after nearly four decades in power.

An estimated 5,000 elated demonstrators marched through the capital city on Saturday, waving national flags and chanting slogans against the 93-year-old veteran amid nationwide tensions over an effective coup against him.

Organizers of the mass rally said the move was “a show of people’s force” and public defiance against the long-time president and his close allies.

Protesters gather calling for Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to step down, in Harare, Zimbabwe November 18, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

“These are tears of joy,” Frank Mutsindikwa, a participant in the anti-Mugabe rally said, holding aloft the Zimbabwean flag. “I’ve been waiting all my life for this day. Free at last. We are free at last.”

Another demonstration is also expected to take place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city, as eight of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF ruling party’s 10 regional branches have called for him to go.

Political tensions emerged in Zimbabwe earlier this month after Mugabe fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and accused him of plotting to take power, including through witchcraft.

Mnangagwa, who enjoyed the backing of the military, had previously been considered the most likely to succeed the president if Mugabe resigned or died while in power. His sudden dismissal, however, raised speculations that Mugabe was clearing the way for his wife, Grace, to take the position.

This file photo, taken on June 2, 2017, shows Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (L) with his wife, Grace (R), at the Rudhaka Stadium, in Marondera, Zimbabwe. (By AFP)

The Saturday rally came three days after the army seized power in the country in what was described by the leader of the African Union as a “coup.”

Military forces blocked roads to the main government buildings in the center of Harare and sought to portray it as a “bloodless transition” away from Mugabe, who has been in power for almost four decades, since the former British colony gained independence from the UK in 1980.

Mugabe and his wife have been on the European Union (EU)’s sanctions list along with other key figures in Zimbabwe’s ruling elite, facing travel bans and asset freezes abroad.

The Zimbabwean president has called the sanctions, by the EU and separately by the United States over rights issues “wrong,” blaming them for his government’s failure to pay its workers on time, which led to a crippling strike last year.

Source: Presstv

18, November 2017

Mugabe makes first public appearance since coup ⁰

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe arrived at a university graduation ceremony in the capital on Friday, his first public appearance since a military seizure of power that political sources say is aimed at ending his 37 years in office.

Wearing a blue and yellow academic gown and mortar board hat, the 93-year-old sat in large wooden chair at the front the hall. He was greeted by ululations from the crowd as he declared the ceremony open.

Earlier Friday, Zimbabwe’s military claimed that it was making “significant progress” in talks with Mugabe for his departure from power while it pursues and arrests allies of the president and his wife.

Talks with Mugabe continued, the military said in a statement reported by the state-run Herald newspaper and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

Zimbabwe’s military is “currently engaging with the Commander-in-Chief President Robert Mugabe on the way forward and will advise the nation of the outcome as soon as possible,” the statement said.

“Significant progress has been made in their operation to weed out criminals around President Mugabe,” it said, adding that the military had already arrested some although others remained at large. Those sought had been “committing crimes that were causing social and economic suffering in Zimbabwe.”

The military is seeking cabinet ministers and other top officials who had been associates of first lady, Grace Mugabe, part of a clique dubbed the G40 because many were in their 40s and 50s. They are of a different generation from the one that fought for independence from white minority rule.

Zimbabwean soldiers control vehicles as they stand by an intersection as they regulate civilian traffic in Harare on November 15, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Army troops and armored vehicles continued to patrol the capital, Harare, as Zimbabweans went about their daily business.

Ousted VP back in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s former vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose sacking last week triggered the military’s takeover, has returned to the country, an aide told AFP Friday.

Mnangagwa, who is a leading candidate to succeed President Mugabe, flew back to Harare on Thursday after nearly a week abroad, as army chiefs and the president met to negotiate Mugabe’s exit from office.

This file photo, taken on January 7, 2017, shows Zimbabwe’s former vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, speaking during a ceremony at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. (By AFP)

The generals took over late on Tuesday after Mnangagwa was sacked by the president and Mugabe’s wife emerged in prime position to succeed her increasingly frail husband.

Government TV showed Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state, dressed in a navy blue blazer and grey trousers standing alongside army chief General Constantino Chiwenga.

(Source: Agencies)

18, November 2017

Ambazonia Crisis: UN calls for inclusive dialogue ⁰

In a press release issued on November 17, 2017, the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) stated that it continues to follow with “great attention” the development of the situation in Southern Cameroons.

The UN emphasized that it is “particularly concerned by the upsurge of violence, including that targeting civilians and State agents, including the defense and security forces whose members have lost their lives in attacks in different localities of Southern Cameroons.

While expressing his condolences to the families of the victims, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of UNOCA, François Louncény Fall, strongly condemns these acts of violence and demands that their perpetrators be “Clearly identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law”.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Central Africa and Head of UNOCA also reiterated the UN’s commitment to the territorial integrity and unity of Cameroon and called on the parties to resolve the Anglophone crisis by “peaceful means”. He called for calm and restraint while encouraging “the holding of an inclusive dialogue”.

By Sama Ernest with files from CIN

17, November 2017

Kenya: Three killed as police disperse Odinga supporters ⁰

Three people were shot dead Friday in Nairobi, an AFP reporter saw, as police dispersed thousands of opposition supporters welcoming home their leader Raila Odinga from an overseas trip.

The three men, all with bullet wounds in the upper body, were seen lying on the road in Muthurwa, a city suburb where riot police armed with tear gas, water cannons and rifles clashed with stone throwing protesters, part of angry battles that lasted throughout the day.

Odinga won an unprecedented court victory overturning the result of the August 8 presidential poll, leading to a rerun last month that he then boycotted claiming it would not be free and fair.

Kenya’s Supreme Court is due to rule Monday on whether President Uhuru Kenyatta can be sworn in for a second term or if there must be another rerun.

The dispute over this year’s presidential vote has left the country deeply divided and protests between opposition supporters and police have become commonplace.

Human rights groups estimate that close to 50 people have been killed in election-related violence, the vast majority shot by police.

People call for help for a man who was allegedly injured during a rally of opposition supporters in Nairobi, Kenya, November 17, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Odinga returned Friday from a 10-day trip to the United States where he visited think tanks and sought support for his contention that fresh elections must be held, supervised by an overhauled election board.

His National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition had called its supporters to a “Welcome Back Baba Convoy” — using a nickname for Odinga — to join the opposition leader on his way from the airport to a planned rally in the city center.

But a heavy deployment of police blocked roads and broke up crowds surrounding the convoy, unleashing liberal amounts of tear gas, copious jets from water cannon trucks and firing shots.

The clashes caused chaos in the capital that continued late into the afternoon.

The Kenyan police’s water cannon releases water against protesters during a rally of opposition supporters in Nairobi, November 17, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Following the rerun vote, NASA launched a “National Resistance Movement” aiming to use civil disobedience and boycotts to challenge what it considers to be Kenyatta’s illegal government.

Friday’s gathering of thousands of opposition supporters in Nairobi was the movement’s first show of strength since then, but fell short of the “million man march” promised by party leaders.

It also marked a heavier deployment of police than in the past, as they sought to block Odinga from holding a rally.

Eventually, Odinga managed to say a few words to cheering supporters from the sunroof of his car.

“Today is the day we are launching Kenya as a third republic,” he said, referring to independence from Britain in 1963 and the new constitution in 2010.

“What you have seen is a signal that a third liberation is coming soon,” Odinga said before driving away.

(Source: AFP)

17, November 2017

Ambazonia: President Ayuk Tabe said some weighty things in London ⁰

London Political Summit 2017

“Nationalistic Tendencies: What Future For Global Citizenship?”

Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe

President

Interim Government of UN-Recognized Southern Cameroons

or Self-Proclaimed Republic of Ambazonia, West Africa

London, United Kingdom

October 23, 2017

Abstract

Identified people with defined territories seeking nationalism towards recognition in the international community of states in rising throughout the world including in Africa. Four recent independence events confirm this trend. On June 23, 2016, the British people voted “yes” in the Brexit referendum to leave the European Union. Two recent referendums — one held in the Iraqi Kurdistan region on September 25 and the other in Spain’s Catalonia on October 1 — resulted in overwhelming victories for “yes” voters calling for secession. And in Africa — the independence proclamation and celebration in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions on October 1, resulted in at least 300 dead, 500+ maimed, 2000+ missing and 40000+ refugees. Southern Cameroon movements seeking secession from La Republic du Cameroun was already underway since 1961 and many of the political developments and non-violent protests emerging since October 2016 are direct manifestations of its resurgence.

However, when Southern Cameroons independence is discussed, it is usually understood to mean, disgruntlement of young Anglophone Cameroonians abroad who do not sympathize with the Government of La Republic du Cameroun and had been prevailing since the Foncha era. And it is also understood to characterize what is exactly opposite to state unity, democracy and globalization. Worst, it is branded a “terrorist group.” If explicitly expressed in such statement, it is obviously wrong. There have been, are still and will be popular feelings towards national consciousness in Southern Cameroons: attachment to “Southern Cameroons”, loyalty to the state of Southern Cameroons, desire to have pride of being Southern Cameroons, fondness of Southern Cameroons culture and life-style and love of native-land. Those phenomena, often taken for granted and suppressed by existing Cameroon’s Paul Biyagovernment, characterize basic features of a modern independent-democratic-sovereign Southern Cameroons. A rare perspective and understanding of Southern Cameroons’ complete and unconditional independence rest in the answers to questions: What is the nature of Southern Cameroons nationalistic tendency, how does it differ from other secessionist movements, and what impact does it has on British foreign policy attitudes?

For Southern Cameroonians, more than seven-million indigenes at home and in the diaspora, have decided they cannot secure their rights within the framework of the Cameroon’s Paul Biya government, and must separate from it. The people recognize they live in an occupied territory called Southern Cameroon and the occupying power La Republic du Cameroun has no intention of extending the full rights of citizenship to them or of complying with constitutional principles. Although we favored enforcing constitutional compliance within the existing union with La Republic du Cameroun Government for over half a century unsuccessfully, independence is the only way.

Acknowledgement

Good morning.Thank you to the organizers and sponsors of this meeting. A special thanks to the chair of this session.

Introduction

As we’ve already heard this morning, we come together in London at a remarkable time. We live in a world of constant and at times turbulent change.

So let me start by explaining the background. As you may know, UN-recognized former British Trusteeship Territory Southern Cameroons (and self-proclaimed Federal Republic of Ambazonia) is a unique case of recognized people and territory seeking recognition of its sovereignty, independence and democratic state in the international community of nations using legal and diplomatic frameworks and institutions with the ultimate goal of urging Mr. Paul Biya, President of La Republic du Cameroun, together with his appointed officials and defence forces station in our territory, to seize all activities and depart our homeland that they have illegally occupied and in turn enslaved our citizens for more than 56 years.

And when we think of the non-negotiable resolve and resilience of the over 8-million people of Southern Cameroons in the homeland and more than 3-million who have acquired refuge in scores of democratic-peace loving countries across the world including the United Kingdom, we are clearly dealing with a growing problem – a problem in need of urgent and new solutions.

I would like to take a few minutes this morning to ground ourselves in the problem and then talk together about some of the solutions I believe we have the opportunity to pursue together.

Problem

But let’s start with the problem. The problem is clear. We see them everywhere. We see them in the actions of the President, Government and people of LRC toward the territory, resources and people of Southern Cameroons. We see this in the enslavement, abuse and violation of the rights of the people of Southern Cameroons.

But more than anything, if you think about what has happened over the 56 years, if you think about the recent massacre and destruction of property of the people of Southern Cameroons by the armed security and defense forces of LRC following the largest peaceful protest staged by the citizens of Southern Cameroons globally on September 22 and the independence self-declaration by the people of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia on October 1, I think we should come together and reflect on one thing, one thing that has clearly made the situation even more challenging – that is the drive for people to seek unorthodox means like North Korea and Iran to create their statehood and ensure their survival. We’ve seen my people use only their voice and bare hands to seek freedom and they have been killed in return, injured, kidnapped and dehumanized by LRC army. This is unacceptable, unsustainable and cannot be tolerated any longer.

And think about these facts. First,the pioneer President of La Republique du Cameroun Mr. Amadou Ahidjo proclaimed independence of La Republique du Cameroun from France on 1 January 1960 and Southern Cameroons was not a part of his territory. Second, international law provides the international boundary that separates Southern Cameroons from La Republic du Cameroun. Third, despite a UN-sponsored referendum in 1961 in which Southern Cameroons voted to join La Republic as equal partners, neither the parliament of Southern Cameroons and La Republic ratified and deposited the instruments with the UN. Therefore,no agreement or treaty or convention establishes and binds a union between Southern Cameroons and La Republique du Cameroun, per Article 102(1) of the UN Charter. To that end, LRC illegally and forcefully annexed Southern Cameroons. Yet, we’ve seen these issues burst into the news in terms of geopolitical controversies. We’ve seen them become even more pronounced. And the world powers must stand up and lead the world toward global citizenship, peace and stability.

Solution

I think there are three things that we should consider enhancing Southern Cameroon achieve statehood and become a global citizen, and I’d like to talk about each of these three this morning.

First, for the sake of world peace and the respect of the value of human life, the international community must urge Mr. Paul Biya of LRC to seize all military campaigns in the territory of Southern Cameroons and withdraw all forces to its internationally recognized boundaries, which are the boundaries LRC inherited from colonization.

Second, the international community using appropriate forums such as United Nations, European Union and African Union have to apply the principles of international law to its case. This should include a UN sponsored referendum for Southern Cameroonians to fully restore their independence and statehood under international law and institutions.

Third, the international community have to initiate an investigation into the unlawful killings, injure and disappearances of thousands of family members and loved ones of Southern Cameroons and hold Mr. Paul Biya and his government and defence forces accountable for all crimes committed against humanity under international law.

Conclusion

As we think about Nationalistic tendencies: What future for global citizenship, achieving global peace and security as we think about addressing theillegal annexation of the territory and people of Southern Cameroons by LRC, this forum is a powerful force that should inspire us, and on which we can build to use international laws and instructions to build on my recommendations.Let’s use that inspiration. Let’s use what we have learned. Let’s build on what we share with each other. And let’s go forward and show the world that it needs us to be what we can be when we’re at our best – free nationals and democratic states with working for global peace. A global society that earns everyone’s trust every day. A world that even in an age of nationalism, is a peace loving community of states on which everyonedepend and rely for peace and security.

Thank you very much.

17, November 2017

La Republique: Fire sweeps through parliament ⁰

A fire swept through the main building of French Cameroun’s parliament in Yaounde overnight, causing substantial damage.

State radio and television CRTV said witnesses reported that the blaze was raging on the third and fourth floors of the building.

Firefighters worked hard to put out the blaze at about midnight yesterday.

Several French Cameroun parliamentarians including House Speaker and administrative authorities helped in the deployment of firefighters to stop the flames, which ravaged four floors of the administrative block of the building.

Pictures posted on social media appeared to show a large part of the building had been damaged. There has so far been no indication of any casualties and the cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.

17, November 2017

National Assembly Fire Disaster: Cavaye Djibril watched helplessly ⁰

The National Assembly building at Ngoa-Ekelle has suffered its third fire since its construction. But that which occurred yesterday, November 16, 2017 remains the most serious.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that it took about three hours to completely extinguish the fire that broke out around 9 pm yesterday.

The fury of the flames consumed the third and fourth floors before firefighters could control the spread of the flames. The fire was reportedly turned off shortly after midnight.

Some French Cameroun MPs, including the Honorable Cavaye Yegui Djibril, rushed to the scene and watched helplessly.
After 1995 and 2013, it is the third time since its construction that the glass house at Ngoa Ekelle is attacked by fire. The Francophone dominated security agencies have opened an investigation.

By Sama Ernest in Yaounde

17, November 2017

German factions fail in initial efforts to form coalition ⁰

German political factions have failed in their initial efforts to form a three-way coalition because of disagreements over environment, business, and migration policies.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had set Thursday as the deadline for exploratory talks about forming a coalition government following elections on September 24.

Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc won 246 seats; the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), 80 seats; and the left-leaning environment-friendly Green Party, 67 in those elections. There are currently 709 seats in the German legislative body, or the Bundestag.

The coalition government being negotiated is referred to as “Jamaica” because the parties’ colors match those of the Caribbean island country’s flag.

The exploratory talks of the three parties continued into the early hours of Friday. Later in the day, they announced that they had failed to find common ground to begin formal coalition negotiations.

The three parties said further talks would be postponed to Friday noon.

“We’ll continue at noon today,” said Winfried Kretschmann, a Greens negotiator and premier of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, early on Friday.

Prime Minister of the state of Baden-Wurtemberg and Green Party politician Winfried Kretschmann (L) leaves the Parliamentary Society as exploratory talks to form a new government fail, in Berlin, Germany, in the early hours of Friday, November 17, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The main sticking points between the groups are their different perspectives over climate, migration, and finances.

Conservative participants said some of those differences might not be resolved at all.

“I don’t know if we can resolve all the discrepancies, all the disagreements,” said Joachim Herrmann, a senior member of the CSU, the sister party of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU).

Failure to clinch a deal could lead to new elections.

Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), criticized the would-be coalition partners for failing to reach a deal, telling daily Die Welt, “If the (conservative) Union, FDP, and Greens don’t reach an agreement soon, there should be new elections.”

This is a scenario none of the negotiating parties would want, for fear that the far-right AfD could make further gains after already entering the parliament in the September 24 elections.

While Merkel is perceived as a skilled negotiator, the failure to form the coalition government has already been described as her loss.

“A failure of Jamaica would be her failure,” wrote the mass-circulation German daily Bild.

Culled from Presstv

17, November 2017

President Mugabe refuses to resign after meeting generals ⁰

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has refused to cede power to the military which has seized power in the southern African country and put him under house arrest.

Generals met with Mugabe on Thursday in the capital, Harare, and made efforts to push the 93-year-old veteran to resign, sources confirmed to the AFP news agency.

Mugabe’s motorcade reportedly took the president from his home to State House to hold a meeting with the generals.

The president also held meetings with envoys from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc.

Images of the meeting showed Mugabe dressed in a navy blue blazer and grey trousers standing alongside army chief General Constantino Chiwenga who smiled and was dressed in camouflage military fatigues.

Military forces took control of Harare on Wednesday, with soldiers and armored vehicles blocking roads to the main government offices, the parliament, and the courts in central Harare.

Mugabe has been in power for almost four decades, since the former British colony gained independence from the UK in 1980.

To many Zimbabweans, he is a “war hero” and an “African icon” who played a definitive role in making the country independent.

However, his deteriorating health in recent years has triggered a succession war between his wife Grace and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The military generals are strongly opposed to Grace’s presidency, while Mnangagwa has maintained cordial ties with the military.

On Thursday, the African Union expressed concern, calling on Zimbabwe’s military to halt what “seems like a coup”.

AU chief, Guinea’s President Alpha Conde, warned that the continent “will never accept the military coup d’etat” in Zimbabwe and called for a return to the “constitutional order.”

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres also called for “calm and non-violence” and for the fundamental rights of Zimbabwean citizens to be preserved, a spokesman for the UN chief said.

In Harare, residents continued life as normal on Thursday, commuting, socializing and working as they ignored the few soldiers still on the streets.

The state-owned Herald newspaper in its editorial took a neutral stand by remaining loyal to Mugabe but also endorsing the military’s action.

Source: Presstv