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8, February 2017

Anglophone Crisis: Cameroon Intelligence Report says death toll rises to at least 102 ⁰

Cameroon Intelligence Report has collected figures from 6 detention centers in Douala, Bafoussam and Yaoundé giving a total of at least 102 killed in the unrest in Southern Cameroons since 2016. The breakdown of these figures is: 52 in Yaoundé- Sao, 40 in Douala, and 10 in Bafoussam. These figures are based on unofficial cables obtained from Francophone government sources at the Kondengui prison in Yaoundé and security sources including medical doctors in Douala and Bafoussam.

Authorities in the Ministry of Communication have rejected our findings and those of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium as false, and said that the ministry would issue an official death toll when told to do so by the presidency of the republic. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Africa Union have both turned a blind eye on the genocide going on in Anglophone Cameroon.

In detention facilities in French Cameroun, our intelligence officers obtained unofficial lists with names of those who had died and buried in mass graves. We have received figures of the number of persons killed during the protests from doctors in Kumba, Buea, Kumbo and Bamenda who were on duty on the emergency wards. Our intelligence officers also regularly visited the many torture facilities in Douala, Edea and Mbouda and obtained the number of confirmed deaths from doctors there.

According to anonymous Francophone government sources, many of these deaths occurred in 2016 as a result of live gunfire and rubber bullets. A significant proportion of deaths were caused by teargas canisters fired at close range in Bamenda and Kumbo. Access to the Kondengui high security prison and the detention center at the Secretariat for Defense was very difficult and only possible after personal assurances that Cameroon Intelligence Report would protect the names of the security agents who agreed to speak to us. Cameroon Intelligence Report has been unable to see death certificates citing causes of death or to gather the names of all those killed. In all the cases, families have also been unable to obtain certificates stating the cause of death.

Some of the Francophone security personnel who spoke to our undercover reporters hinted that the prison wardens have been under pressure to downplay the overall number of deaths. A senior aide to the regime in Yaounde who hails from the Foumban constituency in the West region observed that it is possible the actual number of deaths is significantly higher than the 102 reported to our investigative team because that figure is based on only three localities.

Culled from CIR

8, February 2017

Ivory Coast: Alassane Ouattara caught in the pangs of a monster he created ⁰

Soldiers in Ivory Coast have mutinied in a town in the southeast of the country, renewing an attempt to secure promised bonuses and make other grievances heard. Witnesses in the town of Adiake said on Tuesday that soldiers opened fire and blocked roads earlier in the day, similar to what happened in Bouake and other cities a month ago. “The soldiers erected barricades blocking traffic near their camp. The population has left the streets and we let the students out because we were afraid,” said a teacher in Adiake, adding that schools and other government institutions were shuttered as a result of the mutiny.

Another teacher said gunfire had begun earlier in the Special Forces’ camp in Adiake, adding that the entire town began panicking after armed soldiers left the barracks. A spokesman for the army confirmed that there was gunfire in Adiake, a town located nearly 100 kilometers east of Ivory Coast’s commercial hub Abidjan. The official did not immediately confirm the mutiny.

There was also no report on what the shooters were demanding, but the similar revolt in Bouake last month saw soldiers mutinying over unpaid bonuses and other grievances. The Bouake unrest quickly spread to other cities, including Abidjan. The government then agreed to pay more than 8,000 soldiers, most of them former militants who controlled northern Ivory Coast from 2002 to 2011, bonuses of nearly $20,000.

Other soldiers and elements of security forces have sought similar bonuses since the deal in January. Military sources said on Tuesday that mutineers in Adiake were seeking a similar payoff, which also included bonuses promised to them when they fought for former President Laurent Gbagbo. Hospital sources said the gunfire stopped around 1:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, but people in Adiake were still panicked.

Presstv

7, February 2017

Nigeria: Hundreds take to streets to protest economic crisis ⁰

Hundreds of Nigerians have taken to the streets in the country’s most populous city of Lagos to protest against the government’s handling of the West African country’s economic crisis. Some 500 angry protesters gathered from early morning at the National Stadium in the commercial capital to protest against the prevailing economic hardships, high cost of living and poor government handling of the economic crisis in the country.

The demonstrators, who marched through the streets to the rhythm of drums and trumpets, demanded solutions to the ongoing crippling recession. Protesters held placards and banners that read, “The unemployed are hungry and angry” and “I will not be silent.” They also chanted slogans such as “enough is enough.”

Elias Ozikpu, a student who attended the rally in Lagos, complained about skyrocketing prices. “Everything is very expensive today: the price of food, the price of gasoline has increased. We suffer but politicians do not care,” Ozikpu said, adding, “Two years ago we elected a new government because the previous one was corrupt but we don’t see any change, it’s even worse now.”

Meanwhile, in the administrative capital of Abuja, dozens of people also marched to the presidential villa in protest at President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policies. The protest rallies took place despite warnings by the police not to assemble because of fears of a “breakdown of law and order with attendant loss of lives and property.” Responding to Monday’s rallies, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the protest was noted.

“We hear you loud and clear, those who are on the streets protesting the economic situation and even those who are not, but feel the pain of economic hardship,” Osinbajo said.

“We hear you loud and clear. You deserve a decent life and we are working night and day to make life easier.” Nigerians have been suffering after a fall in oil prices since mid-2014 slashed government revenue. The developments have pushed up inflation to more than 20 percent and weakened the naira currency.

Presstv

7, February 2017

Man who condemns the Consortium had once championed case for a return to federalism ¹

Caven Nnoko Mbele who recently joined forces with former Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge and launched a vicious attack against the North West people and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has been uncovered as the most inconsistent Southern Cameroons political figure. Cameroon Intelligence Report understands that during Nnoko Mbele’s time as Secretary General of the South West Elites Association, he made the case for federalism-a position recently adopted by the Consortium.

To be sure, in November 1994, Caven Nnoko Mbele made SWELA’s case for a ten-state federation. Caven Nnoko Mbele’s speech worried many political leaders including the leadership of the Anglophone separatist movement- the Southern Cameroons National Council. Inside sources deep within the Buea province of West Cameroon say, Caven Nnoko Mbele’s dramatic U-turn against the demands made by Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium for federalism is frightening. Below is a synopsis of the Nnoko Mbele 1994 presentation:

1-That a ten-state federal structure in the Republic of Cameroon gives room for the authentic recognition of the genius in each ethnic group. It recognizes the capacities and potential in each culture, climate, history, language and tradition of thought and habit of Cameroon. It galvanizes all these traits into possibilities in the tasks of nation-building. It calls for a wider loyalty, a larger legitimate aspiration than any that has ever animated the Cameroonian. It repudiates the views of excessive centralization on the one hand and blights all attempts at apparent uniformity on the other. Indeed unity in diversity on a transparent administrative basis is better than unity in deception.

2-SWELA reaffirm that a Union of States in a federation along the carvings of the present 10 provincial structure should be our spring-board for the future and provide the solution for Cameroon to lay the foundation for national unity and prepare the way for peace and security-conditions vitally needed to release the potentialities buried in Cameroonians and to make a definitive step towards the full measure of our collective and individual destinies.

3-To the doubtful, skeptical and fearful of a Federation, we wish to reiterate that the ultimate goal of any government is to provide opportunities, possibilities and resources required to raise the quality of life of all its citizens through the judicious and efficient use of national resources, both human and natural.

Culled from CIR

7, February 2017

SWELA Europe says genuine South West elites are not Biya Francophone stooges ⁷

The South West Elites Association, European chapter has distanced itself from the recent Buea declaration orchestrated by former Prime Minister and Head of Government, Peter Mafany Musonge. A meeting of SWELA Europe that held recently in Dublin, Ireland refuted growing allegations that South Westerners are stooges of the Biya Francophone government who have been paid to guarantee Francophone political elites continued marginalization of Southern Cameroonians.

“Some people say the South West elites are the mouthpiece and stooges of the Biya government. But SWELA came into existence not because it likes any regime but it is because the forum likes the country.” The Secretary General of SWELA Europe, Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai who also moonlights as the Chairman of the Cameroon Concord News Group pointed out that the academics and political elites of the South West started as VIKUMA- meaning Victoria-Kumba-Mamfe and then to SWELA. “We came out on our own, not on the platform of Mr. Biya and we have not been paid for doing that.”

Speaking during the Dublin forum, the Secretary General did observe that the founding fathers of VIKUMA and later SWELA never antagonized the ruling government be it CNU or CPDM nor sought favours from it. SWELA’s main concern, he went on, was to protect the interest of the South West people and playing down anything that may divide or bring disaffection in the country.

The leadership of SWELA Europe revealed that there were communication gaps between the public and the Musonge minority CPDM following including the demands of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. The Secretary General of SWELA Europe therefore advised that SWELA should serve as a unifying factor between the Biya government and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

“I think there is a serious communication breakdown between CPDM elites and the South West Elites Association. Peter Mafany Musonge cannot claim to be the prophetic voice of the South West people than Bishop Emeritus Francis Lysinge of the Mamfe Diocese. Both the CPDM elites and the South West Elites Association should listen to the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.” Concluded the SWELA Europe Secretary General.

By Diamond Ebs Esoh in Dublin

7, February 2017

Anglophone Problem: Francophone Diaspora accused CRTV of hate reporting ⁰

The Cameroon Radio and Television Corporation, CRTV has come under scathing verbal attacks from French speaking Cameroonians in the Diaspora following what they described as “hate reporting” through the arousing of anti-Anglophone sentiments over the network.

Information from sources in Germany, France and Belgium said instead of advising Cameroonians against the dangers of war, Anglophone and Francophone broadcasters over CRTV are making a mockery of the leadership of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and their majority following projecting the power of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate as representing the entire French speaking community in Cameroon.

Questioned about the veracity of the accusation of French speaking Cameroonians, most of the diplomats serving at the Cameroon embassies in Western Europe contacted by Cameroon Intelligence Report said as a state radio and television and property of the Cameroon government, President Biya and the ruling political elites can decide what to do with it or what it must say. Progressive Francophone elements in Europe have wondered aloud why such anti Southern Cameroons broadcasts could be allowed at a time efforts were needed to seek for peace in the country.

Repeated broadcast of war messages coming from senior members of the Francophone dominated government such as former Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge, Minister Atanga Nji, the resurrected Calvin Nnoko Mbele, Ministers Fame Ndongo and Laurent Esso according to the Francophone community leaders in Europe raised fears that the situation might deteriorate in the near future.

Culled from CIR

7, February 2017

Hail to the courageous and persistent Southern Cameroonians ⁰

Hail to the courageous and persistent Ambazonians who continue the ghost town strategy even when everybody would like to celebrate the win of the Africa Cup on the streets! No! Now is not the time to focus on sports, now is the time to focus on survival of the whole homeland, the whole People of Ambazonia. Either you stand up now altogether or you become extinct. The independent Nation of Ambazonia aka “Southern Cameroons” is threatened by genocide and has suffered unspeakable treatment by the illegitimate dictatorial regime of Cameroun aka Exploitation-Colony-of-France for tooooo long.

The ghost town form of maximum passive resistance must continue at any cost to put more and more pressure on Mista Biya on his cronies and on all international parties which may still think that Anglophones are just an internal problem in Cameroon. No! The Anglophones are not the problem, they are the solution! The real problem is with the Francophones, who crawl in the the arse of French and other foreign corporations to profit from exploitation of their own fellow Cameroonians. And what the French are doing with Cameroun, like a rapist with its victim, Yaoundé is doing with Ambazonia.

It’s only about robbing robbing robbing. That’s why they don’t allow any weapons for the Ambazonians to defend themselves and control their own resources by themselves. Nevertheless, right now, it is favorable to stay with all forms of passive resistance until an exile government of Ambazonia is formed which will drive a worldwide peaceful campaign for the support of the buildup of a modern, independent, entrepreneurial, prosperous, free Ambazonia in which the People can vote for their own State’s name and new, much better Constitution per Referendum. But to make it happen, we need everyone of you, each and every single one, to help keeping the resistance spirit in the suffering population alive and to promote the convincing of the Francophones also, that they shall support the Ambazonians in their quest for independence, because once achieved, that would be the most potential way to help the Francophones as well to get rid of that corrupt and outdated Biya regime and French robbery post colonialism. So please, try to call as many people in the homeland as you can and keep them informed and highly spirited.

The Ambazonian Diaspora is feverishly working on all diplomatic and guerilla and media campaign fronts to make the world convinced that it is driving far far better with free Ambazonia than with enslaved Cameroon! You will see, independence, freedom, prosperity, own government, own army, own currency, own modern constitution, all this will come, if you only remain persistent and network with the homeland like one man with one agenda and one command structure! Every Ambazonian, every “Southern Cameroonian” has to become a warrior for independence now! Ambazonians and Cameroonians are the creme de la creme of Africa and they will get their long deserved freedom!

LONG LIVE AMBAZONIA!!!

6, February 2017

Consortium says Southern Cameroonians have isolated Biya and his Musonge gang ²

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has released a detail assessment of today’s ghost town operation in West Cameroon. In a press statement made public by the interim leaders, Mark Bareta and Tapang Ivo, the Consortium announced that Southern Cameroonians responded to the call and isolated the Biya Francophone regime.

The interim leaders said the provocation and political statement issued by the Francophone government via the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun were just a ploy for Biya and his Musonge gang to buy time. Bareta and Tapang observed that the footballers never stood when Anglophones were maimed and killed by French speaking soldiers.

The interim leaders added that the communiqué from some teachers calling off the strike action was an indication that the Francophone political elites were unwilling to concede to the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium proposals for institutional changes to usher in genuine federalism and democracy.

Bareta and Tapang pointed out that all what the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime was bent on doing was to bring back the North West/South West divide tactics which has failed woefully. The interim leaders noted that the people of Southern Cameroons are indeed in charge and the struggle continues.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

6, February 2017

There are reasons for the creation of a Southern Cameroons parliament in exile ⁰

1) On account of the incontrovertible documentary evidence establishing the responsibility of the Government of Cameroun, in perpetrating egregious acts of violence, kidnapping, militarization and the targeted disruptions of internet services on the peoples of the Southern Cameroons;

2) Cognizant of the fact that the state which is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the populations against genocide, is deliberately precipitating the same, with the abrogation of common law system of justice and the trial of English-speaking members of the civil society in Military tribunals in French Cameroon where their rights to equal justice are systematically violated;

3) Aware that the 34-year old totalitarian government of Paul Biya who is 84, with a rapidly diminishing mental capacity, has manifestly failed to protect the populations of the Southern Cameroons;

4) Southern Cameroonians in the Diaspora, must take remedial action to urge the Secretary General of the United Nations to table the implementation of the responsibility to protect (A/63/677), before the General Assembly of the United Nations, as a matter of extreme urgency;

5) To this end, Southern Cameroons in the Diaspora cognizant of the incitement of ethnic hatred by government agents provocateurs against targeted sections of the Southern Cameroons population, for the purpose of sparking up ethnic cleansing, with the ongoing plans to arm gullible South West populations to attack and expel North westerners from towns and villages of the Southwest;

6) On account of the need for the Southern Cameroonian populations in the Diaspora to take timely and decisive action to forestall the Biya government’s genocidal plans, the convening of a Southern Cameroons parliament in exile has become imperative;

7) The denial of the right of genuine representation from the populations of the Southern Cameroons, due to the militarization and Gestapo tactics of mass intimidation, elimination and the incitement of terror, empower Southern Cameroons in the free world to provisionally takeover the responsibility to represent the interests of these occupied people until the attainment of self-rule;

8) The availability of modern means of instant communication by audio and video, facilitate the holding of parliamentary deliberations that will be representative and all inclusive.

(This is a draft motion tabled to the people of the Southern Cameroons, worldwide. Your reaction, comment, modification, clarification, opposition, will be highly appreciated).

By Larry Eyong

6, February 2017

African Union: Morocco says will never recognize SADR ⁰

Moroccan officials have rejected claims that their country will have to recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) now that the kingdom is permitted to rejoin the African Union (AU). Moroccan Deputy Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said in an interview published on Sunday that Morocco’s membership in the AU would not mean a recognition of the SADR borders declared by the the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara region at the height of a war for the territory.

“Not only does Morocco not recognize – and will never recognize – this so-called entity … It will (also) redouble its efforts so the small minority of countries, particularly African, which recognize it, change their positions,” said Bourita.

The Moroccan diplomat said Rabat will not change its stance on the territory, refuting statements by Polisario and its allies that Morocco’s return to the African bloc implies a recognition of the SADR’s borders.

“This is nonsense from the point of view of international law and state practice,” Bourita said, adding that joining “an international forum in the presence of an unrecognized entity cannot imply the state’s recognition of that entity.” The AU decided in a meeting in Ethiopia last Monday to approve Morocco’s re-entry into the bloc. The kingdom left the AU in 1984 after the continental body admitted SADR.

Polisario backers, namely Algeria and South Africa, had resisted Morocco’s return. A diplomatic source in Rabat said Morocco’s re-entry into AU was a major setback for those countries, saying they “spent months doing everything they can to prevent our return, until the last minute.”

The source said Polisario backers are now trying to present their “failure as a success” by pretending that Morocco has accepted to recognize SADR. “Morocco will continue to mobilize to delegitimize the SADR,” said the senior diplomat, adding, “The return of Morocco is a direct challenge to the presence of the Polisario within the AU.”

The Polisario head and SADR president, Brahim Ghali, said Sunday that the movement was ready to hold talks with Morocco, but warned that “all options are open” in the independence struggle from the kingdom, meaning that the movement could return to armed struggle against Rabat.

“We always look for the peaceful way” to resolve the conflict, Ghali said, adding, “But all options remain open.” Ghali called on Morocco to meet its commitments, saying the kingdom should respect the international borders of the Sahrawi Republic now that it is a member of the AU

The disputed Sahara territory was for long a Spanish colony until it went under Moroccan control in 1975. Years of war ended with a ceasefire in 1991 but the two sides of the conflict have rejected efforts to reach a permanent solution. Some 165,000 people, known as Sahrawis, currently live in a refugee camp in Tindouf, southwestern Algeria. The population mostly lives on aid from UN agencies and international NGOs.

Presstv