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7, November 2021

Sudan anti-coup protesters block streets ⁰

Sudanese anti-coup demonstrators built street barricades in and around the capital overnight Saturday following calls for civil disobedience to protest last month’s military coup.

Activists were seen working in darkness to pile up bricks and large slabs to block streets in Khartoum and neighbouring cities, according to witnesses and AFP correspondents.

Their preparation followed calls for civil disobedience made by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella of unions which were instrumental in the 2018-2019 protests which ousted the longtime autocratic president Omar al-Bashir.

The SPA circulated its appeals via text messages to bypass internet outages since October 25, the day of the putsch.

“The Sudanese people have rejected the military coup,” the SPA said on Twitter, vowing “no negotiation, no partnership, no legitimacy”.

“We will start by barricading the main streets to prepare for the mass civil disobedience on Sunday and Monday,” it said, urging protesters to avoid confrontation with the security forces.

Nationwide protests — including by tens of thousands on October 30 — have been met by a deadly crackdown. At least 14 demonstrators have been killed and about 300 wounded, according to the independent Central Committee of Sudan’s Doctors.

By Sunday morning, some shops were still open but others were shuttered in Khartoum and its twin cities of Omdurman and Khartoum-North, according to witnesses.

“Movement on the streets is less than usual but there is not full blockage of streets or closure of shops” after the civil disobedience call, said a witness from Omdurman who declined to give his name fearing reprisals.

Almost two weeks ago Sudan’s top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the government as well as the ruling joint military-civilian Sovereign Council that was supposed to lead the country toward full civilian rule.

He also declared a state of emergency and detained Sudan’s civilian leadership, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and members of his government.

Hamdok was later placed under effective house arrest and the military has since Thursday released four civilian members of his government.

The military takeover sparked international condemnation, including punitive aid cuts and demands for a swift return to civilian rule.

Burhan insists it “was not a coup” but a move to “rectify the course of the transition.”

Source: AFP

7, November 2021

Researcher in Cameroon develops plant-based leukemia treatment ⁰

Hundreds of thousands of people suffer from leukemia in all parts of the world, and many ultimately lose their fight against the disease. While there is currently no cure for leukemia, it is possible to treat the cancer to prevent it from coming back.

A biochemistry researcher at the University of Yaounde Medical School in Cameroon’s capital said she developed a plant-based solution to fight leukemia.

“My solution is to make xenografts by administering an aqueous extract of plant bark powder to mice capable of developing tumors,” Francine Tankeu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We make them leukemic beforehand and then we follow their evolution.”

The next step is to arrange the remedy in a final physical aspect of the drug as it will be used in a patient and according to its compatibility.

“This other step includes several aspects such as toxicological studies to ensure its safety before moving to the human stage (of trials),” said Tankeu.

She noted results on animals show a significant regression of tumor volume after 30 days.

“The survival rate is good, but the test has not yet been performed on a human patient. The steps to be taken before clinical testing, like human trials, are not complete and I don’t have enough funds,” she said.

The idea to use plants came from her daily life, where she noticed a majority of the population uses traditional plant-based medicine for diseases.

“The beneficial effects of Syzygium Guineense, the plant I use, are not negligible because its activity is anti-leukemic. Beyond being used as a spice for local dishes, it is also used for the treatment of certain cancers,” she said.

‘Improved traditional medicine’

She figured if she could establish a scientific basis for the traditional use and formulate an improved traditional medicine, it would be “very useful.”

The methodology is “in tune with African socio-cultural realities” she said.

Tankeu wants to formulate “an improved traditional medicine” and to study the effects of the leafy forest plant when it is administered in conjunction with anti-cancer drugs to see if there would be a synergistic effect or a reduction in side effects from chemotherapy.

She received the Young Talent Award In 2020 from the For Women in Science in Sub-Saharan Africa program at the L’Oreal Foundation and UNESCO.

This prize allowed her to realize her work is “an effective contribution to the problem of cancer,” she said.

But the fight remains “vast, long and far from being won in view of the growing number of patients in the world as well as the obstacles to scientific research,” said Tankeu.

It is “very complicated in my country” for several reasons she told the Turkish news agency.

Notably, the lack of financial avenues, absence of technical platforms and prejudice against female scientists.

She noted that teachers prefer to work with male researchers because of perceptions that family responsibilities of women present obstacles.

In addition, “many children die before they are even put on treatment because the standard of living of the inhabitants is lower than the cost of examinations for an accurate diagnosis,” she said.

The number of cancer cases is increasing annually in Cameroon and diagnosis times are long – more than 60% of patients arrive at an advanced stage and treatment is expensive – according to the Health Ministry.

Tankeu also lamented about erroneous beliefs and perceptions

“It is a real barrier,” she said.

Despite the situation, the young biochemist said she views the future of her solution with “a lot of optimism, especially given the previous results.”

Source: Daily Sabah

7, November 2021

Suspected Boko Haram militants kill two in French Cameroun ⁰

Suspected militants from the terror group Boko Haram killed at least two people and wounded four others overnight into Saturday in Cameroon’s Far North region, according to local and security sources.

The assailants raided Cheripouri village of the region when the villagers were asleep, shooting indiscriminately and vandalizing property, a security official who asked not to be named told Xinhua quoting the villagers.

Security has been beefed up in the locality and government forces are in pursuit of the militants, the source said.

Boko Haram group has been active in Cameroon’s Far North region since 2014, posing enormous humanitarian and governance challenges.

Source: Xinhuanet

7, November 2021

Roger Milla says CAN 2021 will be ‘huge success’ in Cameroon ⁰

Football legend Roger Milla told SNTV on Thursday that he’s certain January’s Africa Cup of Nations will be a success and that the ‘huge infrastructure’ put in place in his native Cameroon will be of significant benefit to the youth of Africa.

In a wide-ranging interview during a visit to the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the 1990 World Cup star said that Cameroon has been ready to host the CAN since before the pandemic and although he recognised that there has been a relative decline in the strength of traditional African powerhouses such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt, he hopes CAF president Patrice Motsepe can turn the situation around.

Milla also aimed a few blows at European football administrators and their reluctance to recognse African players at award ceremonies.

“The West has never liked African players winning the Ballon d’Or,” he said. “George Weah deservedly won the Ballon d’Or and the power-men couldn’t do anything because in that year George was the best and everyone saw and was convinced that he was the best, now they don’t want African players to win.”

“In my opinion, what Mohamed Salah is doing now is wonderful and extraordinary, and what Sadio Mane is doing as well, they must be effective if we want football to develop, especially in Africa,” Milla added. “Those in charge of these football institutions must be honest and admit (their quality).”

Source: Africa News

7, November 2021

CPDM Crime Syndicate: 88-Year-Old President Biya Marks 39 Years in Power ⁰

Supporters of Africa’s second-longest serving leader, Cameroon’s 88-year-old President Paul Biya, are celebrating his 39 years in office November 6. Biya, who has been Cameroon’s president since 1982, is rarely seen in public these days. Meanwhile Biya’s opponents are saying renewed calls for the octogenarian to run for president in 2025 cannot be taken seriously.

Supporters of Cameroon’s ruling party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, sang that Biya can still rule the central African state for another seven-year term, starting in 2025.

Biya was declared the winner of the country’s 2018 election garnering over 80% of the votes.

The song was sung in towns and villages across Cameroon during celebrations of Biya’s 39 years in office.

One event was held in Monatele, capital of Lekie, a department near Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé. Henri Eyebe Ayissi, Cameroon’s state property, survey and land tenure minister, and Biya’s close ally led the CPDM party delegation to Lekie and delivered what he called a special message for Biya supporters.

Ayissi said the CPDM is appealing for a national consensus for Biya to seek a new term in 2025. He said the Lekie Division is making an appeal to Biya to accept the call to run for president in 2025 and continue the good works he is doing for Cameroon.

Ayissi said Biya has maintained unity despite Boko Haram terrorism on Cameroon’s northern border with Nigeria and the separatist crisis that has killed at least 3,000 people in the English-speaking western regions.

Ayissi said several million Cameroonian children have access to education because Biya has built schools and universities in many towns and villages of the central African state.

The call for Biya to run for president again when his current seven-year term ends in 2025 was echoed in several towns and villages, sparking criticism from Biya’s opponents.

Christopher Ndong, secretary general of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement — a party that claims its candidate, Maurice Kamto, won the 2018 election and that Biya stole his victory — Ndong says an invitation for Biya to be a candidate in 2025 means the CPDM wants the octogenarian to die in office.

“It is a slap in the face of Cameroonians and democracy in this country. Given his age, what will he do with power? Right now, he is not active. Honestly, this is a provocation of the first order. Look at the chaos all over the place. The country is in debts. In fact, it shows you that there is nobody at the head. That 2025 call should not be taken seriously because we know the state and health of the head of state cannot permit him to rule this country in 2025,” Ndong said.

Ngole Ngole Elvis, head of the CPDM party academy and Biya’s close aide, says calls for Biya to run are democratic. He says instead of complaining that Biya has been in power for long, the opposition should prepare to democratically vote for who they think should be their president in 2025.

“Wait for the next election and make sure that you prepare for it in such a way that with your freedom, you should have put in place the right campaign strategies, the right campaign messages, the right manifestos, the right candidates,” Elvis said.

Biya served as prime minister for seven years before becoming president. In 2008, he removed term limits from the constitution, allowing him to serve indefinitely.

He is now the second-longest serving leader in sub-Saharan Africa after his neighbor, Thedoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, who has been in power since 1979.

Source: VOA

6, November 2021

Football: Five issues new Barcelona coach Xavi must address ⁰

Xavi Hernandez, one of Barcelona’s most celebrated players, is returning to the club as coach.

The Spanish giants confirmed a deal with Al Sadd, the Qatari side he has been coaching, was done early Saturday.

He will replace another former Barca player, Ronald Koeman, who was sacked last month.

Xavi faces a huge task in restoring Barcelona to the glories they reached when he won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues as part of a celebrated midfield.

Barca are saddled with huge debts, partly from paying the wages of Lionel Messi, who the club was forced to let leave for Paris Saint-Germain this summer because they could no longer afford him.

The club head into Saturday’s away game at Celta Vigo lying ninth in La Liga after winning only two of their last seven league games.

AFP Sport takes a look at five issues to address at the Camp Nou:

Cut the gap on the top four

Barcelona’s perilous financial situation means they simply cannot afford not to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The club are 1.35 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in debt and any attempt to rebuild both financially and on the pitch will depend on playing in Europe’s elite competition next season.

The situation is salvageable, with the gap only six points between Barca in ninth and Atletico Madrid who currently occupy the fourth Champions League qualification spot, but there can be no room for complacency given the form of a number of teams challenging at the top this season.

Champions League last 16 a necessity

Back-to-back victories against Dynamo Kiev have revived Barcelona’s hopes of reaching the last 16 after they began the group stage with consecutive 3-0 losses to Bayern Munich and Benfica.

But there is work still to do, with a home game against Benfica before a trip to Bayern.

Escaping the group after such a poor start under Koeman would give Xavi an early injection of credibility while the club would avoid missing out on 9.6 million euros in UEFA prize money for reaching the knock-out stage.

Improve the playing style

One of the biggest criticisms of Koeman centred around his playing style, with too many performances lacking either creativity or a clear sense of a plan.

Barcelona may not have the talent anymore of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Messi but there is still room for improvement on recent performances.

Combining the club’s traditions of possession football with a modern, counter-pressing game would bring the fans back onside and give the players belief that a long-term vision was at least in place.

Blood the youngsters

One of Koeman’s biggest achievements was promoting a talented group of youngsters and the challenge now will be to maximise their potential.

Ansu Fati and Pedri are the great hopes for the future but the likes of Ronald Araujo, Sergino Dest, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Alex Balde have also shown promise and need nurturing.

If they can thrive alongside more experienced players like Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, whose futures must also be managed, Barca can have an exciting team for the future.

Move on from Messi

Messi’s departure to Paris in August left a gigantic hole at Barcelona, his absence exposing the cracks the Argentinian covered for so long.

They have struggled for goals this season, with Memphis Depay inconsistent and Luuk de Jong out of his depth, but there has also been a lack of belief.

Sergio Aguero, the veteran Argentinian forward who joined from Manchester City in pre-season, will be sidelined for at least three months after suffering a chest injury.

Koeman constantly asked for realistic expectations but his downbeat assessment bordered on defeatist at times.

Barca may not be able to afford a star signing like Kylian Mbappe to fill the void but for now, the players just appear in need of some confidence.

Source: AFP

6, November 2021

UN Security Council voices ‘deep concern’ over Ethiopia escalation; calls for ceasefire ⁰

The United Nations Security Council has expressed “deep concern” over the escalation of fighting in Ethiopia, calling for a ceasefire and the initiation of peace talks in the restive northern region of Tigray.

“The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the expansion and intensification of military clashes in northern Ethiopia,” the 15-member body said in a joint statement on Friday.

“They further called to put an end to hostilities and to negotiate a lasting ceasefire and for the creation of conditions for the start of an inclusive Ethiopian national dialogue to resolve the crisis.”

The council also expressed concern over the humanitarian situation and national stability, and “reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity of Ethiopia.”

A public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the Ethiopia issue is set to be held on Monday.

The UNSC issued the statement as members of the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have threatened to march on the capital Addis Ababa, a year into the fighting, prompting Ethiopia to declare a six-month state of emergency.

Tigray has been the scene of conflict since November 2020, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops there to topple the TPLF in response to attacks on army camps.

Three weeks later, the government declared victory when it gained control of the regional capital, Mekelle. However, the TPLF forces resumed fighting later and retook Mekelle and most of Tigray at the end of June after the government withdrew its soldiers and declared a ceasefire.

The fighting has continued since then.

The conflict between Ethiopian troops and TPLF has raised fears of a more devastating humanitarian crisis in a region the United Nations says is already in the grip of famine following a yearlong conflict.

Tigray is under a de facto blockade that is preventing most aid from getting in, according to the UN. Ethiopian authorities and the TPLF have blamed each other for obstructing deliveries. Ethiopian officials also accuse the international community of ignoring alleged abuses by the TPLF.

The conflict in Tigray has killed thousands of people and pushed 400,000 people to the brink of famine, according to analyses by UN agencies and aid groups. Ethiopia’s government, however, has disputed those claims.

Abiy’s government has faced criticism over the conflict, notably from the US, a longtime ally, with President Joe Biden signing an executive order allowing for sanctions against the warring parties if they fail to commit to a negotiated settlement.

Americans urged to urgently leave Ethiopia

In a separate development on Friday, the US embassy in Addis Ababa called on Americans to leave Ethiopia “as soon as possible” over fears of a rebel advance on the capital.

The US embassy warned in an advisory that, “the security environment in Ethiopia is very fluid.”

It urged “citizens who are in Ethiopia to leave the country as soon as possible.”

The TPLF said Wednesday that its fighters had reached the town of Kemissie in the Amhara region, 325 kilometers northeast of the capital, and were running “joint operations” with the so-called Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which predicted Addis Ababa could fall in a matter of weeks.

The Ethiopian government dismissed rebel claims of territorial gains, saying on Thursday that the TPLF was “encircled” and close to defeat.

The TPLF and the OLA were officially designated as terrorist groups by the government in May.

Source: Presstv

5, November 2021

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Cameroon plagued by collapsing buildings ⁰

Building collapses have become rampant in Cameroon’s cities. Shoddy materials are only partly to blame.

Buildings are crumbling in Cameroon. Private and commercial buildings regularly collapse. People are fleeing the countryside for cities. This booming demand puts pressure on developers to build as fast and as cheaply as they can.

Collapses have become common in Cameroon’s cities. Contractors use sub-standard construction materials. The push for bigger profits plus a lack of supervision jeopardizes the quality of building projects.

The vast majority of buildings lack permits. They are erected without plans and often built by untrained workers. All reasons why Cameroon’s buildings often fail.

Culled from DW

5, November 2021

Biya, French Cameroun political elites still after dividing Southern Cameroonians ⁰

A senior Southern Cameroons academic Professor Carlson Anyangwe has warned about the Biya French Cameroun ongoing efforts to sow disunity in Southern Cameroons-Ambazonia.

Speaking to our correspondent in Toronto, Canada on the sidelines of the Southern Cameroons Retreat, the renowned man of law said that over the past 5 years, the Southern Cameroons have witnessed immense diabolic harsh plots both in Ground Zero and in the diaspora to stifle the Ambazonia quest for an independent state of Southern Cameroons.

Carlson Anyangwe was in Toronto, Canada and reportedly addressed the opening ceremony of the Southern Cameroons International Retreat that was organized by the Coalition for Dialogue and Negotiation (CDN)- A United States based international Non-Government Organization whose goal is to facilitate dialogue and seek a negotiated resolution and an end to the conflict in the Southern Cameroons.

Professor Anyangwe noted that the people of Southern Cameroons have survived the divisive attempts by Biya and his French Cameroun political elites thanks to efforts at preserving its unity.

“These efforts date back to the unifying push that emerged with the formation of the Ambazonia Interim Government in the Federal Republic of Nigeria” Anyangwe furthered.

The Southern Cameroons front line leader appealed to the Cameroon Concord News Group to continue to make public slogans and ideas promoting unity among Southern Cameroons restoration groups that will strengthen unity among Ambazonians, and bring about much convergence among the people of Southern Cameroons.

Since the Southern Cameroons crisis hit the global stage some five years ago, some 10,000 Cameroonians have been killed, with army soldiers accounting for close to 35% of the deaths.

Thousands of civilians and soldiers have been maimed and scarred for life in a conflict that could have been addressed through negotiations and genuine dialogue.

As of today, some one million Southern Cameroonians are either internally displaced or are seeking refuge in a neighboring country due to a conflict many observers say was avoidable.

Thousands of army soldiers whose consciences could not allow them to kill innocent civilians have left the country to escape the harsh punishment the government inflicts on soldiers who do not want to implement the decisions of the top military brass.

By Chi Prudence Asong

5, November 2021

English speaking journalists are now victims of Biya’s Southern Cameroons war ⁰

English speaking journalists in Cameroon are reportedly confronting a growing spate of military violence and in many cases arrest over the last five years ever since the 88-year-old President Biya declared war against the people of Southern Cameroons-Ambazonia. The fraternity hangs in balance with many questioning if truth is meaningful in Cameroon under Biya.

Soon after the Francophone dictator declared war against the English speaking minority in Southern Cameroons, his political acolytes including Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo realized that the war in Southern Cameroons can only be sustain by restricting freedom of speech and expression deep within the English speaking media community. And five years after the war in Southern Cameroons started, English speaking journalists are caught in a limbo not just about how to report but also what to report.

Many English speaking journalists have been killed, many detained and many now fear for personal safety including right to report the facts, while others are intimidated, harassed and even charged under draconian and sedition laws. The Francophone dominated army and memers of the Cameroonian Secret Service are threatening some aggressively-the list is long, Samuel Wazizi, Mimi Mefo, Tah Jarvis Mai, Asu Vera Eyere and Kingsley Fomonyuy Njoka.

According to the exiled leader of the Southern Cameroons Interim Government, Vice President Dabney Yerima, several cases of violence against Southern Cameroons journalists were recorded from January 2019 till July 2021. Human Rights Watch experts say press freedom has further diminished after the emergence of the all powerful Minister-Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh.

The last five years have seen a dramatic rise in violence against English speaking Cameroonian journalists, while they were covering stories on different aspects of the Southern Cameroons war. The state owned Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV) media house has also become a tool for trolling or threatening not just English speaking journalists, but anyone, be it someone criticizing the poor preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, someone talking about the need for a new leadership in Yaounde, or anyone critical of the government policies.

Many renowned Southern Cameroonian journalists and media personalities have now shifted their platforms from the pursuit of truth to praise singing (See our report on Ashu Theodore Nyenty). Many more are now using pen names and are writing for independent media houses abroad while some have resorted to social media as an easy tool to put forth their side of the stories.

Experts say after the rise of Paul Atanga Nji as Minister of Territorial Administration, there is a sense of polarized environment where English speaking journalists find themselves more divided. While many like Ayukogem Steven Ojong, Sone Bayern, Charles Ebune and Ashu Nyenty are still confused if it’s all about patronizing the popular rather than speaking about the unpopular. The question remains how long someone can remain ignorant in a country like Cameroon where more people have access to international TV channels and social media than access to welfare schemes, healthcare and housing. But the never ending or perhaps unwanted ruling CPDM party debates find more space in Cameroon media platforms rather than the ones that make difference.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai