3, July 2019
US Congressional Visit: Ambazonia Vice President declares 24-Hour ceasefire 0
Declaration of a 24-Hour Unilateral Ceasefire from the Ambazonia Security Council (ASC) starting Midnight 2 July, 2019, to allow the visiting US Congressional Delegation safe and unfettered access to the sites of the crimes of the past 2 years.
The Ambazonia Security Council (ASC), and representatives of other ally Ambazonia community self defence groups fighting to end the occupation of our land by the French Neo-colonial regime in Cameroun, after consultation with our community leaders in an extraordinary meeting, do sign this declaration to commit to a 24-Hour Unilateral Ceasefire to go into effect on midnight today 2 July 2019.
We take this step as a good-faith response to the fact-finding tour of the ongoing conflict between our self-defence forces and the forces of the Cameroun regime which has been undertaken by United States Congresswoman Karen Bass, the Chair and leader of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Task Force of the Congressional Black Caucus, and her team. This decision is to ensure unfettered access to Rep. Bass’s team as they gather the facts on the ground to pave the way for a fast end to the killings and eventual resolution of the roots of the conflict.
We acknowledge the personal efforts of Rep. Bass to get the US Congress to pay attention to this war; stating with her H.Res.1111 of the 115th Congress, and now H.Res. 358 of the 116th Congress.
It is our fervent belief that the Congressional Black Caucus can live up to its credo of the “Conscience of the Congress,” as we saw it do in the battle against Apartheid in South Africa.
In taking this action, we also call others to action: 1. We call on the Cameroun authorities to do the same and declare a 24-hour unilateral ceasefire as a sign of their interest in finding a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
- We call on the Cameroun government to allow humanitarian groups unlimited access to our territory as requested by the US, Sweden and other representatives to the UN Security Council at the past two briefings.
- We call on Rep. Bass and her team to visit the sites where some of the most horrendous international crimes the world has seen in decades have taken place, including:
• The site in Bambui where Cameroun forces assassinated US Missionary Charles Wesco;
• Menka- Pinyin, were 29 youths were summarily executed in broad daylight at a hotel by Cameroun soldiers and to this day the regime is still to provide an explanation to the mourning families;
• Kwakwa, where Mami Appih Sarah, 96 years old, was burnt alive in her bed when Cameroun soldiers burnt down the village;
• Belo, where Cameroun soldiers murdered and beheaded Chiaba Samuel alias Sam Soya and photographed themselves doing the beheading and put it on social media;
• Mamfe, were Kenyan Missionary Cosmas Omboto Ondari was summarily executed in front of his congregation by Cameroun soldiers;
• Bali, where Cameroon soldiers summarily executed 20 students and burned their bodies on one occasion, and in another the teacher of CPC Bali College Ndeh Blaise was shot and killed in cold blood while his colleagues who tried to help him where shot and severely injured without cause;
• Batibo, where a family of 10 were all summarily executed by Cameroun soldiers;
• Mile 8 Mankon, Bamenda, where 126 homes were burnt to the ground by Cameroun soldiers;
• Kumba, where the General Hospital was burnt to the ground by Cameroon soldiers;
• Mbengwi were medical workers Nancy Azah and Njong Paddisco were summarily executed on their way from their farm by Cameroun soldiers at a barricade, sparking a general protest by medical workers in the North zone;
• Muyuka were 5 months old baby Martha Ngum, was shot point blank ten times on the head while asleep in her parents’ bedroom by Cameroun forces;
• Yaounde Central and Principal Prisons- Kondegui where 236 civilians are being held incommunicado without access to lawyers or families, under the pretense that they are being handled through the military court, which is a violation of international law by Cameroun and the list continues.
- We call on Rep. Bass and her team to support US Senators Durbin, Cardin, Van Hollen and Kaine’s NDAA Amendment To Halt Security Assistance To Cameroun, and to initiate a similar amendment to related House bills in order to pressure the Cameroon regime with the imminent removal of aid.
- We call on Rep. Bass and her team to give voice to and strongly decry the malicious targeting of our civilian population, which is pushing hundreds of thousands into a state of homelessness and exile. We are painfully aware of the suffering of our people, and know that shining the light on this situation is a necessary step to putting us on a path to a peaceful end of the occupation.
We also take this opportunity to highlight that we are ready and open to engage in honest peaceful negotiation with Cameroun facilitated by independent impartial non-participant third parties — which most definitely excludes France and the other neo-colonial French regimes that are using the French neo-colonial currency formerly known as the Colonies Françaises d’Afrique (CFA) Franc.
Our signature to this unilateral ceasefire declaration only commits us to non-offensive action during this 24-hour period, but we will hold to our positions and remain alert, aware Cameroon forces might try to exploit the ceasefire posture to ambush on our positions.
We hope this unilateral ceasefire is seen for what it could be: the first step on our path to end this conflict and build a new sub region based on the rule of international law.
Yours truly,
Dabney Yerima
Vice President
Federal Republic of Ambazonia
4, July 2019
Genevagate: Biya’s bodyguards get suspended sentences for assaulting Swiss Journalist 0
Swiss Judge
Geneva’s public prosecutor, Olivier Jornot slammed three and four month suspended sentences on five of Biya’s bodyguards on Wednesday for aggravated assault on Adrien Krause, a reporter for Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS). Swiss media reported that after reviewing security cameras, the judicial police in Geneva arrested six members of Biya’s entourage on Tuesday morning; but one woman carrying a diplomatic passport was later released. The other five who appeared before Olivier Jornot, had faced up to five years in prison if found guilty. The men were however handed suspended sentences.
Neither the Swiss foreign ministry nor Geneva police or the public prosecutor’s office would confirm the identity of the security guards arrested but Swiss foreign ministry spokesman, Georg Farago rejected reports that Biya’s security guards might enjoy diplomatic immunity. “The people accompanying the president do not have any particular status and must respect Swiss law,” he said. “Switzerland recalls that it is very attached to freedom of expression and of the press, and to the respect of the rules in public spaces,” Farago told the French news agency, AFP.
RTS reported that in the complaint filed with the Geneva judicial police, Krause detailed how he was brutalized and assaulted by Biya’s security guards while he was filming a protest by the anti-sardine brigade in front of the Hotel Intercontinental, where the 86-year-old Biya has spent over four years at the cost of $40,000 (FCFA 20 million) a day, since he inherited power in 1982; even as a majority of Cameroonians back home are scavenging for survival, RTS reported. Krause said he was immobilized, “roughed up” and the bag containing his professional equipment, as well as his wallet and mobile phone were seized. The items were only returned following intervention by the Swiss federal foreign ministry; and after Geneva’s diplomatic police got involved and Krause filed a complaint over the assault.
Following the assault, Switzerland summoned Cameroon’s ambassador in Bern, Léonard Henri Bindzi, and told him in very strong terms that the attack on the journalist was unacceptable. “Diplomatic procedures have been launched… Cameroon’s ambassador was summoned in Bern and the foreign ministry informed him that such incidents are unacceptable,” foreign ministry spokesman, Farago told AFP, adding: “Freedom of the press is protected and must be respected.”
Journalist Krause
In another reaction, the global media freedom watchdog group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the attack and called on the Swiss and Cameroonian authorities to ensure it does not go unpunished. RSF’s Swiss section in a statement, urged the Swiss authorities to “take all necessary action despite the legal and diplomatic difficulties that might arise.”
“If presidential staff can attack journalists with complete impunity, including abroad, this would send a terrible message to those who try to report the news in both Switzerland and Cameroon,” said Arnaud Froger, the head of RSF’s Africa desk. “The diplomatic immunity enjoyed by the president does not apply to his bodyguards. Those responsible for this attack must be brought before the competent judicial authorities and must be punished appropriately.” Journalists are often subjected to attacks and arbitrary detention in Cameroon, which is ranked 131st out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index. Switzerland is ranked 6th.
Meanwhile, the two officers of the Geneva diplomatic police who witnessed as the journalist, Krause was being attacked by Biya’s security guards, reportedly told investigators that they were afraid to intervene because while they carried batons, Biya’s security guards were armed with automatic pistols and confronting them might have escalated the situation; and provide an excuse for the bodyguards to fire their weapon and then claim it was “accidental discharge.”