Politics

18, January 2017

European Parliament elects new president ⁰

Antonio Tajani of the European People’s Party (EPP) has been elected as the European Parliament’s new president. The 63-year-old Italian defeated another Italian, S&D socialist Gianni Pitella, on Tuesday and is set to replace Germany’s Martin Schulz.

In the past, Tajani served as the spokesman for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and as a European commissioner.

The battle among the two Italians was won by Tajani on a vote of 351-282 in the decisive final round, which only the top two candidates managed to enter.

Before voting began, the EEP, the largest group in the block’s legislature, formed a coalition with the ALDE liberals, that gave Tajani the required lead over Pittella.

Members of the European Parliament take part in a plenary session marking the election of the assembly’s new President in Strasbourg, eastern France, on January 17, 2016. (Photos by AFP)

“This was as democratic process and as I said today, I will be the president of all, I will respect all members of parliament and all groups,” said Tajani.

“We must devote our attention to all those who are in tough living conditions,” he added while giving a short acceptance speech, during which he also dedicated his victory to the victims of a deadly August earthquake in central Italy and all those injured by terrorism.

In a statement issued to congratulate Tajani, Pittella noted that it had been some time since the European Parliament had elected a president “in a fully transparent and open competition without any pre-arranged deals.”

“Today, the political landscape in the European Parliament is dramatically changed with the birth of a new conservative block. We will constructively oppose this block,” added Pittella.

Presstv

17, January 2017

“La Republique is attempting to drive the Anglophone resistance underground” ¹

Following the recent decision by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Rene Sadi Emmanuel banning the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and the Southern Cameroons National Council including the subsequent arrest of the leaders of the Consortium, reactions have been pouring into our European news desk.

The Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Cameroon Concord News Group, the Right Honorable Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai pointed out to our Dublin Bureau Chief, Diamond Ebs Esoh that “La Republique is attempting to drive the Anglophone resistance underground. That will fail.” Our Chairman observed.

Mr Agbaw-Ebai said “What is ongoing is a revolution and by banning the Consortium, Biya and his gang have just energized the revolution.”

With the Southern Cameroons National Council, the Anglophone media guru noted that “The SCNC is an international organization operating worldwide. It has a tremendous capacity to talk to Southern Cameroons and enforce its decision from any part of the world. It does not need Biya to operate.”

By Chi Prudence Asong in Dublin

17, January 2017

US: 26 House Democrats boycotting Trump’s inauguration ⁰

More than two dozen Democratic lawmakers have announced their boycott of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, particularly over Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election and his criticism of a civil rights leader.

Some Democrats have said they will be protesting in Washington, DC, and in their districts instead of participating in the swearing-in ceremony of the 45th president of the United States on Friday.

All the 26 lawmakers, who will be shunning Trump’s inauguration, are members of the House of Representatives; no senators have said they are boycotting the event.

Some of the Democrats had declared their absence during the oath ceremony on the Capitol Hill prior to Trump’s row with African American civil rights icon and Democratic Congressman John Lewis.

African American civil rights icon and Democratic Congressman John Lewis

Last week, Trump sparked outrage by condemning Lewis after the congressman said he would boycott the president-elect’s inauguration because he doesn’t see him as the “legitimate” president in light of reports of Russian interference. “You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong,” Lewis said.

In a Twitter outburst on Saturday, Trump said Lewis, the Representative for Georgia’s 5th congressional district, should spend more time trying to fix his “horrible” and “crime-infested” district rather than “complaining” about the Russia’s role in the US presidential election.

Earlier this month, the US intelligence community released an unclassified 25-page report, claiming that the Russian government had directed hackers to target various Democratic Party organizations and operatives to influence the outcome of the election.

The intelligence community’s document accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of personally ordering his government to help Trump win the November election.

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City, January 11, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

Meanwhile, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denounced the intelligence community’s report on the alleged Russian meddling as a politically motivated “press release.”

Speaking at a news conference on January 9, Assange called the report politically motivated and damaging to the intelligence community’s reputation.

James Jatras, a former US Senate policy adviser and diplomat, told Press TV recently that the outgoing US administration, mainstream media and intelligence community are spreading the Russian hacking fiction in order to undermine Trump’s presidency and potential efforts to mend ties with Moscow

Presstv

17, January 2017

Ghogomu Paul Mingo announces end of Ad Hoc Committee mission, attacks the Consortium ⁰

The head of the so-called Ad Hoc Committee has announced in a press release issued in the French language that negotiations between the Biya Francophone regime and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium have come to an end. The pronouncement came as Southern Cameroonians are observing day-two of the civil disobedience campaign earlier decreed by the Consortium.

The regime had established the Francophone dominated Ad Hoc Interdepartmental Committee to review and propose solutions to the problems identified with respect to the demands of Anglophone teachers. This committee, chaired by Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, held two meetings with representatives of striking teachers in Bamenda. The last one took place on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 January.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium made it abundantly clear to Ghogomu Paul Mingo and his team of inexperienced negotiators that the demands of the Common Law Lawyers and the Anglophone teachers were linked to the marginalization policy instituted by the Francophone regime in Yaounde.

It was evident the Ad Hoc Committee had to fail in its attempt to induce trade unionists to lift their call to strike. In a communiqué released yesterday Monday 16 January 2017, Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, announced the end of his mission and blamed West Cameroon leaders for erecting a stone wall during the dialogue process. The light weight political elite from the Bamenda province of Southern Cameroons also accused the new generation of Anglophone leader of taken parents and students hostage for political reasons.

By Rita Akana

16, January 2017

Gambia: A tale of two Heads of State ⁰

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) announced last week that they will no longer recognize President Yahya Jammeh as the Head of State of the Gambia from the 20th of January 2017 if he refuses to cede power to President-elect Adama Barrow.

The idea of resorting to the deployment of military force in the country was also discussed last Friday during the visit of the ECOWAS leaders in the Gambia which was attended by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for West and Sahel Africa.

To ensure that the electoral verdict is respected, Chambas said that ECOWAS should ask the Security Council to approve the deployment of military troops in the Gambia if President Jammeh refuses to give up power. Jammeh warned the international community last week that the crisis will be resolved in accordance with the laws in force in the Gambia and that an “external interference” will not be accepted.

The steps to resolve the crisis through dialogue are continuing while ECOWAS has asked President-elect Adama Barrow to stay put in Senegal, while negotiations continue for his likely inauguration on the 19th of January. De facto, Barrow finds himself by force of circumstances outside the country while Jammeh who received the support of the Army barricades in Banjul.

A private meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of ECOWAS was held last Saturday in Abuja to reflect on the deployment of a force called Group Military Intervention (ECOMIG) in the Gambia if power does not handed to the President-elect. The ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff have started to set up troops for a possible deployment in The Gambia. In this controversial circumstances, many political commentators fear of another Libya as Nigerian leader, Buhari and the other ECOWAS heads of state have been blowing the heat and cold for Adama Barrow inauguration.

By Chi Prudence Asong

15, January 2017

Southern Cameroons ghost town operation begins tomorrow ¹

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, CACSC has declared that tomorrow Monday the 16^th of January 2017 and Tuesday the 17^th be observed as days of civil disobedience. The much respected members of the Consortium have also hinted of the possibility of extending the ghost town operations indefinitely if Yaounde fails to hold an immediate referendum in West Cameroon. The information is contained in a statement released after the two day meeting held with members of the Francophone Ad Hoc Committee put in place to continue to deceive Southern Cameroonians to remain with La Republique du Cameroun.

The West Cameroon leaders stated in the release that talks with the French speaking Cameroonians were cordial and some Francophone government ministers showed signs of good faith. The leaders revealed that all 18 points tabled were properly examined. But added that federalism which is a key factor in the on-going Anglophone uprising was avoided by the Francophone political elites. The Francophones however opined that federalism can only be discussed in the Francophone dominated National Assembly in Yaounde.

At the close of the Bamenda meeting which ended in a deadlock, the Southern Cameroon leaders announced a major ghost town operation beginning tomorrow. The leaders pointed out that the civil disobedience campaign is a counter to the Francophone government’s continuous militarization of West Cameroon, the excessive use of force by La Republique’s security apparatus on unarmed Anglophone civilians and the deliberate silence on the part of the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime to seek lasting solutions to the Anglophone problem. Southern Cameroon leaders also called for the unconditional release of all youths arrested in the defunct North West and South West regions.

Cameroon Concord News Group has deployed a cream of reporters to bring to our readers updates on the ghost operations beginning tomorrow.

By Chi Prudence Asong in Bamenda

14, January 2017

Iran says it won’t allow reopening of new nuclear case ⁰

A senior Iranian official says the country’s landmark nuclear agreement with the P5+1 group of countries is non-negotiable and Tehran will never allow any new nuclear case to be opened against it. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht-e Ravanchi made the remarks on Friday, adding that it was “not only Iran’s stance but also that of all the P5+1 member states.”

The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was clinched between Iran and the P5+1 group – the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany – in July 2015. As per the accord, which came into force in January 2016, the six world powers committed to lifting nuclear-relation sanctions against Iran and the Islamic Republic agreed to limit its nuclear work in certain areas.

Takht-e Ravanchi’s comments were made after recent provocative remarks by US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who had said he would call for a “full review” of the JCPOA. The Iranian diplomat further said that at a recent session of the JCPOA oversight committee, known as the Joint Commission, all participants stressed that no country would be allowed to affect the deal’s implementation.

The need for all relevant parties to fully honor their obligations under the nuclear accord was stressed in the joint statement released following the meeting, Takht-e Ravanchi added. The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss Washington’s controversial extension of its so-called Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for yet another 10 years, which Tehran views as a violation of the JCPOA. The law, which authorizes the US president to re-impose bans against Iran, was first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program and its support for anti-Israeli resistance groups.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry official went on to say that the US delegation also pledged that the sanctions law would have no “executive effect” on the JCPOA implementation. The sixth meeting of the commission, held in the Austrian capital Vienna on Tuesday, was called by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini following a request by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Following the talks, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi, who headed Tehran’s delegation, said the country “explained its concern on the extension,” adding, “I think the joint commission took Iran’s concern very seriously.”

Presstv

13, January 2017

Nigeria to offer asylum to Gambian President Yahya Jammeh ⁰

Nigerian lawmakers have voted to offer Gambian President Yahya Jammeh asylum if he hands over power to opposition leader Adama Barrow, who was declared the winner of the country’s December presidential election. The House of Representatives, Nigeria’s lower house, on Thursday approved a motion to authorize President Muhammadu Buhari to offer Jammeh asylum if he steps down when his five-year mandate ends on January 19.

Jammeh has a constitutional right to remain in office until his term ends. The Nigerian president is due to travel with other West African leaders to Gambia on Friday to persuade Jammeh to accept the election results. Jammeh had initially accepted the results of the December 1 election, in which Barrow was declared the winner, but reversed his position more than a week later and called for a revote. Barrow says Jammeh lacks the constitutional authority to call for a new vote or to invalidate the election.

Leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have already traveled to the Gambia in an attempt to strike a deal with the president to make him to leave power. ECOWAS has said that Jammeh must step down and vowed “to take all necessary action to enforce the results” of the election. Jammeh has, however, questioned the role of the regional body as a genuine mediator. In New Year’s speech broadcast on state TV, the Gambian president accused the regional bloc of declaring a war against his country. He also pledged to defend his country against what he called any foreign aggression.

Jammeh has also described the mediation by ECOWAS as an insult to Gambia’s constitution. His refusal to accept the results prompted political upheaval in the country, bringing pressure from the international community on him to accept the result and step down. Several countries and the United Nations Security Council have called for a peaceful transition of power in Gambia. Jammeh seized power in a military coup in 1994 and has been in power ever since. He has long been under fire by human rights groups, who accuse him of torturing, imprisoning, or even sometimes killing his opponents.

Presstv

12, January 2017

Trust in Biya is gone, so too is confidence in his appointees ¹

Etoudi is propagating the idea that the various designated mediators sent to Southern Cameroons have failed and that there is an urgent need for the presence of the 83 year old Cameroonian dictator-the man widely believed to have plunged the nation into its present state of confused identity. The pro Yaounde politicians are insinuating that Paul Biya’s presence could be an effective solution for things to return to normal in the South West and North West regions. It is not true. What is true is that Biya has lost his chance among the greats.

The failure of dialogue and negotiations cannot be blamed on the Anglophone leaders but on Biya’s pattern of governance. Biya is not only tactless but very reckless and too full of himself. The Anglophone crisis has eventually exposed him. We of this publication can now say loudly and clearly that Biya is a political disaster that has been around for the last 34 years. While the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has been consistently consistent with their demands and actions, Biya and his entire CPDM crime syndicate have been caught committing the same errors or falling into spectacular new ones.

To be sure, even primary school pupils of British Southern Cameroons including those of La Republique du Cameroun have come to the conclusion that there is just no one to challenge the Consortium. So, tribalism has made Paul Biya to end as a prominent and successful failure. Schools in the South West and North West have not resumed as articulated by a certain Ghogomu Mingo and the anti Anglophone Minister of Higher Education, Jacques Fame Ndongo. Minister Atanga Njie is hiding!! So too are all CPDM political actors from the defunct South West and North West regions. Justice Ayah Paul is seeking for notice. However, it is evident; schools will only open their doors if the Anglophone problem is resolved.

Given the current situation, no glimmer of hope is envisaged for a return to normal in the coming days if Biya does not step aside or personally engage the new generation of Anglophone leaders. Reviewing of government strategy will change nothing. British Southern Cameroonians have had enough of this Francophone bad faith and marginalization. The Prime Minister and Head of Government could not do anything, cabinet ministers, Senators, MPs and Mayors either. Jean Kueté, the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM party was almost lynched in Bamenda after an unsuccessful attempt to hold a political meeting.

A frustrated Biya has come to understand that his 34 years as head of state has been because of the goodwill of the Cameroonian people not the army or the gendarmerie. The regime is now aware that the North West/ South West Divide tactics is a thing of the past. Yaoundé is also well informed that the cast of the men called to lead the talks were unpopular citizens in their respective constituencies. The pronouncements that came out of some cabinet ministers namely, Laurent Esso, Fame Ndongo, Atanga Njie and Issa Tchiroma Bakary made the situation moved from bad to worse.

The Yaoundé regime underestimated the Consortium and described them using a battery of adjectives. But our teachers, lawyers, Okada men, business community, Anglophone Roman Catholic Bishops including some right thinking CPDM political elites are now reading from the same script. To God be the Glory. To Biya’s greatest surprise, the Consortium has become so powerful to the extent that if the Anglophone leaders decide to request the release of Chief Inoni and Fonjindam-they will get it done in one second!! We of this group are appealing to the Consortium not to forget the Wum detainees. It was in Wum in Menchum Division where it all started. This is strength you get when you involve the common man in any political struggle. We of the Cameroon Concord News Group are proud to surrender our loyalty to The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

Contrary to what many are thinking today that the only one able to solve the Anglophone Problem in Cameroon is the President of the Republic. We believe that Biya will only be among the Francophone representatives in the presence of the United Nations and African Union envoys to map out the way forward for the two territories. Trust in Biya is gone, so too is confidence in his appointees. Only a neutral third body can mediate between us and them.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Editor-in-Chief

Cameroon Concord News Group

11, January 2017

Biya meets with Chinese ambassador ⁰

Paul Biya’s media men and women have revealed that the President of China, Xi JINPING has expressed his country’s determination to reinforce ties with Cameroon in 2017. The presidential website reported that the message was disclosed to the 83 year old dictator through the Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, Wei Wenshua, on Wednesday 11 January 2017, at the Unity Palace.

The Chinese are not interested in human rights, so Ambassador Wei Wenshua extended New Year wishes to the Right Royal President and lauded Cameroon’s “remarkable progress” in 2016. The Chinese Diplomat said the complexities of current international trends are strong indicators for Cameroon and China to strengthen a sustainable bilateral relation. He announced the imminent arrival of the Chinese Minister of Culture in Cameroon, accompanied by a group of Chinese artists; who will perform at the Yaoundé Congress Centre.

In 2015, China was Cameroon’s first trade partner, while the latter was the second largest beneficiary of Chinese aid in Africa; FCFA 1,430 billion.