26, September 2017

Southern Cameroons Crisis: U.S. issues travel alert ⁰

The United States has issued a travel advisory to citizens in respect to Cameroon’s predominantly anglophone regions. The “Security Message” titled “Unrest in the Northwest and Southwest regions,” said there was the possibility of protests – some which could turn violent.

The statement read in part: “The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde informs U.S. citizens that demonstrations, some violent, occurred in Bamenda, Buea, Limbe, and elsewhere in the Northwest and Southwest regions on September 22, 2017.
The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde informs U.S. citizens that demonstrations, some violent, occurred in Bamenda, Buea, Limbe, and elsewhere in the Northwest and Southwest regions on September 22, 2017. “Further demonstrations are likely over the next two weeks. The U.S. Embassy has deferred all non-essential travel for U.S. Embassy personnel to these regions until October 3.”

The Embassy said citizens were advised to adjust travel plans accordingly and continually review their security settings. Thousands of demonstrators from the English-speaking regions late last week took to the streets chanting songs of independence and requesting the unconditional release of activists.
Long-standing complaints of political and economic discrimination spilled over the last year when lawyers and teachers called for reforms. In many parts of the English Speaking regions, protesters took down the national flag of Cameroon hoisting another referred to as the Ambazonia flag.

The protests were the largest and most widespread in months and came the day after a bomb suspected to have been planted by separatists wounded three policemen in Bamenda, capital of the Northwest region.
Cameroon’s current difficulties stem back to its pre-independence history when it was formed by combining a region that was colonized by the British with the larger region run by the French. Mean while Cameroonian authorities insist the unity of the State remains a fundamental and non-negotiable value enshrined in the constitution.

Source: Africanews

26, September 2017

Spain: Arrest of Catalan leader ‘possible’ ⁰

Spain’s chief public prosecutor has refused to rule out the arrest of Catalan president Carles Puigdemont for pushing ahead with an independence referendum deemed illegal by Madrid.

“Legally the conditions may be met” for Puigdemont’s arrest, Jose Manuel Maza said during an interview with radio Onda Cero. “It’s a decision that is possible but we have not considered that we should take it,” he added.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has repeatedly said that the referendum slated for October 1 — which his conservative party insists is illegal and unconstitutional — will not take place, and the legislation underpinning the vote has already been suspended by Spain’s Constitutional Court.

Spanish prosecutors have warned that officials engaged in any preparations for the plebiscite could be charged with civil disobedience, abuse of office and misuse of public funds.

Maza said Puigdemont could be arrested for misuse of public funds, as this crime carries a jail sentence.

Prosecutors have also told police to investigate any efforts to promote the referendum and ordered a criminal investigation of over 700 Catalan mayors who have pledged to cooperate with the vote.

Police on Monday summoned 17 people for allegedly developing web platforms dedicated to the banned referendum.

Spanish policemen (R) and Catalan policemen, known as Mossos d’Esquadra, stand guard during a coordination security meeting on September 25, 2017 in Barcelona, less than a week before the region’s planned independence referendum opposed by Madrid. (Photo by AFP)

Puigdemont, a former journalist and provincial mayor, regularly tweets links to the websites, which tell Catalans where they can vote in the referendum. He has said he is ready to go to prison rather than give up his push for independence.

Key members of the team organizing the vote have been put under official investigation for disobedience, malfeasance and embezzlement of public funds. Organizers of protests last week have been threatened with charges of sedition.

And police have seized close to ten million ballot papers, as well as other items destined for the vote. But Catalonia’s pro-separatist government has vowed to go ahead with the referendum.

If the “yes” side wins it has said it would declare independence within days for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, home to about 7.5 million people.

Polls show Catalans are split on the issue of independence, but a large majority want to vote in a legitimate referendum to settle the matter.

(Source: AFP)

25, September 2017

The Anglophone Problem: D-Day Approaches ⁰

The Anglophone problem that started with just simple socio-professional demands by lawyers and teachers in October 2016 has today developed into a full blown crisis due to the politicization of the issues and the radicalization of the English-speaking minority by the government via its response. This response has been marked by denial, disregard, intimidation and repression, and it has gone a long way in diminishing trust between both parties. It has also diminished the chances for any meaningful dialogue and Friday’s demonstrations across the entire Anglophone region speak to the severity of the crisis.

The Anglophone problem has never been this serious and those who thought it would lose its steam over time are gradually coming to terms with the fact that they now have a complicated crisis on their hands. Anglophones want out of the unification their forefathers had signed, arguing that it has left them with a sense that their territory is in economic decline following the centralization and dismantling of West Cameroon’s economic structures such as the West Cameroon Marketing Board, the Cameroon Bank and Powercam, as well as the abandonment of several projects, including the port of Limbe, and airports in Bamenda and Tiko, with investments in the Francophone part of the country winning out. The complete take-over of the country’s lone oil refinery by Francophones and the exclusion of Anglophones from key ministerial positions over the last five decades have complicated relations between the country’s English-speaking minority and the government.

This bitterness also stems from the feeling that unification had resulted in a democratic setback, cultural assimilation and a downgrading of their political status. Many Anglophones are clearly convinced that the Francophone-dominated government had followed a strategy to marginalize them and this has run down relations between the government and Anglophones who are today locked in in a battle of wills; a battle that has resulted in the death of many Anglophones and mass arrests, making it hard for any meaningful dialogue to take place. The government’s approach towards this problem over the last twelve months has been characterized by violence and this has only made matters worse and last Friday’s demonstrations clearly tell the international community that the fragile relationship between the two parties has broken down irretrievably. The calls for federalism have now given way to incessant demands for an independent Southern Cameroons, and this is causing many people around the world to be jittery as Anglophones have already scheduled Sunday, October 1, 2017, as that day wherein they will be taking their destiny into their own hands.

If the government still had any doubts about the people’s determination to steer their own lives, those doubts were indeed dispelled last Friday as those demonstrations did provide it with a clear picture of things and a proper response – Anglophones are walking away from the false union that had been hastily stitched together with the connivance of Foncha and Muna. They have also clearly indicated that Mr. Biya, the country’s president, lacks what it takes to run a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural political entity like Cameroon. His management style over the last 35 years has been predicated on corruption and manipulation, enabling him to employ so-called elites to sedate their people with lies and tricks.

While Francophones may still be under the effects of the political sedation, Anglophones, for their part, have found a cure to the manipulation and corruption that people like Peter Mafany Musonge, Yang Philemon, Atanga Nji, Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Benjamin Itoe and others have been administering on them. Anglophones have told them, loud and clear, that they belong to the past and that they belong to another political epoch whose hallmark – manipulation – leaves much to be desired.

While the government has been dilly-dallying to sincerely engage Anglophones, the English-speaking minority has, for its part, decided to take matters into its own hands. Anglophones have already decided that October 1, 2017, will be their Independence Day and last Friday’s mobilization was simply a dress rehearsal for the D-Day that many young Anglophones have been looking forward to. Their overwhelming show of unity and strength on Friday, speaks to their ability to come out en masse to let the government and the international community know that the wall of fear has collapsed and that nothing will stop them from achieving their cardinal objective, even if it means laying down their lives for future generations. The wall is down, but they want to push things a little further. They want to live in a new nation; a nation that will be predicated upon political responsibility, fairness and democratic justice. And they have already gone ahead to create the symbols of that nation they think will bring them peace, prosperity and development.

But before they actually get to the business of nation building, Anglophones will want to have a clean break with an ugly past; a past that has brought pain and death to many of their people. They will want to bring to justice – their own justice – those of their fellow Anglophones who have been aiding and abetting the Francophone-dominated government in Yaounde to inflict pain on them. A mass trial is therefore in the offing, especially as there is word out there for Anglophones to arrest those they consider as colonial SDOs, Dos, Parliamentarians, Mayors and Governors who have been enforcing the Machiavellian policies of the Yaounde regime on the D-Day. October 1 will see the writing of a new page in the long story of an Anglophone revolution that has been in the works for many decades. A few more scenes will, for sure, play out before the arrogant government in Yaounde actually thinks that it is time to dialogue with a people it has erroneously tagged as terrorists. Using the anti-terrorism laws for political ends has not intimidated Anglophones. On the contrary, it has emboldened them and it has weakened a government which only understands one language – intimidation.

This is a devastating blow to proponents of violence. It has not met their expectations. It has unfortunately dumped the country in a more complicated crisis with both parties sinking further into their dangerous positions. Even those who thought it will help to address this issue are today losing sleep. Time is rather acting as the minister of justice, given Anglophones the means and resources they need to achieve their goals. Old ways are failing the old guard and the defiance staged by Anglophones seems to herald the end of an era; an era that has brought pain and death to many Cameroonians, especially Anglophones. Those who thought the revolution will fizzle out are in total bewilderment as Anglophones keep on proving that they have the capacity to mobilize their people and enforce their own laws. Ghost town operations have been a total success and the closure of schools intended to give the government a black eye have told the world that the government is helpless and incapable of handling tricky situations.

But all hopes are not lost. Cameroon can still be spared the agony of a man-made catastrophe. Dialogue is incontestably the right tool to address most of the issues that have soured the relationship between Anglophones and the Yaounde-based government. This is a complicated job and the government must approach it with a big and proper tool box. Many moderate Anglophones, who are for a federal structure, still think that all is not lost. Proponents of statehood, for their part, argue that any measures taken by the government at this stage will be coming a little too late. The horse is out and it will be wasted effort to shut the barn. They assert that it is difficult to envisage any credible dialogue with a government that has never taken any conciliatory measures, adding that until trust is rebuilt between the parties, it will be hard to dialogue with the government. They contend that the presence of a neutral third party will be vital as the government has never complied with its own policies and recommendations. They point out that a discourse of tolerance, openness to dialogue and recognition of the Anglophone problem by the head of state would constitute a first important gesture.

They further posit that such recognition in the humblest of languages should be immediately followed by several measures such as releasing all those who have been arrested during the crisis; inviting exiles to return home; opening legal proceedings against security forces responsible for abuses; reshuffling the government and increasing the political representation of Anglophones and replacing senior officials whose actions have caused tensions to escalate. They say the government has been ignoring the dissatisfaction and anger of a fifth of its population and this may be detrimental to a government that is already dealing with Boko Haram in the Far North and militias from the Central African Republic in the East.

They argue that it will be hard for the government to change its ways, pointing to the ongoing militarisation of the Anglophone region, especially after Friday’s demonstration of courage and determination by the country’s English-speaking minority. They however point out that no militarisation will deter Anglophones from righting the wrongs of the past and that if the government does not change its mind on the issue of sincere dialogue before October 1, then the world should be ready to welcome a new nation.

By the editorial desk
Cameroon Concord News Group

25, September 2017

Ecobank Xpress Cash: How an ambitious innovation wants to revolutionise banking in Cameroon ⁰

“Ecobank Xpress Cash” is the new money withdrawal option put in place by Ecobank. With this operation, customers of the Pan-African bank can now make withdrawals without a card. According to Ecobank, the option is a question of boosting through digital channels financial inclusion, currently estimated in the country to 20%, out of a population of more than 20 million people.

“The digital strategy in question directly favors one of the main factors of development of our economies, namely the financial and economic inclusion of the populations. Ecobank will thus be able to reach and serve more customers in Cameroon, including those who are unbanked, “the bank said.

It is vital to include in this report that in May 2017 Ecobank indicated its intention to capitalize on digital services. The bank launched “Ecobank Mobile App”, that helped individuals and companies to use bar codes for payments and banking partnership with third parties. With “Ecobank Xpress Cash”, the Pan-African bank is the only one among the fifteen commercial banks to offer this type of service in Cameroon.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from CIN

25, September 2017

Russian general killed in Syria ⁰

A Russian general has been killed by Daesh terrorists close to Syria’s eastern Dayr al-Zawr province.

According to a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday, Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov was killed after coming under Daesh mortar fire.

The statement added that Asapov, a senior military advisor in the country, was stationed at a Syrian command outpost aiding in the liberation of Dayr al-Zawr when he was killed.

“As a result of a sudden mortar shelling by Daesh militants, Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov was fatally wounded by an exploding shell,” read the statement.

In early September, the ministry announced the death of two more Russian servicemen in Daesh shelling in Syria. Together with Asapov, that brings the overall death toll of Russian troops in Syria to 37.

Last week, Moscow announced that the Syrian military had liberated more than 85 percent of the strategic eastern city of Dayr al-Zawr from Daesh terrorists.

The Syrian army’s liberation operation in Dayr al-Zawr is facing strong resistance and massive fire from areas where militant groups and US-backed forces are stationed.

Daesh overran large parts of Dayr al-Zawr province, including its oilfields, in mid-2014 as it seized swathes of land in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

By early 2015, the Takfiri terrorists were in control of some parts of Dayr al-Zawr and besieged the remaining parts, which were under government control.

The blockade was lifted in early September by Syrian government forces, which brought relief to tens of thousands of people trapped in the city. It is estimated that 100,000 people remain in the government-held parts of the city.

Source: Presstv

24, September 2017

Germany: Merkel wins 4th term in office ⁰

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has clinched a fourth term in office through general elections, while the hard-right AfD party has also won its first seats in parliament.

According to latest results from Sunday general elections, Merkel has won around 33 percent of the vote with her conservative Christian Union (CDU/CSU) bloc, AFP reported.

Merkel was followed by the Social Democrats and their candidate, Martin Schulz, who ended second by scoring about 20-21 percent of the vote. Schulz announced after elections that his party will serve as the opposition following Sunday’s general elections.

Exit polls also showed that in a surprising turn of events the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) has captured around 13 percent of the vote, which made it the country’s third biggest political party and enabled it to enter Germany’s parliament for the first time.

Martin Schulz, the leader of Germany’s Social Democratic (SPD) Party and candidate for chancellor, gives a speech during an electoral meeting on the eve of general elections, in Aachen, western Germany, on September 23, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

A recent poll, conducted by the INSA institute for the local Bild daily, showed sliding support for CDU by two percentage points to 34 percent, and the SPD, down by one point to 21 percent. The hard-right AfD rose by two percentage points to 13 percent.

The 63-year-old Merkel saw a decline in her approval ratings over the past two years, mainly due to a decision at the beginning of 2015 to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany. However, her success in controlling the refugee inflow and her message that the German economy needs to be rendered fit for the future by investing in digital technologies seem to have won hearts in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.

The AfD, a nationalist, anti-Islam party, has hugely capitalized on Merkel’s fall in several states.

24, September 2017

Explosion in Mali kills 3 UN soldiers from Bangladesh ⁰

Three United Nations soldiers from Bangladesh were killed by an explosive device that detonated as they were escorting a convoy in northern Mali on Sunday, the West African country’s peacekeeping mission and Bangladesh’s military said.

Attacks on peacekeepers in Mali, where extremist groups continue to operate in the vast desert in the north of the country, have made the UN mission there, MINUSMA, the organization’s deadliest.

Another five UN troops were seriously wounded in Sunday’s explosion, which occurred at around 7 a.m. (0700 GMT) on the main road between the towns of Anefis and Gao, MINUSMA said in a statement.

“Our thoughts go firstly to the families and loved ones. We pledge our complete support to them during this painful ordeal,” the head of MINUSMA, Koen Davidse, said. “The mission will use all means to ensure that justice is rendered.”

The UN did not immediately release the nationalities of the soldiers. But the Bangladesh military’s media department confirmed that three of its soldiers had died by an improvised explosive device during an encounter with militants, adding that four other Bangladeshi peacekeepers were injured in the attack.

West Africa’s arid Sahel region has in recent years become a breeding ground for militant groups — some linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh — that European countries, particularly France, fear could threaten Europe if left unchecked.

Militants of the CMFPR2 (La Coordination des mouvements et Front patriotique de resistance) take position to prevent the interim authorities to convene at the Regional Assembly in Gao on February 28, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Despite a 2013 French-led military operation that drove back militants who had seized control of Mali’s north, the area remains home to groups that have staged assaults on high-profile targets in the capital Bamako, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.

MINUSMA, established in the wake of the French intervention, has struggled to quell the unrest.

The UN Security Council established a sanctions regime this month that allows the body to blacklist anyone who violates or obstructs a fragile 2015 peace deal signed by Mali’s government and separatist groups.

Anyone who attacks peacekeepers, hinders the delivery of aid, commits human rights abuses or recruits child soldiers could also face sanctions, including a global travel ban or asset freeze.

(Source: Reuters)

24, September 2017

Germany: General elections begin, Merkel’s party poised to win ⁰

People in Germany have started heading to the polls in national elections that are likely to see Angela Merkel winning a fourth term as chancellor and a right-wing party entering parliament for the first time in 60 years.

Polling stations opened across the European country at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Sunday and will be open until 18:00, with some 61.5 million people eligible to vote.

The German chancellor is seeking a fourth term and tries to retain her Christian Democratic (CDU) Party’s status as the largest group in the German national parliament, the Bundestag.

Merkel is pitted against Martin Schulz, who is the leader of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and a former president of the European Parliament.

Among other competing parties, the far-right and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) appears set to win seats in the national parliament for the first time in 60 years and may even emerge as the country’s third-largest party.

The AfD, a nationalist, anti-Islam party, has hugely capitalized on Merkel’s fall in several states.

Source: Presstv

24, September 2017

“Southern Cameroons has become a place of slavery under the regime of Paul Biya” Mbah Ndam ⁰

Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) has said that President Biya and his gang of French Cameroun political elites have pushed Southern Cameroonians to the wall. The Deputy Speaker of the French Cameroun National Assembly, received at his residence on Friday some Southern Cameroons demonstrators and at the reception, the SDF MP appreciated the Southern Cameroons popular uprising.

Speaking in his native tongue and pidgin, Joseph Mbah Ndam told the demonstrators that September 22, 2017 is a date chosen by God himself for the liberation of Southern Cameroons. “Democracy and freedom do not happen, they are snatched up,” said the SDF leader to his many admirers.

“Southern Cameroons has become a place of slavery under the regime of Paul Biya,” he said, adding that “if Cameroon splits into two, Paul Biya is the only culprit.” The MP feels that the anglophone crisis is the result of frustration. “The anglophones were pushed back to the wall and here are the results,” says Mbah Ndam. The member of the SDF indicated that if there is another protest march, he will take part because the President has refused to dialogue with Southern Cameroonians.

Since the beginning of the Southern Cameroons crisis, Mbah Ndam has supported the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and the Southern Cameroons Governing Council. He has always challenged the jurisdiction of the Yaounde Military Court to try those arrested in Southern Cameroons in the context of the Anglophone crisis.

By Rita Akana, CCN

23, September 2017

Mass Arrests Happening in Mamfe County ⁰

French Cameroun police have arrested dozens of people in the Mamfe County late today. The Chairman of the Southern Cameroons Governing Council has signed off on these arrests and he isn’t playing around. Rumors indicate that the Francophone governor of the Buea Province gave the Manyu SDO permission to rough up those who were protesting.