Boko Haram attack leaves one soldier killed in French Cameroun

20, April 2023

Boko Haram attack leaves one soldier killed in French Cameroun 0

One soldier has been killed and three others wounded in an attack by the terrorist group Boko Haram in the Far North region, local and security sources said Monday.

The attack took place overnight into Monday in Zeleved and Krawa-Mafa villages of the region where a military post is located.

“They were heavily armed and came in their numbers. The terrorists burned down houses and stole property. They also abducted two children,” a military official in the region who asked not to be named told Xinhua on the phone.

Some of the militants escaped with wounds during the attack, said the official.

There have been rampant and recurrent raids by Boko Haram on civilian communities in the region in the last two months, according to local authorities.

Source: Xinhuanet

Football: Milan and Inter preparing for fireworks with Champions League derby

20, April 2023

Football: Milan and Inter preparing for fireworks with Champions League derby 0

The Milan derby will return to the centre stage of European football when the Italian city’s two giant clubs meet in what promises to be a fiery Champions League semi-final.

The prospect of two matches full of colour and pageantry between local rivals who between them have been crowned kings of Europe 10 times will dominate discussion in Milan, and remind fans when Italian football had a legitimate claim to call itself the world’s best.

Before the draw for the 2005 Champions quarter-finals former AC Milan managing director Adriano Galliani was desperate to not be drawn with another Italian team.

Galliani, who was Silvio Berlusconi’s right-hand man during Milan’s golden years, had already been through one derby in Europe’s top club competition two years previously when a star-studded outfit squeezed past Inter in the last four on away goals.

But even though Milan then went on to beat Juventus and lift the trophy for the sixth time in 2003, Galliani had no desire to repeat that experience.

“Above all I don’t want Inter because for those of us who live in Milan it would be hell,” he said.

“I can remember the weeks leading up to those two derbies in 2003 and they were the worst of all for the level of pre-match tension.”

In the end Galliani’s wish was not granted and that year’s last eight was the scene of possibly the most notorious derby of all, one which took on a hellish landscape in the second leg after Milan won the first 2-0.

Andriy Shevchenko effectively closed the tie in the 30th minute, but an Esteban Cambiasso goal being disallowed late on sparked fury among Inter fans, who launched a barrage of flares onto the pitch with one striking Milan goalkeeper Dida.

The players were ordered back into the dressing rooms and what became known as the “Derby of Shame” ended up being awarded 3-0 to Milan, who went through to the semis 5-0 on aggregate before eventually being beaten by Liverpool in one of the most thrilling Champions League finals of all time.

A new era

A footballing epoch has passed since those days, with both Milan clubs spending years in the doldrums at home and abroad until they won the two most recent Serie A titles between them.

Last season Milan dethroned Inter in an enthralling title race which went down to the final day, and while both teams are miles off this year’s runaway league leaders Napoli, the derby semi-final has two of Europe’s grand old clubs back at the continent’s top table.

“For us, this derby is a chance of revenge, a revenge of history and revenge also for last year,” said Inter chairman Steven Zhang after Wednesday’s straightforward passage past Benfica.

“It means a lot because when we started our players didn’t have experience in the Champions League and had never won any trophies.

“But now we are full of winners and full of players and staff who are aiming to go all the way, it means tons for all of us.”

Inter have had the better of the three derbies played so far this season, losing a thriller 3-2 in September but hammering Milan 3-0 in January’s Super Cup in Saudi Arabia and then beating them 1-0 in the league the following month.

And while this year’s league campaign has been a huge disappointment, with 11 defeats in 30 matches, Simone Inzaghi’s side have shown time and again that they can turn it on for the pressure games.

Meanwhile after a dismal post-World Cup slump Milan are looking more like the swashbuckling team which won the Scudetto last May and will be buoyed by getting past Italy’s champions-elect Napoli.

“We’ve seen in these last two years, we’ve played lots of matches with Milan and they are a very good team,” said Inzaghi.

“It all depends on what form each team is in coming into the match.”

Source: AFP

5.2% Salary Increase: What about retirees?

20, April 2023

5.2% Salary Increase: What about retirees? 0

In his December 31, 2022 end-of-year address to the nation, Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, announced that the country’s civil servants would be blessed with a 5.2% salary increase in the New Year.

Instead of triggering excitement and celebration, the president’s announcement was as unpopular as himself.  Indeed, the salary increase was long overdue and when it came, it sounded more like a drop in the ocean.

Cameroon has the lowest salaries in all French-speaking African countries. Following the devaluation of the CFA Franc in the early 90s, most French-speaking African countries increased the salaries of their workers, with some taking up the salaries of their civil servants by 100%.

On the contrary, Cameroon slashed civil service salaries by 66%, triggering a wave of corruption within government departments and a storm of migration which has resulted in the country’s best and brightest looking outward for greener pastures.

Today, the country’s economic outlook is grim and the economy has been weakened by both internal and external shocks.

 Among the most destabilizing shocks are COVID-19, rising oil prices and the Ukraine war which has triggered a global inflation which has left many Cameroonians in tough financial circumstances.

The 5.2% salary increase announced by Cameroon’s president was the government’s best effort to cushion the impact of inflation, but it, in turn, increased fuel prices, taxes and the prices of certain products, a clear contradiction which leaves doubts in many minds.

For someone who earns CFAF 200,000 in Cameroon, a 5.2% salary increase will give them an additional CFAF 10,000 which will not afford them much in terms of goods and services.

Strangely, the government’s inflation-checking plan was not intended for everyone. The private sector has not sought to alleviate the financial pain of its workers. There are vulnerable segments of the population which have not been attended to and they are really hurting.

Among the hurting segments are retirees whose incomes are fixed and they cannot find any jobs by virtue of their ages in a country wherein unemployment has reached astronomical figures.

Retirees are hurting. They need help. The government plan never thought about them. Their pensions are fixed and inflation which actually stands at over 20% is diminishing the retiree’s financial ability.

The government has taken the first step, but it must go beyond what it has already done. More supporting measures are required if the impact of the devastating inflation must be cushioned.

Most retirees have been driven to the brink. With age, come many diseases. Many Cameroonian retirees are suffering from hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Their current incomes do not give them the financial leeway to operate the way they want.

If the Cameroonian government has to help retirees, it must come up with special programs which will help retirees to be hopeful.

Putting a good medical plan for retirees and giving them tax breaks will be one step that will bring them some peace of mind. A good health insurance program designed to meet the health needs of retirees will go a long way in addressing some of the financial stress generated by escalating goods and services prices.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

Thousands flee Sudan capital following collapse of truce

19, April 2023

Thousands flee Sudan capital following collapse of truce 0

Thousands of residents fled Sudan’s capital Wednesday as fighting between the army and paramilitaries raged for a fifth day after a 24-hour truce collapsed. Roughly 200 people have already been killed.

The violence erupted on Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as “Hemedti”, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

It followed a bitter dispute between Burhan and Dagalo over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army – a key condition for a final deal aimed at resuming Sudan’s democratic transition.

“There is no ceasefire at all,” FRANCE 24’s regional correspondent Bastien Renouil reported from Nairobi, citing sources on the ground.

“The fighting in Khartoum continues and [the sources] say they could hear gunshots all night long, and that now planes are flying over the city bombing locations that they [the army] believe belong to the RSF. The RSF is fighting these planes, shooting anti-aircraft artillery.”

Civilians huddled in their homes were becoming increasingly desperate, with dwindling food supplies, power outages, and a lack of running water.

Their hopes of being evacuated were dashed on Tuesday when a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire collapsed within minutes of its proposed start at 1600 GMT.

Streets littered with bodies

On Wednesday morning, thousands of people took matters into their own hands and began leaving their homes in Khartoum, some in cars and others on foot, including women and children.

They said the streets were littered with dead bodies, the stench of which filled the air.

Governments have starting planning to evacuate thousands of foreigners, among them many UN staff.

Japan said on Wednesday that its defence ministry had begun the “necessary preparations” to evacuate around 60 of its nationals from Sudan, including embassy staff.

After the truce collapsed, the army accused the “rebel militia” of failing to commit to it and of continuing “skirmishes around the army headquarters and the airport”.

The RSF in turn accused the army of “committing violations” and breaching the ceasefire by launching “sporadic attacks” on its forces and bases around the capital.

FRANCE 24’s Renouil said that the ongoing “communication war” between the army and the RSF has made it extremely difficult to know exactly what is going on.

“If the RSF publishes a statement saying that they are in control of this or that building and institution, the army publishes another statement saying that ‘no, that’s not the case’ and that they’re [the ones in control]. So it’s impossible to know exactly what is happening on the ground.”

Hospitals being shelled

The fighting has left at least 185 people dead and more than 1,800 injured, according to the United Nations.

But the real figure is thought to be far higher with many wounded unable to reach hospitals, which are themselves being shelled, according to the official doctors’ union.

Deafening explosions rattled buildings, windows and the nerves of many terrified residents who hunkered down hoping for an end to the violence.

Offices and residential buildings in the city have been left with shattered windows and facades riddled with bullets.

Electricity and water are out in many parts of Khartoum, forcing residents to sneak out during lulls in fighting to buy food and supplies, witnesses said.

Derailed transition

The latest violence, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, came after more than 120 civilians had already been killed in a crackdown on regular pro-democracy demonstrations over the past 18 months.

Both generals have positioned themselves as saviours of Sudan and guardians of democracy—in a country which has known only brief democratic interludes.

Saturday’s outbreak of violence is the culmination of deep-seated divisions between the army and the RSF, which was created in 2013 by longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

Burhan and Dagalo toppled Bashir together in April 2019 following mass protests against his three decades of iron-fisted rule.

They have since been allies with their relationship interspersed with brief periods of tensions.

In October 2021, the two men led a military coup against the civilian government which was installed following Bashir’s ouster, derailing an internationally backed transition.

Burhan, a career soldier from northern Sudan who rose through the ranks under Bashir, has maintained his coup was “necessary” to include more factions into politics.

But Dagalo has since called the coup a “mistake” that failed to bring about change and invigorated Bashir’s remnants.

Source:  AFP

National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon: Archbishop Nkea speaks about life and faith in the Church

18, April 2023

National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon: Archbishop Nkea speaks about life and faith in the Church 0

48th Plenary Assembly: 16-22 April 2023

Archbishops and Bishops of Cameroon,

The Secretary General NECC,

Reverend Fathers and Lay collaborators at NECC,

Dear Journalists, men and women of the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. “The Lord is Risen, Alleluia – Yes, He is truly Risen Alleluia1”.  It is with this Easter refrain that I would like to welcome all the Archbishops and Bishops of Cameroon and their collaborators who have gathered here in the National Episcopal Center, for the 48th Plenary Session of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon. I would equally like to welcome each one of you here present, as well as greet all Civil, Military, Traditional, Political and Religious authorities wherever they are at the moment – a very Happy Easter to you all. The first words of the Risen Lord to his Apostles were: “Peace be with you”. This greeting is very relevant for all of us in present-day Cameroon. So, as we begin this Plenary Assembly of the Bishops, I would like to greet the whole of Cameroon with the same  words of the Risen Christ: “Peace be with you”.

2. After forty days of fasting and abstinence, we celebrated in our various dioceses one of the most important events in our religious and spiritual life: the Solemnity of Easter, a symbol of how suffering leads to rebirth. The Resurrection of Christ is of particular interest to us because at Easter, the movement from death to life, engages each of us in a very personal manner. We who are gathered here on this day after the Divine Mercy Sunday, know for certain that our destiny and our life, would have had no meaning without the Resurrection of Christ. This is both crucial and central to our history and our journey towards God. 

3.Like the Apostles on the day after Easter, we have to proclaim Christ victorious over death, to our society marked by various sufferings – socio-political crises, agricultural difficulties, the lack of farm to market roads, repeated killings, the Covid-19 pandemic, high cost of living and other social injustices, to name just a few. In this kind of atmosphere, we must continue to bear witness to our faith in a world that seems to have lost its bearings and which now gives way to all kinds of abuses.

Albeit, our ongoing efforts for the return of peace in our country have not been in vain, because, despite the continuous threats from Boko Haram in the North and the prevailing insecurity in the North West and South West Regions, we do not give up, instead we ask Christ the Risen One to shower us with His peace. Thanks be to God, relative calm is returning to the North West and South West Regions, some businesses are reopening and many children are going back to school. This is a great sign of hope, but the situation of insecurity still remains very preoccupying.

4. In the recent months, we have been very saddened by the various extra-judicial killings that have been taking place in our society, top among which was the murder of the Journalist, Martinez Zogo, in Yaoundé. The bishops of Cameroon together with the Universal Catholic Church have always called on all peoples to respect human life, which is a gift from God from the moment of conception to its natural death. To kill someone is a sin against the 5th Commandment of the Decalogue and this commandment clearly states: “Thou shall not kill”. It is our prayer and hope that the real killers of fellow citizens will be clearly identified and brought to book according to the laws of our country. We make a very strong appeal here to all Cameroonians, to stop killing one another. We are all brothers and sisters of the same Fatherland, and children of the same God who is Father to us all.

5. During this 48th Plenary Assembly, we will, as we are accustomed to, give priority to listening to reports from the 14 commissions which represent the daily life of our Conference. This will give us the opportunity to find solutions to some important points which directly affect the future of our Conference as well as concretely revisit issues which were discussed during the seminars in Obala, Bafang, Ngaoundéré and Ebolowa.

6. We have to rewrite together, as it were, the pages which give answers to the questions we have been asking ourselves in recent years: “What kind of Episcopal Conference do we want? We are all called to work together to build this house more solidly. And to achieve this, each of us must move from “I” to “we”; from just thinking about “my diocese” to thinking about “our conference.” We are doing everything possible to improve both the living conditions of the priests who are resident here, as well as the working conditions of the commissions. We are happy to note that the  CoSMO Project  which was presented to us in Ebolowa,  has already taken off  as an outreach of our Conference. Its implementation in some target dioceses will gradually enable us to reach all the others for the good of vulnerable children in our country.

Last year, we asked the Episcopal Commission for Communication to take over from the Archdiocese of Douala, both the production and distribution of our national newspaper “L’Effort Camerounais.”  All of us are certainly glad to see the current 16-page Newspaper in colour and in its 5th publication already. While we render sincere thanks to the Archdiocese of Douala which kept the flame of this historic Newspaper burning, we encourage our Communication Commission to keep up the good work they have begun and to ensure that the paper regains its original impact and even more. 

7. After one year of our mandate in office as President of the National Episcopal Conference, we are still very committed to the construction and transformation of Marienberg in the Diocese of Edea, into a National Pilgrimage Centre. Our people need to pray; our country needs prayers and we have to look up to the Blessed Virgin Mary who is the Comforter of the Afflicted, Mirror of Justice, Help of Christians and Queen of Peace, to intercede for us.

8.May the same Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles and Special Patroness of Cameroon, intercede for us so that we can achieve our common objectives and worthily announce the Good News of the  Risen Lord to all creation. It is with this urgent invocation then that I now declare open, the 48th Plenary Assembly of the Bishops of Cameroon.

Done in Mvolye, Yaoundé, this Tuesday 18 April 2023

+Andrew NKEA,

Archbishop of Bamenda,

President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon

Afriland remains the biggest credit contributor to Cameroon as of January 31, 2023

18, April 2023

Afriland remains the biggest credit contributor to Cameroon as of January 31, 2023 0

The outstanding amount of credit granted by Afriland First Bank to the Cameroonian economy was estimated at CFA1, 037 billion as of January 31, 2023, official banking market data revealed. Compared to the same period the previous year, this bank controlled by Cameroonian billionaire Paul Kammogne Fokam achieved an increase of 12%, thus confirming its position as the largest credit contributor to the economy.

Better still, the financial institution, which claims more than fifty branches across the country, was the first and only one to have exceeded CFA1,000 billion in credit outstanding over the period. It now controls 21.7% of Cameroon’s credit market. The others that make up the top 5 largest credit contributors are Société Générale (CFA721 billion), SCB (CFA476.7 billion), Bicec (CFA460 billion), and CBC (CFA381 billion). Together with Afriland, they control more than 64.5% of the market share.

A look into Afriland’s portfolio over the period under review shows that the bank was more into short- and medium-term loans, which accounted for a big 80.6% of its outstanding amount. This means that it mainly granted consumer loans, equipment loans, and cash flow loans for businesses. Long-term credits, which are used for large investments, only accounted for CFA12.138 billion of its portfolio, although they were up 41% YoY. In this segment, Afriland came far behind CBC (CFA47.8 billion) and Standard Chartered Bank (CFA31.693 billion). Moreover, more than three-quarters of its loan portfolio over the period went to private companies and individuals. Loans to these two categories of clients grew by 13% YoY to CFA632.2 billion and 34.3% YoY to CFA254.5 billion respectively.

However, the dark side of granting so much credit to the economy is the exposure to the risk of not getting the money back. The number of bad debts in Afriland’s portfolio was estimated at CFA133.8 billion over the period, compared with CFA121.9 billion 12 months earlier. To cover these receivables, the institution had to use its equity to make provisions of CFA99.8 billion.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Douala: Samuel Eto’o’s father dies!!

18, April 2023

Douala: Samuel Eto’o’s father dies!! 0

The father of Cameroonian football legend Samuel Eto’o, who currently moonlights as president of the Cameroon Football Federation has died.

David Eto’o, suffered a heart attack and was reportedly in a coma for several days before passing away on Monday 17 April 2023 in Douala.

David Eto’o, an accountant by profession is known to the public thanks to his illustrious son, Samuel Eto’o, a former world football star.

Eto’o who played for FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea and many other prestigious clubs regularly invited his parents to big games in Europe.

The home of the deceased in the Denver estate in the fifth district in Douala is now very busy with many people coming to the family home to pay their last respect to the father of six.

By Fon Lawrence in Douala

Insecurity grows in Cameroon as reintegration efforts stall

17, April 2023

Insecurity grows in Cameroon as reintegration efforts stall 0

Former Boko Haram fighters and members who return to communities in Cameroon pose a significant security threat to civilians. The lack of effective reintegration increases the chances of former combatants returning to violence, encouraged by the rise in lucrative organised crime, the circulation of illicit weapons and inter-communal conflicts.

The first step in successful reintegration is the screening of defectors. But this process is lacking in Cameroon, where the roles of Boko Haram associates who surrender are not clear. By distinguishing between fighters, hostages, couriers, slaves or logisticians, those who remain radicalised and dangerous, are identified. For example, in Amchidé near the Nigerian border, community sources told ISS Today that former combatants sometimes threatened civilians.

A National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (CNDDR) was created in 2018, but the law establishing it doesn’t mention those kidnapped by Boko Haram. Hostages who escape and return home are often mistaken for ex-combatants. Managers at the Méri disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration centre in northern Cameroon say the facility houses both former hostages and fighters. So, in addition to the legal gaps, the lack of screening makes it difficult to resolve the problem.

Deficiencies in the reintegration process are detrimental to those who leave violent extremist groups. Former associates can face reprisals from Boko Haram’s victims because no prosecutions or reconciliation have taken place to prove their innocence or guilt. For example, many cases were reported of innocent former members being stigmatised in Mayo Moskota.

There is also a lack of clarity around prosecuting Boko Haram fighters, even though the Lake Chad Basin Regional Stabilisation Strategy and international standards cover this. Prosecution is important for reintegration, as it helps counter impunity and allay the fears of Boko Haram’s victims. But since the Méri centre was opened in 2020, no residents have been pardoned, exonerated or convicted of a terrorist act before being reintegrated into the community.

This highlights another problem – the lack of legal harmonisation in Cameroon. The 2014 law that imposes the death penalty on anyone found guilty of, or complicit in, acts of terrorism doesn’t promote reintegration. And the CNDDR decree is silent concerning amnesty or legal proceedings against former fighters.

Infrastructure such as cantonment centres – where returnees stay before being reintegrated – is also lacking. Méri’s secondary prison was transformed into a deradicalisation centre, but despite having space for only 150 residents, it houses over 2 500, according to the CNDDR. It also lacks training materials to facilitate former combatants’ economic integration. A regional cantonment centre should be built in Mémé in the commune of Mora, which has been declared the regional CNDDR headquarters for the Far North.

The lack of infrastructure means that many who leave Boko Haram prefer to integrate directly into communities. In 2021, the communes of Mora, Mayo Moskota, Kolofata, Mokolo, Makari, Waza, Logone-Birni and Fotokol alone were home to 584 former fighters and members. That number has since increased.

Many former combatants and members also live among internally displaced persons in Zamaï. They could become targets for reprisals from Boko Haram victims, or be attacked by insurgents who consider them traitors.

National guidance on reintegrating former members is essential. In 2017, the Far North Region governor encouraged Boko Haram fighters to defect, offering an outreach programme and a three-part protocol involving screening, deradicalisation and reintegration. On returning home, they pledged to abandon all interaction with Boko Haram, swearing on the Koran in the presence of community members and traditional and religious authorities. This initiative fell away when the CNDDR was created, but its achievements and lessons should inform ongoing reintegration processes.

Community sources say over 100 former fighters and members – disillusioned by their treatment at the Méri centre or left unmonitored in communities – have returned to Boko Haram since leader Abubakar Shekau died in 2021. The poor conditions in the Méri centre would also deter many fighters from surrendering.

National guidance on the organised reintegration of former members is essential

In the absence of successful reintegration, terrorism continues in the region. At the same time, armed robbery, hostage-taking and road ambushes are rising. Weapons are circulating, increasing insecurity and fuelling community conflicts. Reintegration is vital to reduce the threat of violent extremism and mitigate the upswing of organised crime linked to the presence of former Boko Haram associates in communities.

A clear process must be defined, including steps, objectives, outcomes and indicators. An inclusive, transitional justice approach should involve local communities, traditional leaders, community-based organisations, the media, researchers and the private sector.

Counter-terrorism legislation must also be harmonised at the national and regional levels. The principles for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration in the Lake Chad Basin Regional Stabilisation Strategy must guide this process.

Source: Defense Web

Intense fighting continues in Sudan for third day as civilian death toll nears 100

17, April 2023

Intense fighting continues in Sudan for third day as civilian death toll nears 100 0

For a third consecutive day, people in Sudan woke up to the ear-splitting sounds of heavy artillery and bombardment by warplanes on Monday as the death toll neared 100 following violent unrest.

According to reports, explosions rocked the Sudanese capital Khartoum Monday amid fierce fighting between the country’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“The death toll among civilians… has reached 97,” the doctors’ union said, adding later that “dozens” of fighters had been killed and injured.

According to media reports, the figure does not include all casualties as many could not reach hospitals due to difficulties in movement amid the fighting.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, a pro-democracy organization, also reported dozens of deaths among security forces, and some 942 wounded.

The intense conflict, which has seen air strikes, tanks on the streets, artillery fire and heavy gunfire in crowded neighborhoods both in Khartoum and other cities across Sudan, has triggered international demands for an immediate ceasefire.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that “several” of Khartoum’s nine hospitals receiving injured civilians “have run out of blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids and other vital supplies”.

Katharina von Schroeder, a charity worker with Save The Children, who has been sheltering at a school with her son, told BBC they had hoped things would calm down when they arrived in search of shelter, but decided to stay put after clashes in the city escalated and spread to outside the capital.

She noted that several hundred children at least are trapped in similarly dangerous circumstances around Khartoum.

Meanwhile, the UN representative in Sudan on Monday slammed the failure by both the army and rival paramilitary forces to stop fighting during an agreed humanitarian pause to evacuate the wounded.

Volker Perthes said he was “extremely disappointed that humanitarian cessation of hostilities, that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces had committed to, was only partially honored yesterday”.

Violence erupted in Sudan on Saturday between Sudanese armed forces loyal to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, a paramilitary force led by Sudan’s deputy leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

Hemedti, belonging to a family of camel herders, rose from lowly beginnings to head a widely feared Arab militia that crushed a revolt in Darfur, winning him influence and eventually a role as the country’s second most powerful man, and one of its richest.

He has played a prominent role in his country’s turbulent politics for 10 years, helping topple his one-time benefactor President Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and later quashing protests by Sudanese seeking democracy.

As deputy head of state, Hemedti, with little formal education, has taken on some of Sudan’s most important portfolios in the post-Bashir era, including the crumbling economy and peace negotiations with rebel groups.

Source: Presstv

“French Cameroonians living in unprecedented fear in Yaoundé”

17, April 2023

“French Cameroonians living in unprecedented fear in Yaoundé” 0

The Chairman and Editor-In-Chief of the Cameroon Concord News Group has said that an uneasy calm  now prevails in Southern Cameroons but French speaking Cameroonians are living in an unprecedented fear as Biya regime approaches its end.

The Right Hon. Soter Agbaw-Ebai, a Cameroonian Journalist told Cameroon Concord News London Bureau that for the time being, things are quiet in Southern Cameroons.

This calm, according to Agbaw-Ebai, comes as a result of the fact that there is a disconnect between the diaspora and Southern Cameroonians in Ground Zero.  

“There is so much fear among French speaking Cameroonians today! The Biya regime is now a thing of the past,” Agbaw-Ebai told Cameroon Concord News London Bureau.

Agbaw-Ebai said that Southern Cameroonians are still steadfast in face of Yaounde’s aggression with ghost town operations.

He added that with the killing of some 3000 Cameroon government army soldiers, the Francophone dominated army seems to have retreated in its violence against the people of Southern Cameroons.        

According to Soter Agbaw-Ebai, Cameroon as a nation is living a different reality today.

By Chi Prudence Asong

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