3, May 2019

The Ambazonia-French Cameroun crisis: April 2019 update ⁰

Relations between the largely Anglophone regions of Cameroon and the country’s dominant Francophone elite have long been fraught. Over the past three years, tensions have escalated seriously and since October 2017 violent conflict has erupted between armed separatist groups and the security forces, with both sides being accused of committing human rights abuses.

The tensions originate in a complex and contested decolonisation process in the late-1950s and early-1960s, in which Britain, as one of the colonial powers, was heavily involved. Federal arrangements were scrapped in 1972 by a Francophone-dominated central government.

Many English-speaking Cameroonians have long complained that they are politically, economically and linguistically marginalised. Some have called for full independence for the Anglophone regions.

The trigger for the current crisis was the appointment of French-educated judges to courts in the English-speaking regions. Local lawyers demanded their removal and the restoration of a federal system of government.

By the end of 2016, local teachers and lawyers had launched a campaign of strikes and demonstrations. University students and other activists began to get involved too. The security forces responded heavy-handedly. The Internet and all educational institutions were closed down.

Tensions remained high during the first half of 2017. Then, on 1 October 2017, the anniversary of Anglophone Cameroon’s independence from the UK, Anglophone separatists unilaterally declared independence. Mass demonstrations were met with force. Amnesty International estimated that at least 17 people were killed in the clashes.

Since then, numerous armed separatist groups have emerged and begun a violent campaign for independence. The security forces have responded in kind. Both sides stand accused of committing serious human rights abuses. Ordinary civilians are often caught in the middle – at least 500 have reportedly died. More than 400,000 people have been displaced, with over 30,000 crossing into Nigeria. There have also been reports of clashes between rival armed separatist groups.

Seriously flawed presidential elections took place in Cameroon in October 2018. 85 year-old president Paul Biya, who has been in office since 1982, sought re-election and won again. The runner-up, Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), who had expressed sympathy for some Anglophone grievances, disputed the result and claimed victory. He called for peaceful protests.

Despite a heavy security clampdown, there was a mass boycott of the vote in the Anglophone regions. This was the main reason why Joshua Osih, the candidate of the party which traditionally has garnered most support in the Anglophone regions, the Social Democratic Front, finished fourth.

There has so far been no improvement in the situation during 2019. If anything, levels of violence have increased. In a report issued on 28 March, Human Rights Watch said that since October “at least 170 civilians have been killed in over 220 incidents in the North-West and South-West regions.”

Protests called by the MRC took place in several cities in January 2019. Then on 28 January, Kamto and other leaders of the MRC were arrested , leading to more protests. In mid-February he and 130 of his supporters were charged by a military court with rebellion, insurrection and “hostility to the Fatherland”. In April, the authorities banned some planned MRC demonstrations.

So, what are the prospects? The outlook looks bleak. Although international engagement on the Anglophone Cameroon crisis has gradually increased, there are no signs currently that this will produce a change of stance on the part of either the Cameroon government or the armed separatists. Mediation efforts by the Catholic Church have so far led nowhere.

It is impossible to say how many people in the two Anglophone regions support secession. Some might still be satisfied by a return to meaningful federalism. But there is no indication that the central government is willing to consider restoring anything approaching federalism. Cosmetic measures remain the order of the day.

Official intransigence appears to be strengthening the hands of the secessionists. There are serious tensions between some of the different armed separatist groups involved on the ground, which further complicates the prospects for a peaceful settlement further down the line.

Source: Researchbriefings

3, May 2019

Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: How to Get to Talks? ⁰

After twenty months of clashes, the government and the separatists are both refusing to give ground. Both sides must explore compromise solutions aimed at a level of regional autonomy somewhere between the secession the separatists yearn for and the fake decentralisation proposed by Yaoundé.

What’s new? The conflict in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon is deadlocked. There is no dialogue between Yaoundé and the separatists, who are both refusing to give ground: the government is counting on a military victory and refuses to discuss the form of the state; the separatists demand independence.

Why does it matter? In the last 20 months, the conflict has left 1,850 dead, 530,000 internally displaced and tens of thousands of refugees. The intransigence of the belligerents threatens to generate further violence and prolong the conflict, which neither can win in the short term.

What should be done? Cameroonian and international actors should encourage the two sides to make concessions by threatening to sanction those who stand in the way of dialogue and rewarding the less intransigent. Ending the conflict will eventually require changes in the legal framework for decentralisation to grant greater autonomy to communes and regions.

Executive Summary

Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis is deadlocked. Twenty months of clashes have killed 1,850, displaced 530,000 and led tens of thousands to seek refuge abroad, but the government and the separatists are sticking to their irreconcilable positions. The separatists continue to dream that independence is just around the corner. In Yaoundé, the government still wrongly believes it can win a quick military victory. Meanwhile, moderates and federalists, who enjoy majority support, are unable to organise. To break the deadlock, Cameroonian and international actors should put pressure on the government and the separatists. Both sides must explore compromise solutions aimed at a level of regional autonomy somewhere between the secession desired by the separatists and the fake decentralisation proposed by Yaoundé.

The socio-political crisis that began in October 2016 in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions mutated into armed conflict at the end of 2017. Seven armed militias are currently in positions of strength in most rural areas. The security forces reacted slowly, but since mid-2018 have inflicted casualties on the separatists. They have not been able, however, to regain full control over rural areas nor prevent repeated separatist attacks in the towns.

There is currently no dialogue between Yaoundé and the separatists. The latter are calling for talks to hammer out the practical details of independence in the presence of an international mediator. The government refuses to discuss the form of the state or reform of institutions. It proposes instead a decentralisation model that grants neither adequate funding nor sufficient powers to local authorities (communes and regions) and intends to organise the country’s first regional elections later this year. Far from resolving the conflict, this half-baked proposal risks provoking further violence.

Local initiatives to promote dialogue are emerging. In July 2018, Anglophone religious leaders (Catholic, Protestant and Muslim) announced a plan to hold an Anglophone General Conference as a first step toward an inclusive national dialogue. A majority of Anglophones are in favour of this initiative. Initially reluctant, some separatists now seem to be more open to the idea on condition that it prepares the way for a referendum on self-determination that would give the choice between federalism and independence. Faced with opposition from the government, the conference organisers have already had to postpone it twice: from August to November 2018 and then to March 2019. It still has not taken place.

Although some separatists will refuse to give ground, others might accept a dialogue with the Cameroonian authorities, in the presence of an international mediator, to discuss federalism or genuine decentralisation that would grant autonomy and adequate funding to the regions and that would guarantee respect for the specific features of the Anglophone judicial and education systems. Similarly, although the Cameroonian government seems to rule out federalism, it might consent to regionalism or genuine decentralisation, which would involve changes to the legislative framework.

To clear the path to talks, the belligerents must each make concessions in order to establish a minimum degree of trust and reverse the spiral of violence. The government should support an Anglophone General Conference in order for Anglophones to appoint representatives to a national dialogue while at the same time providing non-separatist Anglophones with the opportunity to express their point of view. Cameroon’s president should adopt a conciliatory stance and recognise the existence of the Anglophone problem and the legitimacy of the Anglophones’ demands; order investigations into abuses by the security forces; make provision for reparations to victims and the reconstruction of affected areas; and release the hundreds of Anglophone activists currently in detention, including important members of the separatist movement. The separatists should renounce their strategy of Monday “ghost towns” (general strikes) and their school boycott and expel combatants guilty of abuses against civilians.

A combination of internal and international pressures could lead both the government and the separatists to make such concessions. International actors could reward the parties who agree to moderate their positions and sanction those who remain intransigent. The Europeans and Americans, in particular, should consider targeted sanctions against government leaders and senior army officers who continue to obstruct dialogue (travel bans, asset freeze) and separatists who encourage or organise violence (judicial proceedings). The International Criminal Court prosecutor should open preliminary examinations into abuses committed by both sides, to underline that the pursuit of violence will have judicial consequences. International actors are divided, however, on what position to adopt and what measures to take and should first reach a common position, at least among Western countries.

Internally, Cameroonian Francophones and Anglophones who advocate compromise should mobilise to put pressure on the separatists and the government. In particular, federalists should work together to strengthen their position in the talks. They should continue to dialogue with the separatists and encourage them to moderate their positions, and increase the pressure on the authorities to open up to the less intransigent separatists. Finally, they should conduct an international campaign to promote peaceful solutions.

Once trust has been established, preliminary talks between government, federalist and separatist representatives will be necessary. These should take place outside the country. During this process, international actors, especially the U.S., Switzerland, the Vatican, the UN, the EU (especially France, Germany and the UK) and the African Union (AU) should continue to encourage the government to dialogue and offer funding and support for the talks.

In the event of a dialogue taking place, they could also help to fund compensation payments to victims of abuses, the reconstruction of Anglophone regions, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons and the disarmament and demobilisation of former combatants. Given the level of acrimony between the parties, the presence of an international mediator will be necessary during the preparatory discussions and then during the national dialogue. Several countries and international institutions and organisations have offered to mediate since the start of the conflict. The UN, the AU, the Catholic Church and Switzerland seem best placed to play this role, because the parties to the conflict perceive them as relatively neutral.

Substantive talks between the three parties should take place in Cameroon, which would require the government to guarantee safe passage for separatist representatives. During these talks, the government should indicate its readiness to amend the Constitution in order to grant greater autonomy to the regions and develop the legal framework for decentralisation. This could include direct elections for the regional councils and these councils’ presidents; the establishment of regional structures with substantial financial and administrative power; and an increase in the powers and resources allocated to communes. The government could also reform institutions and governance in order to take account of the specific features of the educational and judicial systems in the Anglophone regions.

More broadly, the conflict highlights the shortcomings of Cameroon’s centralised governance model and raises two crucial issues that the government must address: the need to improve the way the state handles minority rights, colonial heritages and cultural specificities; and the need for a fairer and more equitable redistribution of the country’s wealth. A lasting solution to the conflict requires dialogue and consensus, which are indispensable to undertake the institutional and governance reforms that Cameroon needs.

Source: International Crisis Group

3, May 2019

Southern Cameroons and Cameroun: Events of 2018 ⁰

Cameroon, a country previously known for its stability, faced violence and serious human rights abuses in 2018. The country endured abusive military operations against a secessionist insurgency in two Anglophone regions, attacks by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, in the Far North, and a worsening humanitarian crisis. President Paul Biya, 85, won a seventh seven-year term on October 7.

In the South West and North West, government security forces have committed extrajudicial executions, burned property, carried out arbitrary arrests, and tortured detainees. A Human Rights Watch report documented a range of abuses by both sides in the Anglophone regions, including arson attacks on homes and schools. According to the International Crisis Group, government forces and armed separatists killed over 420 civilians in the regions since the crisis escalated in 2017.

The humanitarian consequences of the Boko Haram attacks and separatist insurgency are of growing concern. As of November, the United Nations estimated that more than 244,000 civilians were displaced in the Far North and 437,500 in the Anglophone North West and South West regions. About 32,600 Cameroonians found refuge in Nigeria. Also, Cameroon has continued to forcibly return Nigerian asylum seekers, fleeing Boko Haram attacks in northeastern Nigeria.

While the government maintained it did not tolerate serious crimes committed by security forces, it failed to demonstrate progress in investigating and punishing them.

On October 22, Cameroon’s Constitutional Council validated Paul Biya’s reelection, with 71.28 percent of the votes. The council’s decision was immediately contested by one of Biya’s rivals, Maurice Kamto, who claimed the results had been altered. In early November, dozens of pro-Kamto protesters were arrested in Bafoussam, Western region. Biya was sworn-in for a seventh term as president on November 6.

The Anglophone Crisis: Abuses on Both Sides

In the Anglophone North West and South West regions, the absence of a genuine political process to address decades-old grievances against the Biya government contributed to the radicalization of the discourse and tactics of Anglophone activists. Since mid-2017, Anglophone separatists have attacked government institutions and threatened, kidnapped, and killed civilians perceived to side with the government.

In 2016 and 2017, government security forces used excessive force against largely peaceful demonstrations organized by members of the country’s Anglophone minority who were calling for increased autonomy for their region. During demonstrations in late 2017, government forces used live ammunition, including from helicopters, against demonstrators and bystanders, killing at least a dozen people and injuring scores. Some individuals detained in the context of the demonstrations were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

In October 2017, separatist leaders unilaterally declared independence of the North West and South West regions, and the formation of a new nation, Ambazonia. The following month, President Biya announced that Cameroon was under attack from terrorists and vowed to “eradicate these criminals.” The pace and scale of separatists’ attacks against security forces, government workers, and state institutions increased, especially following the arrest and deportation of 47 suspected secessionist activists from Nigeria in January 2018.

Violations by Government Forces

Human Rights Watch found that government forces responded to the growing separatist insurgency by carrying out abusive security operations against communities suspected of supporting secessionist groups. Security forces committed extrajudicial executions, used excessive force against civilians, tortured and abused suspected separatists and other detainees, and burned homes and other property in scores of villages.

During attacks documented by Human Rights Watch, security forces allegedly shot and killed over a dozen civilians, including at least seven people whom witnesses said had intellectual, psychosocial or physical disabilities who did not flee because they were unable or refused to. At least four older women died, burned alive, after security forces set their homes on fire.

Human Rights Watch also documented three cases where security forces detained people suspected of supporting the secessionist cause, and then tortured and killed them in detention. In a fourth case, Human Rights Watch analyzed evidence of torture filmed by perpetrators, who appear to be gendarmes. On September 24 and 27, a total of nine men were allegedly executed by security forces in the town of Buea, according to videos reviewed by Human Rights Watch and a report by the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, a local nongovernmental organization (NGO).

Abuses by Armed Separatists: Attacks on Students, Teachers and Schools

To enforce boycotts of schools following protests by Anglophone teachers against perceived discrimination by the Francophone-dominated national government, separatist groups attacked and burned dozens of schools, threatened teachers, students and parents, kidnapped principals and violently attacked teachers and students. In March, people believed to be armed separatists attacked a high school dormitory in Widikum, North West region, and shot dead Emmanuel Galega, a student.

The pressure tactics forced the majority of schools to close during the 2016-2017 academic year, and as of May 2018 an estimated 42,500 children were still out of school, according to UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Most schools did not re-open in 2018.

On April 30, Father William Neba, principal of St. Bede’s College, in Ashing near Belo, North West region, was reported abducted while celebrating mass with students. He was released two days later. The school suspended classes on the day of the abduction. In September, unidentified gunmen attacked a girl’s school in Bafut, North West region, kidnapping five pupils and severely wounding the principal.

In September, the government endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, an international political agreement to protect education during armed conflict.

On November 5, up to 78 schoolchildren were reportedly kidnapped in Bamenda, North West region, by unknown gunmen. They were released two days later.

Refugee Rights

Cameroon hosts more than 350,000 refugees and asylum seekers, including 260,000 from the Central African Republic and at least 90,000 from Nigeria. Despite its long history of hosting refugees, Cameroon has forcibly returned tens of thousands of Nigerian asylum seekers since 2015. A 2017 Human Rights Watch report documented how soldiers used violence and abuse, including torture, against asylum seekers in remote border regions. Authorities also imposed unlawful restrictions on movement in Cameroon’s only official camp for Nigerian refugees. In August 2018, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that between January and July, Cameroon unlawfully returned at least 800 refugees and asylum seekers to Nigeria.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Cameroon’s penal code punishes “sexual relations between persons of the same sex” with up to five years in prison. Police and gendarmes continued to carry out arrests and harassment of people they believe to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). In April, police arrested four activists and a security guard at the office of AJO, an organization that works on HIV education with men who have sex with men (MSM), and other vulnerable groups. They spent a week in jail on spurious homosexuality charges before a lawyer secured their release. Cameroonian human rights organizations documented the arrest of at least 25 other men and at least two women on homosexuality charges in the first half of 2018. They also reported numerous cases of physical violence by private citizens targeting LGBT people.

Justice and Accountability

While the government has repeatedly promised to investigate crimes committed by security forces, it has not done so transparently or systematically.

Government officials told Human Rights Watch in June that while they conducted investigations, they did not want to make them public to avoid undermining the morale of government troops. However, the visible lack of accountability appears to have fueled abuses, like arson and torture, rather than ending them.

In July, the government finally granted access to ten Anglophone leaders who had been detained and deported from Nigeria to Cameroon in January. The individuals, held incommunicado for over six months, were permitted to meet their lawyers and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The government dismissed video footage that emerged in July showing two women and two children being executed by men in uniform in Cameroon’s Far North as “fake news.” Only after an investigation conducted by Amnesty International demonstrated the killings took place in Cameroon did the government announce it had arrested six soldiers suspected of executing the civilians in the video.

Key International Actors

France, the United States, and the United Kingdom are Cameroon’s principal partners, primarily in the context of the counter Boko Haram operations in the country’s Far North region. Both France and the US provide Cameroon with military and security assistance and training.

The US and the UK are the only close allies of Cameroon to have voiced public concern regarding the ongoing situation in the Anglophone regions. The US has continued to provide military aid to Cameroon.

In February, the European Union called for proportionate use of force and accountability for abuses in the Anglophone region.

In September 2018, as the pace and scope of abuses continued to escalate in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, the UN and African Union issued a joint communiqué calling on the government to facilitate access to humanitarian and human rights organizations and engage in an inclusive dialogue to address the root causes of the crisis.

The UN Security Council in August expressed concern about the situation in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions.

Culled from Human Rights Watch

2, May 2019

Federal Republic of Ambazonia: President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe dissolves caretaker cabinet ⁰

Message from President Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe

1st May 2019

Dear Compatriots Southern Cameroonian/Ambazonians,

After sufficient review, reflections and consultations upon developments since January 5th 2018, and placing the paramount interest of Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia’s quest for securitization of our restored national identity and independence, and in full discharge of the moral and legal obligations of our servant-leadership, I want to extend my condolences to our bereaved families and reassure our people to remain focused. I hereby announce as follows:

Cognizance has been taken of the fact that despite the material and, particularly, the lives of Southern Cameroonians lost to an unrelenting genocide campaign against our people, the Caretaker Cabinet of the Interim Government (IG) has clearly lost its focus and footing in actualizing our restored independent Statehood and the march to end the illegal occupation of our homeland and our capital city, Buea;
Considering that despite all efforts by well-meaning Ambazonians responding to my appeals to keep the Interim Government afloat by accommodating the Caretaker Cabinet while these issues of infighting in the struggle involving grave improprieties both in management of material and human resources are sorted out, the Caretaker Cabinet has lost the ability to reconcile our people and, in doing so, has imperiled the identity and mission of the Interim Government to complete the decolonization of Southern Cameroons through advancing our collective national interests. It is incumbent on me as Servant leadership Fiduciary to bring redress to the Southern Cameroonians-Ambazonians, to their struggle, and their nation, from their slow descent into a footnote of our own history.

Consequent upon the above:

I hereby declare and direct that the Caretaker Cabinet is forthwith dissolved and that the Cabinet as was in office on January 5th 2018, when myself and parts of the leadership were abducted, be reconstituted, restored and reactivated.
All changes that were made post our abduction are hereby placed on moratorium as of the date of signature of this order.

III. Southern Cameroonians-Ambazonians and the entire world are hereby notified that any individual or group thereof, dealing with whomever other than the Cabinet as constituted and restored by this order, shall do so at their own risk.

The Country & Regional Coordinators, Members of the Restoration Council, Representatives of the Local Government Areas of Ambazonia (LGA Reps), County Structures, the Ambazonia Security Council (ASC), the Ambazonia Department of SelfDefense (DoD) and all Nationalist Movements are enjoined to individually and collectively give full effect to this order.
Special thanks to the Acting President and to all Ambazonians who have served in previous Cabinets and who currently serve on any other revolutionary platform for your continued dedication to the struggle.
Call on all our activists to direct their focus on continuing to bring awareness to the plight of our suffering people and the atrocities of the enemy.

VII. And we urge our people at home to remain grounded and vigilant in the aspirations of our independence

VIII. Further directives shall be issued in the days ahead.

ISSUED THIS MAY 2nd 2019, AT THE PRINCIPAL PRISON OF YAOUNDE, CAMEROUN

With gratitude

H.E. Sisiku Julius AyukTabe President, Interim Government, Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia)

2, May 2019

Champions League: Barca on verge of final after 3-0 win over Liverpool ⁰

Lionel Messi left Liverpool needing a miracle to reach their second Champions League final in as many years as his brace helped Barcelona win a pulsating Champions League semi-final first leg 3-0 on Wednesday.

Barca have one foot in next month’s final ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at Anfield after former Reds striker Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead during a breathless opening 45 minutes before Messi struck twice late on, the second a stunning free-kick and his 600th Barca goal.

Jurgen Klopp could only smile after Messi’s curling shot nestled in the top corner but this result was harsh on his side.

They matched Barcelona in the first half, dominated them early in the second and could still have left with an away goal after Messi’s deadly double, only for Mohamed Salah to hit the post.

But Messi and Suarez did what they have done all season, their tallies now at 47 and 27 goals respectively in all competitions.

It had been a breathtaking contest befitting two of Europe’s most exhilarating teams. The first half was electric, a reel of chances, breaks and blocks, while the second was tense, a tactical battle where Barca dared Liverpool to over-exert.

The comeback will be even tougher for them given Barcelona, with La Liga wrapped up, will surely rest a host of players against Celta Vigo this weekend while Liverpool, a point behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, will have to be at full throttle again away at Newcastle on Saturday.

Scintillating

Messi was already fresh, after playing just over half the La Liga minutes he could have done in April, and he looked sharp early on, weaving through the centre while for Liverpool, the sensational Sadio Mane raced down the left.

The attacks were scintillating but the defending was good too. Andy Robertson scrambled across to block Messi’s finish from six yards and moments later it was Sergi Roberto on the slide, preventing Mane from racing clear.

Messi wanted a penalty when the ball jumped up on Joel Matip and Naby Keita went off injured in the 25th minute, replaced by Jordan Henderson.

A minute later came the goal. Arturo Vidal sprayed the ball left to Philippe Coutinho, who cushioned back for Jordi Alba. Alba shaped to cross but instead curved a perfectly weighted pass to the near post, where Suarez nipped in.

Liverpool came again. Mane scampered in behind then flicked the ball round Sergio Busquets. He should have scored too, Henderson’s cross finding him free from eight yards but the shot flew over.

Barca took control just as Suarez began to lose it, irked by James Milner barging Messi into the sideboards after the Argentinian had danced past Robertson.

But Liverpool were re-energised at the start of the second half. Marc-Andre ter Stegen pushed away shots from Milner and Mohamed Salah, then held a Milner drive.

Then Messi took the wind out of Liverpool’s sails, striking twice in seven minutes. His own run started the first, setting Sergi free to square to Suarez. Off balance, Suarez could only volley against the crossbar but the ball came back for Messi, who chested and finished into an open net.

Two was hard on Liverpool but Messi was not done. The free-kick was central, 30 yards out, and he whipped it over the wall and into the top corner.

Barca were delirious but Liverpool almost grabbed an away goal when a clearance on the line fell kindly for Salah, who hammered against the post and left Liverpool with little hope of making the Madrid final.

(AFP)

2, May 2019

UK defense minister sacked over Huawei leak ⁰

Britain’s defense secretary Gavin Williamson has been sacked from the cabinet over a controversial leak of government discussions suggesting that Chinese telecommunication company Huawei will be a partner in UK’s future internet projects.

A government spokesperson said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Theresa May had lost confidence in Williamson after it emerged as part of an investigation that the former defense minister was the source of the Huawei leak.

“The prime minister’s decision has been informed by his conduct surrounding an investigation into the circumstances of the unauthorized disclosure of information from a meeting of the National Security Council,” said the spokesperson, making a reference to discussions in NSC last week in which May had granted a partial role to Huawei to build Britain’s 5G network.

Firing Williamson came after the United States, which has banned Huawei from a similar 5G project in the country, became angry at UK’s decision to cooperate with the Chinese company.

US officials warned earlier this week that they would withhold sensitive intelligence from the UK if London goes ahead with its partnership with Huawei.

PressTV-China urges UK independence on Huawei case

China, however, have been urging the British government to think of its own interests and ignore Washington’s claims that Huawei could become a spying tool at the hands of the Chinese government.

Williamson is quite known for his pro-US stances and has consistently campaigned for close defense and intelligence cooperation with the US.

He was one of five cabinet ministers suspected of leaking NSC discussions to the Daily Telegraph. The government had announced as part of its inquiry that the perpetrators could even face criminal investigation. That could force Williamson to resign his parliamentary seat and prompt a by-election in his constituency.

Williamson had denied any role in the leak while insisting that no one from his department had been involved.

Source: Presstv

2, May 2019

Installation of 44 Acrow Bridges Begins in Cameroon ⁰

Acrow Bridge, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, is pleased to announce the installation of the first of 44 bridges provided to the Government of Cameroon as part of Acrow’s financed Comprehensive Bridge Development Program delivered in 2018. In addition to the supply of the bridges, the program provides the extensive training of local engineers and technicians in the assembly, installation and maintenance of these critical infrastructure assets.

Designed to contribute to the repair and modernization of Cameroon’s rural infrastructure, the project will support the development of regional trade and provide better access to schools, medical clinics and other basic goods and services. The modular steel bridges, prefabricated in the United States, are single- and multi-span double-lane structures ranging from 12 meters to more than 120 meters in length, which will be installed throughout the country by the local workforce. Acrow will continue to provide technical advisory services on-site to select installations.

Since its founding in 1951, Acrow has delivered bridging solutions in over 80 countries, with more than 2000 structures having been installed in developing countries over the last decade. Over the past two decades, Acrow has been engaged in more than 20 countries in Africa in the delivery of well over a thousand bridges and the training of thousands of African engineers and contractors in bridge assembly, installation and maintenance.

Through its financed Comprehensive Bridge Development Program model, Acrow has worked on a number of large infrastructure development projects in Africa, including the supply of more than 150 bridges to the Government of Angola, 100 bridges to the Department of Feeder Roads in Ghana and recently, more than 130 bridges to the government of Zambia. Financing for the project in Cameroon was arranged by Acrow Bridge via a lending facility extended by Societe Generale Bank, a Paris-based international financial institution, and loan guarantees issued by the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank). In 2016, this project was awarded EXIM Bank’s “Deal of the Year.”

Acrow’s prefabricated steel bridges are well-suited for infrastructure development projects, as they offer a number of advantages over other types of bridges. Acrow’s modular design allows for the easy customization of each structure to meet specific site requirements, which often enables bridges to be erected in challenging, remote locations. Installations are typically completed in days or weeks, employing the local workforce and requiring minimal heavy equipment. Acrow bridges are durable and permanent infrastructure solutions designed to withstand even the most rugged of conditions with a service life of 75 years or more. Acrow’s modular components are fabricated in the U.S. from high-strength, high-quality U.S. steel and hot-dip zinc galvanized to protect against corrosion.

“It is extremely gratifying to see this project come to fruition, with Acrow bridges now being installed across Cameroon and to the benefit of the Cameroonian people,” said Paul Sullivan, Senior Vice President – International at Acrow Bridge. “Acrow is privileged to have worked with the Government of Cameroon, EXIM Bank and other stakeholders on this important project, which required a collaborative, solution-oriented approach to successfully manage the complex set of technical, logistical and financial challenges.”

“Strong infrastructure is fundamental to competitiveness, stability and sustainable economic growth anywhere in the world,” added Bill Killeen, CEO of Acrow. “The relationships we have established with different African nations over the years have resulted in some of our most gratifying achievements as a company, as our bridges help connect people and communities in ways that support the expansion of prosperity for individuals, businesses and governments.”

Source: Yahoo

2, May 2019

Southern Cameroons War: Yaounde denies Human Rights Watch Entry ⁰

The Cameroon government denied a Human Rights Watch researcher entry to the country on April 12, 2019, Human Rights Watch said today. The government’s action is an attempt to curb reports of abuse by security forces, but Human Rights Watch will continue to document and publicize human rights violations in Cameroon.

“Denying entry to our researcher is a clear step back for Cameroon,” said Philippe Bolopion, deputy global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “The government is doing everything it can to keep the world in the dark about its ongoing abuses, but it won’t succeed.”

Officials at Douala international airport refused to allow Ilaria Allegrozzi, a Human Rights Watch senior researcher on Central Africa, to enter the country on April 12. Allegrozzi had received a three-month visa on March 25. Allegrozzi explained in her visa application that she planned to travel to the Anglophone regions of the country to conduct research for Human Rights Watch on abuses committed by both government and armed separatist forces, as well as the impact of the crisis on people with disabilities.

In Douala, Allegrozzi was given no explanation for denying her entry. Despite several attempts to obtain explanations, Human Rights Watch has received no clarification from the government on the basis for its decision to block access.

Human Rights Watch started working on human rights in Cameroon in 1998. Since 2018, Human Rights Watch has issued a number of reports on human rights violations by government security forces as well as armed separatists, including a comprehensive report in July 2018 and several others in 2019.

Two days before Allegrozzi was denied entry, on April 10, Human Rights Watch published a short report on a deadly attack by soldiers, gendarmes, and members of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) on the North-West region village of Meluf on April 4, killing five civilian men, including one with a mental disability, and wounding one woman.

Cameroon’s Anglophone regions are in the grip of a crisis that began in late 2016 when Anglophone activists, who have long complained of their regions’ perceived marginalization by the Francophone majority, mobilized significant segments of the Anglophone population to demand more political autonomy or secession. Government forces violently suppressed large demonstrations in mid-2017, killing more than 20 protesters.

Since then, the emergence of armed separatist groups has been accompanied by attacks on civilians by both government and separatist forces, and a growing militarization of the Anglophone regions. The unrest has displaced nearly half a million people.

The Anglophone crisis has unfolded as the country deals with the humanitarian consequences of attacks in the Far North region by the armed group Boko Haram. Both Boko Haram and security forces have committed serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law.

This violence comes as the government has increased its crackdown on the political opposition. In January, police arrested Maurice Kamto, the leader of the opposition party, Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), as well as about 200 of its members and supporters. This occurred against a backdrop of increasing intolerance against dissent and the right to assemble. MRC demonstrations were banned across the country in April.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – which has a base in Yaoundé, the capital, but no mandate to monitor human rights violations – was not granted permission to investigate abuse in the Anglophone regions.

National and international human rights organizations have an important role to play in monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation, not only in Cameroon but in other countries around the world. By enabling human rights organizations to operate without hindrance, Cameroon would demonstrate its willingness to allow rigorous, independent scrutiny of its efforts to adhere to international human rights law. Cameroon’s international partners should make the urgent human rights issues plaguing the country a priority and insist on unimpeded access to Cameroon for international human rights monitors.

“Cameroon’s downward spiral on human rights is of special concern for a country that recently joined the UN Human Rights Council,” Bolopion said. “The strategy of intimidation and roadblocks will not succeed. We urge the government to engage, allow Human Rights Watch to do its job, and strive to end abuse by both state and non-state actors.”

Source: Human Rights Watch

1, May 2019

Venezuela’s Maduro says coup attempt thwarted ⁰

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says a coup attempt by a small faction of the military has been defeated, thanking the armed forces for continued loyalty to him.

Sitting alongside senior military and political leaders, Maduro said in a televised speech late on Tuesday that the group of military personnel supporting opposition figures Leopoldo Lopez and Juan Guaido had been defeated.

“The empire seeks to attack and overthrow a legitimate government to enslave Venezuela,” Maduro said. “I want to congratulate the Military High Command for its courage in defending peace.”

He said Guaido and Lopez were seeking to spark an armed confrontation that might be used as a pretext for foreign military intervention, but “loyal and obedient” members of the country’s armed forces had put down the mutiny within hours after it started early on Tuesday morning.

“I want to congratulate you for the firm, loyal and courageous attitude with which you have led the defeat of the small group that tried to fill Venezuela with violence,” Maduro added.

PressTV-‘Venezuela facing group of coup-seeking military traitors’

He said that there only remained a small group of plotters who had chosen “the path of betrayal … [and] handed their souls over to the coup-mongering far right.”

During the coup, Guaido, who has declared himself “interim president” of the country, claimed in a video message recorded at an unknown location that Maduro no longer enjoyed the backing of Venezuela’s armed forces.

‘Because the people of Venezuela want peace’

He also claimed that “a peaceful rebellion,” not an attempted military coup, was underway and called on people to take to the streets on Wednesday to continue what he called the final stage of “Operation Freedom.”

But Maduro said the opposition had “failed in their plan. They failed in their call, because the people of Venezuela want peace.”

Early on Tuesday, a group of Venezuelan armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers at an anti-government rally in the capital, Caracas. Gunfire was heard, and more than 100 people were reported wounded.

Venezuela’s opposition figure Juan Guaido (C) is seen alongside opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez in Caracas, on April 30, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

The administration of US President Donald Trump, which has recognized Guaido as the “president” of Venezuela,” quickly backed the putsch bid.

‘Dear God, how far will the US go?’

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged that Maduro had been prepared to fly into exile in Cuba but was talked down by Russia.

“He had an airplane on the tarmac. He was ready to leave this morning as we understand it, and the Russians indicated that he should stay,” Pompeo told CNN, without offering any evidence.

Maduro dismissed the allegation, saying, “Mike Pompeo said… Maduro had a plane ready to escape to Cuba and that the Russians prohibited me from leaving.”

“Mr. Pompeo, please! Such a lack of seriousness! Mr. [John] Bolton (the US national security adviser) gave orders to high-ranking officers to join the coup that was overcome in Venezuela… Dear God, how far will the US go?” Maduro said.

Fireworks launched by the opponents of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro land near Bolivarian National Guard armored vehicles, during an attempted military coup in Caracas, on April 30, 2019. (Photo by AP)

Bolton also appeared in the grounds of the White House on Tuesday, naming three senior Venezuelan officials who he said had been negotiating with the opposition and accepted that the president had to be replaced. He alleged that Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino was one of them.

Padrino, however, appeared on television surrounded by soldiers on Tuesday, asserting continued loyalty to Maduro.

Lopez flees to Spain’s embassy

Meanwhile, reports said opposition figure Lopez — who was reportedly set free from house arrest during the coup — took refuge at the Spanish Embassy in Caracas with his family.

Lopez said earlier that he had been freed by soldiers guarding his home.

Trump threatens Cuba with sanctions

Trump on Tuesday accused Cuban “Troops and Militia” of conducting military operations in Venezuela to cause “death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela.” In a Twitter message, Trump threatened Havana with a “full and complete embargo, together with the highest-level sanctions” if it did not pull those forces out of Venezuela.

Culled from Presstv

1, May 2019

We Want! We Go! Cameroon makes plans to extensively boost dairy industry ⁰

Cameroon is planning to inseminate over 270,000 cows to boost the dairy industry by 2027.

The Central African country is planning to enhance its dairy industry through the Husbandry Development Project (Prodel) funded by the World Bank via its livestock department of a large amount of to XAF60 billion.

The move is to avoid spending huge amounts to import animals with high genetic potential. It is also expected to enhance Cameroon’s cattle population and national milk production.

According to Prodel experts, this type of operation has been successfully carried out in countries such as Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, where artificial insemination of local cows has boosted production in the livestock sector.

In Cameroon, authorities hope to be able to reduce a milk production deficit estimated at about 170,000 tons, as reported by Business in Cameroon website.

Source:Devdiscourse