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It was a complete scene of hugger-mugger at the Biteng, Yaounde residence of one of LR's Minister. National Telegraph, Cameroon's best Investigative Newspaper has gathered unparalleled facts of an argument that occurred between a Minister in Biya's government whose name has been withheld for professional reasons and the the Publisher of Reperes Newspaper.

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Eric Tataw for National Telegraph, USA

12.Oct.2017

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Moves to implement the 72 hours curfew which Southwest Governor imposed on the Region last weekend has landed the Commissioner of the Kumba Central Police Station, Wilson Njume Njikang, in trouble.

Accusations have emerged tagging the Police Commissioner’s name to the killing of a protester, Basil Enongone on Saturday, September 30 in Fiango.

But his collaborators say such reports are meant to blackmail the police boss

Njume surfaced at the Fiango neighbourhood alongside Meme SDO, Chamberlin Ntou’ou Ndong on Saturday September 30 to observe the population response to the curfew.

A group of protesters descended to the streets and few  minutes after the administrator and Commissioner left,  a casualty was reported at the scene as soldiers came dispersing the crowd.

Hours after news of the shooting of Enongene broke, the SDO informed the Commissioner to confirm the reports from the field.

Fast police movements were made to Hope Clinic and the victim was later identified by the police at the Kumba District Hospital, KDH.

Social Media Sparks Investigation

A day after the Saturday incident, a controversial video on social media accusing the Commissioner of killing Enongene triggered rebuttal from the security forces.

A close aid of Njume, who spoke to The Post, said the video is an act of blackmail against the Commissioner.

The officer who opted for anonymity claimed that his boss succeeded in shutting down the Fiango Market and freeing travellers entering Kumba that Morning. “Njume was not dress in police uniform that morning as accusers claim,” he said.

The officer showed the pistol of the Commissioner with 12 bullets stating that if Njume shot a bullet throughout the curfew it would have been reasonable to accuse him.

Our source stated that all through the period of the curfew, police officers were not authorised to shoot. The same source stated that it was the military that effected shootings in response to provocations from certain neighbourhoods.

Police Suspect Prisoners

Our source revealed that so far investigations traced two suspects. The duo are said to be persons recently freed from the Kumba Principal Prison. Other police sources claim they might have been hired to defame the Police Commissioner.

The security investigator said from the video posted on social media, the suspects staged-managed a person and forced words into his mouth to say that it was the Commissioner who shot somebody.

Torture Accusations

While the police were yet to rest from the shooting incident, news went viral on social media that hundreds of detainees at the same police station were being tortured.

When The Post visited the police cells on October 4, only three persons where in detention

Police Condemn Blackmail

Since the accusations surfaced, security forces in Kumba have condemned what they say is rising blackmail against their job and family.

A handful of them who spoke to this reporter without authorisation are accusing Diaspora activist of conniving with locals on ground to attack the police.

In the case of the Commissioner, pictures of him and his family have gone viral on social media platforms generating diverse reactions.

 

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Abeh Valery

09.Oct.2017

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The Executive President of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, Rev. Ncham Godwill Chiatoh, has set aside Sunday October 15 as a day for all Baptist Christians in Cameroon to mourn the Anglophones who were massacred by armed soldiers on Sunday October 1.

According a communique signed by Rev. Ncham Godwill, addressed to all Pastors of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, titled: “Communiqué on the Prevailing Socio-political Situation in Cameroon”, the Executive President also calls on all and sundry to continue praying and seeking the face of God in the midst of the turbulence.

The communiqué reads: “In the midst of the prevailing socio-political challenges plaguing our country, Cameroon, let us reaffirm our commitment to continue to pray and seek the face of God.

We have set the month of October for prayer and fasting but Sunday October 15, shall be a day of mourning in solidarity with those who have lost their loved ones.

On that day, all Christians are called upon to put on black for its symbolism.”

The Pastor called on Christians to identify with the victims and families who have lost their loved ones, those who are suffering in pains, injury, arrests and other forms of torture, consequent on the crises, by praying for them and visiting them.

He urged Christians to unite and pray that a peace and reconciliation commission is put in place to diffuse the tension and deep seated bitterness that has built up during these crises and that the sovereign Lord would intervene in a manner that blesses his people and glorifies His Holy Name.

“We strongly denounce all forms of injustice, torture, violence and killing irrespective of who the perpetrators are. Based on our belief in the sanctity of life, no one has the right to take the life of another except God.

Stressing on the Love of God, Rev. Ncham Godwill quoted Romans 5:8; &1 John 4, saying that the hate propaganda between English and French speaking Cameroonians is from the pit of hell and must be shunned.

Here-iterated the call of the Cameroon Baptist Convention as articulated in its December 9, 2016 official statement that, “...open, meaningful and sincere dialogue...” without recourse to any subject as taboo. Such a dialogue, he went on, should address the root causes of the crises.

The communique reads further: “Pastors and ministers of the gospel within the Cameroon Baptist Convention are hereby reminded to continue to make the difference, being apostles and prophets who are both biblical and contextual in their preaching. In the midst of suspicion and victimization those who preach are to be wise, avoiding extemporaneous preaching and to preach from full scripts: that way, you take responsibility for what you preach without giving an opportunity to anyone to put words into your mouth.”

He concluded by calling on Christians to thank God for bringing ‘the powers that be’ to reasoning that they decided to throw-out the case that was pending in court against church leaders.

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Abeh Valery

09.Oct.2017

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Bishops of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference, BAPEC, have once again issued a sterling memo to President Paul Biya, urging him to “stop the bloodbath and genocide that has skillfully been initiated in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.”

The seven page document is titled: Declaration of the Bishops of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference following the massive demonstrations and the curfew imposed on the Northwest and Southwest Regions:”

The memo, signed by the BAPEC Bishops viz: Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua, Mgrs. Immanuel Bushu, George Nkuo, Andrew Nkea, Agapitus Nfon and Michael Bibi, is dated October 4.

According to the Prelates, Anglophones went through a torrid period from September 22 to October 2.

“From Bota in Fako to Ako in Donga Mantung, from Bakassi in Ndian to Menji in Lebialem, families are weeping for their children... Since September 29, there have been various forms of violence and atrocities that have bedevilled most towns and villages of the Northwest and Southwest Regions... The groans from the dying and shrieks of the wounded make our hearts bleed from pain. The sighs of those who have lost property through looting or arson, the pain of anxiety inflicted on families and friends of those abducted or missing, the trauma caused on the young and the old by the fright from the warlike atmosphere in particular have left another heap of painful memories in our minds and hearts.

We want, in the first place, to express our profound grief and sympathies to those families who in the recent crisis have lost their dear ones, we express our solidarity with those who have sustained injuries and those suffering in any way, those arrested and incarcerated, and the families that have been separated from their loved ones or displaced. May the crucified Lord, with whom they are now hanging on the cross, be their consolation,” they wrote.

The men of God recalled that following the escalation of the crisis in 2016, they (BAPEC Bishops), said it was important to respect the country’s bicultural and bijural nature.

“We also condemned in very unequivocal terms the violence perpetuated by some groups of young people on one hand and the acts of brutality, torture, inhuman and unjustified treatment meted out on some youths by the forces of law and order on the other hand.

We called on the Government to restrain such barbaric action of the forces of law and order and to bring to justice those of them who had been irresponsible, so that peace may reign.”

The men of God bemoaned that Government did not heed their appeal, but rather “the CPDM ruling party went on to organise a so-called Peace March, which provoked the resistance of most of the people and the subsequent reaction of the forces of law and order that led to further violence on  December 8, 2016.

The consequent result of the violence on that day was the shooting of unarmed youths by the forces of law and order.”

The Prelates regretted that despite their request for audience with the Head of State to brief him of the exact situation in the Anglophone Regions and to present a Memorandum on the Anglophone Problem, was discarded by the presidency.

 “In the Memorandum, we gave the historical background of the Anglophone Problem, articulated the Problem, gave various instances in which the Problem is manifested and proposed a way forward to solve the socio-political impasse in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.

The requested audience was never granted...rather, we have been erroneously accused of being the invisible hand supporting the activists and keeping the schools closed as it is evidenced by the fact that we were dragged to court for treason... and other related accusations.”

The Bishops said September 22, was a turning point in the Crisis, as people of all walks of life stormed the streets of the former West Cameroon to express their right to self-determination.

To the clergy, the climax of the Anglophone Crisis came in prelude to October 1, when Government slammed a curfew on the two Regions, forbidding movement and public assembly of more than four persons

“On October 1, some Priests and Christians were prevented by the ...military from going to church and so they failed to exercise their constitutional right of freedom of worship. In some areas, we noted with disgust that some Christians were tear-gassed as they came out of Mass... BAPEC is sad and disturbed, having learned that some of our Christians were pursued into their houses, some arrested, others maimed and some were simply shot to death...

Elsewhere in the world, the forces of law and order protect demonstrating citizens. In our country, peaceful demonstrations, except those organised by the ruling party, seem to be an opportune moment for our Armed Forces to demonstrate their shooting prowess both from the ground and from the air on unarmed and helpless civilians.”

Prelates Whack Tchiroma

The Bishops slammed Communication Minister for lauding the professionalism of the Armed Forces, in total disregard of the brutality and barbarism meted out on the population.

“Either the Minister of Communication was not adequately informed or he was misleading the national and international communities. The enthronement of lies, no matter from which side in our country, does not help in nation building.

It rather destroys the efforts of honest and God-fearing Cameroonians who truly seek to be free and responsible, not only for themselves but also for others and for their environment.

Today, at least in the Northwest and Southwest Regions, there is a huge gap of credibility between the population, those calling for restoration and the administration.”

They condemned the irresponsible use of firearms against unarmed civilians.

“The divine injunction: “Thou shalt not kill!” remains valid even in such circumstances. We call on the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to stop the bloodbath and genocide that has skilfully been initiated in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.

Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, said “a genocide begins with the killing of one man – not for what he had done – but for who he is”.

The statement by Government Spokesperson that some Anglophone Cameroonians are “terrorists” is a subtle call for what can be described as “ethnic cleansing” or a genocide as all Anglophone Cameroonians are now considered as ‘terrorists’ and as such qualify for elimination, just because they are Anglophones.

We need to stop the imminent genocide. We, as a nation, need a change of orientation to forestall any further deterioration of the situation in the Anglophone Regions.

We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, develop a sense of respect for the truth and for human dignity and return to an inclusive and facilitated dialogue that will begin a process of national healing and reconciliation.”

The Bishops said the massive turnout of people on September 22 and October 1 has proven that: “The Anglophone Problem now truly touches the hearts of very many people in all villages, towns and cities of the Northwest and Southwest Regions, it is no longer just a problem of “a few disgruntled Anglophones at home and in the Diaspora, as some people have tried to play it down and it is no longer just a problem of lawyers and teachers, as it seemed to be from the outset last year.

At the moment, the Anglophone Problem can no longer be taken lightly or ignored. It needs urgent attention, to avoid the growing genocide.

People have lost loved ones to brutal killings and do not even know where some of their corpses are. Every individual who is killed increases the number of aggrieved persons and families, resentment and anger, which are very difficult to address.”

BAPEC Condemns Irrational Way Of Achieving Independence

Meanwhile, the Prelates condemned the intoxication and exploitation of the masses by restoration groups and the irrational marches into Government offices to arrest civil administrators to reclaim their territory on October 1.

To the Bishops, the results of this irrational and unfeasible move were torture, arrest and killing of so many people.

The clergy denounced biased reporting, military acrobatic display with the use of helicopters on civilians, the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the arrest and transfer of Anglophones to Yaoundé.

“This adds to those arrested earlier during the year whose release the populations have been requesting from the Government. This only makes a bad situation worse.

Citizens of these two Regions have been branded as terrorists and are being treated as such. It is hard to believe that the hundreds of thousands of children, men and women, who came out to demonstrate peacefully on September 22 and October 1 are all terrorists.

We shall soon all be considered terrorists. Anglophones living in Francophone Cameroon are now targets.

The military have broken into some of their homes, looted and arrested people. The mere fact of being an Anglophone now looks like a crime in itself.

Hypocrisy Of Cameroon’s MPs

“The very fact that the Presidents of the Senate and of the National Assembly organised a rally at the Reunification Monument in Yaoundé on the same October 1 under the pretext of celebrating National Unity, when the military was intimidating, torturing, arresting and killing people in the Northwest and Southwest Regions, can be considered a mockery of the Anglophones, who were literally under siege and brutality for daring to air the same concerns.

This is an indication that the Government is insensitive to their problems and welfare and that they do not belong.”  

Appeal For School Resumption

Meanwhile, the Prelates further stated that since all men ...have an inalienable right to education, all children in the Anglophone Regions of Cameroon should be given the opportunity to continue formal education.

“The Church believes that the school as a place of learning should always remain open, no matter what problems the people are undergoing.

The reason is that learning is absolutely essential for the better mastery and resolution of the same problems. It is precisely because such problems can take years to resolve, the best way for children to be involved in the struggle is by being in school, by studying.

We urge and encourage everyone to stand by all the schools in our two Regions so that our children may not be left behind through our own fault.”

The Prelate urged Government to release all arrested Anglophones, return the corpses of those killed on September 22 and October 1 and demilitarised the two Regions.

“We condemn all forms of threats, intimidation, wanton arrests, torture, and killings. We call for honest and meaningful dialogue with the right people to determine the nature and form of the State to be undertaken as soon as possible...”

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Rita Akana

09.Oct.2017

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Saturday. October 7, 2017 WE DECRY ANGLOPHONE INTIMIDATION, ABUSES AND LQOTING BY FORCES

We know that we are all disturbed by the images of brutality, looting, arrests, inhumane treatment and violence upon peaceful. unarmed and harmless citizens by the military all across the North West and South West Regions.

We condemn with all energy, these acts of barbarism, irresponsible and unprofessional acts by the military. It is the duty of every soldier to protect, respect and defend every citizen. 

Young and old, men and women are currently arrested from their homes, detained and transported to Yaounde. Some are forced to flee to farms and bushes to seek refuge, homes and properties have been destroyed and businesses reportedly looted.

Several families have been left in pain and hurt, not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones, this is totally unacceptable in a nation that claims to respect human rights and all international conventions.

We strongly condemn the harassment of Anglophones in Yaounde and Douala. Cameroonians are free to live and work in any part of the country. No one should be stigmarised because they are Anglophones or Francophones. Freedom of association should not be selective!

There is no excuse for this, no words to describe the horror faced by the people, this must stop!

Nkongho Felix Agbor

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Rita Akana

07.Oct.2017

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Troops and attack helicopters opened fire on protesters at the height of separatist rallies in English-speaking areas of Cameroon over the weekend, killing and wounding people, witnesses and rights groups said.

The army dismissed the reports from sources in five towns as “completely false” and said helicopters had only been used for surveillance.

Any use of air attacks would mark a major escallation in a government crackdown on separatist protests that have been rumbling in Anglophone districts of the central African oil producer for almost a year.

Thousands took to the streets in towns across the Northwest and Southwest regions on Sunday, Oct. 1, calling for independence from the country’s French-speaking majority.

Rights groups said they started to collect reports on ensuing violence in the areas bordering Nigeria as the week progressed.

Eight people in the towns of Bamenda, Buea, Ndu, Tombel and Kumbo told Reuters that police and soldiers moved in to stop the protests and in some areas, low-flying attack helicopters fired tear gas and live rounds on the crowds.

Etienne Ndage, a 31-year-old journalist for Savannah Frontier Radio in the northwest tea-plantation town of Ndu said he saw helicopters firing at around 1 pm local time, killing two protesters as a 1,000-strong march gained momentum.

“They were firing like in a war film,” he told Reuters.

Hilary Manjong, private secretary to a local Member of Parliament in Ndu, said witnesses had shared similar accounts with him.

Army spokesman Didier Badjeck dismissed the accounts. “Reports that the helicopters fired on protestors is completely false. The helicopters were only conducting surveillance,” he said.

The government earlier this week said about 10 people had died on Sunday including five in a prison fire that may not have been linked to the protests.

The governor of Southwest region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, told the Cameroon Tribune newspaper in an article published on Tuesday that protesters had ambushed soldiers in Kumba, forcing them to open fire in self defence.

Amnesty International told Reuters on Thursday that more than 20 people were killed between Oct. 1 and 2. 

“THE INNOCENT ONES”

Demonstrations began nearly a year ago when Anglophone lawyers and teachers protested against having to work in French, saying it showed the wider marginalisation of the English-speaking minority.

The protests gained support and have increasingly called for Cameroon’s five million English speakers to get their own country.

The rallies have also have become a lightning rod for opposition to President Paul Biya’s 35-year rule.

Campaigners called more protests on Sunday, the anniversary of Anglophone Cameroon’s independence from Britain.

In the southwest town of Tombel, a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that a military helicopter came so low over the town centre that the wind gusts threw a man off his motorbike.

First the helicopter fired teargas to disperse the crowd, then it opened fire, the resident said. “Normally they fire rubber bullets, but I could tell from the sound that these were real,” they added.

Outside Buea, police on the ground and a helicopter opened fire on protestors who had run into the bush to bypass a military checkpoint, said Louis Anuchem, a 35-year-old taxi driver from Buea.

“The helicopter came close to the ground,” he added. “We heard the gunshots and the bullets coming through the trees,” he told Reuters.

After the demonstrations police went door-to-door in some towns, rounding up young men and women, residents said.

“Soldiers came to our neighbourhood and broke into homes and carried boys away,” said Lanya Joel, a 21-year-old Kumba resident. “I am scared and will be away until it’s all over.”

Rights group the Southern Cameroon’s Public Affairs Committee said in a report that a 12 year-old girl was shot by security forces from a helicopter in the town of Kumbo.

The Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference of Anglophone Christian Bishops said in a statement this week that is was disturbed by reports that “some of our Christians were ... arrested, some maimed, and some were simply shot to death, some from helicopters.”

Helene Mekem said her son was shot dead by security forces outside his home in Kumba on Sunday, even though he was not involved in the protests.

Reuters

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Rita Akana

07.Oct.2017

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