Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has cancelled a Press Conference that was scheduled for today for security reasons.In a press briefing released earlier today, they have called for a GHOST TOWN IN THE ENTIRE WEST CAMEROON FROM MONDAY 16 TO TUESDAY 17 JANUARY 2017 FROM 6:00AM — 6:00PM to protest against the continuous shooting, arbitrary arrest and maiming of our people by Cameroon police and gendarmes.

PRESS BRIEFING

Our Fellow West Cameroonians.
In the last two days, Consortium representatives, Union leaders. Parents and the Clergy from the Northwest and Southwest Regions met with representatives of the govenunent in the conference room of the Govemor of the Northwest Region to discuss the issues that prompted West Cameroon teachers to go on strike on the 21st of November 2016.
At the start of the talks. our history was evoked and the treacherous path West Cameroon has gone through in this tiresome union with La Republique du Cameroun. A plethora of issues was discussed ranging from the future form of the union, admission into professional schools, the non respect of certain laws to the creation of institutions to serve West Cameroon.
The talks were frank, heated and occasionally cordial.. Infact most participants at the dialogue appreciated the process and hoped that it might lead to an eventual resolution of the crisis.
In spite of the non release of those children kidnapped and taken to Yaounde where they have been tortured mercilessly, the Unions still accepted to talk to govenunent in the hope that reason might prevail. While the teachers were preparing to educate the public on the discussion and the resolutions, today 14th January, elements of the police and gendarmerie went on rampage at about midnight yesterday shooting four unarmed young men and severely wounding them.

The Consortium hereby:

• Denounces the continuous militarisation of the Northwest and Southwest Regions
• Condemns the continuous disproportionate use of force against unarmed civilians
• Condemns government hypocrisy evident in the simultaneous use of dialogue and lethal force against West Cameroonians
• Calls on all West Cameroonian to rise up in unity and pursue our freedom from oppression through peaceful resistance
• Declares a GHOST TOWN IN THE ENTIRE WEST CAMEROON FROM MONDAY 16 TO TUESDAY 17 JANUARY 2017 FROM 6:00AM — 6:00PM to protest against the continuous shooting, arbitrary arrest and maiming of our people by Cameroon police and gendarmes.
• Urges everyone to avoid burning of tires, confrontation, provocation, violence and the destruction of our own property. Preferably everyone should stay at home with their families
The Consortium demands:

• That the government should organise a referendum without further delay so that West Cameroonians can effectively return to the two State Federation
• The UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE of all West Cameroonian youths kidnapped, abducted or arrested from their homes and taken to unknown destinations.
 
Our people are determined to peacefully resist the sadistic unlit, occupation which has continued unabated for half a century.
Due to general insecurity in town, the Press Conference scheduled for the 14th of January 2017 at am at the Presbyterian Church Center has been cancelled.

The Consortium wants to cease this opportunity to remind all West Cameroonians to go to their respective places of worship this weekend to. God for delivering us from the yoke of oppression.
God is our strength.
For the CONSORTIUM
Barr. Nkongho A. Felix
Dr. Fontem A Neba
Wilfred Tassang