Politics

The fight against the Nigerian Islamic terrorist sect-Boko Haram in Cameroon is now a complex multifaceted war dear to all Cameroonians making President Biya and Cameroon a fragile State vulnerable to terrorist take-over in the Grand Nord regions despite the creation finally of a multinational 8,700 strongman force.  After the massacre of hundreds of civilians in Fotokol in the Far North region of Cameroon recently by the Nigerian Islamic terrorist  sect Boko Haram, Cameroonian civil society groups and the opposition have all edged the Biya regime to call for a national day of mourning.  

As Cameroon Concord earlier observed the perception that the atrocities of Boko Haram are wedged by disaffected and jobless youths who oppose and hate Western Education is becoming pedestrian. The sophistication of the command and operational structures of Boko Haram leaves no one in doubt about this reality.    The weapons deployed to commit the ongoing pogrom appear to have been acquired and brought to the war zones through a complicated network. It is hard to believe that a conflict of this magnitude can occur without a complex network of individuals and organizations supporting Boko Haram’s criminal war effort. It may be reasonably suggested that it is a political establishment serving distinct interests in Nigeria and Cameroon. In Nigeria, it has never sought ransom for the many victims it has abducted. In Cameroon although officially classified as a nebulous or illusive enemy, it has turned abduction for ransom into a lucrative business. 

However, three days after the massacre of innocent Cameroonian citizens, our Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief is yet to address the nation or even to issue a statement via his Secretary General at the presidency of the republic. The nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops are also maintaining a kind of silence of the lamb while the Protestants are busy commenting on the aftermath of the election of their new moderator. Many opposition figures condemned the attacks through the social media making it look like a kindergarten kind of stuff. Correspondingly, Cameroon Minister of Communication and government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary gave a vague press briefing without any information detailing what actually happened on February 4^th 2015 at Fotokol. It was then followed by another press conference this time around by the Minister for Defense Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o who spent the whole time allocated to challenge the correctness of Cameroon Concord’s report of 400 civilians killed at Fotokol. Minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o told the world that only 81 Cameroonian citizens were killed including 13 Chadian officers. This to our intelligence officer based in the Far North is making a mockery of the 92 people slaughtered inside the great mosque not including those who met their day on the streets of Fotokol. Our senior political correspondent in Yaoundé revealed that nobody loved the Minister Mebe Ngo’o press conference. It is hard to tell who really the Cameroon government spokesman is. So even at these difficult times in our nation’s history, the Biya Francophone Beti-Ewondo government still thrives on Grand South and Grand Nord acrimony.

The point we are making here is simply that no one in the Biya administration takes responsibility, no one apologize and no one resigns. Why is President Biya quick to announce the release of foreign hostages be they French or German citizens but is yet to comment on this war crimes committed by the Nigerian Islamic sect on the Cameroonian people? It is evidently clear that our president needs help. The failure on the part of the Secretary General at the presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh to make public a statement on behalf of President Biya immediately or after such horrible incident raises concerns about the President’s men!! Is President Biya really working with the good guys? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that the right thing to do is to provide President Biya with the help he badly needs at this time. Cameroon Concord is sounding it loud that these are extra-ordinary times that require extra-ordinary measures. President Paul Biya in his fight against Boko Haram should start putting in place a strategy to develop the entire Grand Nord regions in areas of education [schools], creation of jobs that has gone largely unaddressed by his predecessor. This will bring a meaningful change of mentality and a multiplier effect.

Cameroon Concord is asking the Head of State to appoint with immediate effect a real crisis government involving retired army Generals and Colonels at the head of the Ministry of Defense, National Police Force, the Secret Service- Department of External Research and above all, a military governor in the Far North region. We are calling on the Prime Minister and Head of Government Yang Philemon to order the establishment of a daily time slot in all television and radio stations operating in Cameroon dedicated to information on the ongoing war and the precautionary measures to be observed by the citizens.  Finally, like the Higher Judicial Council meeting, President Biya should summon the Supreme Military Council forum and grant the media complete access to deliberations and discuss the war on terror, the presence of foreign troops in our homeland, mapping out the way forward that will continue to make the people of the Far North region see themselves and other Cameroonians as one person. A stitch in time saves nine.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

08.Feb.2015

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The fight against the Nigerian Islamic terrorist sect-Boko Haram in Cameroon is now a complex multifaceted war dear to all Cameroonians making President Biya and Cameroon a fragile State vulnerable to terrorist take-over in the Grand Nord regions despite the creation finally of a multinational 8,700 strongman force.  After the massacre of hundreds of civilians in Fotokol in the Far North region of Cameroon recently by the Nigerian Islamic terrorist  sect Boko Haram, Cameroonian civil society groups and the opposition have all edged the Biya regime to call for a national day of mourning.  

As Cameroon Concord earlier observed the perception that the atrocities of Boko Haram are wedged by disaffected and jobless youths who oppose and hate Western Education is becoming pedestrian. The sophistication of the command and operational structures of Boko Haram leaves no one in doubt about this reality.    The weapons deployed to commit the ongoing pogrom appear to have been acquired and brought to the war zones through a complicated network. It is hard to believe that a conflict of this magnitude can occur without a complex network of individuals and organizations supporting Boko Haram’s criminal war effort. It may be reasonably suggested that it is a political establishment serving distinct interests in Nigeria and Cameroon. In Nigeria, it has never sought ransom for the many victims it has abducted. In Cameroon although officially classified as a nebulous or illusive enemy, it has turned abduction for ransom into a lucrative business. 

However, three days after the massacre of innocent Cameroonian citizens, our Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief is yet to address the nation or even to issue a statement via his Secretary General at the presidency of the republic. The nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops are also maintaining a kind of silence of the lamb while the Protestants are busy commenting on the aftermath of the election of their new moderator. Many opposition figures condemned the attacks through the social media making it look like a kindergarten kind of stuff. Correspondingly, Cameroon Minister of Communication and government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary gave a vague press briefing without any information detailing what actually happened on February 4^th 2015 at Fotokol. It was then followed by another press conference this time around by the Minister for Defense Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o who spent the whole time allocated to challenge the correctness of Cameroon Concord’s report of 400 civilians killed at Fotokol. Minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o told the world that only 81 Cameroonian citizens were killed including 13 Chadian officers. This to our intelligence officer based in the Far North is making a mockery of the 92 people slaughtered inside the great mosque not including those who met their day on the streets of Fotokol. Our senior political correspondent in Yaoundé revealed that nobody loved the Minister Mebe Ngo’o press conference. It is hard to tell who really the Cameroon government spokesman is. So even at these difficult times in our nation’s history, the Biya Francophone Beti-Ewondo government still thrives on Grand South and Grand Nord acrimony.

The point we are making here is simply that no one in the Biya administration takes responsibility, no one apologize and no one resigns. Why is President Biya quick to announce the release of foreign hostages be they French or German citizens but is yet to comment on this war crimes committed by the Nigerian Islamic sect on the Cameroonian people? It is evidently clear that our president needs help. The failure on the part of the Secretary General at the presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh to make public a statement on behalf of President Biya immediately or after such horrible incident raises concerns about the President’s men!! Is President Biya really working with the good guys? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that the right thing to do is to provide President Biya with the help he badly needs at this time. Cameroon Concord is sounding it loud that these are extra-ordinary times that require extra-ordinary measures. President Paul Biya in his fight against Boko Haram should start putting in place a strategy to develop the entire Grand Nord regions in areas of education [schools], creation of jobs that has gone largely unaddressed by his predecessor. This will bring a meaningful change of mentality and a multiplier effect.

Cameroon Concord is asking the Head of State to appoint with immediate effect a real crisis government involving retired army Generals and Colonels at the head of the Ministry of Defense, National Police Force, the Secret Service- Department of External Research and above all, a military governor in the Far North region. We are calling on the Prime Minister and Head of Government Yang Philemon to order the establishment of a daily time slot in all television and radio stations operating in Cameroon dedicated to information on the ongoing war and the precautionary measures to be observed by the citizens.  Finally, like the Higher Judicial Council meeting, President Biya should summon the Supreme Military Council forum and grant the media complete access to deliberations and discuss the war on terror, the presence of foreign troops in our homeland, mapping out the way forward that will continue to make the people of the Far North region see themselves and other Cameroonians as one person. A stitch in time saves nine.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

08.Feb.2015

Hits: 3106

The fight against the Nigerian Islamic terrorist sect-Boko Haram in Cameroon is now a complex multifaceted war dear to all Cameroonians making President Biya and Cameroon a fragile State vulnerable to terrorist take-over in the Grand Nord regions despite the creation finally of a multinational 8,700 strongman force.  After the massacre of hundreds of civilians in Fotokol in the Far North region of Cameroon recently by the Nigerian Islamic terrorist  sect Boko Haram, Cameroonian civil society groups and the opposition have all edged the Biya regime to call for a national day of mourning.  

As Cameroon Concord earlier observed the perception that the atrocities of Boko Haram are wedged by disaffected and jobless youths who oppose and hate Western Education is becoming pedestrian. The sophistication of the command and operational structures of Boko Haram leaves no one in doubt about this reality.    The weapons deployed to commit the ongoing pogrom appear to have been acquired and brought to the war zones through a complicated network. It is hard to believe that a conflict of this magnitude can occur without a complex network of individuals and organizations supporting Boko Haram’s criminal war effort. It may be reasonably suggested that it is a political establishment serving distinct interests in Nigeria and Cameroon. In Nigeria, it has never sought ransom for the many victims it has abducted. In Cameroon although officially classified as a nebulous or illusive enemy, it has turned abduction for ransom into a lucrative business. 

However, three days after the massacre of innocent Cameroonian citizens, our Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief is yet to address the nation or even to issue a statement via his Secretary General at the presidency of the republic. The nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops are also maintaining a kind of silence of the lamb while the Protestants are busy commenting on the aftermath of the election of their new moderator. Many opposition figures condemned the attacks through the social media making it look like a kindergarten kind of stuff. Correspondingly, Cameroon Minister of Communication and government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary gave a vague press briefing without any information detailing what actually happened on February 4^th 2015 at Fotokol. It was then followed by another press conference this time around by the Minister for Defense Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o who spent the whole time allocated to challenge the correctness of Cameroon Concord’s report of 400 civilians killed at Fotokol. Minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o told the world that only 81 Cameroonian citizens were killed including 13 Chadian officers. This to our intelligence officer based in the Far North is making a mockery of the 92 people slaughtered inside the great mosque not including those who met their day on the streets of Fotokol. Our senior political correspondent in Yaoundé revealed that nobody loved the Minister Mebe Ngo’o press conference. It is hard to tell who really the Cameroon government spokesman is. So even at these difficult times in our nation’s history, the Biya Francophone Beti-Ewondo government still thrives on Grand South and Grand Nord acrimony.

The point we are making here is simply that no one in the Biya administration takes responsibility, no one apologize and no one resigns. Why is President Biya quick to announce the release of foreign hostages be they French or German citizens but is yet to comment on this war crimes committed by the Nigerian Islamic sect on the Cameroonian people? It is evidently clear that our president needs help. The failure on the part of the Secretary General at the presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh to make public a statement on behalf of President Biya immediately or after such horrible incident raises concerns about the President’s men!! Is President Biya really working with the good guys? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that the right thing to do is to provide President Biya with the help he badly needs at this time. Cameroon Concord is sounding it loud that these are extra-ordinary times that require extra-ordinary measures. President Paul Biya in his fight against Boko Haram should start putting in place a strategy to develop the entire Grand Nord regions in areas of education [schools], creation of jobs that has gone largely unaddressed by his predecessor. This will bring a meaningful change of mentality and a multiplier effect.

Cameroon Concord is asking the Head of State to appoint with immediate effect a real crisis government involving retired army Generals and Colonels at the head of the Ministry of Defense, National Police Force, the Secret Service- Department of External Research and above all, a military governor in the Far North region. We are calling on the Prime Minister and Head of Government Yang Philemon to order the establishment of a daily time slot in all television and radio stations operating in Cameroon dedicated to information on the ongoing war and the precautionary measures to be observed by the citizens.  Finally, like the Higher Judicial Council meeting, President Biya should summon the Supreme Military Council forum and grant the media complete access to deliberations and discuss the war on terror, the presence of foreign troops in our homeland, mapping out the way forward that will continue to make the people of the Far North region see themselves and other Cameroonians as one person. A stitch in time saves nine.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

08.Feb.2015

Hits: 1755

The five African countries that will form the Multinational Force against the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram have pledged to mobilize 8,700 men. In a final statement published on Saturday the 7^th of February, the experts from from Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad have made pledges which totalled 8,700 military personnel, police and civilians. The figure announced before the Yaoundé meeting was 7,500.

Cameroon Concord understands a small group will work in the coming days on details of the contribution of each State and develop the initial budget for the Force. The five countries agreed that their contributions represent the different branches of the armed and civilian specialists needed to effectively implement the mandate of the Force" African fight against Boko Haram, said the statement.

The concept of operation of the force will then be forwarded to the Council for Peace and Security of the African Union for approval and submission to the UN Security Council. It is vital to include in this report that Chad has already committed its troops on two fronts: at the borders with Cameroon-Nigeria where they now control the town of Gambaru after heavy fighting with the Boko Haram militants and Niger where they supported the Niger forces during 'Boko Haram’s recent attack that came from Nigeria.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

08.Feb.2015

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Boko Haram Takfiri militants have launched an attack on a border town in Niger, which has also witnessed a bomb attack near a market. According to residents, the militants assaulted the southeastern town of Diffa on Saturday night, after launching their first major attack in Niger on Friday in the area that borders Nigeria. They added that the clashes between Boko Haram and Niger's military lasted until 5 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) when the extremists were forced to escape. Shortly after the attack was repelled, an assailant, who is believed to be female, blew up her explosives in Diffa's pepper market that receives traders and customers from Nigeria and other nations in the region. “This young girl who was wearing the bomb made it explode right in the middle of the market,” said resident Kader Lawan, adding, “At the moment the market is surrounded by soldiers, and the rest of the town also.”

Reports said that the attack left one person dead and at least 10 others injured. The Takfiri militant group has carried out similar attacks in crowded markets and busy bus stations, killing hundreds of people. However, this bomb attack was the first of its kind outside Nigeria. Over the past months, the military campaign against Boko Haram has extended across the region, as the militants had staged attacks in both Cameroon and Niger last week. During a Saturday meeting in Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, regional and African Union officials presented a proposal for an 8,700-strong force to fight Boko Haram, with manpower coming from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of its operations in 2009, which have left over 13,000 people dead and 1.5 million displaced.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

08.Feb.2015

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Secretary of State John Kerry visited the West African state of Nigeria on Jan. 25, saying that the United States would impose sanctions on any terrorists based in the country. This visit and statement came nearly three weeks prior to the national elections scheduled for Feb. 14. The two leading contenders, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Ret.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, of the All-Progressive Congress (APC), held talks with Kerry during his brief stopover. The top US envoy stressed that the national elections must be held on time and conducted in a peaceful manner. Such a statement came amid a worsening security situation in the northeast of the country prompting fears among many Nigerians that under such circumstances open, free and fair elections cannot be held.

Kerry told the international media on Jan. 25 that “The fact is that one of the best ways to fight back against Boko Haram and similar groups is by protecting the peaceful, credible and transparent elections that are essential to any thriving democracy, and certainly essential to the largest democracy in Africa. It’s imperative that these elections happen on time, on schedule. And that they are an improvement over past elections. They need to set a new standard for this democracy. That means Nigerians have to not only reject violence, but they have to actually promote peace.”

The Role of the US in the War Against Boko Haram

Boko Haram, an armed group fighting the Federal Republic of Nigeria largely in the northeast region of the country since 2009, has caused havoc resulting in the deaths and displacement of thousands of civilians. The war with Boko Haram has impacted the neighboring states of Cameron and Chad, where many Nigerians fleeing the fighting have taken refuge. Yet recent reports in a leading Nigerian newspaper indicated that Washington is not cooperating in the war against Boko Haram but is actually sabotaging the government. The US has refused to provide arms to Nigeria. In an article published by the Nigerian Vanguard on Jan. 28 it said that “Twenty-four hours after US Secretary of State, John Kerry met President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, pledging his country’s determination to work with Nigeria and other countries to end activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, the Israeli media, yesterday, revealed that the US stopped Nigeria’s purchase of Chinook military helicopters from Israel to fight Boko Haram. The sale/transfer of such aircraft required a review by the US, to determine its ‘consistency with US policy interests,’ Obama administration officials told The Jerusalem Post.”

The same publication then reported “the Nigerian military in the past has said that the country also resorted to training its security personnel on terrorist encounters in Russia and China because of the refusal of the US administration to sell arms to the government following ‘unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops,’ among others.” In addition to these revelations, military sources in Nigeria say that the US intelligence agencies have collected data on Boko Haram but will not share it with Abuja. During 2014, Washington pledged to enhance its aerial surveillance of Boko Haram areas of operation in the northeast and provide information about their movements and capabilities to the Jonathan government. However, the Vanguard noted “it was not just in the area of arms procurement that the US has been most unhelpful, adding that contrary to its public stance that it was assisting in the rescue operations of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls it has done nothing significant to help Nigeria in this regard. Other intelligence sources also cited the fact that the US has refused to share intelligence with Nigerian security forces in a timely manner.”

A Nigerian government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity was quoted as saying “When we complained, they started sharing some intelligence, but days after such intelligence is of little value.” Conflicting statements from US diplomats add further to the confusion. Allegedly these acts of duplicity stem from the Obama administration’s concerns over human rights violations committed by the Nigerian military. Officials in Abuja have denied the allegations stressing that US pronouncements related to its priorities in the so-called “war against terrorism” are not consistent with its deeds. Kerry in response to such reports in the Nigerian press told reporters during his Jan. 25 visit that “We are engaging with the Nigerian government at all levels to identify areas of counter-terrorism cooperation.” (Nigerian Vanguard, Jan. 28)

The Nigerian Vanguard however pointed out that “This was contrary to what the US ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle told reporters last October while speaking on the refusal by his country to sell high caliber weapons to Nigeria. Entwistle told reporters that ‘the kind of question that we have to ask is, let’s say we give certain kinds of equipment to the Nigerian military and that is then used in a way that affects the human situation, if I approve that, I’m responsible for that. We take that responsibility very seriously.’”

Collapse in Oil Trading With the US and the Burgeoning Economic Crisis

The escalation of hostilities by Boko Haram coincides with the decline of the economy due to the collapse of the US trade in oil with Nigeria. In previous years, Nigeria was the largest exporter of oil to the US on the African continent. Nonetheless, due to the oil glut on international markets stemming in part from the rapidly increasing domestic production inside the US, India is now the largest purchaser of crude from the West African state. These developments have created a financial crisis inside the country designated last year by the western imperialist states as having the largest economy on the continent surpassing the Republic of South Africa. An article published on Jan. 31 reported that China is increasing its trade in oil with Nigeria. The two states have enhanced their economic relations over the last few years in the areas of railway rehabilitation as well as hydropower development at Zungeru in Niger state.

Naij.com wrote in this regard that “Reports just coming in inform that China has stepped forward to buy more oil from the Nigerian Federal Government. Making this cheery announcement on Thursday was China’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Mr. Zhang Bin. According to the diplomat, the Chinese government is looking forward to importing more of Nigeria’s oil following the loss of America’s market.” (Jan. 31) This same publication says “It would be recalled that since the slump in the price of crude oil in the global market coupled with the reduction of the amount of crude oil exported to the United States, the amount of revenues Nigeria generates from crude oil has reduced significantly. This situation has led to the devaluation of the Naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

These recent events involving national security and economic relations reveal that Africa, despite claims of rapid growth, is still vulnerable to the shifts in US political and economic policies. Consequently, leading governments on the continent must create alternative trade agreements coupled with the consolidation of cooperation among continental states designed to foster genuine qualitative growth and development.

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Ngwa Bertrand

07.Feb.2015

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