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Member states of the International Criminal Court are beginning their annual meeting in The Hague. Three African states are leaving the court, but it is still needed writes Tanzanian analyst Anaclet Rwegayura.

Under the flag of the United Nations all member states believe in equality and justice. But inequality of nations persists. And, yet every nation is expected to play its fair role in this game of inequality!

I am raising these points in the wake of dissatisfaction expressed by some African countries with regard to the performance of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They charge that there has been no fair play with regard to Africa.

Last month Burundi, South Africa and Gambia, began the formal process to withdraw from the founding treaty of the ICC, the Rome Statute. Was their decision based on domestic politics or on international legal grounds?

In the view of other signatories to the statute, this is a disturbing signal which could open the way to withdrawal by other African states from an institution that has existed for just 14 years.

Ratification and accession to the Rome Statute by many nations around the world showed they understood the need for global justice, within and outside their own boundaries. That affirmed their trust in this organization.

Can the same nations today afford to slacken the pace and the work of the ICC which is to ensure justice for lasting peace? Of course not. All people need guarantee for survival and development in peace.

The ICC carries out its mandate on the principle that international justice can contribute to long-term peace, stability and equitable development in post-conflict societies.

'Putting its finger on miscreants'

African people don't need a heavenly voice to tell them what is necessary for building a future free of violence. Unfortunately, prejudiced groups of people who commit harmful actions against others still exist around the continent.

Africa needs peace in order to keep pace with the changing world, but without the ICC putting its finger on miscreants who wish that atrocities witnessed in recent years in a number of countries happen again, that cannot be a good recipe for peace.

Situations presently under investigation by the court in Africa include Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Central African Republic, Darfur in Sudan, Kenya, Libya, Ivory Coast and Mali. This list does not mean situations in other African countries are like paradise. Not at all.

The decision taken by the three African countries to sever relations with the ICC may not draw much attention at the United Nations because the court is not part of the world body, but it should at the January 2017 summit of the African Union (AU) leaders.

AU member countries need to work together and, more so, with the international community in the fight against impunity, which often causes massive violations of human rights in Africa and other parts of the world.

While it still enjoys support from many African countries, the ICC should undertake a thorough examination of its administration of justice to ensure it does not undermine its own legitimacy and credibility, more importantly it must succeed in enforcing accountability at the highest levels in governments and society in general.

Africa's fears and concerns should not be ignored, especially the argument that the court is biased against Africans. They must be addressed and explained so that the ICC can bring a greater influence to the course of justice in the continent.

From its short experience, the ICC should have drawn a lesson that it requires a practical and well-timed strategy to prosecute a sitting head of state, because that's where its strained relations with Africa originated.

The most notable argument is that, while in power, heads of state have immunity from prosecution at the ICC.

Anaclet Rwegayura is a Tanzanian analyst

Details: Anaclet Rwegayura; 16.Nov.2016; Hits: 2721

The fight for secession or the right to self determination for Southern Cameroon is logically dubious and empirically flawed. Along ethic fractionalized lines, unity is hardly guaranteed in Africa in particular, especially for countries that have inherently strong cultures. The Anglophone problem face two major challenges with one being most dominant:

1. Marginalization by French-speaking Cameroon (external problem)
2. Masked unsolved grievances or tense "unity" between Southwest and Northwest citizens (internal problem).

There is no guarantee that even if Southern Cameroon gains independence today from "La Republique du Cameroon," as SCNC calls it, they will live in peace unity. The peace will be as negative as what we experience under the current political dispensation. The new Southern Cameroon could most likely fight for another break up between themselves. Hate speeches flare for any honest observer who has lived in any of the two Anglophone communities. We call ourselves "came no go" and even call the Bamilike community as the "11 province." Why so much hate?

Even after the rift between E.M.L Endeley and John Foncha in the 1960s, no one has ever pacified issues to solve our grievances before seeking a dubious secession. He who goes to equity, goes with clean hands. Our hands are messy.

South Sudan should tell us better that self determination in Africa does not bring peace.

Cameroon and Vanuatu are the most fractionalized countries in the world with the most languages. What we can do best should be to live in a federation like the Nigerians do. However, only high-level dialogue, understanding and empathy in the presence of a UN body will bring us to that point.

Details: Tapang Ivo; 14.Nov.2016; Hits: 5089

Dear T B Joshua

You seem to be the Godfather of Spiritual Fathers in Africa. You are one of the people who has inspired the whole African continent to follow the Spiritual Papa movement. Personally, I believe you are one of the men in this world who is hurting the black race. You are accountable for brainwashing millions of vulnerable black people and keeping them in slavery, mental slavery.

The white man is no longer our enemy, men like you TB Joshua are the true enemies of the black race. You are accountable for keeping black people in chains when God released us from Egypt centuries ago. You train men like Walter Magaya to cause maximum damage to black people, and you do all this in the name of God.

You call yourself a Prophet who hears directly from above. But today I have the honor to call you a liar and a false prophet. I hold you accountable using the same bible you claim to follow.

“If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and needs not be feared.” Deuteronomy 18:22, NLT

You issued a prophecy to the world via Facebook on 6 November 2016 at 4:16 pm where you claimed that you had been shown a woman winning the next American Presidential Election. Holding you accountable using the bible, your prophecy has failed to come to pass just 3 days after.

Today Donald Trump became the American President and I think it’s fair for us all to agree that he is definitely not a woman. According to the bible, you did not hear from God sir and you spoke without authority from above. People should no longer fear you. In other words, you are not a prophet and no one should hold you in that esteem.

Today soon after Donald Trump shocked the world by becoming the 45th US President, you quickly deleted your prophecy from Facebook. But we thank God for technology, smart black people had already screenshot your lies, and they will never be deleted from social media forever. Here is the evidence of your lies below.

TB Joshua, please do the honorable thing and apologize to God first. Then to us the black race. I think its also fair to apologize to the American people who truly believed your false prophecy and did not go to vote thinking God had already done it. It’s actually because of people like you why Trump has even won in the first place. You contributed to the media hype and campaign that caused people not to vote for your beloved Hillary Clinton thinking it was a done deal. The true God has really spoken, he favored Donald Trump over Clinton.

May I end this open letter by addressing all the black people who are under the spell of prophets and spiritual fathers. Just a few days ago I wrote about how men like you TB Joshua are a curse to the black people, especially black women. To my dear black folk across the whole world, may the winning of Donald Trump be a wake-up call to the entire black race.

Do not be afraid of anything or anyone. Donald Trump is not your enemy. Slavery was abolished in the 18th century. We are now in the 21st century. Colonialism is over. It is time to just move on from the chains of slavery. Stop mourning. Hillary Clinton was never going to do anything for you anyway. Even Barack Obama could not save you. The problem is not the world leaders or the white men. The problem is us.

As for you TB Joshua, instead of just deleting your fake prophecy from Facebook, please do issue a statement and explain to us why your god lied to you. I for one am waiting for that statement from you, and I know millions of black people who believed in you are waiting too. You are trending all over social media, even BBC and CNN are mentioning your failed prophecy, so please redeem yourself and speak out.

Yours sincerely

Jean Gasho

PS: I was not used by the devil when writing this letter and I definitely won’t be cursed or punished by God for it. And for the record I’m not mad, I’m just a woman

Read more on Jean Gasho Blog

Details: Jean Gasho; 11.Nov.2016; Hits: 5974

Can Cameroonians honestly say we have a Government that listens to the aspirations of its citizens on whose Wings their purported Authority resides?

There can't be anything called state authority when the supposed citizens are maimed,tortured,killed and incarcerated.

Whenever such things start happening state order has collapsed and harmony is broken. Its only in Cameroon that illegality has become legality.

The state cannot afford the luxury of allowing soldiers the latitude to infringe into the rights and freedoms of its citizens.

When brute force is applied aimed at cowing people because some tyrant feels that his dictatorship is threatened and his fiefdom at risk,trouble and disorder becomes inevitable. Where is the International community and can we interpret their silence as having been bought over?

This is a scandal and a huge disgrace for a nation that claims it respects International treaties and conventions.

Can our ill trained soldiers, Gendarmes and the Police honestly tell the world that they always respect the Geneva protocol on human rights and the protection of minorities. I have always abundantly made it clear that the English segment of the Cameroons are not a tribe like the Bassa, Ewondo, Bamilike,Bamoun etc.

Unfortunately the so called regional balance is a formula from the pit of hell aimed at incarcerating those whose cultural identity are those English values such as human dignity, liberty and freedom, sound and qualitative education aimed at liberating the intellectual mind and an equitable judicial system whereby there are no Lords and no servants.

Details: Bernard Ngouche Ndim; 11.Nov.2016; Hits: 2829

It is over one month now since Common Law Lawyers launched an indefinite strike action calling among others for the translation of the OHADA Uniform Act.

The strike action has already divided the Bar Association with Common Law Lawyers creating their own Bar Association known as the Common Law Lawyers Bar Association. Several others described as black legs among the Anglophone lawyers have attempted to digress discussion and manipulate public opinion by declaring that they are not in support of the strike but the Common Law lawyers despite the attempted bribery of the leaders by the regime have remained stable.

The lawyers have multiplied strategies with the latest being the peaceful match across the streets of Bamenda.

The heavy deployment of forces of law and order which is normal in every peaceful protest had a hidden agenda.

And that was quickly unraveled when police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the striking lawyers, even though they will argue that bike riders entered the strike to cause chaos.

The peaceful transformed to chaotic protest wouldn’t have been witnessed if authorities had taken the plight of Common Law Lawyers serious,yes the ugly incident seen in Bamenda where people of the Third estate are treated like dogs wouldn’t have happened if the New Deal Government of Mr Biya had acted promptly since the warning bells.

But the Silence of Etoudi has plunged the entire system into total disorder giving the lawyers the impression that the President cares less about their demands. After all who are they; they could just be another SCNC in disguise, after all they cannot strike for long because they will soon be hungry, after all they can be easily bribed.

The Yaoundé regime has not even replied or send an acknowledge receipt or their 2015 Memorandum after the All Common Law Lawyers Conference in Bamenda.

The silence of the Head of state speaks volume and the inability of Justice minister to arrest the situation could plunge Cameroon into total chaos especially as teachers in North West and South West regions have announced they are joining the lawyers on November 21, 2016.

The Bamenda show down could have been fantastic for some young Gendarmes and Police men to train after school but the event itself is the turning point in the struggle. The struggle is not only to have the translation of the OHADA law into English, it goes beyond that, it is also a struggle to marginalization of Common Law practice in Cameroon, the hijacking of Common Law judicial systems by Civil Law Lawyers sent by the Yaoundé regime.

The figure are alarming and sends one mourning at the level at which the Anglophone has been marginalized in his own country. The lawyers are striking because in the South West region out of 148 Magistrates, 58 are francophone magistrates making 39.2 %. Out of 89 magistrates in legal department in the South West region, 54 of them are francophone, making 60.7%. Out of 50 magistrates working in Buea (Bench & Legal Department) 20 are francophone making 40 % of francophone.

From the 28 magistrates in the legal departments Buea, 20 of them are francophone making 71.4%. Out of the 30 new bailiffs appointed in January 2014, 28 of them are francophone, making 93.2%. In the North West region, there are 128 magistrates and 67 francophone magistrates making 52.3 % There are 97 Magistrates in the Legal Departments, 64 of them are francophone, making 65.9%.

Out of 45 Magistrates working in the Bamenda, 22 of them are francophone, making 48.9%. The Bamenda legal department has 27 magistrates and 21 of them are francophone, Making it 77.8 %. When 21 new bailiffs were appointed in January 2014 people were surprised that all of them were francophone making the it a 100% occupancy.

Comparing Major Regional Head Quarters:

Situation of Anglophone legal practitioners in Douala and Yaoundé Courts compared with situation of their Francophone counterparts in Bamenda and Buea. The list is long and not pleasing to read. We of Cameroon concord think that it is high time the Biya regime gives a listening ear to the plight of Common Law Lawyers, because neglect will only cause more problems.

The government should look at the protagonists of the French Revolution; Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre was a French lawyer and politician who was one of the leaders in French Revolution.What happened in Bamenda could be just the beginning of something big is coming.

Details: Prince Nfor Hanson; 08.Nov.2016; Hits: 4792

The controversial Symposium on the Social Actions of the First Lady Chantal Biya has come and gone, and the coming days, weeks,months or years, will certainly reveal the mask behind this symposium, that had so many opposing points of views, as thosewho see beyond today, saw theCOVERED IDEAbehind this.

Top intellectuals, Politicians and even University Authorities were fighting for and against this event, which according to the opposition it was just a waste of resources, because similar actors like Chantal Biya have come, performed and gone unnoticed without loud applauds.The Symposium amidst every controversy finally kicked off on Tuesday Nov.1 2016, and closed its curtains on Wednesday Nov. 3 2016 at the University of Yaounde 2 Soa Campus.

Participants debated solely on the different social activities and involvements of the First Lady, wife of President Paul Biya, from Her Chantal Biya Foundation, to her Chantal Biya International Reference Center, to CERAC Group, to being UNESCO's Ambassador of Good Will, to African Synergies, to being a devoted mother and wife etc.. heaping pile of praises to whom praise was already due.

The Symposium that called her 'Mother Teresa of Cameroon' was filled with litanies of praises in her honour, and during the second dayof its activities, participants quoted Max Weber,his ideology about Social actions, his inspirations and political involvement, all these to announce the birth of a new philosophical doctrine called "Chantalism Biyalism", which will henceforth be instituted in all Cameroonian universities.

At the end of the Chantal Biya's laudations, the participants concluded on a proposal that Government should attribute a New Legal Status to the First Lady,and if this proposal is adopted by the government, it will be sent to the National Assembly for a Constitutional Modification.

An Honorary Degree was to be awarded to the First Lady, in compensation for all her charitable actions carried out in and outside Cameroon with the people's money.The Symposium whose organization budget of 65 Million F CFA came out from the Public Treasury, ended on a very satisfactory note, to the participants, who were none other than Government Authorities, Political Scientists, Legal Practitioners, Economists, Sociologists, Internationalists and other Top University Officials.

Cameroontoday