Politics

I have been flooded by calls and messages from many Cameroonians who seemed worried for my safety. I hereby state the facts, as I know them, to avoid any unfounded rumors.
On Monday 20th March 2017 at around 15.00 hrs a bailiff dropped at the Muna Foundation, a letter addressed to the President of the Bar Council Batonnier Jackson Ngnie Kamga . He was told that he should take the letter to him he refused and walked away. My staff brought the letter to me, which stated that investigations had commenced against me at the central investigation unit of the “Secretariat a la Defence” ordinarily known as SED.

In the letter, Batonnier was asked to accompany at 9.00 to the central investigation department on Wednesday March 2017. SED is where the Anglophone lawyers and Anglophone activists have been taken to. I immediately wrote to the Secretary of State informing him that I was delivering a keynote address in Johannesburg on Wednesday March 22nd and that I will be back on Thursday and will ask the Batonnier to accompany me on Friday March 25 th. Today March 21st I boarded an Rwandair Flight 10.05 from Douala and left for Johannesburg.

I will defer to the summons and be present on Friday. I understand the worry of many well wishers who are asking me to stay away. Cameroon is my home and I am prepared to face whatever awaits me. Any lawyer who is worth anything cannot sit by in the face of suffering and blatant violation of the basic and fundamental rights of any other human being. By remaining sheep for too long, I am afraid we have turned some people in our government into emboldened wolves. The comfort of my home and my office cannot justify my silence in the face of what we are going through in our country right now. Come what may.
---
Akere T. Muna (Of Lincoln's Inn London)
Barrister-at-law
Sanctions Commissioner of the African Development Bank
Chairperson of the International Anti-Corruption Conference
Member, High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa
Member, Governing Board, Africa Governance Institute
Former Chairperson, Eminent Persons Panel of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
Former President, Pan-African Lawyers Union
Former Presiding Officer, Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union.

Details

Rita Akana

21.Mar.2017

Hits: 3338

The veteran CPDM loyal politican replaces Peter Mafany Musonge who was appointed to chair the National Commission for the Promotion of bilingualism and multi multiculturalism.Going by the statutes of the commission, its membership is not compatible with any other post. This explains why the former prime minister whose  hands were overfull with positions.had to be changed.

The coming of Chief Tabe Tando as the CPDM senate Group leader means Peter Mafany Musonge has lost his membership at the senate and will automatically move out of the upper house.
Dima Gabriel former counsellor for the Limbe city council who has been living under the shadows of the former group leader as alternate senator will now replace him.has been a Senior Attorney with a prominent law firm in Douala, Republic of Cameroon since 1975. Mr. Tabetando is a Founder of BowLeven PLC and served as its Executive Director from 2001 to May 5, 2015 and also served as its Member of Group Management until May 5, 2015 He is a Founder of EurOil and serves as its Chairman. He He serves as a Director at BowLeven Resources Limited, EurOil and Equity Chambers. Mr. Tabetando is a qualified lawyer, a second class chief of Bachuo Ntai village in Manyu division and CPDM  Central Committee.

His initial position as Vice President of the Constitutional Laws Commission has been filled by the youngest Senator, Mbella Moki Charles.

These changes emanates  from a crucial CPDM Paliamantary meeting which was held this today in Yaounde. In the meantime the election of the executive bureau of the National Assembly and Senate is underway.

Details

Rita Akana

21.Mar.2017

Hits: 3540

There was another suicide bombing in Cameroon on Sunday morning. One terrorist was shot dead while the other blew herself up killing no one else. It was not clear whether the attackers were males or females.

Yesterday’s attack came only two days after at least three suspected members of Boko Haram were killed on Friday by Cameroonian troops.

Boko Haram members, it was learnt, had attacked their positions in the country’s far north.

Cameroonian newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel, said the attack on Sunday morning took place in Kolofata, a locality not far from the Nigerian border where the terrorists are based.

There, one terrorist was shot dead by a member of the local civilian vigilante group while the other blew himself/herself up, the newspaper said. 

On Friday, Cameroonian troops killed three members of Boko Haram when they attacked their position in Soueram, the newspaper reported. The locality is also in Cameroon’s far north.

Every week, there are several incidents reported. A suicide bombing here, a gun attack or landmine buried there, several dead here and there.

Thousands of civilians have been killed by Boko Haram in Cameroon while about 150 soldiers and policemen have died since 2014 while fighting the ruthless terrorists who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in March 2015 and have been modelling their barbarism after the Middle East killers.

From hiding, the Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, attacked President Paul Biya of Cameroon in message released online, accusing him of lies and other things.

Mr. Biya had not visited the war front since Boko Haram began attacking his country in 2014, and the attack against him at a time when there are other protests in the country’s Southwest and Northwest seemed to be a calculated attempt to play into anger already rising against a man who has been in power for more than three decades and is preparing to run for office again in 2018 even though he would be about 86 years old. 

Details

Simon Ateba

20.Mar.2017

Hits: 3320

A dormitory hosting some 85 Francophone students has been razed to the ground in Bamenda as arsonists retaliate massive arrests, torture and militarisation that has been going on in Bamenda since the early hours of today, Saturday 18th March 2017.Reports reaching Cameroon Concord say, security forces stormed homes in the meta quarters of Bamenda, arresting youths massively. Cellphones have been seized, and there is a heavy military presence in the area. 

A Southern Cameroonian youth told our Bamenda correspondent that  there is a house to house search in Metta Quarters this morning. It's serious, no body goes out of the quarter. Mixed police and gendarmes could be seen parading the streets.

We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation in Bamenda.Stay connected for more updates

Details

Rita Akana

18.Mar.2017

Hits: 3973

U.S. Congress woman Walorski denounces wanton human rights abuses and the arrest of Dr Agbor Balla by the Camer regime ; calls for an immediate stop to the abuses against anglophones by the Yaounde junta.

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) today, in a show of solidarity with Indiana’s Cameroonian diaspora and the Notre Dame Law School community, released the following statement on recent reports of increasing intimidation by the Government of the Republic of Cameroon:

“I am alarmed by recent reports that indicate the government of Cameroon is engaging in various forms of intimidation against the country’s English-speaking citizens, including the arrest of Notre Dame Law School alumnus Felix Agbor Nkongho. I join the Cameroon American Council in calling for an end to these sorts of fear tactics, which have no place in modern society. 

“Respect for basic human rights is a key tenet of any democratic society and one which all countries must strive to achieve. It is critical that the government of Cameroon recognize and protect the rights of every citizen, regardless of background.

“I strongly urge the government to end violent attacks on protesters, ease media restrictions, eliminate judicial irregularities in the court system, and lift the internet blackout that has now been in place for 60 days in majority English-speaking regions.”

Details

Rita Akana

18.Mar.2017

Hits: 2873

Yesterday, Congressman Carson released the following statement on the ongoing internet blackout and crackdown against Cameroon’s Anglophone population: "As the outgoing co-chair of the Congressional Cameroon Caucus, I have been deeply disturbed by the recent reports that protests over perceived marginalization of Cameroon’s Anglophone population have resulted in a harsh government crackdown. Reports indicate that numerous protestors have been detained and today marks the 60th day of an internet blackout that is causing a major setback for the social and economic future of a previously economically vibrant region. 
“This suppression is particularly concerning given our foreign aid for the people of Cameroon and our shared mission to encourage economic development, stability, and democracy in the region. Just this week, the Cameroonian military freed 5,000 prisoners held by Boko Haram, highlighting the government’s laudable commitment to counterterrorism. Yet, as with all of our friends, we have an obligation to hold the Cameroonian government accountable when their actions suppress free expression and fail to protect minority populations. I call on President Biya and the government of Cameroon to ease tensions before the situation degrades further.” 

Details

Rita Akana

18.Mar.2017

Hits: 2756