Politics

The interim leaders of the anglophone consortium have rejected claims made by Cameroon's state braodcaster, CRTV that the teachers strike action had been called off. CRTV on Saturday, 4 February announced that the strike action had been called off and schools are to resume on Monday, 6 Febraury 2017.

The Consortium was quick to reject the announcement as fake and baseless.One of its leaders posted this on his Facebook wall barely some minutes after the news was made public:

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Rita Akana

04.Feb.2017

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Anglophone Civil Society Consortium leader Tapang Ivo reacts to claims that the consortium is manipulating citizens back home in Cameroon.Below is a statement he released to that regards:

I have read aptly how a few social media users claim leaders sit abroad to manipulate minds back home. Well, let me for once react:

1. This is an ideology. It cost nothing for you to either accept or reject it depending on where you sit. And if truly, more than 98 percent of citizens accept the ideology, therefore, there is a problem of reasoning with the insignificant 2 percent.

2. The spiral of silence theory states that a silent minority often fear to express their views when faced with a majority opposition. But with the advent of the social media, this is not the case because citizens could create blogs and stand against the "majority." However, I have not seen any of such opposition blogs run by West Cameroon admins. That tells you we are too UNITED and they are too few and insignificant to cause a storm in a teacup.

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Tapang Ivo

03.Feb.2017

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Dear Mr. Musonge,

I have been monitoring the events playing out in West Cameroon and I do appreciate your efforts to encourage parents to send their children to school. As we all know, education, indeed quality education, is the key to a bright future and any child who does not have access to such education will unfortunately spend the rest of their life in perpetual darkness. This message has always been reiterated by the government of our country. Unfortunately, each time the children acquire their certificates which are supposed to be the right keys to that bright future, the government changes the lock, making their education worthless. Is it not strange to give these children life and then withhold the ingredients that make life beautiful? Most of these graduates remain unemployed for long periods of time, with many returning to their villages to become desperate farmers because of poor policies and incredible corruption.

I would, however, encourage you to continue your crusade, but will be prompt to advise that you deal with the issues that are keeping our children out of school rather than pushing them to the same schools that are not worth their weight in gold. Isn’t it wise to strike the roots of the problem, rather than spend time trying to break the branches of the problem?

Your effort to reunite the southwest region is laudable, but you must understand that the centres of power and decision-making have changed. Those of us in the Diaspora have been financing the studies of our family members as if there is no government to take care of them. Indeed, we have been responsible for their lives, making sure they go to the hospital when they are sick, sending money for their survival and paying those exorbitant bills that you and your government have imposed on them. Today, you must understand that he who pays the piper calls the tune. You should have understood this a long time ago as the people no longer listen to you. Your masters should have understood this and should have cut you and your folks out of the corridors of power.

Similarly, those of you who have erroneously been thinking that you represent all of us from the southwest region have been rejected by the people because of the arrogance with which you have been bearing yourself in public. If you represent anybody today, it is clearly your family which has reaped the benefits of your association with a government that has not made many of us to develop a sense of belonging to that country.

I would like to remind you that the Southwest Diaspora constitutes a huge and meaningful factor in our region’s economic and political g g. You and your likes should understand this and you must work hard to bring the Diaspora on board in whatever venture or project you are designing for the Southwest region. The old days are behind us and if you still want to be relevant in today’s Cameroon, then you must reach out to the Diaspora that has borne the brunt of the mismanagement and corruption that have become our country’s hallmarks.

Allow me to also draw your attention to something that is very important to many Anglophones today. Anglophones across the country have come together to make their fate better. A few of you have benefitted from the system through flagrant manipulation and dishonesty. In many cases, in order for you to continue feathering yours nest, you fan the embers of division between the North-West and South-west. While those differences may exist, the people from Mamfe to Jakiri, Tiko to Kumbo and Mankon to Buea have decided to work together to achieve what you politicians have failed to achieve in 55 years. Anglophones have experienced a lot of marginalization in that country, but because of self-interest, you and your so-called politicians have never bothered to draw the government’s attention to their sorry plight. The people have decided to take the bull by the horn this time around and they will not be passing through anybody to get that message across. The ghost towns and school closures constitute eloquent proof of their determination to make their voices heard.

The writing on the wall is very clear. Your time is over. The southwest region needs a new political elite; an elite that will place the people’s interest at the centre of every action and policy. Old ways have only dumped the people in grinding poverty. They have been robbed of their happiness for decades. They have decided to try something different and new. They can no longer listen to the politicians who have robbed them of their dignity and denied their children the opportunity to have a taste of good life.

Mr. Musonge, this letter is not intended to disrespect you and all those attending the hastily organized meeting in Buea. It is designed to enable you see the writing on the wall. No money, no beer, no rice and no promises will convince the people of the Southwest that you are genuinely representing them. The issues on the table must be dealt with for the smart people of the Southwest region to listen to anybody. Times have changed, so too must the political elite. If you and your folks do not come out of the self-imposed cocoon of miserable importance, you might never understand why all your strategies are failing. South-westerners have moved on and they will surely achieve their goals without you and your folks.

The Diaspora is willing to work with you to make the lives of our people better. But if you stick with your old ways and mentality, then you are clearly advising that you are irrelevant in the new and modern Cameroon.

I look forward to a change of mentality and strategy so that our country can make giant strides towards meaningful and sustainable development.

Sincerely,

Joachim Arrey.

About the Author: The author of this letter has served as a translator, technical writer, journalist and editor for several international organizations and corporations across the globe. He studied communication at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and technical writing in George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. He is also a trained translator and holds a Ph.D.

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Joachim Arrey

03.Feb.2017

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Boko Haram terrorists killed three Nigerian soldiers on Wednesday and injured five others during heavy fight in Borno state, the army said in a statement without disclosing the identities of the dead and injured.

“Unfortunately however, 3 soldiers paid the supreme price, while 5 others were wounded in action. Similarly, 1 Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicle belonging to the Brigade was badly damaged,” said army spokesman, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka.

“The bodies of the late soldiers and those that sustained injuries have since been evacuated. The wounded soldiers are in stable condition,” he added.

He said troops had an encounter with Boko Haram fighters who were in possession of an armoured vehicle, some trucks, arms and ammunition.

The encounter took place on Wednesday during clearance operation at Dulsa and Buk, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, General Sani Kukasheka, said in a statement.

Troops of 25 Task Force Brigade, 7 Division Nigerian Army on Operation LAFIYA DOLE were involved in the clearance operation, he said.

“At Dulsa this morning, the troops cleared the hideout of the terrorists during which they neutralized 6 Boko Haram terrorists, recovered 1 Light Machine Gun, 2 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tubes and 1 Extra Anti-Aircraft Gun Barrel. The troops also encountered Boko Haram terrorists camp at Buk where they were engaged by the terrorists,” he said.

Simonateba

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Rita Akana

02.Feb.2017

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Since the Anglophone problem started some two months ago, there has been a lot of agitations and  talks about Biya's inner circle. Cameroon Concord noticed with dismay the particular silence of Minister Martin Belinga  Eboutou who is no doubt the most powerful man now in Cameroon besides Biya.

Minister Eboutou, who if a fervent Biya loyalist is a smart diplomat who has a very rich career having served his master for more than 3 decades both nationally & internationally. At 76, (he is 7 years younger than Biya Bi Mvondo) whom he met  in the seminary. A devote Catholic Christian, Belinga Eboutou has built a church in his village & is a friend to most renowned priests and Bishops in the country.

This very power personality has always tried to shy away from the spotlight and only act behind the scenes both in his political life, and in carrying out Machiavelli schemes for the Biya regime. The Chameleon as I will call him can brag of having as close friends a lot of Southern Cameroonians from Fru Ndi to Cardinal Tumi. He has used his Catholic affiliation to penetrate the inner circles of Anglophone Elites while spying on their activities. It's no news that Belinga controls Cameroon today. Nobody gets to Biya without passing through him. Inner circle secrets have it that, Belinga Eboutou is the undeclared 'President' of Cameroon. Chantal Biya reportedly had a feud with him some few days before the presidential couple received new year wishes. Mme Biya's anger is said to have been caused by Belinga's repeated interference into the couple's private life. The Chameleon was chased out of the Mvomeka Palace for some days.

The level of influence Belinga Eboutou has on Biya was very glaring when in a state visit to the French president last year, and answering questions from journalists, Mr. Eboutou rushed to help Biya when the president could not answer a question about the dubious activities of Bollore Group in Cameroon. Belinga Eboutou has positioned his children in major government state owned companies just like all the crook ministers in the Biya regime. His son working in SONARA has the powers of a GM. This smart crook has teamed up with several CPDM loyal business men to acquire shares in most of the privatised Companies in Cameroon and some in Southern Cameroon. They have a network of bogus Consortiums with fake foreign investors who come in as buyers whereas in reality they are the main owners. The case of Ndu Tea Estate is an example. It should be recalled that Mr. Chameleon spent most of his diplomatic career in EU & US where he chaired the UN security council meetings during the deadlock period of the Irak war. He has friends and connections and constantly boast behind the scenes as the negotiator during the Bakassi crises. In fact, no decision is taken in the Country without his knowledge.

He is one of the architects of the unitary state and will never allow Biya to have a dialogue on the form of the state. It is reported that he has thrown or blocked several reports from reaching Biya till he gets a solution which he will always convince the ailing president to accept his opinion. Even other Biya die heart stooges are aware of Belinga's powers and will never dare criticize him in public. His role in the ongoing crises in Cameroon is very primordial. All decisions emanating from the presidency have been scrutinized by The Chameleon. It is very important for Cameroonians especially Southern Cameroonians to know all these old, bad, ugly guys derailing the country so they will be held accountable. They are all responsible for the killings, arrests, rapes & internet black out in the Southern Cameroon.

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Rita Akana

31.Jan.2017

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Four persons were killed in Cameroon on Tuesday morning, including the three Boko Haram suicide bombers who launched attacks in the country’s far north.

The attacks took place in a locality called Double about 20 kilometres from the district of Mora in Cameroon’s far north.

L’Oeil due Sahel said the three suicide bombers were killed by their own explosives while a civilian also died in the blast. Seven persons were injured.

Meanwhile in neigbouring Nigeria, one person was killed and a suicide bomber was bombed to death by his/her own explosives.

That attack took place also on Tuesday morning in Dalori, an outskirt of Maiduguri.

Reports said it was not too far from the University of Maiduguri where a recent attack killed a University professor and several other persons.

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Rita Akana

31.Jan.2017

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