Politics
Cameroonian authorities should immediately reverse a decision to suspend independent broadcaster Radio Hot Cocoa 94 FM's permission to operate and allow the station to resume broadcasting immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Government officials in Bamenda, the capital of Cameroon's Northwest Region, yesterday sealed the station's office, its manager told CPJ.
The regional governor, Adolphe Lele Lafrique, ordered Radio Hot Cocoa to suspend all activities until further notice, accusing it of inciting civil disobedience in a call-in show discussing a teachers' strike in the region, station manager Gideon Taka told CPJ. Residents of predominantly Anglophone regions of Cameroon bordering Nigeria have in recent months staged street demonstrations, strikes, and sit-ins to protest what they say is the Francophone central government's marginalization of their regions. The station proclaimed a "news blackout" on its Facebook page yesterday.
"The suspension of Radio Hot Cocoa is part of an ongoing effort to stifle coverage of the grievances of English-speaking Cameroonians," said CPJ West Africa Representative Peter Nkanga. "Authorities should allow the radio station to resume operations immediately and should cease censoring the news."
"Right now there is no access to my office, the studio and control room," Taka, the station's manager, told CPJ. "They sealed them off."
The Ministry of Communications in December wrote to private radio and TV stations to "stop all roundtable discussions... concerning the current political atmosphere" in English-speaking regions of Cameroon. French and English are the official languages of the country, but predominantly Francophone regions are home to the majority of the population. At least four people were killed after police forcibly dispersed a December 8 demonstration in Bamenda, according to press reports and Amnesty International.
The suspension of Radio Hot Cocoa is the latest in a series of attempts to stifle reporting and commentary on the political crisis. Last month authorities suspended dozens of newspapers and broadcasters' permission to operate; permanently banned three newspapers from publishing and their publishers from practicing journalism; and sanctioned dozens more journalists, CPJ reported at the time.
Cameroontoday
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- Rita Akana
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The Ghogomu-led ad hoc Committee resumes talks in Bamenda tomorrow without schools resuming; a pre-condition the Professor raised before any dialogue could continue. That may seem like a kind of bending, but it is not, at least from information filtering out of government circles.
After the humiliation of last Monday when the government was virtually brought to its knees, the authorities are bent on having their own pound of flesh at the least opportunity, reliable inner circle sources have said.
They contend that the youths who are still in detention will not be released, but negotiations will go on and the strikes must be lifted. The highly placed sources say the government plans to judge the young men based on the anti terrorism law on grounds that they were the ones who burnt the country's flag in Bamenda.
The plan is to play softball and then turn around and go very hard on the youths when the uprising would have lost steam, using that as an example to anyone who would ever dare touch national symbols or take part in such revolutions, the informant hinted.
As at now, uncertainty looms on the academic year and the team heading to Bamenda tomorrow would have to produce results by all means, failing which the Head of State himself shall head to West Cameroon next week with a bag full of goodies, the source concluded.
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- Akuroh John Mbah
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The state of Cameroon must be obliged to conduct a series of medical examinations on all the released erstwhile Southern Cameroonians because the rogue regime is so dangerous to be trusted.
They have always made attempts as well as have poisoned those they have often kidnapped and jailed in their dungeons. Those arrested from the erstwhile Southern Cameroon's have always been subjugated and subjected to mental,physical,psychological as well as spiritual torture. The Biya's rogue regime has exposed the cruelty, inhumane nature of francophones and their brutish attitude.
French mentality is brutish and incivility to the extreme. My exposure to Savage Beti and Ewondo and Bassa have ruined my likeability of anybody whose cultural background is French. French men and women by nature are thieves,dishonest, manipulative and above all savages. This sadly got induced to their colonized and assimilated people. Today the world's most backward and primitive minded people are those that savages colonized.
The amount of clientele rackets found across French colonies or la Francophone is eloquent proof how they planted disaster and its whirlwind that has resulted from what that planter called France had planted.
Those who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind and France is reaping it full dose. France must be rudely reminded to hands off their very miserable nations and allow them to manage their own affairs and economic challenges. If this happens then economic uplift meant shall be witnessed across all the erstwhile French Colonies.
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- Bernard Ndim
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Equinoxe Radio Can now confirm that nothing came out of the meeting with Garga Haman and Consortium last night in Bamenda. Wilfred Tassang Tells Journalist Prince Nfor Hanson Nchanji that "forget about the meeting with Garga Haman Adji,he came to play around."
Garga Haman Adji who was present at the Unity Palace on January 6th 2017 for the Presentation of New Year Wishes to President Biya had the opportunity to have a one -to-one chat with H.E the President of the Republic, and after that chat, CRTV Presidential reporter George Ewane caught up with him, and in his own words, boasted;
“The President has asked me to go to Bamenda and bring back those who want to leave us. And I promised him that I will do“
Upon arrival in Bamenda yesterday, Garga Haman Adji refused to grant interviews to anxious journalists, saying ‘it is not time for noise making or interview‘. Sounding positive of the impact of his presence in Bamenda, he said ‘ I am here for dialogue and when solution is out people can now celebrate‘.
During his visit to discuss with the consortium, he paid a courtesy visit to Ni John Fru Ndi during which the SDF chairman expressed his grievances on the issue of corruption of the Biya regime, the marginalisation of Anglophones was best expressed as they compared notes on the horrendous state of the road into the North West Province. A 30 km stretch that took him 4 hours to navigate.
Who is Garga Harmann?
In his early career life, Garga worked as Sub-Director of National Security,Deputy Director of the Ministry of Finance, Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Civil Service, and Finance Director of the National Electricity Company of Cameroon.
He then served as State Inspector and Deputy Director of Inspection and Administrative Reform Following the April 1984 attempted coup in which northerners were implicated, Garga was arrested and held at the Kondengui Central Prison. He wassoon released, however, and he was appointed Director-General of Boston Bank Cameroon on 24 October 1984. President Biya appointed him to the government as Minister of the Civil Service and the Supreme State Audit in 1990.
Reflecting later on his appointment, Garga said that ‘he was pleased by it because he thought Biya had recognized his determination to fight corruption and would allow him to do so freely‘.After the legalization of multiparty politics in December 1990, Garga founded a political party, the Alliance for Democracy and Progress; it was legally recognized on 4 June 1991.While in government, Garga worked to fight corruption. As head of the Supreme State Audit, he reported that various senior officials owed a total of357 million F CFA in missing funds, identifying 42 of them who were alleged to have stolen one million F CFA or more.Garga argued that the senior officials should be put on trial to demonstrate that corruption would not be tolerated, but no action was taken against them.
Garga’s ministerial portfolio was then modified on 9 April 1992, when he was appointed as Minister of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform; he thus lost his authority over the Supreme State Audit.
According to Garga, Biya did not explain to him why he had altered his responsibilities, but Garga believed it was done because Biya and those around him disapproved of Garga’s hard-line stance against corruption.Frustrated by the situation and feeling that Biya lacked confidence in him, Garga resigned from the government on 27 August 1992. He denied that he was persuaded to resign by opposition leader John Fru Ndi, although he campaigned in support of Fru Ndi’s candidacy in the October 1992 presidential election.At the time of the election, Biya said that Garga had resigned because he Biya was unwilling to do what Garga wanted.Biya won the 1992 election according to official results; however, Garga claimed that the election was rigged and that Fru Ndi was the actual winner.When Biya launched the anti-corruption campaign in early 2006, Garga expressed cautious approval, saying that Biya was finally doing what he had recommended in the early 1990s and that it was “better late than never“, buthe also said that the anti-corruption campaign needed to extend much further. According to Garga, many ministers and heads of state corporations were corrupt.On 15 March 2007, President Biya appointed Garga to a three-year term on the Coordination Committee of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. At the swearing-in ceremony on 30 May 2007, Garga collapsed, but he received quick medical attention and recovered within minutes.
In the press, his collapse was blamed on the very crowded atmosphere in the hall, as well as the fact that he had been standing for about an hour.
In a nutshell, Garga has demonstrated on several occasions,that he was not a part to Biya’s corrupt system, reason why reports say his relationship with the SDF’s Chairman has been harmonious,a motivation of why President Biya sent him to Bamenda.We await to see if he does what Muhammad.
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- Rita Akana
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As the governor of the North West handed over 21youths arrested in Bamenda today, Parents particularly mothers are still on blended kneels with heavy hearts for not seeing their respective children amongst those released.
Many school of thoughts thinks that those who can't see their children within this latest release should just forget about him.
They stressed that if their children were not within those released this Tuesday January 10 2017, then it's clear they child is already dead. Some even went further to say and I quote " Because on that fateful day when the masses were shooting stones at the Police, gendarmes and Army along the commercial avenue stretch, many where killed and buried secret locations.
He spoke with certainty that let the parents just forget and have it in mind that their children are dead and buried somewhere.
Cameroontoday
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- Rita Akana
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There is no boycott yet of schools by anglophone teachers in Douala, despite an intention to join their striking colleagues in the North West and Southy West regions.The union of Anglophone teachers in the Wouri had issued a communique last December endorsing the strike of teachers in the English speaking regions of the country and vowing to join them if government does not provide solutions to their grievances.
But the second term in public, private and mission schools in the economic capital took off hitch free, Monday January 9.
Teachers however expressed concerns over the deadlock in the english speaking regions of the country and its ramifications on the school year.
The Vice Principal of GBHS Nyalla did not hide his WORRIES from this reporter. A visibly angry Nana Peter said government is employing gimmics which has instead fueled the crisis. He wonders whether students will sit for the GCE when teachers who set the questions are on strike. To make matters worse,
Though some teachers told me they were not aware of any plans to join the strike, others said they will not hesitate to ground schools if concrete and adequate solutions are not given to the demands of the teachers. They argue that the issues raised by their colleagues west of the Mungo also affects them.
Municipal councillors of some opposition parties in Douala who an evaluation tour to some of these english schools, Monday have cautioned government to make hay while the sun shines. To them, the teachers, lawyers and anglophones in the North West and South West have demonstrated resilience and are determined to put pressure on the state till they demands are met. The protest is gathering momentum, they say and it could spillover to the French zone if government continues circumventing the issue.
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- pereezdlenMO
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Biya Article Count: 73
# Paul Biya and his regime
Explore the political landscape of Cameroon under the rule of Paul Biya, the longest-serving president in Africa who has been in power since 1982. Our Paul Biya and his regime section examines the policies, actions, and controversies of his government, as well as the opposition movements, civil society groups, and international actors that challenge or support his leadership. You'll also find profiles, interviews, and opinions on the key figures and events that shape the political dynamics of Cameroon.
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.# Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia
Learn more about the history, culture, and politics of Ambazonia, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that have been seeking self-determination and independence from the Francophone-dominated central government. Our Southern Cameroons section covers the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the human rights violations, and the peace efforts in the region. You'll also find stories that highlight the rich and diverse heritage, traditions, and aspirations of the Southern Cameroonian people.
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