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Two Eritrean pilots have landed in Ethiopia in their fighter jets after defecting from their home country.

“The two pilots flew their small-sized fighter jets to Mekelle on Wednesday morning,” Nasredin Ahmed Ali, spokesman for the Ethiopia-based Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization, told The Associated Press.

Described as being very experienced with Eritrea’s air force, Afeworki Fisehaye and Mebrahtu Tesfamarian , are the first pilots from Eritrea to have defected to Ethiopia with their jets, however there have been reports of the East African nation’s pilots defecting to Saudi Arabia since 2012.

Eritrea’s government has been criticised by the UN commission of inquiry for numerous abuses including enslavement, rape and torture.

An Eritrean official based in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, said he was not aware of the defections. Ethiopia’s government spokesman, Getachew Reda, declined to comment according to AP.

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Rita Akana

27.Oct.2016

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SDF Vice President, Joshua Osih, criticizes a decree calling for the creation of an independent commission to investigate last week's train accident that claimed more than 400 lives, leaving nearly 1000 injured in the capital city of Yaounde.

Osih claims the commission members are responsible for the accident, citing reports from local journalists. "It can never be objective and would never be public."

He calls for a forceful opposition that would disband the commission that has a 30-day mandate to produce an independent report.

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Rita Akana

27.Oct.2016

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 A presidential decree signed by Cameroons President, Paul Biya, Tuesday October 25,2016 has created a commission of inquiry to probe into the Eseka train accident on October 21 .

The commission which has as roadmap to determine the cause of the train accident and propose solutions to avoid future catastrophe, establish principal persons responsible and evaluate the incident and propose mode of indemnification, is headed by Prime minister Philemon Yang.

Members of the Commission include; Justice Minister, Laurent Esso, Territorial Administration Minister, Rene Emmanuel SADI, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of Supreme State Audit, Mbah Acha Rose, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defense in charge of National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptist Bokam, Director of National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelle and The permanent secretary at National Security Council as Rapporteur.

Transport Minister, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o whose ministry is directly involved has been sidelined The yang Commission has 30 days to table findings at the level of the Presidency. Critics hold that the Commission of Inquiry is just one of those whose findings will never be made public. Findings of 1986 Lake Nyos disaster have never been revealed, the 1998 Nsam oil spill ,2007 Mbanga Pongo Plane crash,the Lions dismal performance in the World Cup and other inquiries carried out by the state but whose findings remain in drawers.

Another group of persons hold that in a serious country, people will be sacked and not commissions created.

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Rita Akana

26.Oct.2016

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The Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation has announced the death of the Governor of the Centre Region, Joseph Otto Wilson.

He died from an illness in an American Hospital in Paris in the capital of France where he had been evacuated for medical treatment. He has been Governor of the Centre Region since July 2014.

Governor Joseph Otto Wilson who was flown out of the country on the 8th of September 2016 for specialised medical attention.

The Senior Civil Administrator was born in the Littoral region of Cameroon some 52 years ago.
Prior to his appointment as Governor of the Centre Region, Otto Joseph Wilson had served as Governor of the North Region.

He had also been Inspector General in charge of Electoral Matters at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization.

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation has extended heartfelt condolence of the President of the Republic, Paul Biya and that of the entire Government to the family of late Governor Joseph Otto Wilson.

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Rita Akana

25.Oct.2016

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Sidiki Kaba, President of the Assembly, International Criminal Court (ICC) has expressed his regret over the withdrawal of State parties from the Rome Statute.

“Although withdrawing from a treaty is a sovereign act, I regret these decisions and invite South Africa and Burundi to reconsider their positions. I urge them to work together with other States in the fight against impunity, which often causes massive violations of human rights,” he said.

On 21 October 2016, the Government of the Republic of South Africa indicated plan to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, with the Secretary General of the United Nations. The decision came in the wake of the withdrawal process recently initiated by Burundi.

The President of the Assembly shared his concerns saying that the disturbing signal would open the way to other African States withdrawing from the Rome Statute, thus weakening the only permanent international criminal court in charge of prosecuting most serious crimes that shock the conscience of humanity, namely genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression.

According to Kaba, the international community must remain united to face the enormous challenge of preventing the commission of such crimes, prosecuting the alleged perpetrators, whoever they are and wherever they are, to ensure peace, stability and security of States.

He reiterates that the ICC needs the strong support of the international community and the cooperation of States to ensure its effectiveness and strengthen its credibility.

He calls upon all States parties to remain active members and other States to ratify the Rome Statute in order to ensure the right to universal justice to all victims of mass crimes.

Africannews

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Rita Akana

25.Oct.2016

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Reports says a Criminal Investigation has been opened at the High Court of Mfoundi, under the the control of the Yaounde Judicial Police, following the train crash that killed many and left over 600 wounded.

The Head of State President Paul Biya on Sunday Oct. 23rd assured Cameroonians that he has given firm instructions to the Government for inquiries to be conducted and to ensure that the matter be handled with utmost urgency so as to bring quick remedy to the population.

The head of of the Investigating Team is the State Counsel General at the High Court of Mfoundi.

On October 21, a packed passenger train carrying more than 1,000 people between the capital Yaounde and the port city of Douala derailed on near the town of Eseka, causing carriages to flip over at high speed.

Henrietteslounge

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Rita Akana

25.Oct.2016

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