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Abba has been held in custody for nearly a year with "no evidence" presented to support the accusations against him of 'complicity with terrorist acts',

In a statement, RFI’s board of directors called for the immediate release of Abba saying that it is clear from the lack of evidence presented before the court that Abba is innocent.

The statement also noted the change in the composition of the court and is calling for a new hearing.

“The RFI management notes the change in the composition of the tribunal, including the President and the Government Commissioner, who are now civil magistrates rather than military judges,” the statement reads.

“It also notes the request of Ahmed Abba’s counsel for the holding a special session of the court, without which, its correspondent will be forced to stay in prison."

RFI regrets that Abba's case has again been delayed, and calls on the authorities in Yaounde to release him.

It also noted that Abba was held for three months in a prison under the authority of the DGRE (the General Directorate for External Research) intelligence service without having access to a lawyer.

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Rita Akana

09.Jun.2016

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The World Bank says 12 Cameroonians are involved in road traffic accidents every day. Worldwide, there has been an average of 4,700 accidents per year since 2010. The proportion of children and youth aged below 19 that is involved is of great concern, officials say. It is in this light that the first-ever one-day road injury prevention conference/campaign was recently organised on the theme, “Children and the road.”

This was by the Government Bilingual Grammar School, Molyko, Buea, in partnership with the Cameroon Association for the Defence of Victims of Accidents, CADVA, and the Cameroon Road Safety Foundation, CAROSAF. CADVA Secretary General, Ngochia Fidelis, said given that it is less than five years to 2020 when governments around the world agreed to halve road deaths, the time to act was now. He recalled the five key priorities or “2020 Action Agenda.” They are securing safe trips to school for every child, safe roads and speed management around every school and safe school transport, including seatbelts in all school buses.

Others are motorcycle helmets for all children where two-wheelers are the main family transport, safe vehicles for children and action to promote child restraints and enforcement and action against drink-driving. Accidents can be drastically reduced in Cameroon and other middle income countries if the above five points are adequately implemented, officials noted. The realisation of this task, according to the South West Regional Delegate for Transport, requires joint efforts between public and private sector stakeholders.

“The involvement of children in this campaign cannot be overemphasized. They are at the centre of the activity and must be involved at all levels. The initiative is in line with government’s measures to create road safety clubs in schools, introduce the study of the Highway Code and encourage the safe use of roads by drivers, commuters and pedestrians,” the Delegate said.

Cameroon Tribune

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Rita Akana

09.Jun.2016

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Muslims around the world are marking Ramadan with prayer and fasting. In Cameroon, Christians and Animists are joining Muslims for the evening meal as a show of solidarity against the terrorist group Boko Haram, which has been carrying out attacks in the north since 2014. 
 
Hundreds of people gather at Yaounde’s largest mosque to pray and break fast. But not all are Muslims. Christians have come to share supper. They wait outside in the courtyard while the Muslims pray.

"The message is just one: let Cameroon remain [the] same. Christians and Muslims should live together. We should not discriminate and we pray for a better Cameroon,"said  Charles Nzobo, an elder at the Catholic cathedral across town.

Fear of tensions

Cameroon does not have a history of religious conflict. But some fear that the Boko Haram insurgency in the north is creating tension and suspicion between Christians and Muslims as it did in Nigeria.​About a quarter of Cameroon’s population is Muslim. Authorities have arrested dozens of Muslim clerics for their alleged support for Boko Haram. But those gathered at the mosque say people should not generalize. 

Joseph Ndinga, a notable from the nearby traditional ruler’s palace at Tsinga-Yaounde, says gathering to break fast is a show of solidarity with the Muslim community that will help fight Boko Haram.

“It is African tradition. If somebody is either enjoying or in pain, there is that aspect that you go to your brother or sister, be it he is having something bad or something good," he said.
 
Open doors

For Muslims, Ramadan is the holiest month of the year. Some imams say only Muslims who have fasted should partake of the evening meal. 

But Muhamadou Labarang, secretary of the mosque, says all are welcome. He begins with a prayer.  
 
He says they share collective meals in respect of the holy Koran’s prescription that the faithful should share so as to have favors and blessings from God. He says they thank God that Muslims and non-Muslims can live together in Cameroon and they pray for peace.

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Rita Akana

09.Jun.2016

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Rita Akana

08.Jun.2016

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Anti apartheid activist and Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Desmond Mpilo Tutu, has nominated Marwan Barghouthi, a Palestinian political activist for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The announcement was made through his official twitter handle where he wrote, ‘‘I have nominated imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti for #NobelPeacePrize 2017. For peace and justice.’‘

However, the letter Tutu submitted in respect of his nominee to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, described the jailed Barghouthi as a symbol of the Palestinian people and their “struggle for freedom, [which] constitutes a clear signal of support for the realization of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, including to self-determination.”

Africannews

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Rita Akana

08.Jun.2016

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As the second ordinary session of the National Assembly for the 2016 legislative year rolls on, the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House is as busy as a bee hive. Conscious of the security context prevailing in the country faces at the moment from the Boko Haram terrorist sect, a series of preventive security measures have been put in place to pre-empt any nasty scenario. 

As a sensible State institution, the National Assembly has within its premises a permanent detachment of the National Gendarmerie tasked with ensuring security of both the personnel and property. In the case of an event like parliamentary sessions, security measures are further beefed up given that it attract people across the board, including Members of Parliament, cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and the general public.

Within the context of the ongoing parliamentary session, the Secretary General of the National Assembly, Victor YeneOssomba, signed an internal communiqué (posted on the notice board of the National Assembly) with specific security measures to be observed by everyone.

The systematic check of persons and vehicles is a condition sin quo-non forentryto the premises of the National Assembly. Not only has the entrance from the LycéeBilingued’Application (LBA) end been temporarily closed, but there is a considerable limitation of the number of visitors to Glass House. The measures also include the prohibition of dressing that does not allow immediate identification as well as gatherings within the precincts of the institution.

These measures can be added if deemed necessary by the National Assembly security detachment that preferred sealed lips when contacted yesterday June 7, 2016 by Cameroon Tribune.

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Rita Akana

08.Jun.2016

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