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PRESS BRIEFING STRIKE CONTINUES BUT GHOST TOWN SUSPENDED FOR NOW

Fellow West Cameroonian, Throughout today Monday 9 January 2017, we have monitored the situation of the Ghost Town Operation called to be in the North West and South West Regions and must say that our people have sent a very strong, message to those who feel that they can continue to oppress, humiliate, marginalize and deprive us of our citizenship in this country. Today. ALL our people have shown that they are truly aggrieved and are willing to sacrifice for future generations. If anyone ever doubted our unity, our desire for a better future or our thirst to see our Anglo-Saxon heritage respected and our willingness to be heard. today is their answer.


The Consortium is extremely thankful to ALL West Cameroonians — from Penda Mboko, to Alou; from Santa to Abongshie; from Furu Awa to Idenau; from Mamfe, Widikum, Kumba, Kumbo. Mundemba to Muyuka, Jakiri, Mutengene, Tiko. Fundong, Victoria. Bamenda, Mbengwi and Nkambe — for the show of solidarity and determination to see to it that Government responds to all the questions we have raised and the multiple problems which affect our existence in Cameroon. We appreciate everyone who felt concerned by this noble cause — the brick layer, economic operators, parents, teachers, lawyers, bike riders, taxi drivers, etc. and our children who stayed at home, we say thank you. We are also thankful to our brothers from the East of the Mungo. living with us, for their understanding and for respecting our current action. We are glad that you have concern for our happiness in this union and that contrary to what Government tried to project, we are not against you.

Sometimes we have to make these sacrifices when we are faced with the craftiness of government. At the same time we have to be calculated and measured in our action. That is why the Ghost Town is suspended for now, but ALL schools — from nursery school to University — remain closed till the people of West Cameroon are given satisfactory solutions to the problems of exclusion, marginalization, abuse, infrastructural development, employment, and the safeguard or guarantee of our protection by the Government. The lawyers' strike also remains in full force, till the time Government decides that they are ready for genuine dialogue. That is why our people continue to clamour for a two-state Federation as a guarantee of our protection in this country.

 In the same light, we call on ALL West Cameroonians to go to church on Sunday 15 January, 2017 and thank God for peace, unity, for success and for hearing our cry as a people. Let non-Christians do same in their respective places of worship. God is our strength.

 

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Rita Akana

09.Jan.2017

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Entire North West closed down: Bamenda wakes up this Monday January 9, 2017 without the usual effervescence that charaterise school re-opening day. The street are empty void of the traditional means of transportation be they commercial motorcycles, taxis, school buses and even private cars. It is a “Ghost town.”

A few commercial bikes tried working this morning but met with resistance from some enforcers of the Ghost town adherents. We are gathering from a radio reporter at mobile Nkwen that some of the adherents have been arrest and forced to sit by the road side by forces of law and order.
Across the North West region reports talk of a similar atmosphere despite administrative efforts and heavy military presence to ensure schools resume today

Kumbo, Nkambe have just been confirmed ghost towns

An attempt by the forces of law and order to take or accompany some students to GBHS Bamenda failed to end up with effective classes

A state Counsel in Mbengwi has just been booed by onlookers for taking his children to school. He has however taken them back home

Even within the quarters in Bamenda people find it difficult moving though with no military presence. Drinking spot inside the quarters are very active

Talking to John at mile two junction, he has no idea of who called for a ghost town nor how long it will last but says it is for the good of the children

Financial houses, money transfer agencies and businesses all shutdown.

We cannot independently confirm this; we have reports saying that the Minister of Secondary Education is about cutting short his six days visit to Bamenda 

Though opened, some markets are empty. no sellers no buyers 

"Bamelike's" return to their houses sweating after attempting to open shades and stores. No one chases them but one Christophe says "the ghost is everywhere"

It is now confirmed that the Ministers are cutting short their mission to Bamenda. Their departure is soon. their bags are belongings being moved out of the hotel

Stay on for more updates.

Hilltopvoices

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Bakah Derick

09.Jan.2017

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In two weeks time, President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia faces a deadline to hand over power to his elected successor. If he misses it, he faces the threat of a military intervention by regional ECOWAS forces.

Tension is mounting in Gambia as the January 19 deadline for President Yahya Jammeh to hand over power to his elected successor Adama Barrow looms.    

Earlier this week, Gambia's army chief General Ousman Badjie pledged his loyalty to Jammeh, who has refused to accept defeat in the election held on December 1, 2016.

DW has been talking to Alex Vines, head of the Africa program at the Chatham House think tank in the UK.

DW: What impact is the general's pledge of loyalty likely to have on any decision by ECOWAS to send troops into Gambia?

Alex Vines:The decision of the general to support President Jammeh is unsurprising. The military - some of them - are very insecure, particularly after one of the aides to President-elect Adama Barrow suggested that they would prosecute President Jammeh within a year and suggested that people around him might also be indexed.  That has frightened the military as well as having frightened President Jammeh. The question is what is going to happen now in terms of ECOWAS's calculations. ECOWAS, I think, will continue to focus on the need for a peaceful transition of power on January 19, which is the last day that Jammeh is legitimately president of Gambia.  ECOWAS will wait until then and there will be more shuttle diplomacy, but it's been very clear - backed up by a statement from the UN Security Council, the African Union and ECOWAS - the Economic Community of West African States - that President Jammeh needs to recognize the election result and transfer power. That hasn't changed.

What can you tell us about Gambia's army chief General Ousman Badjie? How much loyalty does he inspire in his troops?

He has some support but not whole support and I think that is really the question here. If there were to be an ECOWAS intervention, which is a possible scenario now, with military support probably vanguarded by Senegal, one wonders how united the Gambian military would be, let alone its ability to combat an ECOWAS-disciplined force entering the country. At the moment the stakes rise, I imagine there will be a lot of shuttle diplomacy by the region and the UN to try and find a soft-landing option for President Jammeh and I think that is where the focus will be now. It will be buttressed by strong diplomatic language. So this is a bit like a game of chess at the moment, but January 19 really is the key date and that's the one that everybody is looking at.

Why do you think the general has chosen to voice support for Jammeh at this particular moment?

Look, there is fear. Everybody is fearful. President-elect Adama Barrow and his supporters are fearful. The head of the Electoral Commission is fearful and has gone into hiding, possibly left the country and President Jammeh and his supporters are fearful.  So there is an issue here of how to build up trust and provide a soft exit for this stand-off, because Gambia can ill-afford instability. Its economy is doing poorly. It needs investment and it needs a peaceful transition.

Apart from the fear you mentioned, is the general's career inextricably tied to the fate of President Jammeh?

This is real politics and people can move their loyalties, but at the moment that is where his loyalty lies. I imagine, though, that there is a lot of fluidity here. There is a lot of rumor and hearsay, speculation that mercenaries, including people who fought for the [Charles] Taylor regime in the last decade, people like Benjamin Yeaten, have moved into Gambia. Who knows? But there is a lot of uncertainty as we move towards this tripwire date of January 19th.      

DW

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Rita Akana

06.Jan.2017

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Demobilized soldiers seized Ivory Coast's second-largest city on Friday and gunfire erupted at a military camp in another town, according to military sources who said reinforcements had been sent to manage the uprising.

The unrest comes weeks after parliamentary elections that had been viewed as a further step towards cementing stability in the West African nation, which has emerged from a 2002-2011 political crisis as one of the continent's rising stars.

Heavy gunfire was heard from around 2 a.m. (0200 GMT) in Bouake - a city of around a half million inhabitants in the centre of the country - and sporadic shooting continued into the late morning.

Military sources said demobilized soldiers - mainly former rebels from the decade-long conflict - broke into police stations across the city, looting weapons before taking up positions at entry points into the city.

"The city is under the control of former (soldiers)," said an army officer, who spoke by telephone from Bouake. "There are many of them at the north and south entrances to the city. We are on alert and await instructions from the hierarchy."

He added that the second in command at the main military base in the city had been taken hostage by the ex-soldiers.

Shooting also broke out mid-morning at a military base in Daloa, the main trading hub in Ivory Coast's western cocoa belt. Residents said demobilized soldiers were behind the unrest.

Bouake was the seat of a rebellion that controlled the northern half of the world's top cocoa grower from 2002 until Ivory Coast was reunited following a civil war in 2011.

Residents stayed home and businesses remained closed on Friday morning. A helicopter from Ivory Coast's U.N. peacekeeping mission patrolled above the city, they said.

"The city is deserted. Men in balaklavas are patrolling the city on motorcycles or in cars. They aren't attacking residents ... They told us to stay at home," said Ami Soro, a teacher living in Bouake.

An officer at Ivory Coast's military headquarters in the commercial capital Abidjan said reinforcements had been sent to Bouake.

"The situation remains unstable and serious in Bouake ... Some civilians and even active-duty soldiers have started to rally to them," he said.

He added that, while the ex-soldiers had not yet stated their demands, it was believed that they were seeking payment of money they believed they were owed by the government.

A facility in Bouake housing around 200 former soldiers, who were initially brought into the army before later being demobilized, was closed in November.

There was no clear sign of a link between the Bouake events and outbreak of shooting at a military base in Daloa, but the fact the rebels were also demobilized soldiers could indicate the uprising was spreading.

"There is gunfire at the Second Battalion in Daloa. It's young demobilized soldiers," said a Daloa resident, speaking by telephone from a cocoa processing factory near the army camp.

A similar uprising occurred in 2014 when hundreds of soldiers barricaded roads in several cities and towns across the country demanding payment of back wages. The government agreed a financial settlement with the soldiers, who returned to barracks.

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Rita Akana

06.Jan.2017

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There is ever-growing uncertainty over the resumption of schools in the English speaking regions of North West and South West where teachers have been on strike for a while now. Despite numerous consultative talks than ended in a stalemate, the government has called on teachers to call off their strike and for parents to send their kids to school come January 9.

The teachers on their part have vowed to continue the strike action and have even threatened to extend the strike to schools of Anglo-Saxon structure throughout the national territory.
The Sun visited some families who have children in schools in the English speaking regions of Cameroon and sought to know from them if they will let their children back to school come January 9. as instructed by the governmental or would they rather heed to the call by the trade unionist asking them to keep their kids at home.

Eric, a pedagogue said “As a parent, I wouldn’t risk sending my children back to school amidst a situation of uncertainty. If Prof. Ghogomo thinks he is on the right track, he should reach an agreement with teachers on this issue; jointly sign a communiqué assuring parents and students that all is well. I don’t care about what I have paid as school fees. The life and future of my kids is worth more than the money.”

Pearl, another parent insisted “There’s a reason for the strike, and there are people who called for it. Until they call off the strike, no call from any professor can make me send my children to school on the 9th of January 2017.”
Peter advised parents to keep their kids at home “Keep the children at home. This struggle is for the future and that future is ultimately theirs. Won’t allow mine back to class until the strike is called off by those who initiated it.”
“I won’t send kids back to school except the problems have been solved. If teachers don’t go back to class who will teach the children?” Collet, another parent asked.

Cletus said “I’ve got lots of siblings schooling that way. I won’t support their going back to school come January 9th until I’m sure that everything is in order especially assurance coming from the teachers’ union.”
Geoffrey Mbong expressed worries but said it was worth it “As a parent, I am worried that my kid isn’t going to school. I’m comforted by the fact that the strike is bigger than all of us and the eventual result will guarantee her a better future than what the status quo provides.”

The Sun

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Rita Akana

06.Jan.2017

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The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium on Wednesday called for a sit-in strike to be held on January 9, 2017 to continue the fight against marginalization.

“Ever since lawyers and teachers of West Cameroon raised critical issues relating to their existence, Government has not taken any concrete steps to resolve them. Rather, they have been moving around trying to undermine the people,” the group said in a statement.

“We must stand together and continue our peaceful resistance until the demands of the lawyers and teachers tabled, relating to our existence have been satisfactorily addressed,” they added.

Late last year, Cameroon security services clashed with Anglophone protesters who were supporting teachers’ strike against the “imposition” of French in schools in Anglophone parts of the country. Ahead of the strike by the teachers, lawyers in the regions were on strike for two months after being ordered to use French in legal proceedings.

In December, Anglophone journalists condemned a government order banning all radio and television discussions on the political situation in the English-speaking South-West Region.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium called on the people in the region not to open their businesses, attend the market or school as they continue the protest.

“No street marches, no public demonstration, no confrontation with the police. Our peaceful resistance continues,” the group advised.

 

 

 

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Peter Nsoesie

05.Jan.2017

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