Headlines

Molinge Henry Nyoki, international peace crusader who currently serves as the Central and West African Regional coordinator of the World Peace Initiative Foundation and the country representative of the African Youth Movement has called on the government of Cameroon to investigate the inhumane treatment and human rights violation on peaceful protesters by riot police officers in Bamenda and Buea during the twin protest that took place at the two English speaking regional capitals.

The peace crusader who until the Buea student protest was in Guinea Bissau where he was received at the Presidency had to cut short his trip after getting news of the gross human right violation of unarmed protesting students of the University of Buea by armed to the teeth irate riot police officers.

In a press statement sent to our South West Regional office and captioned “Human right abuse, a violation to Cameroon’s peace”, Prince Molinge Henry opined that with Cameroon being a signatory to several human right accords, the only way to redeem its image was for the government to open up investigations to ensure that the police officers found guilty of violating the rights of either the striking common law lawyers, teachers, students or the local population be brought to book.

“When did freedom of speech become a crime? Is violence and brutality the only means to manage a crisis?

Have the perpetrators of these acts of violence ever taken a second to look at the man in the mirror?

What if such pain was inflicted on you or your loved ones, how would you feel?

When there is an outcry, people need to be listened to in order to find a common ground through dialogue and not intimidation and abuse of human rights. That is a threat to peace!”a section of the statement read.

While calling on the government to maintain peace and restore the dignity of those brutalised by ensuring that the perpetuators are brought to book, he added that. “Note should be taken that the current strike action has different reasons as projected by the groups leading it but this all boils down to the fact that Cameroonians from the minority English speaking regions have been marginalized for over 60 years. All what is being asked is for better treatment. This strike should not be mistaken in any way as a battle between Anglophones and Francophones.

It is simply a cry by other children in the same house who need equal treatment from their parents-the government. Hence, as Cameroonians we prefer peace to war.” He however emphasised that the on-going strike actions is not in any way related to session as “there is no Anglophone or Francophone Cameroon but only one country-The Republic of Cameroon.” Molinge Henry who equally doubles as a prince of Upper Muea, a town considered as the economic hub of Buea, sounded a clarion call to Cameroonians of French origin to join in the struggled emphasising that it’s not an Anglophone matter but one that concerns all Cameroonians.

In a brief interview with this reporter upon his arrival in Cameroon Thursday December 1, 2016 he was categorical that the dignity of the English speaking Cameroonians needs to be restored and this can only be achieved if the government stops trying to supress the Anglophone voice but rather tries to listen to them. “What the government needs to do is to have more dialogues and not just dialogue but trying to see how it can address the problems rose by the various groups. But what is very pertinent and disturbing about this situation is the human rights abuses as so many people have been beaten, molested and their rights smashed to the mud. The government needs to take measures to address these situations.” He cried out.

Details

Amos Fofung in Buea

05.Dec.2016

Hits: 13050

Write comment (0 Comments)

Details

Rita Akana

04.Dec.2016

Hits: 2162

Write comment (0 Comments)

The African Union, AU, may sanction Cameroon following the cruel treatment meted on helpless students of the University of Buea, UB, by Cameroon’s security forces.

The security forces on Monday, November 28, subjected the students, mostly female students to torture, molestation and rape, which is contrary to the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

In its Article 16, the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child states that: “Children should be protected from all forms of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, especially physical or mental injury or abuse, neglect or maltreatment including sexual abuse.”

But the brutality with which Cameroon’s forces descended on UB students on Monday, beating female students and compelling some to roll in mud is a huge human rights abuse.

At other instances, The Post gathered that the soldiers broke into the living rooms of some students and sexually assaulted them.

Observers have argued that it is unacceptable that parents send their children to the University and the Government cannot protect them. Rather, the State discharges brutes to kick, beat and maim them because the students expressed their views on certain issues they felt were not going right in the University.

Article 7, 8 and 9 of this same Charter gives the children, those under the age of 18, the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of thought and conscience and the right to freedom of expressing their own views on issues.

While the African Union obliges State parties to ensure the respect of these principles, it states clearly in its Article 3 that:

“Every child should be allowed to enjoy the rights and freedoms in this Charter, regardless of his or her race, ethnic group, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status.”

Meanwhile, some parents have called on the UB Vice Chancellor to immediately issue a condemnation of such untamed brutality on her students and to order the forces off the campus and student residential quarters.

The happenings in UB are reminiscent to those of the University of Yaounde I in early 1991, when Anglophone students rose up to demand for the creation of an Anglo-Saxon university.

This led to the creation of UB. But this creation came after the sacrifice of some students who died in hospital after they were assaulted sexually by Government forces.

Cameroonpost

Details

Rita Akana

04.Dec.2016

Hits: 7468

Write comment (0 Comments)

The Nigerian Super Falcons have emerged champions of Africa again after beating Cameroon 1-0 in the finals of the 2016 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Desire Oparanozie scored the only goal that saw the Falcons beat the Indomitable Lionesses in a nervy final match played at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Omnisports Stadium in Yaoundé.

The win has seen Nigeria secure their eight African title even as Coach of the Nigeria team, Florence Omagbemi, made history to become the first individual to win the AWCON as a player and a coach.

Details

Rita Akana

03.Dec.2016

Hits: 1747

Write comment (0 Comments)

Anglophone teachers have kicked against the government’s recent move to end the lingering strike by the teachers, saying that no amount of coercion will make them return to work unless the contentious issue of the bi-cultural nature of the country’s education system is satisfactorily resolved.
Speaking on the so-called Prime Minister Philemon Yang’s proposal to end the strike, the teachers trade unions have issued a statement saying that the government was making moves to engage those they described as thugs to masquerade themselves as 1000 bilingual teachers in order to open schools in British Southern Cameroons. 
Describing the move as an exercise in futility, the teacher’s trade unions have rejected the proposal from the Prime Minister because the proposal was not time structured and many issues were not specific.
BBC’s Randy Joe who spoke to Santa Meteo Radio on Friday December 2 2016, opined that the Biya's proposal did not offer anything to the Anglophones.
The Anglophone teacher’s communique observe with dismay, the government’s unwillingness to address the Anglophone problem but rather chose to indulge in blackmail, propaganda and looking for scapegoats. The press release stressed that the Anglophone teachers union’s stand still remains the same.
One of the teachers who spoke to Santa Meteo Radio but sued for anonymity, regretted the government’s constant refusal of the Anglophone problem. Contrary to announcement made over state radio and television, the Anglophone teachers have made it abundantly clear that their strike action continues unabated.

Cameroontoday

Details

Rita Akana

03.Dec.2016

Hits: 4594

Write comment (0 Comments)

James Arrey Abangma, President of the National Unionof Teachers of Higher Education (NUTHE),University of Buea (UB Chapter), has disclosed in a press statement that the Biya’s regime in Yaounde is scheming a mass arrest, kidnappings and assassination of Anglophone leaders of the struggle. The communique also states that the solution to the current crisis in theNorth West and South West regions does not lie with Prime Minister Philemon Yang as many think.

The Associate Professor of Political Science in UB described the Prime Minister as “Powerless and Helpless,” because he is Anglophone.  

Following the recent outings by some Members of government who called the bluff of Anglophones, denying that there exists an Anglophone problem, the University don said the Ministers are making a mockery of the PM and flagrantly undermining all his efforts at brokering peace simply because he is an Anglophone. Proof of this he said, is the fact that after spending about four days in Bamenda, the PM acknowledged that there is an Anglophone Problem, whereas other ministers have hijacked government media airwaves to denial such a problem exist.

The communiqué raises an alarm that the government is planning mass arrest, kidnappings and assassination of leaders of lawyers and teachers unions as a means to thwart the Anglophone cause. He calls for unity amongst Anglophones, stating that battalions of troops are being mobilized for this purpose.

Santa Meteo Radio gathered from CJ that some of the leaders have already received death threats from “anonymous.”In Cameroon, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President. Even though he goes by the appellation “Head of Government,” it is more a cosmetic attribution as he is not allowed to appoint, dismiss or sanction any minister. The Prime Minister is more of an “errand boy” who takes orders from the President and implements them.

Cameroontoday

Details

Rita Akana

03.Dec.2016

Hits: 3559

Write comment (0 Comments)