Catholic Bishops from around the world signed an open letter to the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, asking him to begin peace negotiations with the separatist movement in that country. In response to an attack on the village of Ntumbo, in the north-east of the country, the 16 bishops from around the world have drafted an open letter to Paul Biya, urging the President of Cameroon to embrace the Swiss-led dialogue.
There have been contrasting versions from the administration of Cameroon on the killings of people in Ngarbuh community Ntumbaw village in Ndu sub-division-Donga Mantung division in the North West region of Cameroon. A release from the Ministry of Defense Monday, February 17th says the killing of civilians and destruction of property in Ngarbuh came as a result of military confrontation with separatists as the former was in a process of dislodging a separatist camp. “In the attack, seven separatist fighters present in the area were neutralized. Fighting continued leading to the explosion of several containers of illicit fuel and ammunitions that affected other neighbouring houses,” Atonfack Guemo, head of communication service at the ministry of defence said in the statement. Rights groups and victims have said state forces are responsible for the Valentine’s Day killings.
Jailed Ambazonian leader, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe today expressed his sadness after learning of the Bui and Donga Mantung killings recently. “Our hearts go to the families of the deceased in Ntumbaw, Bambili and all across Ambazonia. We pray for God to grant all of us the fortitude to bear these losses until we overcome the enemy,” he tweeted. (Petition below!)
The People Action Party (PAP) has condemned the massacre in Donga Mantung division in the North West region of Cameroon at the weekend. PAP through its president Njang Denise accuses the military of perpetrating what it termed “carnage and inhumane act on innocent population”. They have called on the conscience of the government to respect the lives of people.
Barrister Agbo Balla has recommended an independent investigation into the Ngarbuh-Ntuwbaw village Massacre in the North West region of Cameroon. On his Twitter handle, Agbo Balla said he read through the reaction of the Ministry of Defense, and thinks an investigative commission of religious and civil society actors should be created
Edith Kah Walla has regretted that the government of Cameroon has treated with low regards the lives lost in Ntumbaw village. After reading through the release of Cameroon’s Ministry of Defense, Kah Walla criticized the use of the word COLLATERAL CONSIQUENCIES to describe the killing of civilians in Ngarbuh-Ntuwbaw.
Over 300 houses have been burnt in Urzal Village in Mosogo Subdivision in a Boko Haram attack over the weekend. The attackers left 3 persons dead and livestock destroyed. The population has blamed the Cameroonian army for abandoning them
Heavy material damages have been recorded at CCAST Campus in Bambili in the North West region of Cameroon. Students and teachers battled to put out flames following a fire incident Monday. It is not clear if the fire incident is a criminal act or an accident.
Members of the national vote-counting commission have begun work today. In five days, they will present results to the Constitutional Council for final proclamation following last week’s parliamentary election in Cameroon. Members of the commission are representatives of political parties who took part in the legislative election, ELECAM officials, the administration and the Constitutional Council.
Incidents of insecurity hampered voting in the Anglophone regions on the 9th of February. Dr Chemuta Divine Banta, Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms was speaking at a press conference in Yaounde today. He praised ELECAM for making provisions for people with disabilities to vote.
Protesting inhabitants of Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital were today dispersed by security forces. They had blocked the main street linking Sable, Denver, Bonamoussadi, Makepe, Kotto and Lundi neighbourhoods to the rest of the city in protest against sustained epileptic Electricity Energy Supply. They have gone for months dealing with on and off the tricity supply, and say enormous material damage has been recorded.
A candlelight vigil is being organised for the over 35 victims of the Ngar-buh massacre. Shot and burnt to death in their compounds in Donga Mantung Division on February 14, the victims included kids and pregnant women. Despite eyewitness accounts, government has denied being involved.
A house behind Santa Lucia in Cité Cicam, Ange Raphael Douala was razed to ashes today. While the cause is yet to be unravelled, an occupant of the house; a mother who went unconscious has been evacuated to hospital. No human casualty has been recorded as firefighters arrived the scene on time to contain the flames.
An autopsy has finally been performed on the remains of late MRC lawyer, Barrister Sylvain Souop. It was conducted last weekend in Yaoundé by a team of doctors and forensic scientists, committed by the national order of doctors of Cameroon. The autopsy report is expected to establish the factors surrounding the death of the renowned lawyer. Results are awaited. MRC leaders have accused government of killing the lawyer days after he was involved in an accident and was said to be recovering.
Media reports say there has been a resurgence of cholera in Douala. In the new outbreak, some cases are said to have been detected recently at the Tergal District Hospital and Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Last year, the cholera epidemic killed around 50 people in the North region.
The organising committee of the African Football Championship CHAN has made public a loincloth for the championship. This is an innovation that has attracted both criticisms and praises. To some Cameroonians, it will enhance Cameroon’s unique nature. Meanwhile, other critical minds see this as means by members of COCAN to justify the embezzlement of funds meant for more important issues.
Reports from Niger say at least 20 people have been killed and many others wounded in a stampede in the southeastern town of Diffa as thousands of Nigerian refugees, displaced by Boko Haram violence, scrambled to get relief materials supplied by Nigeria’s Borno state government.
Rwandan gospel music artist Kizito Mihigo has been found dead in a police cell, officers say. It comes three days after he was arrested near the border with Burundi. Police accused him of attempting to flee the country and join rebel groups fighting against Rwanda. He was banned from leaving Rwanda due to a previous conviction.
When Kem Senou Pavel Daryl, a 21-year-old Cameroonian student living in the Chinese city of Jingzhou, contracted the coronavirus he had no intention of leaving China, even if that were possible. “No matter what happens I don’t want to take the sickness back to Africa,” he said from his university dormitory, where he is now under a 14-day quarantine. The CT scan showed no trace of the illness. He became the first African person known to be infected with the deadly coronavirus and the first to recover. His medical care was covered by the Chinese state.
Kenya’s ambassador to China Sarah Serem has told students stuck in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, that they will not yet be brought home but she is praying for their safety. In a video message,Ambassador Serem asked Kenyans to join her and pray for Kenyan students living in the Chinese city which is currently on lockdown.
Mounting criticism has seemingly forced South Africa’s former President FW de Klerk to withdraw his statement that refused to equate the policy of apartheid to crimes against humanity. Anti-apartheid icon Desmond Tutu had said the comments did not account for the impact the policy of apartheid had on the lives of its victims and called on him to withdraw the comments. A statement from Mr De Klerk’s foundation on Facebook said he agreed with Mr Tutu, adding “this is not the time to quibble about the degrees of unacceptability of apartheid. It was totally unacceptable”.
Detectives in Kenya are questioning staff from the Deputy President William Ruto’s office as part of an investigation into a fraudulent military arms deal worth nearly $400m (£300m). In a court in the capital Nairobi a former sports minister, Rashid Echesa, has denied committing fraud.
Media organisations in Liberia and abroad are calling for an independent autopsy to determine the cause of the death of a popular independent journalist and radio talk-show host, Zenu Miller, who was assaulted by state security officers three weeks ago. He was allegedly beaten up by presidential security guards at the end of January when he had gone to provide commentary for a football match President George Weah was attending.
There are reports from Burkina Faso that at least 24 people have been killed during an attack on a church on Sunday in the north of the country, near the border with Niger. This is the latest in a string of attacks by suspected Islamist militants. Since 2015, hundreds of people have been killed in Burkina Faso and more than 500,000 have been displaced.
Tomato prices have hit a record high in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, making the staple food a luxury for many. Harvests have been smaller and poorer in quality because of prolonged heavy rains that led to flash floods, landslides, and the destruction of agricultural land.
A total of 18 people suspected to be linked to a spate of gas attacks in Zambia were killed at the weekend by mob justice, state-owned Times of Zambia newspaper reports. Different parts of Zambia have over the last two months been grappling with mysterious gas attacks by unknown criminals. (Source: BBC Africa)
To sign petition and ensure victims of Ngarbuh massacre receive justice, click the link below
http://chng.it/ZnfXXs6W
