The Cameroonian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all arrested both in the north west and South West regions of Cameroon, not forgetting Mr Ayuk Tabe Julius and his entire cabinet who were also illegally adopted and deported from Nigeria earlier this year, and lift the ban imposed on SCNC ( Southen Cameroons National Council).

On 17 January the Minister of Territorial Administration banned the activities of the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC). The president of the CACSC, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla, and its Secretary General, Dr. Fontem Aforteka’a Neba, were arrested, sparking protests in the southwest city of Buea.

On the same day both Agbor-Balla and Dr. Fontem Neba had signed a statement calling for protest activities to be carried out without violence.

“These two men have been arrested solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression. This flagrant disregard for basic rights risks inflaming an already tense situation in the English-speaking region of the country and is clearly an attempt to muzzle dissent,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Amnesty International Central Africa Researcher.

According to the Minister of Territorial Administration, “all activities, meetings and demonstrations initiated or promoted by the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC), any other related groups with similar objectives or by anyone partisan to these groups, are hereby prohibited all over the national territory”.

The government has accused the two groups of supporting a series of demonstrations that began in late October 2016 across several cities in the English-speaking region of Cameroon. The protesters were calling, among other things, for an end to the use of French in courts and schools. These protest were met with fierce reactions from the brutal and dictatorial regime of President Paul Biya resulting to many deaths on the side of innoncent civilians.

“This worrying pattern of arbitrary arrests, detention and harassment of civil society members is entirely at odds with the international human rights law and standards that Cameroon has committed to uphold,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi.

We have on our part in the diaspora, taken upon ourselves to resist the brutal and dictatorial regime of President Paul Biya by protesting and carring out online petitions to call the attention of the inter National community to look for measures of bringing this war to an end and subsequently calling on the United nations to effect a referendum giving the people of Southern Cameroons the choice to decide their fate. Done by Comrade Winifred Nenkaa Ndomo

Cameroon’s governments under president Paul Biya is bearing down on separatist movement fighting for the rights of a minority English language region using as its weapon a sweeping new anti-terrorism law introduced in 2014.
The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) which is demanding an independent southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s northwest and Southwest regions has been targeted under the new law, which forbids public meetings, street protests or any action that the government deem to be disturbing the peace.
The draft law also prescribes the death penalty for persons who carry out any activity which can lead to a general revolt of the population or disturb the normal functioning of a country.
The anti-terrorism law has sparked a wave of criticism and many political analyst sees this as a means to silent dissent most especially SCNC activists and opposition parties.
The 2014 anti-terrorism law has been enacted to terrorise the people of Cameroon especially SCNC activists and possibly killing their freedoms.
The law is also against the fundamental liberties and rights of the Cameroon people most important SCNC activists who are clamouring from a complete separation from French Cameroon and with the formation of a new nation now known as Ambazonia.
In effect, the 2014 anti-terrorism law has significant deficiencies .most importantly the offences that constitute ’’act of terrorism’’ are not clearly defined, there is no limitation that a person can be held in custody or its extension is required and no preliminary inquiry is required to submit a person to the military tribunal for trial. Also the offences provided for in this law shall fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of military tribunals.
However the case of barrister Agbor Balla, Dr fontem Neba, Bibixy Mancho, Ngalim felix and other Anglophone activists only serve to illustrate the negative impact of the lack of protection of human rights defenders and the exercise of military jurisdiction over civilian cases.
Over one thousand Anglophones especially SCNC activists are being incarcerated all over french Cameroon and the 2014 anti terrorism law applied on their cases. Many of them have been jailed for 13-17 years in prison using articles from this law. Examples of Anglophone Activists incarcerated using this law include Bibixy Mancho, Penn Terrence etc who have been jailed 15 years respectively by the military court in Yaoundé-Cameroon using the anti –terrorism law. Done by epie Brian Nzalle SCNC activist UK