Trial over Cameroon's Anglophone protests exposes national divide.

Record ID: 216760

  • Title: Trial over Cameroon's Anglophone protests exposes national divide.
  • Date: 13th February 2017
  • Summary: DOUALA, CAMEROON (FEBRUARY 13, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEFENSE LAWYERS GREETING AND TALKING TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE COURT HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARRISTER, BEN MUNA SAYING: "Well the prosecution, virtually told the court that they were not ready, so the court had no option but to adjourn the case. We cannot comment on the case itself as you know very well. A case which i
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2017 17:24
  • Keywords: Protests Cameroon Federalism Anglophone regions Francophone Paul Biya Trial
  • Location: BAMENDA, KUMBA AND DOUALA, CAMEROON
  • City: BAMENDA, KUMBA AND DOUALA, CAMEROON
  • Country: Cameroon
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00163CS9QV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The trial of three English-speaking protesters facing the death penalty opened at a military court in Cameroon on Monday (February 13) in a case that has exposed national divisions and stoked opposition to Francophone President Paul Biya.
    The three civil society figures and political activists -- Felix Agbor Balla, Fontem Aforteka'a Neba and Mancho Bibixy -- pleaded not guilty in a court in the capital, Yaounde.
    They face multiple charges including complicity in hostility against the homeland, secession and civil war, and campaigning for federalism following their involvement in the English regions' protests.
    Cameroon regularly sentences people to death but has not carried out executions for years. The next hearing is scheduled for March 23.
    "Well the prosecution, virtually told the court that they were not ready, so the court had no option but to adjourn the case. We cannot comment on the case itself as you know very well. A case which is going on, we cannot comment," said the defence's main lawyer Barrister, Ben Muna.
    Since October, people in Cameroon's two western English-speaking regions have joined protests against what they say is their marginalisation by the French-speaking majority under Biya's 35-year rule.
    At least six protesters have been shot dead and hundreds others arrested during the rare challenge to state authority, prompting criticism from human rights groups and concern from the African Union.
    Cameroon's linguistic divide dates back to the end of World War One when the League of Nations split the former German colony of Kamerun into zones of French and British administration.
    Shortly after independence in 1960, voters from the smaller English zone opted to join Cameroon over neighbouring Nigeria - a decision some now regret.
    Alice Nkom is a lawyer representing political activist, Agbor Balla.
    "It is a sad case. When you arrest lawyers, when you arrest activists, human rights defenders, whose only wrongdoing is to represent a section of the public's opinion and on top of that in the context of consultations set up by the state since they were arrested whilst they were in negotiations with the state. That means they are in a very, very complicated situation. They are being blamed for political offences, ahead of risky presidential elections, and they are being blamed for things which we know, from official speeches, are recognised as being part of legitimate demands by the public," said Nkom.
    Those living in Bamenda, an opposition stronghold, say have been victims of a government crackdown since the demonstrations began.
    The United Nations says the internet has been shut down since January 17 in an apparent bid to quell protests that violates international law.
    Residents have responded, shutting down schools and businesses with "ghost town" protests.
    On Saturday (February 11) - a national holiday celebrating the referendum that unified Cameroon, the streets of Bamenda were virtually deserted aside from one parade of students bussed in from outside.
    A surveillance helicopter flew overhead.
    "I am telling you we are prisoners within our own homes. You cannot move freely, you cannot talk with people, you cannot say anything, you cannot just sit with friends and talk because when they see you with friends, they see you talking they just come, rounding people up and go onto their (police) stations and say that you people are talking about Southern Cameroon. Threatening people, beating people mercilessly. That is, we are just prisoners within our own homes. And there are cases that they even move to houses break the door, carryout children from there and then just go to their station and write fabricated stories," said one resident of Bamenda, who wanted to remain anonymous.
    "People want federation because most students going to school, they go to school but end up being jobless. You see like some of our elderly ones who have achieved a certificate. You see them loitering around doing nothing. That is why you they are fighting for their federation to be independent," added another resident.
    Biya said in a speech last week that the difficulties in Anglophone regions were due to "the emergence of political demands by extremist and separatist organizations... preaching hate and violence."
    Some analysts and residents expect further violence if the three men are condemned in Yaounde.
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