- Title: Cameroon security forces arrest 100 at anti-discrimination protests
- Date: 23rd November 2016
- Summary: BAMENDA, CAMEROON (NOVEMBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) BURNING TYRES IN THE DISTANCE AT END OF AVENUE LITTERED WITH METAL BARRICADE AND BURNING TYRES IN THE DISTANCE VARIOUS OF MARKET STALLS IN THE ROAD BARRICADE OF MARKET STALLS VIEW FILMED FROM INSIDE A CAR OF MEN STOPPING MAN ON A MOTORCYCLE FROM ENTERING WOMAN WALKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN (AUDIO OF GUN SHOT) SHE STOPS THEN WALKS AGAIN RIOT POLICE DAMAGE ON SIDE OF ROAD WHERE PROTESTERS MARCHED THE DAY BEFORE POLICE ON THE ROAD POLICE IN THE DISTANCE BURNING TYRES IN THE ROAD RIOT POLICE BY CAR SOLDIERS WALKING PEOPLE WALKING PAST BURNED PILE ON THE ROAD SOLDIERS ON THE ROAD DOING SEARCHES MORE OF SOLDIERS DURING SEARCHES BAMENDA, CAMEROON (NOVEMBER 21, 2016) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS WITH BRANCHES AND A WHITE COFFIN (SYMBOLISING THE FACT THEY READY TO DIE FOR THEIR CAUSE) MARCHING PROTESTERS ON MOTORBIKES SMOKE FROM FIRE PROTESTER ON TOP OF A CAR STANDING IN THE WHITE COFFIN ADDRESSING THE CROWD MORE OF PROTESTER ADDRESSING THE CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER (NO NAME GIVEN) SAYING: "What we want is for France to back off. They should leave our system. We have the proper means to organise our educational system, we have proper means of (to organise) our health system its a kind of freedom, now is the time, now is the time to be positive, and, the fight is bigger than they can think." PROTESTERS CARRYING COFFIN
- Embargoed: 8th December 2016 21:25
- Keywords: Cameroon Bamenda protests arrests language English-speaking
- Location: BAMENDA, CAMEROON
- City: BAMENDA, CAMEROON
- Country: Cameroon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA00159O2YPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Security forces in Cameroon arrested about 100 people during days of protests over alleged discrimination against minority English-speaking people, Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary and a senior security source said on Wednesday (November 23).
The town was tense on Tuesday (November 22) with barricades still erected in various parts of the northwestern town of Bamenda the day after protests during which one person was killed.
Burning tyres blocked some roads whilst police and military scoured the streets looking for the alleged vandals. Witnesses said there were sporadic gun shots.
Bakary said vandals who had mingled with the demonstrators smashed shops.
A second security source said the demonstrators also wanted independence for Cameroon's two English speaking regions and the departure of President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982 and is one of Africa's longest serving rulers.
French is spoken in eight of Cameroon's 10 regions and English in the northwestern and southwestern regions.
A protest leader addressed the crowd of teachers, lawyers and their supporters, standing in a coffin to symbolise that they would fight until the end to stop French being imposed in their educational and legal systems.
"What we want is for France to back off. They should leave our system. We have the proper means to organise our educational system, we have proper means of (to organise) our health system... and the fight is bigger than they can think," said one protester on Tuesday.
Bakary said reinforcements in Bamenda were helping security forces return the situation to normal. He said the protests posed no threat to Biya. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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