Troops Kill 2, Wound Another In Anti-Constitutional Amendment Demonstrations

By Joe Dinga Pefok

Troops in the evening of Saturday, February 23, reportedly shot to death two young men and wounded others after they (troops) clashed with anti-constitutional amendment demonstrators in Douala.

The victims, whose names we did not readily get; one is lying in the mortuary, while the other is in critical condition in hospital. Earlier, troops had dispersed a group of demonstrators after the SDF Littoral Provinacial Chair, Jean Michel Nintcheu, addressed SDF militants and other sympathisers at Rond Point Madagascar.

He was requesting Littoral Governor, Francis Fai Yengo, to lift the ban he had slammed on public demonstrations.But later, irate commercial motorcycle riders commonly called bendskin, started another demonstration, demanding the lifting of the ban on Equinoxe RV/Radio, the decrease of fuel price and end the bid to amend the constitution.

A confrontation later erupted between the troops and the riders. It was at this point the police opened fire, killing one and wounding the other in Quartier Bilonge near Madagascar. The furious riders also burnt down a newly acquired SOCATUR bus run by the Douala City Council.

The SDF Rally

Earlier, troops armed with guns, truncheons, water canons and other anti-riot equipment had been waiting for hours to puncture the "illegal" rally and a demonstration organised by the Littoral Provincial Bureau of the SDF.

But Nintcheu, whom plainclothes security operatives had reportedly been monitoring all day, took the troops by surprise, arriving at 5.45 pm instead of 2 pm. In the twinkle of an eye, about 1000 SDF militants who had been milling about like curious onlookers surrounded Nintcheu who mounted a makeshift rostrum and addressed the crowd. However, no sooner had he left than the troops backed by water cannons started chasing him, in vain.

The hot spot from the Bamenda 1990s agitations for the return to multi-party politics seems to have shifted to the swamps of Douala. Firebrand political activist, Mboua Massock, has been the troops' favourite dog to chase and molest. On February 13, troops pumped Nintcheu with tear gas inside a locked car.   

Last Warning To Governor

During his brief speech, Nintcheu said the SDF was giving the Littoral Governor the last warning to lift the ban on public demonstrations. He said reading the evil intention of the Governor, which was to have SDF militants slaughtered to get accolades from his masters, he had decided to postpone the demonstration that day. The SDF Littoral boss said the demonstration would hold in a week's time.

Nintcheu also said the heavy deployment of troops and weapons to disperse a peaceful rally of unarmed and harmless SDF militants made it clear that the Littoral Governor and his Yaounde masters were out to spill the blood of those who dare to protest against Paul Biya's quest for life presidency.

But the Minister of Communication has claimed that one of the victims was killed through an accident, while another is lying in critical condition in the hospital.

Comments

[kenedy Epie]

It is just the beginning. The pot is still boiling and when it is time, the ebullition will spill over all the country. Longue Longue has said it all " try and you will see". The repressive regime has failed Cameroonians and her time is around the corner. The so call communication Minister will ban all private press, sensor programs of CRTV but one thing is clear: light can not be hidden under a chair. Cameroonians have been too patient and they will no longer wait to die in silence.

[UnitedstatesofAfrica]

I hope to hear what the U.S ambassador has to say about this. I hope she won't limit her political involvement only to advising Biya on how he should achieve his goal on constitutional amendment.

My condolences to the fallen patriots and their families. Today in heaven, martyrs have been crowned. They have taken their place among the ranks of Lumumba and Chief Luthuli.

[Mama E]

It is very disappointing to see that old scare tactics are being used to calm modern day peaceful demonstrations. Cameroonians have been very patient and no matter what the government does this time around, the people will not stay quiet without a fight. We only hope and pray for the best in these turbulent times.

[Ebonylad]

May the souls of the dead Rest In Peace.We are witnessing the developmnents in the world's most corrupt and authoritarian state-Cameroon.
Since Democracy cannot work,we need a suicide bombing approach against the regime team.

[rexon]

It is very important that the people of the Southern Cameroons take advantage of all these confusion in La Republique, reorganise themselves and declare their independence.

[Ma Mary]

SDF= Southern Cameroonians' greatest gift to the people of la Republique du Cameroun. It should also be a parting gift. Good luck to you la Republique SDFers. Godspeed fixing your country, but we must say farewell.

[UnitedstatesofAfrica]

"It is very important that the people of the Southern Cameroons take advantage of all these confusion in La Republique, reorganise themselves and declare their independence."
-Rexon

Good suggestion Rexon but the SCNC is not smart enough to execute such a move.

[mimi]

Truely even "JESUS di vex".
If anybody has a mobile phone which has a camara or a Camara. he/she should film these riots and send to CNN/I REPORT and these images will be shown so that the international community can see what's going on and put pressure ob Biya to change his mind.

[Mamaquin]

There is a limit to what people can take. Even the dumb, I believe if you push their buttons too hard, they'll talk someday; only they may talk in an unusual language. So is the case now in Cameroon. People reach a stage where they seem so frustrated due to the severe hardship they've been in they seem to have seen everything already. At this point, a bullet means nothing to them because it may come as a relief from these frustrations. They reason "Why sit here and die in hunger rather than fight and maybe get what you need or at least die in the process?" LAND OF PROMISE, LAND OF GLORY. We won't let the forces of darkness steal our promises and hide the glory forever. Christians of Cameroon at home and elsewhere, it's ABOUT TIME! Let's rise up and PRAY!

[united africa]

My comments go Ma Mary and Rexon,
First it's a shame when i come here and hear the type of comments you guys are saying. it's evil and wicked not to mourn with the whole nation the death of our beloved father, brother who died for our freedom.
Second, i am from Limbe and i don't call myself a southern cameroonian but a cameroonian. we shall all join other ethnic groups to free our nation from those monster in Yaounde and free our people from the mighty french government. the only way we shall stay strong is by unity. i lived abroad for a decade and i know and understand the black man struglle on this earth. From cameroon to nigeria, ghana, congo, we are all same people divided by europeans during imperialism. Southern Cameroon shall not and will never seceded from cameroon. This will be a foolish and stupid mistake. The only benificiary of this action will be white people. We should fight peacefully to overthrow Biya and form a strong united country where tribalism is banish and inequality punish.
Ma Mary and Rexon, i believed you are not enough educated to see the future of Cameroon and africa. Cameroon shall not follow the footstep of Kenya or Ivory Coast. The white man greatest strenght is divide to conquer. we need to join hands with bamileke, douala, bassa, pigmy, haoussa and build a strong cameroon, develop our country and deminish foreign authority in our beloved land.
Let god bless and give strenght to all those young soldiers to continue fighting. This is our only opportunity to unite this country against the french government and the show an example in africa.