Ernest Sumelong & Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
17 April 2008
The government of Cameroon came close to declaring a state of emergency on Thursday, April 10, as contingents of troops were deployed in major towns of the country, apparently, to forestall any upheaval against the controversial amendment of the 1996 Constitution.
In Yaounde, Douala, Bamenda, Buea and Kumba, armed troops inundated the streets, occupying strategic positions, while truckloads of soldiers drove through the length and breath of the towns, ostensibly to scare denizens from mobilising for any protest action.
Security was reportedly beefed up at the National Assembly and its environs, where combined troops patrolled the area, interrogating and searching passers by. Also, journalists and others, who had business at the Glass House, were routinely searched and questioned.
In Buea, troops could be seen at Bongo Square, public buildings, bars and other popular spots. In neighbouring Tiko, soldiers of the amphibious battalion took up temporary residence in almost every street corner. Inhabitants of these towns lived the weekend in fear and made comments about the amendment of the Constitution only in hushed voices. Police officers, on their part, intensified checks on township taxis, demanding passengers' identification cards.
After news broke that MPs had voted the controversial bill, irate inhabitants seethed in anger, cursing the MPs and the regime, but none could openly react. The Constitution was modified following calls by some members of the ruling CPDM party to give President Paul Biya another chance to stand as candidate during the presidential elections of October 2011.
But it came against popular outcry from the teeming masses of Cameroonians who argued that the President has already served for a very long time and should step down when his mandate ends in 2011. Prior to its modification, the constitutional amendment proposal became the most unpopular project in public debate, and the February nationwide upheaval has been largely attributed to it, ignihted as it were, by the hike in the prices of fuel.
On that Thursday, before the amendment, the CPDM Parliamentary Group leader urged all CPDM MPs to vote the bill. Among other things, the adopted bill scraps out Article 6.2 that limits the term of office of the Head of State and also gives him immunity against being tried for offences committed while in office.
SDO Convenes Peace Meeting
Meanwhile, in Kumba, soldiers are camped at the Kumba Company Gendarmerie daily. At night, they patrol the town, ostensiby to crush any suspected mobilisation by the population. Besides, the Kumba police have intensified their search of vehicles and people entering the town.
Some people told The Post that they were searched by the police but that they dared not question the motive for their actions.In the same vein, Meme Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, Magloire Abath Zangbwala, convened a crisis resolution meeting on April 11.
According to a communiquÐ' aired over local radio stations, he invited the Kumba public to meet at the Kumba City Hall. But only a handful of people reported, as many were suspicious of the motive behind the meeting.
Zangbwala said the meeting was to evaluate the February strike in Kumba and seek to forestall such demonstrations in the town in the future.He blamed Kumba people for supporting and condoning with the rioters to destroy private and public property.
Zangbwala disclosed that the administration, in collaboration with clergymen would organise an ecumenical service on Monday, April 14, at the Kumba Urban Grandstand, to try and cleanse the land and invite God to take control of Kumba.
But a cross-section of the population felt that Zangbwala had convened the meeting because he was afraid people could go on strike after the constitution was amended. They further asked why the SDO waited for close to three weeks before convening an evaluation meeting.
They said he would have organised such a meeting after the students' riot that claimed the lives of innocent souls. An observer said the SDO would have publicly declared that the meeting was to prevent a strike after the constitution was amended so that people would have bared their minds on the issue.
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if revision of the constitution was made with general consensus and via a referandum with respect given to traditional leaders to participate and with all cameroonians having a say, it will not lead to having to imprison Cameroonians in their own fatherland! where is the right of Cameroonians to freedom of speech and expression, even of grievances? where is democracy www.ko.org.za biya will go!