Violence In Bamenda: “Perpetrators Must Face the Rigors of the Law”

Statement of the government on the events  which took place in the city of  Bamenda on December 08, 2016  given by the Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma Bakary in a press conference in Yaounde.

 “Distinguished Journalists,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I welcome you all to this exchange, to which I have invited you, so that we can discuss on a major issue in the life of our nation.

Distinguished Journalists,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At this point in time when the entire world is marveled and in total admiration on Cameroon for peace, unity and concord which characterizes our people and prevails in our country, resulting from the plebiscite accorded to the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA;

At this point in time when the international community recognizes the seriousness and professionalism, bravery, sense of honor and duty of our Defense and Security Forces currently deployed in the Far North Region to fight and finally exterminate members of the Boko Haram obscurantist group, to also restore calm and serenity among our populations living in these affected areas, and to defend and preserve the integrity of our national territory;

At this point in time when over 1 500 civilians and soldiers are said to have been slaughtered, beheaded and mutilated since the launch of the attack against this criminal gang;

At this point in time While our people in the areas affected by this merciless war are utterly deprived of everything in terms of the most basic necessities to which they are entitled to as full citizens of our country, deprived of dividends to which they are entitled to and derived from a particularly flourishing economy and tourism, but which in recent years have been slowing down, not to talk of being entirely non-existent;

Whereas our country, in spite of the difficult times which it is passing through, fortunately with dignity and courage, has just administered to the wide world proof of its capacity to squarely address the organizational and infrastructural challenges, as was the case with the recent 2016 WOMEN AFCON recently organized by Cameroon with a professional touch.  

The cities of Bamenda and Buea, are for the past weeks the theater of grievances and tensions, are beyond all expectations and to the general amazement, portraying sad images of our dear and beautiful fatherland.   

Those who are by so doing trying to impose their option for violence and non-respect for the law, would like to pass through the idea that certain of our compatriots are being frustrated, marginalized, and ostracized for the political and cultural heritage of Cameroon. 

Driven by an overbid of demagogy and popularism, these supporters of disorder and intolerance, are today taking the issue too far, to the extent of questioning the fundamental achievements of our Republic, such as peace, national unity and our willingness to live together, at all cost and worthwhile.

The upholders of these theories and the perpetrators of such acts including their sponsors are totally out of step with the founding principle of our Republic, which is our national unity, demand nothing less than a return to federalism, which would in all indications be the anti-chamber of the secession which they are calling with their entire wish.

I would like on behalf of the Government, to recall here that the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is the guarantor of the Constitution- the Basic Law of our country- and all the other inherent laws.

In the conduct of the affairs of the Nation which the people of Cameroon have in a sovereign manner entrusted unto his hands, the President of the Republic has made of dialogue and tolerance his creed and leitmotiv.  

Moreover, the President of the Republic is acknowledged by all as the architect of an inclusive and open-minded policy, which is a veritable brand that has always characterized our people and our nation.

The Head of State has never, and can never, remain dormant, or even indifferent to any claim expressed by his fellow compatriots, in as much as such claims  derive their legitimacy or are grounded in the laws and values of the Republic.

It is therefore quite natural that, in response to the legitimate and well-founded demands made first by lawyers practicing in the English-speaking regions of our country and then by teachers' trade unions in these same regions, the Government, on Special Instructions of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, has opened a dialogue with the representatives of these different professional bodies, a dialogue that proved fruitful with regard to the set of important structural and financial measures urgently taken at the end of consultations with the various actors

Meanwhile, it is inconceivable, not to say unthinkable, to believe for a moment that because of a political and cultural heritage which has certainly shaped our societal model, because of this cultural heritage of which we are all proud of, the President of the Republic can exonerates himself from his sovereign mission entrusted to him by the people, that of protecting persons and goods on the national territory, ensure public order and guarantee fundamental freedoms of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution and laws of the Republic.

We therefore have the right to ask ourselves the question of what could really be the root causes of this more or less insurgency which the city of Bamenda witnessed on last December 08, 2016.

Meanwhile, before addressing that question, it would be appropriate to substantiate here on what really took place on that day in the Nord-West Regional Chief town.  

Whereas on December 08, 2016, CPDM militants were preparing to attend a meeting organized by the Mezam 1 CPDM section and presided over by the Secretary General of the said party, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, the Bamenda ceremonial ground, precisely at the Commercial avenue, was stormed by a group of protesters armed with projectiles, catapults and Molotov cocktails.  

This meeting fell within the framework of a concerted approach undertaken by officials of this party to invite each and everyone for appeasement and to bring back calm in the cities of Bamenda and Buea.

This meeting is similar to the one which took place last December 06, 2016 in Buea and which went on hitch free.

Everything was in place for the harmonious conduct of the public meeting in Bamenda, duly authorized by the competent authorities, when some highly motivated individuals, and acting by groups, visibly prepared and perfectly organized, started to carry out acts of protesterism and urban guerilla to clearly obstruct the holding of this public meeting.  

In their destructive madness, these protesters, who had become real insurgents, began to erect barricades on roads in order to hinder traffic, burn many vehicles, burn tires on the roads, siege and then burning public buildings, including schools and hospitals, taking hostage students, patients and medical personnel as, and assaulting natural persons.

The human balance sheet is as follows: two people dead, under circumstances which are yet to be clarified, four gendarmes and four police officers, a young woman also wounded and partially burned, a senior member of the CPDM party also sustained a head injury.

With regard to the material balance sheet, 9 vehicles were destroyed, including that of the Commander of the Gendarmerie Legion, the Commander of the Second Motorized Rapid Infantry Battalion (BRIM), that of the Bamenda 3 Divisional Officer, la Camerounaise des Eaux, Campost, Special Rapid Intervention Units of the Police (ESIR), the National Gendarmerie, as well as two private vehicles.

Several businesses and other urban stands, two public buildings: the Third District Police Station and several pavilions of the Bamenda Regional Hospital were also burned.

In addition, the protesters hoisted the flag of the Southern Cameroon National Council at some crossroads and public buildings.