Northwest Cameroon engulfed by protest

Violent unrest broke out in northwestern Cameroon after gendarmes shot dead a teenage boy on Monday, this was coming as President Paul Biya said that he will engage in no dialogue that threatens national unity.

The unrest points to the continued tensions in the country’s two English-speaking regions, even after President Paul Biya ordered the release last week of 55 detainees in a bid to reopen dialogue and resolve the nine-month strike.

Hundreds of people shouted and ran to seek refuge Monday evening at the cathedral in Cameroon’s northwestern town of Kumbo amid the unrest.

The defense ministry says the commander of the gendarmes in Kumbo who led the officer that committed the murder has been dismissed over the unrest.

Schools were to reopen in the English-speaking northwest and southwest regions after being sealed in November when the strike began.
English speaking lawyers and teachers were demanding reforms to address what they described as the overbearing influence of French in the bilingual country.

Separatist groups soon joined the movement, ratcheting up tensions. Those groups are demanding full independence to resolve what they say is the marginalization of the country’s anglophone minority.

Activists are demanding the release of another 20 people detained over the strike before talks can restart.