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WORLD NEWS Thursday 27 sepTember 2018

Cameroon lurches toward election amid separatist conflict

By EDWIN KINDZEKA MOKI said the military conducts
Associated Press searches on those trying to
YAOUNDE, Cameroon leave.
(AP) — John Nlom has With the elections ap-
five children and wants proaching, the tensions
to keep them alive. When have grown.
machete-wielding men at- Separatists on Friday blew
tacked a nearby school this up a key bridge to stop
month in a suspected strike campaign teams from
against the teaching of reaching communities, au-
French, wounded students thorities said.
were rushed to hospitals "The only bridge linking the
while frightened parents northwest regional capital,
decided to flee. Bamenda, with other locali-
Nlom and his family piled ties like Bui and Donga was
onto one of the dozens of destroyed by the terrorists,"
buses now leaving daily said Lele L'Afrique Deben
from the capital of Cam- Tchoffo, governor of the
eroon's Southwest Region, Northwest Region. Thou-
joining thousands of civil- sands of passengers were
ians escaping bloody fight- stranded, he said.
ing between the govern- In response, the military
ment and Anglophone killed at least a dozen
separatists who vow to dis- In this Sunday Oct 9, 2011 file photo, Cameroon President Paul Biya waves after casting his vote separatists near the north-
rupt next month's presiden- during the presidential elections in Yaounde, Cameroon. western town of Mbiame
tial elections. Associated Press as they planted explosives
The government of the to blow up another bridge,
largely French-speaking port from some in the di- lence keeps children from least 20 towns and villages the governor said.
country insists the Oct. 7 aspora in the United States their studies. At least 70 over the weekend, accord- People who have fled the
vote will be peaceful, even and elsewhere, are fighting schools have been burned. ing to the country's minister English-speaking regions
in the troubled English- to create an independent Last week, Muslim and of territorial administration, will not be able to vote if
speaking southwest and state they call "Ambazo- Christian clerics an- Paul Atanga Nji. Casualty they don't return to the poll-
northwest where nearly 400 nia" in Cameroon's English- nounced they are afraid figures were not yet avail- ing centers where they are
people have died. Nlom, speaking northwest and a wave of carnage could able, he said. registered, he warned.
a teacher, could not take southwest regions. occur if peace is not found "We are happy that some In Cameroon's French-
that chance. Their movement grew out before the election. of the terrorists have will- speaking areas, campaign
"The governor himself who of dissatisfaction with what "We call on the diaspora to fully handed their guns to rallies kicked off over the
is saying that people should some English speakers, who stop the hate speech com- the military and we have weekend in defiance of
stay back, that they are make up about 20 percent munication that promotes forgiven them," he said. "I the separatist threat.
protected, he is moving of the country's population, violence, suspicion and call on all those who are "We should not fear them.
around with soldiers pro- have called marginaliza- fear among the people of still in the bushes to drop We should brave the situ-
tecting him," Nlom said. "Will tion in the officially bilingual Cameroon," their declara- their arms and make use ation and go about cam-
the soldiers protect all the country. The blocking of the tion said. of the ballot if they want a paigning. The government
people? That is the reason internet in English-speaking The clerics asked both the change." has deployed troops to
why I cannot stay." He and regions for months last year military and armed groups Human rights groups have protect everyone," Prime
his family, like many, have fed the frustrations. to drop their guns and stop accused both sides of Minister Philemon Yang
taken refuge in the French- The government describes the killing, looting and burn- abuses. Separatists have told supporters in Bamenda
speaking city of Douala. the fighters as terrorists. ing that have sent nearly burned and crushed bus- while campaigning for the
President Paul Biya, one Weary civilians caught in 200,000 civilians fleeing. es and used construction longtime president.
of Africa's longest-serving the fighting have pleaded The government, however, equipment to dig up roads Biya is favored to win an-
leaders since taking power for peace. Women, saying replied that only the sepa- in efforts to stop people other seven-year term, as
since 1982, vows to hold they can no longer remain ratists should drop their from fleeing. opposition parties did not
the country together. silent, have gathered for guns. Some people leaving Eng- succeed in negotiations to
The separatists, with sup- protests, saying the vio- Attacks were reported in at lish-speaking regions have back a single candidate.q