CAMEROON: UPDATE ON RIOTS, NATIONWIDE TAXI STRIKE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 000190

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC PHUM ELAB PINR PGOV KPAO CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: UPDATE ON RIOTS, NATIONWIDE TAXI STRIKE,
AND SECURITY SITUATION

REF: A. YAOUNDE 0121


B. YAOUNDE 0182


1. (U) Embassy Yaounde convened the Emergency Action
Committee at 09:45 am local time on February 26 to discuss
the security situation throughout the country and to
reaffirm the hold-fast travel policy in place for USG
employees and other American citizens throughout the
country. In attendance were AMB, DCM, RSO, DAO, POL, MGT,
CONS, and PA. The EAC reconvened at 3:00 pm.


2. (U) The conflicting reports of violence in various
parts of the country continued through the night February
25-26. However, the general consensus is that the taxi
strike will continue through the day on February 26 and
that the general state of unrest and upheaval will continue
in the major cities in many parts of Cameroon. A major
exception is the far northern provinces, which have large
Muslim populations and where the taxi drivers are not on
strike. The most severe and widespread violence has been
in Douala. After Douala, the most troublesome area is the
densely populated West Province, north of the capital; we
have numerous reports of unrest and criminal activity in
Bafoussam, Foumbat, and other cities. Significant unrest
has also been seen in the Anglophone provinces, mainly in
the Southwest (Limbe) and Northwest (Bamenda).


3. (U) The highway connecting Douala to Yaounde is still
blocked by demonstrators. The Douala airport is open,
though several airlines have chosen to divert to Yaounde.
Airplanes are able to land in Douala, and it is currently
safe to travel the short distance from the airport to the
major downtown hotels. It is not possible to travel out of
the city. The Cameroon government has deployed the Armed
Forces to help reestablish order in Douala's streets.
According to embassy local staff, the last time the Army
was involved in internal stability was in 1992, and this is
seen as an alarming step. We are currently assessing the
troubling scenario of a widespread loss of governmental
control.


4. (U) The major grievances from the taxi drivers are the
increasing gasoline prices, the increased harassment by the
police and the increase in parking fines. The public
(other than the opportunistic looters) have expressed their
grievances to be the shut down of "Equinox" television and
radio station, the increased price of food staples and
cement, unemployment and the Governor of Littoral
Province's ban on demonstrations.


5. (U) Transportation problems continue to plague large
and small cities in Cameroon. In Yaounde long gas lines
were observed and many of the gas stations had closed
because they had run out of gas. Gas and food staples are
transported mainly on the highway from Douala to Yaounde so
we can expect conditions to worsen if the roadblocks
continue.

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Embassy Actions
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6. (U) The Embassy remains open, and the Ambassador
continued to discuss the situation with senior officials of
the Cameroon government and other chiefs of mission. The
Embassy is enforcing a general policy of no inter-city
travel throughout Cameroon and has advised American
citizens in the Littoral, West, Southwest and Northwest
provinces to remain in their residences. Several Embassy
employees who were on weekend leave in the West or
Southwest provinces when the violence erupted have been
instructed to stand fast at their hotels. The Embassy
Branch Office in Douala is closed though one local employee
was working at the office February 26 and others are
working at the airport and downtown locations. The
American School in Douala remains closed. The Vice Consul
in Douala remains in his residence with the Navy band, USDA
TDYers, and several other expatriates. A reception in
Limbe planned for February 28, which was to be co-hosted by
the Ambassador and the Captain of the USS Ft. McHenry, has

YAOUNDE 00000190 002 OF 002


been canceled.


7. (U) Embassy Yaounde will likely disapprove incoming
e-country clearance requests and asks that official
travelers defer their trips to Cameroon for the moment.
The individual protesting the Cameroon government in front
of the Embassy remains in place and informs us he will be
joined by some 20 others soon. We have prepared if-asked
press guidance on the overall security situation in
Cameroon.


8. (U) The consular section has established a control
room and is developing a growing list of American citizens
who are in Douala or other areas where there has been
unrest (currently around 50). Consular personnel are
coordinating with wardens and reinforcing guidance that
Americans should avoid inter-city travel and not travel in
Douala at all. Currently the control room will operate
during normal business hours and is reachable by phone at
237-2220-1500 x4033, or by e-mail at YaoundeACS@state.gov.
Post will clear and circulate another warden message
today. A security announcement will be going out to
Americans and embassy local employees instructing them to
take caution and to stockpile various food goods and fuel.
If the situation deteriorates rapidly we may expect to see
stores, gas stations, and pharmacies closed. Already there
have been multiple reports of stores and gas stations being
looted and burned.

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Government Response
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9. (U) On February 26, the Ministers of Commerce,
Transport, Labor and Communication held a meeting in
Yaounde to develop a statement that would clarify the
outcome of the meetings with unions and the action that the
government would take in the following days. In the
meeting, the officials from the "Fund for the Stabilization
of Hydrocarbon Prices" (CSPH) briefed transporter unions
about the mechanism for determining whether to increase or
decrease gas prices. The union leaders thanked the CSPH
for the explanation, but insisted that the government must
address their grievances. Later in the day, the Governor
of the Littoral Province (Douala),Francis Fai Yengo,
issued a statement calling on the population to resume
their activities and emphasizing that parents should ensure
that their children do not engage in violent activities.
In addition, Pascal Mani, the Governor of the West
Province, issued a statement warning parents that they
should make sure their children do not engage in any
demonstrations or violent acts.


10. (U) Additional developments will be reported via
septel. The POC for this cable is RSO Laura Williams.
GARVEY