CAMEROON: UPDATE ON RIOTS, NATIONWIDE TAXI STRIKE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 000199

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CAPTION ADDED

DEPT FOR AF/C, DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/CC
NDJAMENA PLEASE PASS TO DAS SWAN

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.

--------------
Embassy Actions
--------------


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
been canceled.


7. (U) Embassy Yaounde will likely disapprove incoming

YAOUNDE 00000199 002 OF 002


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.

--------------
Government Response
--------------


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