Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YAOUNDE586
2008-06-10 15:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:  

CAMEROON'S NORTHWEST PROVINCE: NEGLECTED SEAT OF

Tags:  CM ECON KCOR PGOV PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHWEB 
DE RUEHYD #0586/01 1621508 
ZNY CCCCC ZZH 
R 101508Z JUN 08 
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8988 
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE 0156 
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE 
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L YAOUNDE 000586 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018
TAGS: CM ECON KCOR PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON'S NORTHWEST PROVINCE: NEGLECTED SEAT OF
THE OPPOSITION


Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.4 (d) and (e).

C O N F I D E N T I A L YAOUNDE 000586

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018
TAGS: CM ECON KCOR PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON'S NORTHWEST PROVINCE: NEGLECTED SEAT OF
THE OPPOSITION


Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.4 (d) and (e).


1. (SBU) Summary: During Ambassador's first trip to the
Northwest Province on May 11-15, local contacts expressed
frustration with the region's poor infrastructure and lack of
economic development. This Anglophone region feels
marginalized by Yaounde, in part because it is the stronghold
of the main opposition SDF party. SDF Chairman John Fru Ndi
told Ambassador he was discouraged by the current political
situation, which reflected deeply felt frustration, and was
skeptical about the soon-to-be-created Electoral Commission
(ELECAM). He urged USG assistance in repatriating proceeds
of corruption. In addition to SDF leaders, Ambassador met
with the Governor and other senior officials, NGO
representatives, businessmen, religious leaders, traditional
authorities, and local media. End summary.

A Province Neglected
--------------


2. (U) What is now the Northwest region joined Cameroon in
1961 under a federal structure following a UN referendum, and
became a province after unification in 1972. Blessed with
beautiful mountains and known for its distinct culture, this
Anglophone region of 1.5 million people suffers from weak
infrastructure (roads, water, electricity) and poverty
resulting from a lack of government investment. Agriculture
and animal husbandry are the mainstays of the local economy,
with virtually no industry and little formal employment.


3. (SBU) Northwesterners feel their poverty reflects
government neglect (some would say punishment) because of the
province's separate status prior to unification and lingering
separatist sentiments, its role as the seat of the main
opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) party, and its
language. As signs of neglect, locals point to the region's
abysmal roads, poor public services, and government decisions
which are seen as favoring Francophone regions. For example,
northwesterners are frustrated that the government favors
building a deep sea port in Kribi (Francophone South
Province) rather than Limbe (Anglophone Southwest province).
They also saw as vindictive the regime's recent highly

publicized arrest on corruption charges of prominent
northwesterner Zaccharias Forjindam, former head of the
Cameroon Shipyard.

Sporadic Conflicts
--------------


4. (U) The Northwest suffers from persistent conflicts
between herders and farmers over land and resources. A
dispute between the Bali and Bawak tribes led to an attack by
the Balis in 2007 which destroyed hundreds of homes and
displaced an estimated 2,000 people in the Bawak community
(compensation claims are reportedly still in the courts and
the government plans to demarcate the disputed territory).
There is also a lingering conflict in the town of Sabga over
the succession of the local leader (Lamido); the community
supports one claimant, while the regional government supports
another. The Prime Minister sent a team to the region to
investigate but the conflict remains unresolved.


5. (SBU) Regional officials acknowledged that there was
significant violence in Bamenda, Kumbo and several other
locations in the region during the February civil unrest, but
they argued that the violence was never widespread and
tensions have now subsided. The Government Delegate (Mayor
equivalent) of Bamenda lamented that the February riots
damaged the city's garbage collection equipment and as a
result garbage was not collected for two weeks. Archbishop
of Bamenda Cornelius Fontem Esua told Ambassador he was not
surprised by the riots given the depth of discontent felt by
average people.

SDF Leader Fru Ndi Low Key and Skeptical
--------------


6. (C) In a lunch at his residence, SDF Chairman John Fru
Ndi lamented Cameroon's "bleak future" which has the
potential to be "worse than Rwanda". He saw significant
tension between north and south and among ethnic groups,
describing the current situation as an "uncertain calm,"
which could quickly degenerate into another violent outbreak.
He believed the February riots reflected deep-seated
frustrations linked to high unemployment and economic
malaise, corruption, and lack of democratic space. He
lamented that President Biya had yet to agree to meet with
him and rarely travels within the country (Biya has
reportedly only visited Bamenda once in 25 years).


7. (C) Fru Ndi refuted government allegations that the
February riots were orchestrated by the SDF, conceding that
he is not powerful enough to have organized them. Attempts
to blame the SDF and Bamenda politicians had embittered
northwesterners, who had suffered during the events, he said,
noting that police fired 500 rounds of ammunition into his
housing compound during the civil unrest, killing a boy. Fru
Ndi thought many were too afraid to respond to his call for a
national day of mourning following the April passage of a
constitutional amendment eliminating presidential term
limits.


8. (C) Fru Ndi hoped the USG could help repatriate the
proceeds of corruption located in the United States.
Ambassador explained our legal procedures for requesting
assistance in identifying such funds, noting our strict
privacy laws. Such privacy laws "hurt Cameroon," Fru Ndi
responded, saying that the U.S. needs to do more to
recuperate these funds "to prevent the situation from
becoming a war." Biya was willing to use excessive force to
protect networks of corruption, Fru Ndi added.


9. (C) The SDF Chairman was skeptical of the Electoral
Commission (ELECAM),which is due to be created by the end of
June, 2008. He feared that elections could still be
manipulated, especially in the absence of an updated census,
and that the government had too much control over ELECAM
leadership. If there were a transparent election process, he
was convinced voters would register en masse however, to
function effectively, ELECAM needed financial independence
and revised legislation. Fru Ndi expects presidential
elections earlier than the scheduled date of 2011 and said
would run again if the party chooses him.

Comment
--------------


10. (C) Soon after the Ambassador's visit, the SDF marked
its eighteenth anniversary with little fanfare and amidst
commentary in much of the media that the SDF lacked relevant
leadership, vision, or internal democracy. In our meeting,
Fru Ndi seemed tired and low key, with few ideas for moving
his party or the country forward. He and his colleagues used
a backdrop of the U.S. presidential race to make points about
SDF leadership: Fru Ndi favored Senator Hillary Clinton's
candidacy because of what he saw as her greater experience,
while his staff voiced support for Senator Barak Obama
because of what they saw as his energy and new ideas. Our
discouraging lunch with Cameroon's main opposition leader
mirrored the general feeling of a province standing still,
with the potential represented by its physical beauty, rich
agriculture and strong cultural traditions undermined by the
reality of its garbage-strewn, potholed city streets and
dejected population.


GARVEY