At least one protester was killed and others injured during anti-government protests on Tuesday in Cameroon.
An opposition party lawyer Robert Amsterdam said in a tweet that “We are receiving reports that at least one protester has been shot and killed by police in Douala [the country’s biggest city] and many others injured and arrested.”
Security forces reportedly fired tear gas at the opposition protesters who demonstrated in Douala.
More than 30 protesters and four journalists were also arrested over the protests.
Lindovi Ndjio was arrested in #Yaounde. Reports of a 4th arrest, that of Rodrigue Ngassi of Equinoxe TV, also in #Yaounde. @pressfreedom urges authorities to release the journalists who have been detained & allow the media to report on protests without fear of reprisal #Cameroon
— CPJ Africa (@CPJAfrica) September 22, 2020
The protests organized by the opposition CRM leader Maurice Kamto saw thousands pour onto the streets of Douala, Yaounde, Bafang and Baham.
They have vowed to sustain the demonstration until government solves the Anglophone crisis and reforms the electoral process.
Anglophones in Cameroon make up about a fifth of the country’s population of 22 million. But they complain of marginalization in the hands of the French-speaking majority.
#Cameroon: security forces dispersing peaceful protesters with water cannons this morning in #Douala: Opposition-led demonstrations have been banned across the country by authorities using #COVID-19 and draconian anti-terror law to quell dissent https://t.co/AH2sIvgZyC pic.twitter.com/gvaQUc8v0j
— ilaria allegrozzi (@ilariallegro) September 22, 2020
A top official of Cameroon’s opposition CRM party has said that a number of anti-government demonstrators were targeted by security forces in Douala.
“Peaceful protesters have been shot at, arrested, brutalised and tear-gassed,” said Barrister Christopher Ndong, the first vice-president of the party.
#Cameroon #Bafang #West Security forces responding to the ongoing opposition-led demonstrations. The gvt has banned protests across the country using #Covid19 and the anti-terror law as pretext to quell dissent, https://t.co/AH2sIuZoH4 pic.twitter.com/3mKY5esjJA
— ilaria allegrozzi (@ilariallegro) September 22, 2020
But government spokesman Rene Emmanuel Sadi has criticised the opposition leader, for organizing the protest.
Sadi said the protests were the weapons of Kamto, whom he referred to as a politician who cannot win an election.
#Cameroon’s security forces use tear gas to disperse protesters in Ndokoti, Douala, economic capital of the country this morning.
Authorities banned demonstrations after an opposition party MRC announced a nationwide protest for President Biya’s resignation. pic.twitter.com/9hcXQfrxPz— Regina Sondo (@ReginaSondoM) September 22, 2020
Mr Biya has been in power since 1982. He was re-elected in 2018 in an election that Mr Kamto claimed he won.
Source: Africafeeds.com
