Protesters Clash with Police on President Biya’s 30th Anniversary

Police in Douala on November 6, 2012 had tough times to manage a crowd estimated at more 1500 persons who storm the street to peacefully express their worries about the 30 years of the Biya regime. The protesters stormed the street to express their grievances as President Biya’s supporters were also commemorating his 30 years in power clashed with police and gendarmes. Paul Biya, 79 years old, has ruled Cameroon for 30 years now. He is one of the third longest serving Head of State in the World and his critics are of the opinion that he has confiscated the country for 30 years without any meaningful development, democratic values and human rights. The Lion Man as he is commonly referred celebrated his 30 years in power after he took power after the resignation late President Ahidjo on November 4, 1982.

“We are still 30 years behind” one of the protesters hammered. Reports say the protesters who had gathered to express their fears at the long rein of Paul Biya met stiff resistance from the police and Gendarmes. When the crowd resisted, there was an hour long confrontation and the police finally dispersed the crowd using teargas

The Biya regime has been described as a repressive one "We had just started the peaceful march when a large number of well-armed police and gendarmes deployed by the repressive regime of Biya used water cannon, teargas and other weapons to disperse and brutalize thousands of our activists," Hon. Nintcheu SDF Member of Parliament is quoted to have told the Press yesterday night from Douala.
Hon. Nintcheu also added that "What happened to us here in Douala represents what Cameroon has been going through during his 30 years in power”. It is even alleged police and gendarmes deprived journalists of their devices and that one journalist was wounded.
Information filtering into our office also indicates that journalists and civil society activists were also brutalized and molested. The Douala City is reported to have come to a standstill for hours and that movement within and out of the city was also difficult. There is said to be an atmosphere of insecurity in the City of Douala as the city has been militarized. Trucks upon trucks of heavily armed police and gendarmes are reported to have been deployed late last night.

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