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81-497: Bakebe is a city in Cameroon located at 5°57′00″N 9°56′00″E / 5.95000°N 9.93333°E / 5.95000; 9.93333 , at an altitude of 2,870 feet (870 meters). Its time zone is UTC+1 . This Cameroon location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cameroon Cameroon , officially the Republic of Cameroon , is
162-597: A unitary state , provided that the idea was supported via referendum. This suggestion violated articles in the Foumban document which stated that: 'any proposal for the revision of the present constitution, which impairs the unity and integrity of the Federation shall be inadmissible,' and 'proposals for revision shall be adopted by simple majority vote of the members of the Federal Assembly, provided that such majority includes
243-889: A country in Central Africa . It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Its coastline lies on the Bight of Biafra , part of the Gulf of Guinea , and the Atlantic Ocean . Due to its strategic position at the crossroads between West Africa and Central Africa, it has been categorized as being in both camps. Cameroon's population of nearly 31 million people speak 250 native languages, in addition to
324-813: A joint letter to the UNHRC defending China 's treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region. The Cameroon Armed Forces (French: Forces armées camerounaises , FAC) consists of the country's army ( Armée de Terre ), the country's navy ( Marine Nationale de la République (MNR), including naval infantry), the Cameroonian Air Force ( Armée de l'Air du Cameroun , AAC), and the Gendarmerie . Males and females who are 18 years of age up to 23 years of age and have graduated high school are eligible for military service. Those who join are obliged to complete four years of service. There
405-889: A letter to Paul Biya , the Anglophone Archbishops of Southern Cameroons define the Anglophone problem as follows: Movements that advocate the separation of an English-speaking Cameroon are led by the Cameroon Action Group , the Southern Cameroons Youth League , the Southern Cameroons National Council , the Southern Cameroon Peoples Organization and the Ambazonia Movement . Advocates of Federation want
486-443: A majority Francophone population and a minority Anglophone population. Following World War II , a wave of independence flowed rapidly throughout Africa. The United Nations forced Britain and France to relinquish their colonies and guide them towards independence. British Southern Cameroons had the political option to either unite with Nigeria or with French Cameroun , but none for self-determination through becoming independence
567-601: A majority of the representatives ... of each of the Federated States,' not through referendum. Despite these violations, the referendum passed, turning the Federal Republic into the United Republic of Cameroon. In 1984, Ahidjo's successor, Paul Biya , replaced the name "United Republic of Cameroon" with " La République du Cameroun ", the same name the francophone Cameroon had before federation talks. With changes in
648-872: A member state of the African Union , the United Nations , the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Commonwealth of Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement , and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Originally, Cameroon was the exonym given by the Portuguese to the Wouri River , which they called Rio dos Camarões meaning 'river of shrimps ' or 'shrimp river', referring to
729-491: A more decentralized unitary government, perceiving that the government is highly centralized in power. They argue that this centralization violates the tenets of the 1996 constitution, as decentralization has yet to be implemented. In March 1990, the Social Democratic Front (SDF), led by John Fru Ndi , was founded on the perception of widespread Anglophone alienation. The SDF was the first major opposition party to
810-453: A national cash reserve, pay farmers, and finance major development projects; however, many initiatives failed when Ahidjo appointed unqualified allies to direct them. The national flag was changed on 20 May 1975 with the two stars removed and replaced with a large central star as a symbol of national unity. Ahidjo stepped down on 4 November 1982 and left power to his constitutional successor, Paul Biya . However, Ahidjo remained in control of
891-497: A regimen of forced labour. This economic policy was much criticised by the other colonial powers. With the defeat of Germany in World War I , Kamerun became a League of Nations mandate territory and was split into French Cameroon ( French : Cameroun ) and British Cameroon in 1919. France integrated the economy of Cameroon with that of France and improved the infrastructure with capital investments and skilled workers, modifying
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#1732883677588972-500: A return to the constitution agreed upon in the 1961 Foumban Conference that acknowledges the history and culture of the two regions while giving equal power to the two. This federation was dismantled in 1972 by the larger French-speaking Cameroon, which extended its executive power throughout West Cameroon . Federation advocates include the instrumental Consortium of the leaders of three Cameroon-based trade unions for lawyers, teachers, and transporters. It also includes some Cameroonians in
1053-661: A sovereign nation on the ballot. The plebiscite questions were: In February 1961, British Northern Cameroons voted to join Nigeria, while British Southern Cameroons voted to join La République du Cameroun. The Foumban Constitutional Conference was held to create a constitution for the new Federal state of British Southern Cameroon and La République du Cameroun. The conference brought together representatives from La République du Cameroun, including President Amadou Ahidjo , and representatives from Southern Cameroons. Two weeks before
1134-553: A territorial dispute over the Bakassi peninsula were resolved. The talks involved President Paul Biya of Cameroon, then President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan , and resulted in Cameroonian control of the oil-rich peninsula. The northern portion of the territory was formally handed over to the Cameroonian government in August 2006, and the remainder of
1215-486: A treaty with one of the local kings to annex the region for the German emperor. The German Empire claimed the territory as the colony of Kamerun in 1884 and began a steady push inland; the natives resisted. Under the aegis of Germany, commercial companies were local administrations. These concessions used forced labour to run profitable banana, rubber, palm oil, and cocoa plantations. Even infrastructure projects relied on
1296-603: A withdrawal by both countries and denied the request by Cameroon for compensation due to Nigeria's long-term occupation. By 2004, Nigeria had failed to meet the deadline to hand over the peninsula. A UN-mediated summit in June 2006 facilitated an agreement for Nigeria to withdraw from the region and both leaders signed the Greentree Agreement . The withdrawal and handover of control was completed by August 2006. In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Cameroon, signed
1377-458: Is Mount Cameroon in the Southwest Region . Cameroon's most populous cities are Douala on the Wouri River , its economic capital and main seaport; Yaoundé , its political capital; and Garoua . Limbé in the southwest has a natural seaport. Cameroon is well known for its native music styles, particularly Makossa , Njang, and Bikutsi , and its successful national football team . It is
1458-417: Is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie . Its foreign policy closely follows that of its main ally, France (one of its former colonial rulers). Cameroon relies heavily on France for its defence, although military spending is high in comparison to other sectors of government. President Biya has engaged in a decades-long clash with the government of Nigeria over possession of
1539-457: Is a mixture of civil law , common law , and customary law . Although nominally independent, the judiciary falls under the authority of the executive's Ministry of Justice . The president appoints judges at all levels. The judiciary is officially divided into tribunals, the court of appeal , and the supreme court . The National Assembly elects the members of a nine-member High Court of Justice that judges high-ranking members of government in
1620-444: Is elected and creates policy, administers government agencies, commands the armed forces , negotiates and ratifies treaties, and declares a state of emergency. The president appoints government officials at all levels, from the prime minister (considered the official head of government), to the provincial governors and divisional officers. The president is selected by popular vote every seven years. There have been 2 presidents since
1701-466: Is no conscription in Cameroon, but the government makes periodic calls for volunteers. Human rights organisations accuse police and military forces of mistreating and even torturing criminal suspects, ethnic minorities, homosexuals , and political activists. United Nations figures indicate that more than 21,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries, while 160,000 have been internally displaced by
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#17328836775881782-502: The Anglophone Crisis . Failure to address the problem threatens national unity. The term Anglophone itself can also be controversial, as many former French-speaking Cameroonians who are either multilingual or speak only English consider themselves Anglophones, despite the fact that some Northwesterners and Southwesterners do not believe there is an Anglophone problem. The origin can be traced back to World War I , when Cameroon
1863-629: The Cameroon range extends from Mount Cameroon on the coast—Cameroon's highest point at 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) —almost to Lake Chad at Cameroon's northern border at 13°05'N. This region has a mild climate, particularly on the Western High Plateau , although rainfall is high. Its soils are among Cameroon's most fertile, especially around volcanic Mount Cameroon. Volcanism here has created crater lakes . On 21 August 1986, one of these, Lake Nyos , belched carbon dioxide and killed between 1,700 and 2,000 people. This area has been delineated by
1944-698: The Mungo ." Before the Foumban Conference, all parties in Southern Cameroons, the Native Authority Councils and traditional leaders attended the Bamenda Conference to decide on a common proposal to present during negotiations with La République du Cameroun. The Bamenda Conference agreed on a non-centralized federation to ensure a distinction between the powers of the states and the powers of
2025-652: The Northwest and Southwest regions that formerly constituted the Southern Cameroons , part of the former British Cameroon colonies. These Anglophone regions were formerly controlled by Britain as a mandate of the League of Nations , and then as a United Nations trust territory . During the Foumban Conference of 1961, territories with different colonial legacies were finally united into one state. The issue arises from Anglophone opposition to certain policies and actions of
2106-452: The Southern Cameroons National Council advocated complete secession as the Republic of Ambazonia . The 1992 Labour Code of Cameroon gives workers the freedom to belong to a trade union or not to belong to any trade union at all. It is the choice of a worker to join any trade union in their occupation since there is more than one trade union in each occupation. In June 2006, talks concerning
2187-705: The UNHCR expecting that number to grow to 40,000 if the situation continues. Without clearly acknowledging the existence of the Anglophone problem, the President Paul Biya has attempted to appease tensions by making a number of announcements: Several separatist or secessionist groups have emerged or become more prominent as a result of the harsh response by the government to the Anglophone problem. These groups desire to see Southern Cameroons completely separate from La République du Cameroun and form its own state, sometimes referred to as Ambazonia . Some groups such as
2268-541: The World Wildlife Fund as the Cameroonian Highlands forests ecoregion. Anglophone problem The Anglophone problem ( French : problème anglophone ) is a socio-political issue in the modern Republic of Cameroon , rooted in the country's German , British , and French colonial legacies. Anglophone (English-speaking) Cameroonians form a minority population of around 16 percent, mainly from
2349-596: The wettest places on earth, part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests . The South Cameroon Plateau rises from the coastal plain to an average elevation of 650 metres (2,133 ft). Equatorial rainforest dominates this region, although its alternation between wet and dry seasons makes it less humid than the coast. This area is part of the Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion . An irregular chain of mountains, hills, and plateaus known as
2430-612: The 36 ministers who defended the budgets for the ministries in 2016, only one was Anglophone. State institutions only publish documents and public notices in French, without English translations. Most heads of government, senior administrators, and officials speak only French, even in English-speaking regions, and no effort is made to require them to demonstrate an understanding of Anglophone culture. Visitors and clients to government offices are then expected to speak in French. As of 2023 ,
2511-501: The Anglophone problem from Francophone government leaders, there exists a discontent by Anglophones, both young and old, as to how Anglophones are treated. This discontent presents itself in calls for federation, and active separatist movements. At the core of Anglophone grievances is the loss of the former West Cameroon as a "distinct community defined by differences in official language and inherited colonial traditions of education, law, and public administration." On 22 December 2016, in
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2592-423: The Anglophone problem is still on-going. It has spiralled into violence with police officers and gendarmes shooting dead several civilians. Official sources have put the number at 17 dead, but local individuals and groups have talked of 50 or more. Radical members of some secessionist groups have killed several police officers and gendarmes. 15,000 refugees have fled Southern Cameroons into neighbouring Nigeria, with
2673-468: The Anglophone region as the Federal Republic of Ambazonia . The government responded with a military offensive, and the insurgency spread across the Northwest and Southwest regions. As of 2019 , fighting between separatist guerillas and government forces continues. During 2020, numerous terrorist attacks—many of them carried out without claims of credit—and government reprisals have led to bloodshed throughout
2754-465: The Atlantic Ocean. Tourist literature describes Cameroon as "Africa in miniature" because it exhibits all major climates and vegetation of the continent: coast, desert, mountains, rainforest, and savanna. The country's neighbours are Nigeria and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea , Gabon and the Republic of
2835-666: The British Cameroons, the question was whether to reunify with French Cameroon or join Nigeria; the British ruled out the option of independence. On 1 January 1960, French Cameroun gained independence from France under President Ahmadou Ahidjo as the Republic of Cameroon. On 1 October 1961, the formerly British Southern Cameroons gained independence from the United Kingdom by vote of the UN General Assembly and merged into
2916-474: The CNU and tried to run the country from behind the scenes until Biya and his allies pressured him into resigning. Biya began his administration by moving toward a more democratic government, but a failed coup d'état nudged him toward the leadership style of his predecessor. In 1987, Dja Faunal Reserve , Cameroon's first world heritage site , was inscribed on the list by UNESCO . An economic crisis took effect in
2997-457: The Congo to the south. Cameroon is divided into five major geographic zones distinguished by dominant physical, climatic, and vegetative features. The coastal plain extends 15 to 150 kilometres (9 to 93 mi) inland from the Gulf of Guinea and has an average elevation of 90 metres (295 ft). Exceedingly hot and humid with a short dry season , this belt is densely forested and includes some of
3078-605: The Constitution of 1996, reference to the existence of a territory called the British Southern Cameroons that had a "functioning self-government and recognized international boundaries" was essentially erased. These actions suggest that the Francophone's intentions may not have been to form a federal state, but rather to annex Southern Cameroons and not treat them as equals. Despite the non-acknowledgement or denial of
3159-455: The Foumban Conference, there were reports that more than one hundred people were killed by terrorists in Loum , Bafang , Ndom, and Douala . The reports worried unification advocates who wanted British Cameroon to unify with French Cameroun. The location of Foumban had been carefully chosen to make Ahidjo appear as if he had everything under control. Mr. Mbile, a Southern Cameroonian representative at
3240-509: The French, while Britain was given a much smaller portion consisting of the Northern Cameroons , about 45,000 km (17,500 sq mi), and Southern Cameroons , 42,900 km (16,580 sq mi). Each colonizer would later influence the colonies with their European languages and cultures, creating both Anglophones and Francophones in Cameroon. The large difference in awarded territory resulted in present-day Cameroon having
3321-575: The Kanem and its successor state, the Bornu Empire . Kingdoms, fondoms , and chiefdoms arose in the west. Portuguese sailors reached the coast in 1472. They noted an abundance of the ghost shrimp Lepidophthalmus turneranus in the Wouri River and named it Rio dos Camarões ( Shrimp River ), which became Cameroon in English. Over the following few centuries, European interests regularised trade with
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3402-458: The Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federal republic was composed of two federated states, East Cameroon and West Cameroon , each with their own legislatures, governments, and prime ministers. 1 October is now observed as Unification Day , a public holiday . Ahidjo used the ongoing war with the UPC to concentrate power in the presidency, continuing with this even after
3483-545: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed deep concern about reports of violations and abuses in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. According to OCHA, more than 1.7 million people require humanitarian assistance in the northwest and southwest regions. OCHA also estimates that at least 628,000 people have been internally displaced by violence in
3564-444: The administration of an elected Regional Council . Each region is headed by a presidentially appointed governor. These leaders are charged with implementing the will of the president, reporting on the general mood and conditions of the regions, administering the civil service, keeping the peace, and overseeing the heads of the smaller administrative units. Governors have broad powers: they may order propaganda in their area and call in
3645-580: The army, gendarmes , and police. All local government officials are employees of the central government's Ministry of Territorial Administration, from which local governments also get most of their budgets. The regions are subdivided into 58 divisions (French départements ). These are headed by presidentially appointed divisional officers ( préfets ). The divisions are further split into sub-divisions ( arrondissements ), headed by assistant divisional officers ( sous-prefets ). The districts, administered by district heads ( chefs de district ), are
3726-514: The coast, and the North-West ( Nord-Ouest ) and West ( Ouest ) regions are in the western grassfields. At 475,442 square kilometres (183,569 sq mi), Cameroon is the world's 53rd-largest country. The country is located in Central Africa , on the Bight of Bonny , part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Cameroon lies between latitudes 1° and 13°N , and longitudes 8° and 17°E . Cameroon controls 12 nautical miles of
3807-649: The coastal peoples, and Christian missionaries pushed inland. In 1896, Sultan Ibrahim Njoya created the Bamum script , or Shu Mom, for the Bamum language . It is taught in Cameroon today by the Bamum Scripts and Archives Project . Germany began to establish roots in Cameroon in 1868 when the Woermann Company of Hamburg built a warehouse. It was built on the estuary of the Wouri River. Later, Gustav Nachtigal made
3888-416: The colonial system of forced labour. The British administered their territory from neighbouring Nigeria . Natives complained that this made them a neglected "colony of a colony". Nigerian migrant workers flocked to Southern Cameroons, ending forced labour altogether but angering the local natives, who felt swamped. The League of Nations mandates were converted into United Nations Trusteeships in 1946, and
3969-455: The conference, noted, "Free from all the unrest that had scared Southern Cameroonians, the Francophone authorities had picked the place deliberately for the occasion. The entire town had been exquisitely cleaned up and houses splashed with whitewash. Food was good and receptions lavish. The climate in Foumban real or artificial went far to convince us that despite the stories of 'murder and fire,' there could be at least this island of peace, east of
4050-508: The contributions of the Southern Cameroons delegates were reflected in suggestions made to the draft initially presented to them. John Ngu Foncha and Ahidjo intended for the conference to be brief; however, delegates left the three-day conference with the impression that there would be sequential conferences to continue drafting the constitution. Mbile later noted, "We may have done more if we had spent five months instead of five days in writing our constitution at Foumban." The Constitution for
4131-619: The country. Since 2016, more than 450,000 people have fled their homes. The conflict indirectly led to an upsurge in Boko Haram attacks, as the Cameroonian military largely withdrew from the north to focus on fighting the Ambazonian separatists. More than 30,000 people in northern Cameroon fled to Chad after ethnic clashes over access to water between Musgum fishermen and ethnic Arab Choa herders in December 2021. The President of Cameroon
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#17328836775884212-441: The creation of an Ambazonian state in the English-speaking territories escalated into open warfare . Large numbers of Cameroonians live as subsistence farmers . The country is often referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological, linguistic, and cultural diversity. Its natural features include beaches , deserts , mountains , rainforests , and savannas . Cameroon's highest point, at almost 4,100 metres (13,500 ft),
4293-476: The diaspora led by a well-organized US-based Anglophone Action Group (AAG). AAG was one of the first groups in the diaspora to endorse the Cameroon-based Consortium as a peaceful alternative to achieving a return to the pre-1972 federated system. Opponents of federation include the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM). Unitarianists do not want federation or separation, but advocate for
4374-513: The direction of the National Anti-Corruption Observatory . There are several high corruption risk areas in Cameroon, for instance, customs, public health sector and public procurement. However, the corruption has gotten worse, regardless of the existing anti-corruption bureaus, as Transparency International ranked Cameroon 152 on a list of 180 countries in 2018. President Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM)
4455-459: The event they are charged with high treason or harming national security. Cameroon is viewed as rife with corruption at all levels of government. In 1997, Cameroon established anti-corruption bureaus in 29 ministries, but only 25% became operational, and in 2012, Transparency International placed Cameroon at number 144 on a list of 176 countries ranked from least to most corrupt. On 18 January 2006, Biya initiated an anti-corruption drive under
4536-416: The federation. However, most of these proposals were ignored by Ahidjo. Some of these proposals included having a bicameral legislature and decentralizing power, but instead a unicameral system was established with a centralized system of power. At the Foumban conference, Ahidjo presented delegates with a draft constitution. By the end of the conference, instead of creating an entirely new constitution,
4617-497: The foundation for the later German colonization of Kamerun. In 1916 during World War I, the empires of France and Britain joined forces in the Kamerun campaign to conquer the colony. Later, the Treaty of Versailles awarded France and Britain mandates over Cameroon as reparation after Germany lost the war. Over 430,000 km (167,000 sq mi) of German Kamerun was given to
4698-691: The government suppresses the freedoms of opposition groups by preventing demonstrations, disrupting meetings, and arresting opposition leaders and journalists. In particular, English-speaking people are discriminated against; protests often escalate into violent clashes and killings. In 2017, President Biya shut down the Internet in the English-speaking region for 94 days, at the cost of hampering five million people, including Silicon Mountain startups. Freedom House ranks Cameroon as "not free" in terms of political rights and civil liberties. The last parliamentary elections were held on 9 February 2020. Cameroon
4779-521: The independence of Cameroon. The National Assembly makes legislation. The body consists of 180 members who are elected for five-year terms and meet three times per year. Laws are passed on a majority vote. The 1996 constitution establishes a second house of parliament, the 100-seat Senate . The government recognises the authority of traditional chiefs, fons, and lamibe to govern at the local level and to resolve disputes as long as such rulings do not conflict with national law. Cameroon's legal system
4860-475: The mainly Francophone (French-speaking) Government of Cameroon , particularly around the bilingual federation agreed to in 1961 and later rescinded in 1972, which has resulted in marginalization and discrimination. It is increasingly dominating the national political agenda, and has led to arguments and actions for federalism by Anglophones, a separatist movement to form an independent state of Ambazonia , and an ongoing armed conflict since 2017 which constitutes
4941-409: The mid-1980s to late 1990s as a result of international economic conditions, drought, falling petroleum prices, and years of corruption, mismanagement, and cronyism . Cameroon turned to foreign aid, cut government spending, and privatised industries. With the reintroduction of multi-party politics in December 1990, the former British Southern Cameroons pressure groups called for greater autonomy, and
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#17328836775885022-554: The national tongues of English and French, or both. Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation around Lake Chad and the Baka hunter-gatherers in the southeastern rainforest. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and named the area Rio dos Camarões ( Shrimp River ), which became Cameroon in English. Fulani soldiers founded the Adamawa Emirate in
5103-634: The new Federal Republic was agreed in Yaoundé in August 1961, between Ahidjo and Foncha, pending approval by the House of Assembly of the two states. In the end, the West Cameroon House of Assembly never ratified the Constitution. However, on 1 October 1961, the Federal Republic of Cameroon nevertheless came into existence. On 6 May 1972, Ahidjo announced his decision to convert the Federal Republic into
5184-535: The north in the 19th century, and various ethnic groups of the west and northwest established powerful chiefdoms and fondoms . Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun . After World War I , it was divided between France and the United Kingdom as League of Nations mandates . France took 4/5 and the United Kingdom 1/5 of the territory and both ruled it under mandate until independence in 1960 and 1961 respectively. The Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) political party advocated independence but
5265-454: The official languages of former French Cameroons and British Cameroons . Christianity is the majority religion in Cameroon , with significant minorities practising Islam and traditional faiths . It has experienced tensions from the English-speaking territories, where politicians have advocated for greater decentralisation and even complete separation or independence (as in the Southern Cameroons National Council ). In 2017, tensions over
5346-465: The oil-rich Bakassi peninsula. Cameroon and Nigeria share a 1,000-mile (1,600 km) border and have disputed the sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula. In 1994 Cameroon petitioned the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute. The two countries attempted to establish a cease-fire in 1996; however, fighting continued for years. In 2002, the ICJ ruled that the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 gave sovereignty to Cameroon. The ruling called for
5427-466: The peninsula was left to Cameroon two years later, in 2008. The boundary change triggered a local separatist insurgency , as many Bakassians refused to accept Cameroonian rule. While most militants laid down their arms in November 2009, some carried on fighting for years. In February 2008, Cameroon experienced its worst violence in 15 years when a transport union strike in Douala escalated into violent protests in 31 municipal areas. In May 2014, in
5508-413: The predominantly English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of the country have been campaigning for continued use of the English language in schools and courts. People were killed and hundreds were jailed as a result of these protests. In 2017, Biya's government blocked the regions' access to the Internet for three months. In September, separatists started a guerilla war for the independence of
5589-428: The question of independence became a pressing issue in French Cameroon. France outlawed the pro-independence political party, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon ( French : Union des Populations du Cameroun , UPC), on 13 July 1955. This prompted a long guerrilla war waged by the UPC and the assassination of several of the party's leaders, including Ruben Um Nyobè , Félix-Roland Moumié and Ernest Ouandie . In
5670-599: The ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement. There are many reasons Anglophones feel marginalized, systemically, by the government. National entrance examinations into some professional schools are set by the French system of education, or are set in French language only, even in English-speaking regions. This makes it difficult for Anglophones and Francophones to compete on an equal playing field. The examination board members are all Francophone, which places some bias against Anglophone candidates. There are five ministries that concern education and none of them are Anglophone; of
5751-464: The smallest administrative units. The three northernmost regions are the Far North ( Extrême Nord ), North ( Nord ), and Adamawa ( Adamaoua ). Directly south of them are the Centre ( Centre ) and East ( Est ). The South Province ( Sud ) lies on the Gulf of Guinea and the southern border. Cameroon's western region is split into four smaller regions: the Littoral ( Littoral ) and South-West ( Sud-Ouest ) regions are on
5832-600: The suppression of the UPC in 1971. Ahidjo's political party, the Cameroon National Union (CNU), became the sole legal political party on 1 September 1966, and on 20 May 1972, a referendum was passed to abolish the federal system of government in favour of a United Republic of Cameroon, headed from Yaoundé . This day is now the country's National Day , a public holiday. Ahidjo pursued an economic policy of planned liberalism , prioritising cash crops and petroleum development. The government used oil money to create
5913-581: The then abundant Cameroon ghost shrimp . Today the country's name in Portuguese remains Camarões . Evidence from digs at Shum Laka in the Northwest Region shows human occupation in Cameroon dating back 30,000 years. The longest continuous inhabitants are groups such as the Baka ( Pygmies ). From there, Bantu migrations into eastern, southern and central Africa are believed to have occurred about 2,000 years ago. The Sao culture arose around Lake Chad , c. 500 CE , and gave way to
5994-534: The two regions, while more than 87,000 have fled to Nigeria. Same-sex sexual acts are banned by section 347-1 of the penal code with a penalty of from 6 months up to 5 years imprisonment. Since December 2020, Human Rights Watch claimed that Islamist armed group Boko Haram has stepped up attacks and killed at least 80 civilians in towns and villages in the Far North region of Cameroon. The constitution divides Cameroon into 10 semi-autonomous regions, each under
6075-424: The violence, many reportedly hiding in forests. Prisons are overcrowded with little access to adequate food and medical facilities, and prisons run by traditional rulers in the north are charged with holding political opponents at the behest of the government. However, since the first decade of the 21st century, an increasing number of police and gendarmes have been prosecuted for improper conduct. On 25 July 2018,
6156-686: The wake of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping , presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon and Idriss Déby of Chad announced they were waging war on Boko Haram , and deployed troops to the Nigerian border. Boko Haram launched several attacks into Cameroon, killing 84 civilians in a December 2014 raid , but suffering a heavy defeat in a raid in January 2015 . Cameroon declared victory over Boko Haram on Cameroonian territory in September 2018. Since November 2016, protesters from
6237-521: Was abandoned in 1972. The country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and back to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by a presidential decree by President Paul Biya . Biya, the incumbent president, has led the country since 1982 following Ahidjo's resignation; he previously held office as prime minister from 1975 onward. Cameroon is governed as a unitary presidential republic . The official languages of Cameroon are French and English,
6318-530: Was given. The most desired option was independence with the least popular being unification with French Cameroon. However, during the British Plebiscite of 1961 , the British argued that Southern Cameroons was not economically viable enough to sustain itself as an independent nation and could only survive by joining with Nigeria or La République du Cameroun (the Republic of Cameroon). The United Nations rejected Southern Cameroons' appeal to have independence as
6399-532: Was known as the German colony of Kamerun . Germany first gained influence in Cameroon in 1845 when Alfred Saker of the Baptist Missionary Society introduced a mission station. In 1860, German merchants established a factory: the Woermann Company. On 5 July 1884 local tribes provided the Woermann Company with rights to control the Kamerun River (the delta of the Wouri River ), consequently setting
6480-471: Was outlawed by France in the 1950s, leading to the national liberation insurgency fought between French and UPC militant forces until early 1971. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent, as the Republic of Cameroun, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo . The southern part of British Cameroons federated with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federation
6561-503: Was the only legal political party until December 1990. Numerous regional political groups have since formed. The primary opposition is the Social Democratic Front (SDF), based largely in the Anglophone region of the country and headed by John Fru Ndi . Biya and his party have maintained control of the presidency and the National Assembly in national elections, which rivals contend were unfair. Human rights organisations allege that
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