World News

A priest was murdered in the Anglo-Saxon part of Cameroon

Alexander Sob

A Christian churchman was assassinated in Bomaka by unknown assailants who later sent pictures of his corpse to the Christian Church of Yaounde.

The curate at the parish of Bomaka –a quarter of Buea– was murdered on the 20th July. A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Yaoundé said: “We received some photos of the remains of Alexander Dob, the deceased priest, showing his mutilated corpse.” According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP) and the spokesperson for the Catholic Church, police have still to track down his assassins.  Neither the Cameroonian authorities nor the Catholic Church has spoken about the circumstances of his death. Some priests, when interviewed by AFP, commented that travel is difficult in the Anglo-Saxon areas of Cameroon,  zones that are in the North-West and South-West of the country. The security of these two regions is poorly managed; there are constant fights between the government and the Anglo-Saxon rebels who wish to set up an independent English State.

According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), the Catholic Church is the only organisation that could help promote dialogue between the government and the rebels. One-third of the population of Cameroon is Catholic, and the ICG is imploring these citizens to promote peace between the two opposing sides while remaining neutral in the struggle.

The armed conflicts, like the fights against the Jihadist group called Boko Haram, may affect the results of the presidential elections that will be held on the 7th of  October. Paul Biya, the actual president, is 85 years old and has been in office for 35 years. He was nominated as a presidential candidate again last week. If elected in October,  he will govern for yet another term, his seventh in office. His opponents believe he is incapable of handling the Anglo-Saxon problem while his supporters think he is the best person for the job.

Translator: Ildikó Ungvári

Source: Le Point

 

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