Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Cameroon Police Chase, Beat Opposition Leader Supporters

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE, CAMEROON - Witnesses say Cameroon police have chased and
   beaten at least 200 opposition supporters outside the home of
   opposition leader MauriceKamto, who has been under de facto house
   arrest for over a month.'¯ Anti-riot police were deployed toKamto'shome
   this week to contain crowds of supporters demanding he be released.'¯
   Police blockedKamtofrom leaving his house after he organized
   anti-government protests in September.'¯

   An unknownfemale supporterofoppositionleaderMauriceKamtostrippedoff her
   clothesin front of hishouse'¯Thursdayand shoutedatthe
   largepolicepresencethathis month-long detentionwasillegal.

   The woman,in her early 50s,screamed thatshewouldnot leave untilpolice
   allowedKamtoout ofhishouseto speak with her.

   She was one of over 200 opposition
   supportersgatheredoutsideKamto'shouseto mark one month since police
   surrounded his home, placing him underde facto house arrest.

   KamtosupporterGiselleMalongosays she came from the western town
   ofBafoussamto ask whyKamtohas been stopped from leaving hishousesince
   September 22.

   She told VOA the police violently brutalized and blockedsupportersfrom
   meetingKamto, aman she called "theirpresident."Malongosaid armed police
   seized mobile phones fromsupporterswhotriedto take photographs(of the
   clashes).She said police also prevented them from delivering food
   donations toKamtoand his family.

   A reporter also witnessed police beating and blockingKamto'ssupporters,
   some of whom were trying to donate food.

   Christopher Ndong, secretarygeneral and legal advisor
   ofKamto'sCameroon'¯Renaissance Movementparty, said police beat13
   supportersso badly that they had toget treated atahospital.

   "Kamtowas very furious at this gesture by the military refusing people
   to come and give him food aid after he had been locked up for a month,"
   Ndong told VOA. "There were a lot of hot exchanges.We decry the
   attitude of government and its military operatives.We are saying in
   fact, this is an infringement to democratic principles and democratic
   rights."

   Cameroon police gave noofficial statementon the clashesandwould
   notanswera reporter'squestions.'¯

   Authorities have not officially declaredKamtoto beunder house
   arrest,but police havenot allowed him to leave his home since he
   organizednationwideanti-governmentprotestsin September.

   CameroonTerritorial Administration MinisterPaulAtangaNjisaid police are
   watchingKamtobecause heisbeing investigated for hostilities against the
   state.

   "I want to sound a stern warning to unscrupulous politicians that they
   will face the law.It must be clear that the discontinuance of legal
   proceedings does not imply that the charges have been dropped.Any
   further act of public disorder will take them back to square one," Nji
   said.

   TheSeptemberopposition protests were againstCameroon holdingDecember 6
   regional elections.

   The opposition says theelectoral laws favorlong-ruling
   PresidentPaulBiyaand hisCameroon People's Democratic Movementparty.

   Biyahas beenin power for 38 years, making him one of Africa's
   longest-serving leaders.

   Kamtoand about 200supporterswerejailedlast yearforprotestingagainstthe
   2018 presidential electionresults, whichnamedBiyathe winner.

   Kamtowas releasedafter nine monthsfollowing international pressure.

   Since then, Cameroon police haveclosely monitoredhis activitiesand all
   of his political rallies and protests have been declared illegal.

.