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 Mourns 7 Children Killed at School

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE - Cameroon observed a day of national mourning Sunday, with the
   central African state's flag flying at half-staff and millions of
   people taking to the streets, mosques, and churches to condemn
   barbarism and killing. People are also asking for investigations to be
   opened and for suspected killers and those promoting the separatist
   crisis that has killed 3,000 people in four years to face justice.

   Oumarou Mallam Djibril, a Muslim cleric, leads prayers at an ecumenical
   service at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Cameroon's capital,
   Yaoundé. Among the nearly 1,000 civilians who have come out to observe
   the day of national mourning is 40-year-old Catholic, Stephen Ngwa.

   Ngwa says his younger sister's daughter was killed when gunmen attacked
   a school in the English-speaking southwestern town of Kumba on October
   24. He says the pain inflicted on innocent citizens by the separatist
   conflict in Cameroon's English-speaking regions is unbearable.

   "These acts of barbarism should not continue again," he said. "I want
   to use this opportunity to once more plead with boys and girls who are
   carrying guns in the North West and South West to drop their guns, for
   we are tired. This is not our portion."

   Choir members in OK? Yaoundé, besides praying for the killed children,
   asked God to bring peace back to Cameroon's English-speaking regions.

   The government, along with Cameroon's Ecumenical Service for Peace,
   mosques, and Catholic, Baptist and Presbyterian churches reported that
   similar services took place all over the country.

   The military held ceremonies in memory of the slain children. Radio and
   TV stations broadcast special programs in their memory.

.