From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Cameroon, ethnic clashes leave 20 d'
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:00:50 GMT

/* Written  7:14 am  Apr 10, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "CAMEROON: ETHNIC CLASHES LEAVE 20 D" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Asia, southern
Title: CAMEROON: ETHNIC CLASHES LEAVE 20 DEAD


yaounde, apr 7 (ips) -- about 20 people are reported to have
been killed and several others injured in ethnic violence in
adamawa province, in cameroon's middle belt, cameroonian radio
announced here tuesday.

the clashes between the baya and fulbes people took place
monday morning in the small town of meiganga -- 50 kms south of
ngaoundere, the provincial capital -- the imam (moslem priest)
there was found dead in a pool of blood outside his home.

although nobody claimed responsibility for the death of the
imam, the fulbes (hausa/fulani) suspected the local baya people,
with whom they have always lived in an atmosphere of uneasiness,
for killing the moslem priest, the radio said.

in an apparently retaliatory act, the fulbes stormed the
compound of the local chief (lamido), destroyed the fence
shielding the compound and burnt his car.

calm was only restored later in the day following the
intervention of the military that was rushed in from ngaoundere
and ngaoundal, 18 kms south of meiganga.

this was not the first ethnic violence between the two
people. a similar incident occurred in june when the fulbes and
the bayas clashed after the bayas refused to take part in a
nationwide strike.

the strike, called ''operation ghost town'', was called by
cameroon's opposition parties to force president paul biya's
government to call a national conference that would work out a
national programme toward democracy in the west african nation.

further clashes took place in january in the far north
province, killing at least 100 people and injuring several
hundred others.

in the adamawa and in two other northern provinces, relations
have always been uneasy between the indigenous population
(animist/christian) and the immigrant (moslem) fulbes.

the fulbes first arrived in what is now cameroon's northern
provinces in the early 18th century with adama, a prince of the
sokoto caliphate in northern nigeria, at the head of a jihad, a
holy war undertaken by moslems against unbelievers.

adama's southern drive was only stopped at the southern
limits of today's adamawa province from whom the province gets
its name. (more/ips)


cameroon: ethnic (2)

since then, the fulbes have constituted the ruling class in
society, subjugated the local people to almost a state of
slavery. they have continued to dominate trade and commerce, and
to control cattle rearing in the area.

the indigenous baya people were reduced to peasant farmers
and cattle herdsmen and houseboys. illiteracy is rife among
them.

when cameroon became independent in 1960, the welfare of
the majority of the bayas was not improved because, it is
alleged, it was a fulbe, ahmadu ahidjo, who came to power and
maintained the status quo.

this has created deep-seated hatred and tension among the two
people with land disputes between the farmer indigenous
population and the cattle-rearing fulbes fueling the flames.

in recent years, with the advent of christianity in the area,
the bayas have acquired modern education and reasserting their
status and resisting domination by the fulbes.

with a population of about 12 million, cameroon has over 200
ethnic groups with distinct dialects, culture and customs.

this complex cultural mix has been aggravated by the
imposition of western/christian and moslem traditions which are
often exploited by politicians for their ends.

ahidjo, however, was able to maintain calm through a ruthless
dictatorship and a policy of regional balance in appointments in
the public service.

but since biya came to power in 1982 and introduced limited
socio-political reforms, political observers here say cameroon
has witnessed the rebirth of tribalism deliberately encouraged
by the ruling clan (fulbes) to divide and rule.
(end/ips/tm/apc/ar/92)