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DE RUEHYD #0190/01 0581649
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O 271649Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8624
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1358
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 1605
RUEHMA/AMEMBASSY MALABO 0267
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0427
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNESB/USDEL FEST TWO 0007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 000190 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CAPTION ADDED 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C, DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/CC 
NDJAMENA PLEASE PASS TO DAS SWAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC PHUM ELAB PINR PGOV KPAO CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: UPDATE ON RIOTS, NATIONWIDE TAXI STRIKE, 
AND SECURITY SITUATION 
 
REF: A. YAOUNDE 0121 
 
     ¶B. YAOUNDE 0182 
 
¶1. (U)  Embassy Yaounde convened the Emergency Action 
Committee at 09:45 am local time on February 26 to discuss 
the security situation throughout the country and to 
reaffirm the hold-fast travel policy in place for USG 
employees and other American citizens throughout the 
country.  In attendance were AMB, DCM, RSO, DAO, POL, MGT, 
CONS, and PA.  The EAC reconvened at 3:00 pm. 
 
¶2. (U)  The conflicting reports of violence in various 
parts of the country continued through the night February 
25-26.  However, the general consensus is that the taxi 
strike will continue through the day on February 26 and 
that the general state of unrest and upheaval will continue 
in the major cities in many parts of Cameroon.  A major 
exception is the far northern provinces, which have large 
Muslim populations and where the taxi drivers are not on 
strike.  The most severe and widespread violence has been 
in Douala.  After Douala, the most troublesome area is the 
densely populated West Province, north of the capital; we 
have numerous reports of unrest and criminal activity in 
Bafoussam, Foumbat, and other cities.  Significant unrest 
has also been seen in the Anglophone provinces, mainly in 
the Southwest (Limbe) and Northwest (Bamenda). 
 
¶3.  (U)  The highway connecting Douala to Yaounde is still 
blocked by demonstrators.  The Douala airport is open, 
though several airlines have chosen to divert to Yaounde. 
Airplanes are able to land in Douala, and it is currently 
safe to travel the short distance from the airport to the 
major downtown hotels.  It is not possible to travel out of 
the city.  The Cameroon government has deployed the Armed 
Forces to help reestablish order in Douala's streets. 
According to embassy local staff, the last time the Army 
was involved in internal stability was in 1992, and this is 
seen as an alarming step.  We are currently assessing the 
troubling scenario of a widespread loss of governmental 
control. 
 
¶4.  (U)  The major grievances from the taxi drivers are the 
increasing gasoline prices, the increased harassment by the 
police and the increase in parking fines.  The public 
(other than the opportunistic looters) have expressed their 
grievances to be the shut down of "Equinox" television and 
radio station, the increased price of food staples and 
cement, unemployment and the Governor of Littoral 
Province's ban on demonstrations. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Transportation problems continue to plague large 
and small cities in Cameroon.  In Yaounde long gas lines 
were observed and many of the gas stations had closed 
because they had run out of gas.  Gas and food staples are 
transported mainly on the highway from Douala to Yaounde so 
we can expect conditions to worsen if the roadblocks 
continue. 
 
--------------- 
Embassy Actions 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (U)  The Embassy remains open, and the Ambassador 
continued to discuss the situation with senior officials of 
the Cameroon government and other chiefs of mission.  The 
Embassy is enforcing a general policy of no inter-city 
travel throughout Cameroon and has advised American 
citizens in the Littoral, West, Southwest and Northwest 
provinces to remain in their residences.  Several Embassy 
employees who were on weekend leave in the West or 
Southwest provinces when the violence erupted have been 
instructed to stand fast at their hotels.  The Embassy 
Branch Office in Douala is closed though one local employee 
was working at the office February 26 and others are 
working at the airport and downtown locations.  The 
American School in Douala remains closed.  The Vice Consul 
in Douala remains in his residence with the Navy band, USDA 
TDYers, and several other expatriates.  A reception in 
Limbe planned for February 28, which was to be co-hosted by 
the Ambassador and the Captain of the USS Ft. McHenry, has 
 
YAOUNDE 00000190  002 OF 002 
 
 
been canceled. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Embassy Yaounde will likely disapprove incoming 
e-country clearance requests and asks that official 
travelers defer their trips to Cameroon for the moment. 
The individual protesting the Cameroon government in front 
of the Embassy remains in place and informs us he will be 
joined by some 20 others soon.  We have prepared if-asked 
press guidance on the overall security situation in 
Cameroon. 
 
¶8.  (U)  The consular section has established a control 
room and is developing a growing list of American citizens 
who are in Douala or other areas where there has been 
unrest (currently around 50).  Consular personnel are 
coordinating with wardens and reinforcing guidance that 
Americans should avoid inter-city travel and not travel in 
Douala at all.  Currently the control room will operate 
during normal business hours and is reachable by phone at 
237-2220-1500 x4033, or by e-mail at YaoundeACS@state.gov. 
Post will clear and circulate another warden message 
today.  A security announcement will be going out to 
Americans and embassy local employees instructing them to 
take caution and to stockpile various food goods and fuel. 
If the situation deteriorates rapidly we may expect to see 
stores, gas stations, and pharmacies closed.  Already there 
have been multiple reports of stores and gas stations being 
looted and burned. 
 
-------------------- 
Government Response 
-------------------- 
 
¶9.  (U)  On February 26, the Ministers of Commerce, 
Transport, Labor and Communication held a meeting in 
Yaounde to develop a statement that would clarify the 
outcome of the meetings with unions and the action that the 
government would take in the following days.  In the 
meeting, the officials from the "Fund for the Stabilization 
of Hydrocarbon Prices" (CSPH) briefed transporter unions 
about the mechanism for determining whether to increase or 
decrease gas prices.  The union leaders thanked the CSPH 
for the explanation, but insisted that the government must 
address their grievances.  Later in the day, the Governor 
of the Littoral Province (Douala), Francis Fai Yengo, 
issued a statement calling on the population to resume 
their activities and emphasizing that parents should ensure 
that their children do not engage in violent activities. 
In addition, Pascal Mani, the Governor of the West 
Province, issued a statement warning parents that they 
should make sure their children do not engage in any 
demonstrations or violent acts. 
 
¶10. (U)  Additional developments will be reported via 
septel.  The POC for this cable is RSO Laura Williams. 
GARVEY