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FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8635
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1366
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 1613
RUEHMA/AMEMBASSY MALABO 0275
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0435
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNESB/USDEL FEST TWO 0015

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 000199 
 
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 
been canceled. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Embassy Yaounde will likely disapprove incoming 
 
YAOUNDE 00000199  002 OF 002 
 
 
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