Yaoundé the capital of Cameroon on Saturday denounced the “infantilisation” of the Cameroonian nation following a statement by the United States suggesting to President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982, to “reflect on his legacy” and his place in the history book before the presidential elections scheduled at the end of the year.

“We do not accept the infantilisation of the Cameroonian nation. It is with full knowledge of the facts that they (Cameroonians) put their ballot in the ballot box,” said Issa Tchiroma Bakary, spokesman for the Cameroonian government, contacted by telephone from Libreville.

A statement from the US representative in Yaoundé received Friday by AFP said the US ambassador to Cameroon, Peter Henry Barlerin, had “suggested to President Biya that he should reflect on his legacy and how he wants to be remembered in the history books.

“In this regard, I welcomed the recent press communiqué that there would be a full investigation of alleged torture of a prisoner by Cameroonian forces and that the guilty would be punished. A recent UNDP study found that 71 percent of those who said they had joined violent extremist organizations did so because of government action such as the murder of a close relative or friend” he said.

Barlerin added that on the situation in the Northwest and Southwest, the month of April has proven the bloodiest stating that things are not getting better.
“I discussed with the President our view that the two sides in the conflict are simply not listening to each other” he said.

A presidential election is planned this year in Cameroon, to which Paul Biya – 85 years of whom 35 are in power – has not said whether he would run.

Source: Africa News