Sources refer to 8 and 9 January 2000 demonstrations held in Buea and Limbe, South-West Province by members of the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) to "press for moves towards independence" ( AI 20 Jan. 2000; AFP 17 Jan. 2000; ibid. 13 Jan. 2000; The Monitor 14 Jan. 2000; AFX World News 17 Jan. 2000). However, the numbers of SCNC arrested during those demonstrations are contradictory among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Citing Cameroon security forces, two sources state that "two or three" people had been arrested while a source close to the SCNC claims that a "dozen people were detained and remain unaccounted for since" (The Monitor 14 Jan. 2000; AFP 17 Jan. 2000). Referring to The Herald, a 17 January 2000 AFX News article indicates that some 23 SCNC members arrested after marches held on 8 and 9 January 2000 in the towns of Buea and Limbe, were being detained by the security forces. Without giving an exact number of persons arrested, Amnesty International, in its a 20 January 2000 Urgent Action states that it was "concerned about the safety of members of the SCNC members, including Justice Frederick Ebong, a high court judge, Chief Ayamba and James Sabum arrested on 8 and 9 January 2000 following demonstration in Buea and Limbe" (20 Jan. 2000). The human rights body added that the three prominent SCNC members had since been transferred to the capital, Yaoundé while an unknown number of those arrested were possibly being held incommunicado by the gendarmerie and some others had been released after questioning.

The current whereabouts of Justice Frederick Ebong, a high court judge, Chief Ayamba and James Sabum could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 17 January 2000. "23 Secessionists Detained in English-Speaking Cameroon: Report." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 January 2000. "Securité renforcée après des manifestations secessionnistes." (NEXIS)

AFX World News. 17 January 2000. "AFX World News Update-Five Israelis Injured in Alleged Terrorist Bomb Attack." (NEXIS).

Amnesty International (AI). 20 January 2000. Urgent Action: Cameroon: Members of the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC), including Justice Frederick Ebong, a high court judge, Chief Ayamba and James Sabum. (AI Index: AFR 17/02/00). London: Amnesty International.

The Monitor [Kampala]. 14 January 2000. "Cameroon Army Moves Against Separatists." http://www.africanews.com/monitor/issues/14jan00/inter.html [Accessed 26 Sept. 2000]

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential January-September 2000.

Africa Research Bulletin January-July 2000.

Jeune Afrique January-September 2000.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

Resource Centre country file. Cameroon. 2000.

West Africa 2000.

World News Connection.

Internet Sites, including:

Amnesty International Online.

HRW Online.

Panafrican news Agency (PANA).

Relief Web.

Search engines including:

Google.

Lycos.