RALLIES BANNED IN ENGLISH AREAS OF CAMEROON

EXTRA troops were deployed on Monday in Cameroon’s English-speaking provinces as local authorities banned all secessionist rallies on the 40th anniversary of national unification, witnesses said. Residents said that soldiers had been sent to the two provinces to prevent any rallies and demonstrations by activists demanding the secession of English-speaking areas from mainly French-speaking Cameroon. Local authorities said tracts calling for “the proclamation of independence of Southern Cameroon” were the work of “a few known agitators”. – AFP