Cameroon: President announces national dialogue [The Morning Call]

There are mixed reactions in Cameroon over President Paul Biya’s public address on Tuesday night.

The president announced a grand national dialogue at the end of this month to resolve the separatist crisis that has affected hundreds of thousands in the country’s conflict afflicted English-speaking regions.

In his speech, he called on all separatists to surrender, be forgiven or risk facing military action. He also denied any marginalization of the Anglophone zones and said the national dialogue will address more than just the separatist crisis.

But several Cameroonians expected their leader to grant amnesty to arrested separatists and political leaders as a way to bring peace.

It should be noted that just last month, separatist leader Julius Sisiku Ayuk Tabe was handed life imprisonment as well as nine of his followers.