Drivers
in one of Cameroon's restive English-speaking provinces have been
banned from driving at night for a month, as tensions run high between
government forces and separatists.
Vehicles in five of the Southwest
Region's six districts are not allowed on the road between 7:00 pm and
6:00 am (1800 GMT and 0500 GMT) with the exception of ambulances as well
as state and police cars, according to an official statement seen by
AFP late Friday.
The
renewable ban, which entered into force at the start of the month, will
remain in place for "30 days", regional governor Bernard Okalia Bilai
said in the statement.
A push
for independence from the majority French-speaking country has sparked
deadly unrest in Cameroon's two anglophone provinces, home to around a
fifth of the 23-million population.
The English-speaking minority is a legacy of the colonial period in Africa.
The secessionist bid draws on widespread resentment over the perceived discrimination at the hands of the francophones.
Dozens
of people have been killed in the Southwest Region and Northwest Region
and tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring Nigeria following a
violent crackdown on anti-government protests.
The
situation worsened at the end of January when 47 separatists, including
Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, one of their leaders, were arrested in Nigeria, which
sent them back to Cameroon, prompting a fresh wave of violence.
Aside
from targeting police and soldiers, some separatist groups appear to be
turning to kidnapping, as well as threatening French firms located in
English-speaking areas.
Cameroonian President Paul Biya has responded to the violence with curfews, raids and restrictions on travel.
Observers
warn the ongoing crisis could interfere with general elections --
including a presidential race -- set to take place at the end of 2018.
AFP
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