Another African nation in the series, another nation rich in natural resources under strife as the remnants of colonial Europe attempt to retain some foothold for their corporations to obtain commodities for corporate survival at bargain basement prices.
Why is Cameroon suddenly back on to the world stage of instability?
Another potentially, possibly, and probably rigged election.
The supporters of a younger, more dynamic leader were dashed with the election of a 90 plus year old leader who has been accused of being in the pocket of European, especially French, corporate interests.
Needless to say, one of the first nations to speak about their “concerns” as to the violence was the French government, via their national outlet, Radio France International:
France concerned about Cameroon’s violent crackdown on post-election protests
Excerpt:
At least 23 people have been killed in Cameroon as a result of security forces cracking down on protesters since the weekend, a civil society group known as “Stand up for Cameroon” said in a media briefing on Wednesday.
The governor of the economic capital of Douala, which has experienced some of the worst violence, told a press conference on Tuesday that over 200 people had been arrested in connection with the protests.
France, which ruled Cameroon until independence in 1960, issued a statement Wednesday calling on “all those involved to show restraint and engage in a constructive dialogue that restores peace, security and calm to the Cameroonian people”.
Translation? Please do not interfere with our raw materials as we’ve lost most of West Africa and the Sahel already.
How bad could it get?
Of course the protests, riots, and unrest did not prevent Biya from being sworn in again as President for an unprecedented eight term.
Cameroon’s Biya, world’s oldest ruler at 92, sworn in for eighth term
If anyone thinks that crony capitalism, crony colonialism, and the threat of instability in third world nations to commodities is over because it’s no long a year from the 1970’s, one must rethink their current version of reality. No supply chain is safe until geopolitical stability of some degree is establishes, be it under American, Chinese, or European influence.
As American political instability is a virus which spreads to the world and global economy.
