Cameroonian truck drivers begin strike in Bangui

The Central African capital is now suffering from the lack of certain products of neccesity, due to the refusal of Cameroonian truck driver to work at Bangui so as to protest against the attacks by armed groups who killed one of them in July.

As the main route from Bangui to the Cameroonian port of Douala, the Bangui-Garoua-Boulaï Road is essential for imports to Central Africa, blocked-in country.

For more than two weeks, only Central African truckers, escorted by elements of the Nations Mission in Central African Republic (Minusca), commute between the two countries. All Cameroonian truck drivers have stopped activities from the Cameroon border towards Bangui.

On July 18, a convoy vehicle escorted by Minusca peacekeepers was attacked not far from Baboua, 500 km west of Bangui. The Cameroonian driver was mortally wounded, his truck looted and "cannibalized".

Despite the intervention of international forces (Sangaris French force and Minusca) to stop the inter-communal killings in 2013 and 2014, entire parts of the territory were subject to pressure from armed groups and banditry, in the North, East and West.

Cameroonian truck drivers then "observed a work stoppage at the same time as Central African truck drivers to denounce these abuses", explained Gilbert Yazimongo, head of the Union of Central African truck drivers (USCC).

“As a result of the assurance given by the authorities in Bangui and the Minusca, Central African truck drivers resumed work.”

“Cameroonians required the leaders of the two countries to take their responsibilities by adopting appropriate measures before any resumption of their activities", noted Issa Ansour Mahamat, Central African truck driver.

As a result, Bangui, whose population is part of the poorest on the planet, a misery accentuated these past two years by the inter-communal violence that tore the country, are aware of a shortage of products and a rise in prices.

"Currently, prices of cement, wheat flour, milk powder, and other items are rising", said Mireille Mazou, a seller.

"As of the present situation, Bangui is on the brink of suffocation," she indicated.

Previously sold at 8,500 CFA francs, a bag of cement now fluctuates between 9,000 and 10,000 FCFA according to different locations. A bag of wheat flour increased from 16,000 to 18,000 FCFA, while milk powder increased from 200 to 250 FCFA (650 FCFA as the worth of one euro).

Increases that seem innocuous in a rich country but which summed the miserable life of the population level and weigh heavily on the daily life. The average monthly wage in Central Africa is 40 euros.

"Nobody moves"

"We do not have the culture of supply or reserves. We live day to day, while we depend entirely on the port of Douala for products of first necessity", deplored Thierry Dangadia, a student.

"Even for a needle, not to say matches, we depend on Cameroon", quiped Albert Paké, a bread seller.

Ange Nguété, an official, lamented: "it's weird, everyone knows that the Cameroonian truck drivers have refused to supply Bangui, but nobody is doing anything".

"There were contacts with the family of the victim of this act which the authorities condemn. And arrangements are made to ensure that the high authorities of the two countries solve this problem," assured the Ministry of Transport.

The overthrow of president François Bozizé by a Muslim dominated rebellion in Seleka in March 2013, had plunged this former French colony into the most serious crisis of its history since independence in 1960, sparking mass killings between Muslim and Christian communities.