Equatorial Guinea
The machetes of President Obiang

afrol.com, 21 August - Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Ngema returns to the headlines. In a public statement to his citizens, Obiang calls for the use of force and armed attacks on immigrants, which flow into the country to enrich themselves of the newfound wealth in Guinea. To be exact, it is referred to the Cameroonians, which he considers guilty of the increase in criminality lately experienced in Equatorial Guinea.

According to the Cameroonian journal  Le Messager, the president addressed the citizens of Bata (the new capital on the Rio Muni mainland), recommending "each and every of you to wear a machete, sticks and batons to hit those thieves so that they go away." According to Obiang, the enhances criminality in Equatorial Guinea is based in the arrival of immigrants from neighbouring countries, coming to get their part of the wealth and oil.

It is not a secret that Equatorial Guinea has experienced a spectacular economic growth due to the oil in the last years. In 1997, economic growth was one incredible 105,2%. One expects that the number of oil barrels exported will continue multiplying themselves for the years to come. Furthermore, the country has had a boom in the revenues of the traditional exports of wood and cocoa. It's an oasis of money in a poor zone. However, the president seems uncomfortable in managing his new role a "regional economic power". Now, the slogan is that the internal wealth and immigration is not compatible.

Obiang refers to the two main groups of immigrants in Equatorial Guinea; Nigerians and Cameroonians. However, the Cameroonians are the real responsible for the disorder, according to Obiang. This differentiation is more likely to be attributed to Obinang's relationship with Cameroon, than what is really happening in the streets of Bata and Malabo. Cameroon is seen as an enemy by the Obiang dictatorship, as it hosts a big number of Guinean dissidents and an active opposition. The Guinean opposition party Union of Independent Democrats states that although the Guinean government have asked Cameroon several times for extradition of the Guinean refugees, "Cameroon does not surrender to the wishes of Obiang Nguema, like other countries."

Obiang seem to have learned few lessons from his country's dramatic history. His predecessor (and uncle) Macias Nguema went far in his xenophobic policies. He expelled all Spaniards and persecuted the Nigerian contract workers, forcing Nigeria to evacuate them. However Spaniards and Nigerians were the backbone of Guinean economy, and their disappearing resulted in a 90% drop (!) in production during Macias' 10 years of dictatorship. And speaking about immigrants - one third of the Guinean population fled to neighbouring countries and Europe during the dictatorship (and the majority still have not returned). Cameroon, more than any country, offered and offers them hospitality.

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