• Cameroon separatists announce ceasefire
International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has faulted the exclusion of Nigeria, Congo DRC, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya from the maiden visit of Pope Leo XIV to Africa.

It described the exclusion as the “most threatened and attacked African countries”, saying they ought to have been included in the itinerary of the Pope.

The group also picked holes in the Pope’s reforms so far. He demanded the appointment of four Cardinal -Electors for Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, Angola, Tanzania and three each for Congo DRC and Nigeria in order to encourage, strengthen and save Christianity in Africa.

Intersociety said the Pope’s reforms and 10-day visit were brought about by the fact that global Catholicism under him should be looked upon by the world Christian population as the global mother church, especially in matters of promotion, defence and protection of the Christian faith.

“It has, however, been observed that reforms carried out so far are not good enough. More concrete reforms are very strongly and urgently needed to strategically and strongly reposition the Mother Church as the common umbrella of the global Christendom, it said.

The group in a statement by its chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Chidinma Udegbunam and Joy Igboeli as well as head, International Freedom of Religion and Worship, Ekene Umeagu, faulted the exclusion of some “super Catholic countries” from the visit.

It stated that out of the four countries scheduled for the visit in Africa, only Angola has a large Catholic population of about 10 million, as against Cameroon’s nine million Catholics and Equatorial Guinea’s 1.4 million Catholics.

The Holy Father is expected to visit Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile, the English-speaking separatists in Cameroon have said they will pause fighting for three days to allow “safe travel” for Pope Leo XIV’s visit today to the Central African country.

The Unity Alliance, which includes several separatist groups, in a statement late Monday announced that the pause would reflect the “profound spiritual importance” of the visit and was intended to allow civilians, pilgrims and dignitaries to travel safely.

Cameroonian authorities did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment. The government’s spokesperson, René Sadi, last week said: “All necessary arrangements have been made” to ensure a successful visit.

Cameroon’s western regions have been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017 with the stated goal of breaking away from the French-speaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group.

A spokesperson for the Unity Alliance, Lucas Asu, said in the statement the pause in fighting “reflects a deliberate commitment to responsibility, restraint, and respect for human dignity, even in the context of ongoing conflict.”