Opposition march stopped in Cameroon

Police in the capital of Cameroon, Yaounde, have blocked a march led by opposition politicians calling for the creation of an independent electoral commission.

The security forces intervened shortly after the forty-three members of the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, left the National Assembly for the presidential palace.

The authorities had formally banned the march on Sunday.

One reporter was beaten, and the tape recorders of several others were confiscated.

The opposition members wanted to present President Paul Biya with a proposed bill calling for a new electoral commission.

It was drawn up in 1997, but was never put before parliament.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service