The Protracted Case of The Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia), West Africa.

'The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long the nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was. The world around will forget even faster.' Milan Kundera. 

Ask yourself where is the British Cameroons, British Northern Cameroons, British Southern Cameroons, West Cameroon State aka Ambazonia on the World Map? Read what I have cited from Kundera once more slowly and you will see it replicated in The Southern Cameroons that is weeping and crying and begging for peace but receiving pieces. It had been doing so when the mistakes were made since 1961. 

Has the world no ears? Has the world no mouth? Has the world got feelings? It is remorseful or does it only hear stories when people are abducted or destroyed? Then the peoples of British Cameroons, Southern Cameroons have said that they will not abduct or destroy but will beg for dialogue to be back to its status quo of 1915-1961. Yet the stakeholders refuse and are doing frantically what Milan Kundera is saying above. They are destroying (British) Southern Cameroons.  Is that the way of the new diplomacy in 21st Century? What was the United Nations Organization (UNO) created for? Where is the USA that is the ombudsman of the world?

Some persons born in the predominantly English-speaking, former British Trust Territory of The Southern Cameroons, variously referred to in Cameroon Republic as the Northwest and Southwest Provinces, appellation based on the inclination of French Cameroons reigning leaders of Cameroon Republic, are not aware of their political predicaments. They never had the British experience (1915-1961) and the rudiments they get on Southern Cameroons that once had Prime Ministers, a House of Parliament, House of Chiefs akin to the House of Lords in the UK, adequate infra structure and a democratic system of government based on the West Minister model are from over censored textbooks or auroral stories of SCNC, SCYC, SCAPO, AMBAZONIA and others often referred to by the Yaoundé Government as ranting or misleading separatists` renditions.

The reason is clear. Many of these grow up under the rule of Cameroon Republic that is predominantly French, where old folks of the Southern Cameroons strongly believe is their legitimate country that is unlawfully occupied by Cameroon Republic bent on their assimilation. The moment they questions on whose authority Cameroon Republic is ruling the former British Cameroons, it is interpreted as fomenting hatred or secession. It that true. Cameroon Republic used to be known as French Cameroons, and became Cameroon Republic after its political independence on January 1st, 1960 from France. The Southern Cameroons had its political independence from Great Britain on October 1st, 1961. A questioned union was forged similar to that of Czechoslovakia and Eritrea and Ethiopia. The Southern Cameroonians (Ambazonians) had ever been complaining as many see no future with their association with Cameroon Republic.

Flag of British Cameroons (1915-1961)

If The Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia) has no problems with their union which many believe is not legitimate why do they perpetually complain of being treated as second class citizens and referred to by vituperative words and phrases, anglofools, Anglo-Saxons, enemies in the house and etcetera. Why are many going on exile, why are many on exile, why are many afraid to speak out in their own country, why are some of their intellectuals arrested and locked up without trial for having literature on their political parties? Why do they pray over graves of those who were shot by the occupying regime for demonstrating to have their country back? There is so much resentment of the so called Anglophones of Southern Cameroons of by elements of the French Cameroons (La Republique du Cameroun) that if given opportunities, Southern Cameroons will revert to its former independent position where its had its Prime Ministers, House of Parliament, House of Chiefs and that nation state was referred to as the only genuine democratic country in Western Africa, if not in the whole of Africa from the 1950 till 1961.

Dr.  E.mmanuel Lifafe Mbele Endeley , the first Premier of Southern Cameroons in 1958

When I read the citation below of Chief A.S. Ngwana, I pondered why men do not want to learn and tend to leave serious issue to die down. Is anyone rejoicing when there is interminable violence as the one we see in the Middle East?  How can a country that had been independent die when its citizens are extant and yearning to revive their independence? Can a people accept dependency and slavery instead of being independent and free? Is this setting precedent that small countries will not live along side bigger ones? Is The Gambia not sandwiched in Senegal and does that mean that it could have been absorbed and assimilated by Senegal? It refused when the Senegambian experiment faltered. No one fired a shot and no one ever died but they have lived side by side there after. Are East Timor, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Togo, Swaziland, Lesotho, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Equatorial Guinea, Soa Tome and Principe not independent and economically vibrant with full-fledged representatives in the United Nations Organization (UNO)? Are they being forced to have a shoddy union with their neighbors as The Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia?

United Nations Organisation's (UNO) map of British Cameroons as in 1959. Note that Boko Haram is taken the advantage of the loose relation of the former Northern British Cameroons with Nigeria to use it as their military operational base. 

VVN

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
CAMEROON:ANGLOPHONE PROBLEM & THE VERDICT OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
By Chief A.S. Ngwana*

The verdict of the SCNC Versus La Republique du Cameroun by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights is so important that we consider it a great victory for the English Speaking people of British Southern Cameroon/West Cameroon. The outside World has been informed and alerted as to the injustices and marginalization, the betrayals, the people of British Southern Cameroon/West Cameroon have suffered since the abolition of the Federal Republic of Cameroon . Quote’ “215.

The African Commission therefore recommends as follows:

1. That the Respondent State (La Republic du Cameroun):




(i) abolish all discriminatory practices against people of Northwest and Southwest Cameroon ……..



(ii) Stop the transfer of accused persons from the Anglophone Provinces for trial in the Francophone Provinces;


(iii) Ensure that every person facing criminal charges be tried under the language he/she understands.


(iv) Locate national projects, equitably throughout the country, including Northwest and Southwest Cameroon .


(v) Pay compensation to companies in Northwest and Southwest Cameroon , which suffered as a result of discriminatory treatment by banks;


(vi) Enter into constructive dialogue with the Complainants, and in particular, SCNC and SCAPO ( Southern Cameroons National Council, and the Southern Cameroons peoples Organization) to resolve the constitutional issues, as well as grievances which could threaten national unity; and (vii) Reforms the Higher Judicial Council…


2 To the Complainants, and SCNC and SCAPO in particular;
(i) to transform into political parties,




(ii) to abandon secessionism and engage in constructive dialogue with the Respondent State on the constitutional issues and grievances”
3 The African Commission places its good offices at the disposal of the parties 4 The African Commission requests the Parties to report on the implementation of the aforesaid recommendations within 180 days.


As you can see from the above, the recommendations are a great victory for us who actually voted for unification, and for the Cameroon Democratic Party/Cardinal Democratic Party, and for all West Cameroon political parties. We have never supported violent secession but have advocated a return to FEDERALISM, and have condemned marginalization, betrayal, and abuse of unification. So the recommendations are in keeping with our aspirations. However we must admit that there are some legal issues which the UN did not complete when it gave independence to British Southern Cameroon .


The SCNC and some West Cameroon radicals opted for secession to stop the abuses and unjust treatment of British Southern Cameroonians/West Cameroonians by La Republic du Cameroun , East Cameroun , the former French Speaking Cameroun .


We voted to join our brothers, in good faith. We wanted to build One prosperous, United, Indissoluble and Indivisible Sovereign State . But that faith has been betrayed and abused.


We voted to unify on the understanding that we would operate a Federal Structure, in which we will live in a mighty, united, economically strong Cameroon Nation; guaranteeing all citizens of every race and religion, inalienable and civic rights, equal opportunities and respect for the bicultural character of our people.


We voted on the understanding that unification would be based on Equality of States, and Unity in Diversity.


The 1961 Federal Constitution protected the interests of Anglophone Cameroonians. It was illegally and unjustly abolished by the dominating French Speaking Cameroon government and a Unitary System of government, which operates in favour of the French Speaking Cameroonians, was imposed. Since the abolition of the Federation in 1972, some radical Anglophones have sorted unsuccessfully to redress the abuses by declaring unilaterally Independent Anglophone States.


Anglophones have suffered marginalization and reduced to second class citizens. The territory has been treated like a colony of the Francophone La Republique du Cameroun.


For 49 years no Anglophone has been allowed to be President of Cameroon. For 49 years no Anglophone has been allowed to hold any key ministry in Cameroon ; the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry Territorial Administration etc. The Anglophones have been reduced to second class citizen in this union.


The Anglophone State ( West Cameroon ) has suffered seriously economically. La Republic du Cameroun, abolished the Marketing Board, the Cameroon Bank, Closed Powercam. Closed the Tiko Airport , The Tiko Sea Port , The Victoria/Limbe Sea Port, the Mamfe (Bessong Abang) Air Port , The Bamenda ( Bali Air Port ). Neglected the Victoria/Limbe Nkambe road making it impassable.


Administratively, the majority of Anglophones occupy the position of “adjont Ministre, adjont directeur etc” or what you call deputy Minister, deputy director etc.


Globally the only type of government workable in a multicultural, multiethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious society, is Federalism (the United States of America , Canada , Nigeria etc) That is why the United Nations gave British Southern Cameroons Independence to join with La Republic du Cameroun on the basis of Federalism. Federalism is the best type of government for Cameroon .


Centralization is the worst type of government for Cameroon as has been proved from our experience since 1972.
The importance of the Anglophone problem cannot be over- emphasize because it borders on the unity and corporate existence of Cameroon as one country.


We must therefore intensify our struggle against reactionary forces of oppression, suppression, repression, discrimination, marginalization, intimidation, corruption, tribalism, sectarianism, nepotism, tyranny and anarchy by La Republique du Cameroun.


The recommendations of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights must be seen as a great success for Anglophones. We hope that the Commission will help Southern Cameroon (Northwest and Southwest) to redress these abuses peacefully.