THE NEED FOR THE WORLD'S OMBUDSMEN TO INTERVENE ON TIME IN THE BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS-AMBAZONIA

The need for the world ombudsmen to intervene on Time in the British Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia

Great Britain, the USA and particularly France, the onus is on you. You are our ombudsmen and keepers of democracy in the world.  Russia and China and India you can have a say as well as the mighty Nigeria next door. The say is on the British Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia that is facing the onslaught of La République du Cameroun.

If one sentence posted on the world’s bill board on clemency could save one life in Ambazonia/British Southern Cameroons, it is more than welcome. One dead person is more than enough.  The press statement below gives a summary of the political trend of events since 21 November 2016 up to now  in the Western African state of the British Southern Cameroons / Ambazonia that is opting for a total political independence to join the club of other democratic nations on earth.

The cooperation of all and sundry peace-loving persons on earth is required as a matter of urgency. In a genial world men sit down and sort out their differences through dialog. We destroy the world when we believe that the strongest have to crush the weak neighbors or give them no room and dictate to them. If we, the developed and comfortably independent nation states, remain complaisant that it is not our problem, we are wrong for we are inextricably linked to one another, the developed and underdeveloped states. Their problem is our problem and that is why we all found ourselves embroiled and empathized in the First and Second World Wars.

Being apathetic because they are Africans or others not of our race could break down our coveted United Nation Organizations and others doing good jobs in encouraging democracy, governance, that are set up to ensure peace and respect for one another. We let mice have room in the world peopled by elephants. We let lions share the thickets with the deer and fish with worms and no one is hurt. We do not want to dismantle another United Nations Organization (UNO) as the failed League of Nations because we constantly disagree from agreeing each time we believe that it is not advantageous if we seek peace for a smaller state we will not benefit from economically though it had tangible points and pressing grievances we should sympathize with. 

Municipalities and principalities existed in Europe and even hitherto, not because of the power they wielded alongside giant states but because we believe that they have the right to exist. Let us not make less populated nations fear bigger ones if not there will never be peace on earth. It is the very fear that made Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's dream of a United State of Africa not to be born. With the sort of maltreatment of the British Southern Cameroons citizens in the experimental union with the Republic of Cameroon (the former French Cameroun), no small nation in Africa and elsewhere in the world would want to go into any relationship with a bigger one. That is not good. We can name many that tried and it never lasted because of what is happening today in the British Southern Cameroons invaded by La République  du Cameroun. Do not sideline or derogate any person in partnership with you. Do not take him or her for a fool as such a union will not last. It will break beyond repairs. 

The other days someone asked me if there were Americans and Europeans in the British Southern Cameroons. If the answer were affirmative, then the British and American troops would have been deployed to protect the enfeebled Ambazonians and their citizens. Should that be the norm? Yes, there are Europeans and Americans in the British Cameroons in all walks of life, but should we only broker peace because our people will be on harm's way? No.

If it turns out to be an all-out altercation, the migrants will be coming to our harbors and boundaries in droves and we will be asking what we could have done better as in Syria, Iraq and Somalia to cut the problems at their buds. The Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea is no longer an artificial boundary to keep emigrants at bay.  The coming of African and Middle East migrants now in droves to Europe is not a present-day creation. It started in the days of colonialism where there was discriminatory development of industrialization.

Africans had to provide only raw materials and could not be allowed to manufacture finished goods else they took away Europeans manufacturing industries. The Americans can tell you more on such a relationship with Great Britain before their war of independence.  As such, after 100 years of European civilization, many African states including Ambazonia are still as poor, industrially and could be so for the next foreseeable one hundred years if the trend are not reversed. The situation is exacerbated by some former colonial masters that fool third world leaders to only lay the economic planning for the benefits of those metropolitan states and not the once-colonized. Leaders of these countries have dual citizenship, the former colonial state and theirs. They spend their vacation all their time in their second country. There have divided loyalties the Bible even disagree with. We will let you surmise the rest and the outcome. In the case of the Cameroun Republic and Ambazonia/British Southern Cameroons, no economic plans can material without the sanction of the French government that had never left La Cameroun since its independence in 1960. It is sad that it is still the French government that is behind the restriction of Ambazonia from achieving its political independence. Why? They have vested investments in Ambazonia and their apprehension is that if Ambazonia were to cut off from La Rebublique du Cameroun, the former French trust territory,  they would loss them. That is not true provided they renegotiate with Ambazonia and not allowed Paul Biya’s regime to treat Ambazonia as their colony. Modern colonialism should be denounced.

The situation is deteriorating and may escalate into an all our war in Ambazonia. It could be so because if there is no intervention from the world powers like the USA, China and particularly the UK Government that created Ambazonia/ British Cameroons in the first place. They are aware of the political and economic rights of the British Cameroons being infringed by a bigger power. They are being briefed of their marginalization daily but the tendency is that it is Ambazonia/British Southern Cameroons so it is not looked into by the British House of Commons as the Falkland Islands attacked by Argentina in 1984. Let UK be fair for the British Southern Cameroons fought along side them during the Second World War. Again the culture of British Southern Cameroons that is English is being eroded away by La Republic du Cameroun. That is the core of Ambazonia without which it is destroyed. 

Should it always be so?  Ambazonia Is not supported because they are looking at from the point of view of wages they could get. It will never be like Iraq or Syria but it deserves being protected from the insatiable lions.  They should look at the peace as the reward not only of us living but for those who will come after us. It should also be stressed that we have to learn to live side by side our neighbors irrespective of their differences. We got to know that it is intolerable to insist on our neighbors being like us or being assimilated before we could associate with them. In this vein, the British Southern Cameroons or British Cameroons at large can live side by side with the giant Nigeria and La République  du Cameroun in peace. The sizes in population, land mass, military might, and financial wealth do not mean that they have to engulf little states by them for spurious reasons. The plea is for La République  du Cameroun to unconditionally withdraw its troops and its political machinery from the British Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia. There is no partnership when one of the parties disagrees.

The experimental union of the two states do not work and has never worked and should be suspended. Does the present generation or government of La République  du Cameroun not want to leave the two states to be like North Korea and South Korea, the Sudan and South Sudan and worst Eritrea and Ethiopia? Only a desperado would want this to happen. The British Southern Cameroons and La République  du Cameroun can learn from history and what has happened in other states in the world. La République  du Cameroun and La France know the right channel to peace but they want to insist on colonization of Ambazonia because of Ambazonian natural resources they take for free. No right-thinking nation on earth could accept this sort of relationship.  If there are negotiations for economic, political, or other cooperation, they should be negotiated at around table and not by war or senseless killing of the British Southern Cameroons citizens by the gendarmes and soldiers from La République  du Cameroun. The last week had been bleak in the eyes of Ambazonians. You do not want your daughters to be raped, children shot, property burnt by your neighbors and you insist of any relationship or coexistence. Then you are a fool.

 France the onus is on you. Great Britain the onus is on you. The USA, the onus is on you. You are our ombudsmen and keepers of democracy in the world.  Russia, China,  South Africa, The Gambia, New Zealand, Luxembourg and India you can have a say as well as the mighty Nigeria next door. All NGOs wherever they are can broker peace.  This part of the world in which you also belong to badly needs you. VVN

Post Scripts: The attachment of the press statements below is not indicative of this author's approval of the facts or political inclination therein and should not be held accountable for their authorization or content. VVN.

PRESS STATEMENT

December 12, 2016

Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation (SCAPO)

Constructive Dialogue between Southern Cameroons and French Cameroun

·        Southern Cameroons again accepts constructive dialogue with French Cameroon under ACHPR mediation

·        Demands that dialogue outcome be forwarded to African Union, UNO

·        Applies for AU Membership

·        Beefs up War Crimes Case file at ICC

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press,

The Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation, SCAPO on November 29, 2016, forwarded a report to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) based in Banjul, Gambia reiterating its acceptation “constructive dialogue” with French Cameroun as recommended by the commission in 2009.

The Southern Cameroons Report to Banjul titled “The implementation of the 2009 Decisions of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) on communication 266/2003, the Recommendation on Constructive Dialogue,” emphasizes that the outcome of the said “constructive dialogue” be forwarded to the African Union General Assembly where “La République  du Cameroun (French Cameroun) should be asked to put before the African Union and the UN, proofs to show that indeed she has title over the Southern Cameroons and her presence in that territory is not annexation.”

Consequently, SCAPO has asked the AU “to grant Southern Cameroon membership while confirming the international boundaries of Southern Cameroons as described in the League of Nations mandate and the United Nations Charter.”

The report, signed by the Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation, SCAPO, is on behalf of the complainants in Communications 266/2003, who in 2003, and on the behalf of all Southern Cameroonians, tabled a 306-paragraph case (with affidavits) against French Cameroun for colonization. traces the root cause of the escalation between Southern Cameroons and French Cameroun today.

Recall that the landmark human rights case, Communications 266/2003, ended in 2009 with the ACHPR finding French Cameroun guilty on almost all counts of the human and peoples rights as listed in the Southern Cameroons complaint. The ACHPR ruled that Southern Cameroonians are “a people” and hence have all the inalienable rights recognized by all peoples by both the African and United Nations Charter. In more precise terms, the ACHPR said that “the people of Southern Cameroon” qualify to be referred to as “a people” because they manifest numerous characteristics and affinities, which include a common history, linguistic tradition, territorial connection and political outlook. More importantly, they identify themselves as a people with a separate and distinct identity. Identity is an innate characteristic within a people. It is up to other external people to recognize such existence, but not to deny it.”  (See Paragraphs 178-179 of the 2009 Banjul Ruling)

Peoples everywhere, especially peoples who live in their own territory (homeland) and aspire to their own state, have a fundamental right to reject colonization and the right to self-government or self-determination. Self-determination means that every people, so recognized, have the right to freely determine their political status, and the right to freely pursue their economic and social development according to the policy they have chosen. The right to self-determination is recognized and protected by both the AU and UNO Charters.

Furthermore, the ACHPR 2009 verdict ordered the government of French Cameroon to pay compensation to all businesses in Southern Cameroons which had suffered because of the imposition of the OHADA Law upon their practice by the government in Yaounde.

However, the ACHPR recommended “constructive dialogue”, under its good offices, for an amicable and long-lasting solution to all the issues bounded on domestic constitutional and international law in the now thorny Southern Cameroons Palaver.

In 2010, both SCAPO and the SCNC, representing the people of Southern Cameroons, accepted the ACHPR recommended: “constructive dialogue” under ACHPR mediation as a credible and serious means of seeking a lasting solution to what is now the very obvious annexation, colonization and military occupation of independent Southern Cameroons by French Cameroun.

But rather than engaging in “constructive dialogue, French Cameroun has escalated its colonial francophonization of Southern Cameroons by, notably, imposing its francophonity, school system. civil law traditions etc. on Southern Cameroons.

The escalation of French Cameroon colonization is the root cause of the escalation in the occupied territory of the Southern Cameroons today which escalation has led to over fifteen deaths, officially. Incidentally, the call for “constructive dialogue” was also made by the current Prime Minister of French Cameroun, Mr. Philemon Yang, as he addressed supporters of the ruling, Cameroun Peoples Democratic Party, CPDM, during a rally within the precincts of Ayaba Hotel, Bamenda, on Thursday, December 6, 2016. Mr. Yang said “constructive dialogue” was the only way to end the clear insurrection in the annexed English-speaking regions of Cameroun.

Premier Yang was speaking at the close of an exceptionally murderous day in Bamenda during which well-armed elite forces of the French Cameroun army of occupation, BIR (Brigade d’intervention rapide) coordinated with the disreputably savage paratroopers from the Koutaba airbase in French Cameroun to visit murder to, at least, ten unarmed civilians in various parts of Bamenda.

Amnesty International on Friday, December 7, 2016, asked the government in Yaounde to justify all killings and disappearances in the colonized English-speaking regions. Soldiers from French Cameroun on Friday, December 9, murdered at least five persons in Kumba to the south of Southern Cameroons.

Many more persons, including students, have been “disappeared” in both Buea and Bamenda. There are hundreds of more Southern Cameroonians illegally detained in police and gendarmerie cells all over the Southern Cameroons by the French Cameroun army of occupation.

The killing of these Southern Cameroonians, most of them by stray bullets, is a War Crime. SCAPO will be making a full and muscled representation at the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague about these deaths and disappearances, the outcome of callous use war weapons and live bullets against unarmed civilians. In a Cameroun government communiqué broadcast on the BBC French service (and other media), this day, December 12, 2016, the self-appointed spokesman for the colonial regime in Yaounde, Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, confirmed that the government of French Cameroun is involved in disappearances and death squads in Southern Cameroons by stating the policy of his government to track and murder (“mettre hors état de nuire”, his exact words) Southern Cameroonians demanding their rights. Mr. Tchiroma now figures prominently on the War Crimes list to the ICC.

SCAPO reminds the regime in Yaounde that on Monday, March 03, 2008, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court received an 181-page complaint (with affidavits) titled “Genocide and Crimes against Humanity in/by French Cameroun” recounting the history of genocidal practices by successive regimes in Yaounde and attributing responsibility. This case file was beefed up with the particulars of signed document from Beti Elite in Yaounde calling for attacks against foreigners (Southern Cameroonians in the main) residing in Yaoundé.

See SCAPO’s Genocam Supplements 1 and 2.

The Southern Cameroonians Peoples Organisation, representing all Southern Cameroonians, underscores that “in handing down its decision on Communication 266/2003, Kevin Ngwang Gumne and others V. Cameroon, the African Commission made seven recommendations to the respondent state (French Cameroun) and two to complainants (215) Southern Cameroons.” The ACHPR explicitly requested the parties to report on the implementation of the decisions 215 (4).”

Southern Cameroonians are saying that this report to Banjul “was limiting itself to the recommendation on Constructive Dialogue 215–(I) (VI); 2.ii) “because it is the only recommendation that was made to both parties and on which both parties responded in the affirmative.”

            Note that “the commission had set a deadline of 180 days for this report but before the deadline was due the respondent State (French Cameroun) requested for time extension stating that they received their own copy of the commission’s decision late and that they needed time to prepare for the dialogue.”

Their request was granted.

            Southern Cameroons draw world opinion to the fact that “seven years after the African Commission took the decision in Communication 266/2003 French Cameroun has implemented none of the recommendations.

Not even one!

Consequently, as far as the specific recommendation on dialogue is concerned, Southern Cameroons reports as follows:

1.      That French Cameroun, or La République  du Cameroun, used the time extension granted at their request to carry out elaborate preparation (including the construction of monuments which they called “Re-unification monuments” in Buea and Bamenda for celebrating the event of “re-unification”. This controversial event took place in Buea on 20th February 2014 at a time when the people of Southern Cameroons were expecting the start of the dialogue proposed in communication 266/2003.

SCAPO tabled evidence (Appendices A and B) of the so-called “Reunification monument” as well as Mr. Biya’s speech in Buea in 2014 to mark the so-called anniversary of the alleged “Re-unification.”

2.      That soon after the decision on communication 266/2003 was made public, a serious attempt was made by a Mr. Leke, chief Oben and Dr. Tita (all natives of the Southern Cameroons posing as complainants in Communication 266/2003) to withdraw the said communication. The three persons claimed that they wanted to take up the constructive dialogue proposed in the communication and that before doing so; they wanted to withdraw the said Communication 266/2003.

The reply, by the Commission, was that their names did not figure on the list of complainants and they could therefore not withdraw what they did not file. They were advised that if they had their own complaint they were free to file it. The three persons then approached the real complainants in communication 266/2003 and proposed that they join them to take up the dialogue with the respondent state. They were told that they had erred by impersonating and attempting to withdraw what they had not filed and additionally they had come to Banjul as part of the State delegation.

The Southern Cameroonian underscored that the French Cameroun engineered fraud was uncovered thanks to “the vigilant manner in which the Secretariat of the Commission handled this episode by Mr. Leke, Chief Oben, and Dr. Tita. The Southern Cameroonians sent forth their gratitude to the ACHPR.

3.       That while accepting the constructive dialogue proposal, complainants proposed as a venue for the dialogue the facilities of UN in New York or the facilities of the AU in Addis Ababa or the facilities of the African Commission in Banjul. They further proposed that the dialogue be based strictly on the principles of international law, in particular, the principles of the United Nations and those of the African Union. These principles are the same principles that every country on earth would cite in its defense if its territory or any of its rights whatsoever were being violated by another country.

The complainants, i.e. Southern Cameroonians, underscored that “La République  du Cameroun would invoke these same principles in any dispute with another country.” Furthermore, the Southern Cameroonians said, French Cameroun, for example, “claims Southern Cameroons to be 2 provinces of her state and, so far, is unable to say what instruments of International Law the Southern Cameroons became a part of her territory. What were the boundaries of the territory which La République  du Cameroun inherited on its day of independence on 1 January 1960, on which date its boundaries were frozen pursuant to Article 4(b) of the African Union Constitutive Act? When and by what instruments were these boundaries subsequently expanded to include the territory of the Southern Cameroons? By what instrument of International Law were the people of the Southern Cameroons disinherited of their territory to confer the said territory to La République  du Cameroun? It was hoped that these questions would be answered unambiguously during the proposed dialogue facilitated by the African Commission.”

4.      In view of the fact that while the respondent state has avoided the proposed dialogue for 7 years while human rights violations in the Southern Cameroons have intensified resulting in the present very dangerous escalation between “anglophones” and francophones, and considering that the Assembly of the AU may decide on what action to take after the consideration of reports and recommendations tendered to it by any of its organs and further that it is the jurisdiction of the Assembly to consider membership into the A.U, complainants in communication 266/2003 make the following requests :

A.    That the recommended dialogue in communication 266/2003 be forwarded to the African Union Assembly and La République  du Cameroun be required to put before the African Union the following proofs to show that indeed she has title over the Southern Cameroons and her presence in that territory is not annexation:

i)                   Under Article 102(1) of the UN Charter: A valid international treaty between the Southern Cameroons and La République  du Cameroun filed at the UN secretariat testifying to any boundary arrangement between the two states after the independence of La République  du Cameroun.

ii)                 Under paragraph 5 of Resolution 1608(XV) of 21 April 1961, a valid Treaty of Union between the State of Southern Cameroons and La République  du Cameroun at the termination British Trusteeship in the Southern Cameroons.

iii)              Under Article 4(b) of the African Union Constitutive Act: The map and boundary treaties of La République  du Cameroun as they stood on its day of independence, 1 January 1960.

iv)               Under UNGA Resolution 2625(xxv) of 24 October 1970: A valid international legal instrument, dated 1961, by which the Republic of Cameroon claims title and jurisdiction over the Southern Cameroons.

B.    That La République  du Cameroun be further required to show in what way her “No” vote on UNGA Resolution 1608 XV was not a vote against Southern Cameroon’s independence, and was not a vote against Southern Cameroon joining her.

C.    That since The Southern Cameroon was still a UN Trust Territory with its own complete international boundary on January 1st 1960 (date of La République  du Cameroun’s independence) La République  du Cameroun be declared to be in violation of Article 4(b) of the AU constitutive Act and be requested to peacefully withdraw her troops and proconsuls from the territory of the Southern Cameroons.

D.    That Southern Cameroon be granted membership of the AU and her international boundaries as described in the League of Nations mandate and the United Nations Charter be confirmed by the General Assembly of the AU on the admission of the Southern Cameroon into membership of the AU.

The report, by SCAPO, on behalf of the Complainants in Communications 266/2003, and, ergo, all Southern Cameroonian, was signed the National Chairman of SCAPO, the Rt. Hon. Augustine Feh Ndangam.

The SCAPO report has since been forwarded to the Chairperson of the Assembly of the A.U, the African Union Executive Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, etc.

The SCAPO report all but puts paid to attempts by current French Cameroun premier Philemon Yang, to “divide and impera” (Divide and Rule) by attempting so-called “dialogue” with various picketing Southern Cameroon groups. For one thing, Yang does not define policy in French Cameroun and, thence, cannot make any credible, binding and lasting decision especially on the colonization of Southern Cameroons by French Cameroun, an issue concerning international law, the African Union Charter, the United Nations Organisation Charter and, especially, the now-reactivated Decolonization Committee of the UN Trusteeship Council.

The Rt. Hon. Augustine Feh Ndangam

National Chairman – SCAPO

Copy to:

-              The Secretary General of the United Nations.

-              The President of the UN Security Council.

-              The Chairperson of the Assembly of the A.U.

-              The President of the Commission of the African Union.

-              The African Union Executive Council.

-              The African Union Peace and Security Council

-              The Chairperson of the African Commission, Banjul, The Gambia.

-              The Executive Secretary, ECOWAS.

-              The Ambassador, United States Embassy, Yaounde.

-              The Canadian High Commission, Yaoundé.

-              The Ambassador, French Embassy, Yaoundé.

-              The British High Commission, Yaoundé.

-              The Ambassador, Russian Embassy, Yaoundé.

-              The Ambassador, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China, Yaoundé.

-              The Nigerian High Commission, Yaoundé.

-              All Political Parties with Headquarters in Southern Cameroons.

-              All Political Parties of the Republic of the Cameroons.

-              All Traditional Rulers of the Southern Cameroons.

-            

...

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-              All Deputies of Southern Cameroons Origin in the National Assembly of La République  du Cameroun.

-              All Mayors of Southern Cameroons

Local Government Areas.

-              The Press, National, and International. 

Posted: 7:06 am, December 10, 2016

By Yerima Kini Nsom

SDF Senators and MPS

Ten years ago, the then Minister of Justice, Ahmadou Ali, told Hon. Joseph Wirba that Anglophones had gone to La Republique.

This statement had not gone down well with the MP for Jakiri in Bui Division, Northwest Region. It was an inflammatory response, to say the least, to the SCNC crisis which had broken out in the Northwest where gendarmes tortured people.

“Sitting with him in his cabinet, I told the Minister that my people have been suffering a lot of injustice for the past 40 years. I told him that if they do not initiate dialogue, the problems will end up breaking Cameroon,” Wirba said.

According to Hon. Wirba, the Minister responded thus: “Mr. Wirba, it is your people (Anglophones) who came to us.”

Wirba told the National Assembly that he interpreted the Minister’s statement to mean that since West Cameroonians accepted to join La Republique du Cameroun, they could be maltreated with impunity.

This memory came rushing to Wirba during the plenary sitting devoted to the 2017 budget recently at the National Assembly, when the Anglophone crisis got into the front burner at the hemi-cycle.

The MP stirred the brouhaha when he complained bitterly about the torture that gendarmes meted on students of the University of Buea recently.

Hon. Wirba exploded in anger soon after he mounted the rostrum on Friday, December 2.

“I am angry and incensed, almost at the point of losing my mind, that police tortured, raped and maimed children in Buea. Our ancestors trusted you but you have betrayed them in this union. We (West Cameroonians) will resist,” the MP thundered.

The vocal MP further quoted the former US President, Thomas Jefferson by stating that: “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.”

He continued: “I am declaring from this rostrum, officially; your law is injustice to my people (Anglophone), we will resist to the last man.”

Wirba said he had acquired proof that Government has designed a plan to kill the Anglophone culture, education and justice system.

He recalled that shortly before the former Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, Was jailed, he (Wirba) had complained to him about the brutal behaviour of the DOs, SDOs and the uniform officers in the Anglophone regions.

“I told Marafa that the DOs, SDOs and the military act like colonial masters and the forces of occupation. I pleaded with him by saying that the foundation of this country would be shaken to its very roots if nothing was done to stop this unscrupulous behaviour,” said Wirba.

The MP quoted Marafa as responding that if anybody does anything to undermine what the DOs, SDOs and the military are doing, he or she will be crushed.

Furthermore, the MP told the plenary sitting that a week ago he went and saw the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, on the Anglophone crisis.

He said he told the Minister that he had sought audience to see the President to no avail. He then pleaded with the Minister to either take him to the President or take his very important message to him.

“I told the Minister that the current strike involving Anglophone teachers and lawyers is not the issue at stake.

I told him that the real issue is the maltreatment of Anglophones in the union and that only the President could solve the problem by resettling the foundation of the State,” he narrated.

The MP said he told the Minister that if government does not initiate dialogue on the Anglophone crisis, it will break Cameroon.

After listening to him, he went on; the Minister asked him what Anglophones would do if Government does not hearken to dialogue.

Wirba said after talking with the various ministers in private, he discovered that it is designed Government policy to suppress, oppress and subjugate West Cameroonians.

Anglophones Not Slaves

Seemingly overcome by anger, Wirba once more exploded at the rostrum: “The people of West Cameroon are not your slaves, they were not your slaves and they will never be!”

In reaction, the Ministers shifted uneasily on their seats as dead silence took hold of the House. Since the MP had used up the 10 minutes to make his claims as provided for by the standing orders of House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, attempted to stop him.

The Speaker hit the hammer on the table and told the MP that he had exhausted his time.

The MP fired back: “I am talking about the enslavement of my people and you are talking about time? Mr. Speaker, I will not leave this rostrum until I say my say.

By so doing, Mr. Speaker, I am saying that our resistance against injustice begins this minute. You will need the brutal gendarmes that are torturing the people of West Cameroon to remove me from here today.

In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson whom I quoted here, it is my duty to resist what you are telling me to do here now,” the MP fired.

He said it was also a duty of West Cameroonians in the circumstances to resist suppression, oppression and subjugation.

Said he: “Mr. Speaker, the reason why I am saying this, is because our people mean nothing to you in this union. How can the brutal torture of human beings that took place in Bamenda and Buea happen in the 21st century?”

He said the august Assembly; especially the Government bench was shocked at his remarks because there is a big difference between the French and the Anglo-Saxon systems.

He said the French system teaches people to fear their leaders while the Anglo-Saxon system teaches respect of leaders.

There was dead silence in the hall. The CPDM Parliamentary Group later broke the silence with humming of disapproval.

But Hon. Wirba fired on by saying that he does not fear the Speaker, the President of the Republic and Government, but rather has a lot of respect for them. He insisted that West Cameroonians will resist injustice with all their might even if Government brings in the French army to join their forces of occupation to crush them. After making his point, Hon. Wirba left the rostrum and took his seat.

But he rose to his feet in rage, once more, when one female CPDM MP took the floor and said she was shocked by the belligerent tone in the Bui MP’s submission.

For about 10 minutes, the entire House went into hurly-burly of shouting and booing by MPs. Some MPs asked the woman if the torture, maiming and the raping of female students in Buea by gendarmes was a normal thing to her.

Hon. Cavaye finally laid the matter to rest when he told the female MP to stop making any remarks on Hon. Wirba’s reaction.