15 SEPT. 2015

POLITICAL LEADERS AND ELITES

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TIME FOR THE RIGHT DECISION IN THE SUPREME INTEREST OF OUR PEOPLE

In your distinguished and selfless efforts to transform this triangle called Cameroun from a bankrupt immoral institutionalised system and one man dictatorship into a democracy abounding in human freedom, press freedom and rule of law, some of you have suffered enormously. The reason is simple. The struggle for democracy, human freedom and rule of law led by Southern Cameroonians in the 1990s was a clash of two fundamental protagonists like light and darkness. Blind to the reality on the ground, we thought we belong as equals, whereas the contrary was/is the case. This explains why those who had the yam and the knife, those with absolute power in their hands did not only impose a military siege with orders to kill the intruders trying to upset the status quo, the intruder was given a brand name, “Les enemies dans la maison” and told to go to where they belong if not satisfied with the dehumanised status they are accorded and crumbs they are allowed to pick from the ground. The message here is crystal clear – the top and decision making is reserved exclusively for the sons of the soil, it is no go zone for the intruder who does not belong. Thus the name Anglophone became “Anglo fool” with “Le Biafrais, le Nigeriane, le secessionists” etc as synonyms. Thus the powerful Vice Prime Minister’s body guard will openly in his office thrash Southern Cameroons MPs for disturbing as if they were naughty primary school kids and in the House of Assembly Hon. Paulinus Jua is told to sit down by a Francophone MP for addressing the House in English.

The warnings given on May 26, 1990 were either not taken serious or they were ignored and the more we pressed on the hard and uncompromising message came in various ways and even from their masters in France whose interest Yaoundé is duty bound to protect and promote.

Thus as if to remind us of Dr Endeley’s prophetic predictions which have all come to pass and declaration that French Cameroun was not independent but a colony of France, consequently British Southern Cameroons shall know no freedom and enjoy no independence if the plebiscite vote favoured joining them, in 1992 the master angry with the intruder, Nchinda, for wishing to sit on the throne, declared ‘an English man can never rule a French Province.” This coming from the final authority, it opened the flood gates for more humiliating statements and abuses with impunity even on our elected members of la Republique Assembly and our political party leaders committed to cleaning the stable for a fairer society.

Not discouraged the number of Southern Cameroonians determined to measure the depth of the muddy waters of rejection continued to swell. And in the 2011 Presidential election, four of the 23 candidates were British Southern Cameroonians. Election results in favour of the incumbent which are always known before the polls came as we had predicted. But what took some by storm was the drama generated by the Prefet of Mfoundi who told the four Anglophone (Southern Cameroonian) candidates – Fru Ndi, Paul Ayah, Kah Wallah and Ben Muna – who over-stayed their welcome in Yaoundé that Yaoundé was not an Anglophone capital so they should quit. The declarations made by Fru Ndi and Paul Ayah are well known to patriotic Southern Cameroonians some who saw their participation in the elections not only as waste of time and energy but more as treachery. They have been watching and listening.

This apart, Fru Ndi’s exploits at the Supreme Court with his old friend Alexis Depanda Mouelle presiding and what took place in Bamenda on his arrival is interesting subject for historians. These notwithstanding the one billion dollar question on the lips of many a Southern Cameroonian is, WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH?

I believe the greatest tragedy of political leadership is when the individual fails or refuses to read the hand writing on the wall. Or when instead of leading the people he stands against their legitimate aspirations. And you can never lead a people without a clear understanding and in defence of their legitimate aspiration and legal rights. I believe it is problems confronting a people that inspire a man of vision to step out to lead the people attain their desired end. This demands that the leader and the people must work in synergy for a common good. Such a problem demanding a solution can never be outside the history and culture of the people concerned nor can the leader standing outside their history and culture lead the people to their political kingdom so that they live in freedom and happiness.

Since the collapse of the USSR and Yugoslavia, thanks to the politics of identity the dominant inevitable question on the lips of peoples under foreign domination and alien rule has been, “Who are we?” and “Who is not us?” Between 1990 and 1993 alone some twenty three nations restored their sovereign existence and joined UN Membership. The politics of irredentism is only rising for self-determination, having proved itself an engine of progress, has become an unstoppable phenomenon in human history.

The incontrovertible fact of history before us is that this triangle nation is made up of two distinct nations and peoples forced together by intrigues and held by the barrel of the gun, falsehood and decrees. While citizens of la Republique du Cameroun are rightly clamouring for constitutional solution for democratic governance, British Southern Cameroons citizens, based on the facts of history and law are in urgent need of a political solution to end prolonged colonial rule and domination which since 1961 has robbed more salt into an old painful wound than experienced under British rule. And since history, culture, legality sets the two apart as confirmed by their exclusive legitimate aspirations, a leader standing for a common solution will either be leading himself or in his abysmal effort betray one nation and people to the other. The latter position is what the British Southern Cameroonian people have come to suffer since the birth of the struggle for multi-party democracy championed by some British Southern Cameroonians.

Today British Southern Cameroons faces the very political challenges faced in 1959-1961, namely, that of CHOICE between FREEDOM and IDEPENDENCE or perpetual servitude under la Republique du Cameroun.

SOME EVIDENCE AND PAINFUL FACTS OF TARGETED INJUSTICE

1. Out of the close to 300 political parties the SDF is the only that was born in human blood under a military siege.
2. Since the birth of the party Yaoundé has demonstrated in all ways possible that we belong apart – master and servant, the rulers and ruled and that the ruled have no voice.
3. British Southern Cameroons for its ambition to challenge the status quo and change the order of things within a system its citizens have no powers and equal rights has suffered two gruesome states of emergency and an economic blockade that made the people live in hell on earth. No government imposes an economic blockade against its own citizens.
4. After escaping an assassination attempt in Yaoundé in 1993, Fru Ndi and entourage (including self) took refuge at the Dutch Embassy. On the 5th day the French Ambassador visited us, certainly after serious diplomatic lobbying, and granted Fru Ndi “self-exit” from Yaoundé, la Republique du Cameroun to Bamenda, British Southern Cameroons his country. True to point “self-exit” or “self-passage” is never applied to bona fide citizens. It is granted only to foreigners under escorts to get them out. And coming from French Ambassador, the message becomes very explicit?
5. Royalty for petrol and timber from British Southern Cameroons is paid to Douala City Council and Sangmalima council respectively of la Republique du Cameroun. When the Mamfe Chiefs and their nobles protested the exploitation of timber, destruction of the environment without any benefits to the people, they were molested, abused and detained.
6. Though the refinery – SONARA (French acronym) is built in Victoria, management and staffing is dominated by Francophone. Since creation no Southern Cameroonian has ever been a General Manager and the lingua franca there is French.
7. British Southern Cameroons has been balkanized into two provinces and to move from one to the other you must traverse two provinces of la Republique du Cameroun. This is to facilitate assimilation. In its interest Yaoundé plays one against the other and promotes hostility between the two provinces through its paid agents.
8. Ombe Technical College, pride of British Southern Cameroons opened same time with Yaba and Kaduna Polytechnics in Nigeria is now a shadow of its former self. Instead of improving the machines and equipment were carried away by the first Francophone principal.
9. Mutengene, Police College opened by British Southern Cameroons Government in 1958 has been francophonised and is heavily dominated by Francophone staff and students.
10. After 1972 anti-constitutional referendum, seaports, airports, PowerCam, Santa Coffee Estate and other financial and economic institutions established by British Southern Cameroons Government were all closed while CamBank and Produce Marketing Board with a huge stabilization fund were transferred to Yaoundé and Douala respectively. This political action was taken to make British Southern Cameroons economically subservient and entirely dependent on la Republique du Cameroun. There is no similar action that was ever taken in favour of Southern Cameroons.
11. We had to fight to get Buea University. In 2005 though there was a general strike in all state universities, it was only in Buea that gruesome impunities by forces of occupation were inflicted on the unarmed students. The evidence is that we do not belong and our children have no bright future under la Republique du Cameroun because their nation has been made a footstool.
12. In 2006 competitive exam result into the Faculty of Medicine, University of Buea was cancelled and under the pretext of regional balance and la Republique du Cameroun candidates who failed or never wrote were imposed on the list. But regional balance has never been applied in favour of British Southern Cameroons candidates.
13. HTTC Kumba and professional schools of the Bamenda University are flooded with Francophone teachers and students some who cannot communicate in good English. A Francophone on teaching practice entered the class in Bamenda and commanded the student, “Sweep the board!” The student responded, “I don’t have a broom, Sir.” Competitive exams for recruitment are either set in French or are deliberately poorly translated to deny British Southern Cameroons a fair chance.
14. More than 95% of administrative, military, security, lands and surveys, finance institution posts in Southern Cameroons are manned by Francophone thus making French the official language in offices. This facilitates oppression, exploitation and assimilation of the people. National unity and integration is euphemism for consolidation of annexation.
15. As a deliberate step to abolishing the Common Law jurisdiction and imposing the Napoleonic code, the courts in British Southern Cameroons are flooded with Francophone magistrates steeped in the Civil Law system who insist that submissions be made in French. Bilingualism is euphemism for frenchification.

The SCNC is committed to peaceful separation and restoration of the statehood of British Southern Cameroons within its inherited colonial boundaries. There is no legal instrument that binds the two distinct Cameroons which like the two Congos and three Guineas in Africa; each is entitled to national self –existence and sovereign independence. To achieve peaceful separation the solution lies entirely in a common united front. As proven elsewhere it is now established that even modern weapons are no match to the will of a determined people fighting for their freedom against foreign domination and alien rule. Failure to unite now and act positively, we will inevitably be beckoning for genocide and mass graves tomorrow. It is the urgency of finding a permanent solution to the existing unbearable problem that led His Eminence Cardinal Tumi to declare in an interview with Cameroon Journal, Douala, June 29, 2015,  “Yes of course I believe in it.” (the Anglophone problem). “I am sure that if the English speaking part of Cameroon were independent, that area would have been far more developed than what we have today.” And he concluded by saying that if a referendum were conducted today Southern Cameroonians will vote to leave Cameroun.

As political leaders of our beloved nation, it is true that we are a peace-loving and law abiding people. We have never known terrorism in our land. Peace-loving and law abiding people are intolerant of injustice and violence. Law abiding people know and defend their rights and dignity. It is in this light that I call on all Southern Cameroonians to stand against the Islamist Boko Haram terrorists who are mercilessly slaughtering innocent people in the north of la Republique du Cameroun and in Nigeria. We should unite and pray that this evil should stay beyond our borders and that the perpetrators should either surrender or be crushed where they are.  We are concerned for you are never safe if your neighbour’s house is on fire.

WHY THIS SOLEMN APPEAL

International law has declared annexation illegal and a threat to world peace and crime against humanity. The UN Charter and AU Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights recognise the inherent right of people under foreign domination and alien rule to fight for their freedom and independence.

The AU Charter makes it mandatory for sister African nations to support victims of foreign domination in their legitimate fight for self-determination and independence. It is on the strength of these international instruments that we won the case against Nigeria in 2002 and the land mark ruling by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) Banjul in Communication 266/2003 in 2009. The AU Summit in its Assembly of Libya approved this ruling and called for Constructive Dialogue under the Good Offices of the Commission.  But Yaoundé, as an imperial power guilty under international law, has flouted the ruling with impunity. No one will mourn the death of your beloved mother better than you the bereaved.

It is equally important I remind you that though we have been arrested, tortured, detained, some murdered in cold blood for standing up for a just cause, and many several times have been charged to court, Yaoundé has never won a case against British Southern Cameroonians. Our case is very clean, just, legitimate and firmly anchored on international law. What is required of us is a united front and in solidarity to restore our statehood. Yaoundé had no right, moral, legal, cultural or historical to, by decree; abolish the British Southern Cameroons Government in Buea in 1972. Neither the government of la Republique du Cameroun nor its citizens had a hand in the formation of that government. It was an imperial illegal act. And no one, but Southern Cameroonians, has the right and duty to restore it. By its restoration, constitutional democracy, freedom, rule of law and equality before the law, multi- party democracy and healthy competition in which the will of the people through the ballot box will be respected. The Chief Justice hands shall never be tied by whomever. British Southern Cameroons was a shining example of Westminster parliamentary democracy in colonial Africa experiencing peaceful change of government in 1959. This will be improved upon.

To end our slavery under la Republique du Cameroun peacefully, the solution lies in unity and speaking with one voice. As a leader you cannot afford to be silent. We must not allow the enemy to, at will, continue to exploit our patience and play one against the other. British Southern Cameroons is one and indivisible.

We must unit for the change we most need, change that will lift us out of the abyss of annexation, prolonged colonial domination and foreign rule and mindless exploitation that keeps us in mass poverty in the midst of plenty.

Our nonviolent struggle is not to create a new nation; it is to restore a nation that exists in law. It is in this light that I urge you to revive your patriotic spirit and that the commemoration of the 54^th anniversary of our confiscated independence, 1st October 2015 should be with new dynamism and resolve of all leaders and active forces to unite for the new dawn and permanent solution to our servitude.

As the people’s Messenger I am compelled to bring this to your high and kind attention. Let it not be said you did not know. Any generation that fails to confront and solve the problems that deny it its rightful place in history betrays itself and pushes its descendants into servitude.

You can’t afford to stand against the tide of progressive history.

 

SOUTHERN CAMEROONS FOR SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS

 

A PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria whether by herself, her servants, agents and/or representatives or otherwise howsoever from treating or continuing to treat or regard the Southern Cameroons and the peoples of the territory as an integral part of la Republique du Cameroun (Republic of Cameroun).” Abuja Federal High Court Ruling. March 5th 2002.

 

Art. 179 of the ACHPR Ruling on Communication 266/2003 states “The people of Southern Cameroons” 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 separate and distinct identity. Identity is an innate characteristic within a people. It is up to other external people, (e.g. la Republique du Cameroun) to recognise such existence, but not to deny it”.

“I, President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon, do hereby commit myself and my Government to, in a bid to bringing a lasting solution to the Bakassi conflict, fully respect the territorial boundaries as obtained at independence of my country” UNSG, Koffi Annan & President Paul Biya, signed declaration.