Cameroon’s dictator, Paul Biya, finally promulgated into law the new penal code (Law No. 2016/007 of 12 July 2016).whose adoption by both houses of parliament received condemnation from most national stakeholders including civil society organizations, Bar Council, and protest from lawyers
Recalled that the sections which sparked widespread condemnation included granting government ministers immunity from prosecution, along with other provisions punishing rent defaulters. The presidency finally did some words changing on the immunity section.
However, the penal code adoption did go without BaretaNews looking at some provisions which caught our attention. Section 111 on secession. It reads
Section 111: Secession
(1) Whoever undertakes in whatever manner to infringe the territorial integrity of the Republic shall be punished with imprisonment for life.
(2) In time of war, or in a state of emergency or siege, the penalty shall be death.
The Government has previously been cracking down on the arrest of Southern Cameroons leaders and activists. A host of them is under detention. We still holds the view that Secession does not hold in the Cameroons context because the union between both Cameroons is not legally bound. Cameroun cannot charge citizens of former British Southern Cameroons for secession and in no court of law when the facts are presented could Cameroun win.
On Monday 18th July, Cameroun forces cracked down on 16 Southern Cameroon’s leaders . They have been arrested and detained at the Central Police Station Buea. They include Mbua Richard, Matthias Besong, ABANG Njousi, Nke Valentine and others. Statements have been extracted from them . BaretaNews shall within the hours ahead provide details on their arrest. We of this platform condemns such an arrest of peaceful loving Southern Cameroonians whose only crime is to question the legality of this unholy union.
The National Executive Committee, (NECO) and National Council of the Southern Cameroons National Council, (The COUNCIL) met respectively on July, 15 and 16, 2016 in Bamenda. It examined and deliberated on the life of the movement at home and the Diaspora, state of the nation and international scene and took the following Resolutions.
THE LIFE OF THE MOVEMENT
From the County Chairpersons’ reports, The Council noted that due to crushing poverty and general hardship, Grassroots structures were no longer as viable as before.
Council also received Diaspora report from Mr Albert Zama, the representative from SCNC – USA Chapter who actively participated and made profound contributions to the debates.
Council received from the National Chairman fraternal warm greetings and brief report from Mr Cletus Fondo, representative from Canada who due to time constraint regretted his inevitable departure to catch his return flight.
Considering the challenging task at hand, The Council directs as follows;
That the redynamisation of Grassroots structures – the Precincts, the LGAs and the Counties should be completed and lists submitted at next National Council meeting.
That the Secretary General should finalise arrangements and organise fresh elections to replace the deceased County Chairperson of Ngoketunjia County and report at next Council meeting.
That County Chairpersons as a nationalistic duty should build bridges with all the vital forces within their respective areas of jurisdiction.
That Diaspora Chapters should be all inclusive, serving as the British Southern Cameroons sanctuary for national renaissance, be redynamised to effectively assume their ambassadorial role and intensify their lobbying roles as well as contribute materially, logistically and financially towards the realisation of the ultimate goal of the struggle, namely, national independence and sovereignty.
That Diaspora Chairpersons should communicate more frequently with the National Secretariat to keep abreast with authentic information to avoid being misled with distorted information.
That counting the odds all members should rededicate themselves to being the barefoot soldier and should carry out effective education of Southern Cameroonians to know the legal truth, their legal rights for once they are empowered they will become more assertive and properly defend their collective identity. To this effect Council lauded the efforts of the National Chairman and the staff of the National Secretariat in constantly producing sound educational materials. Council graciously received the 2nd edition of National Renaissance which was launched by Mr. Albert Zama and called on all to read and spread the political gospel for national rebirth.
LIFE OF THE BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS NATION
COUNCIL PAINFULLY NOTES
That the annexationist ruling clan piloted by an ethnic oligarchy persists in its oppressive, exploitative determination to extinct British Southern Cameroons from the map of Africa for the prestige and grandeur of la Republique du Cameroun.
That the Yaounde regime is determined to annihilate all the Anglo-Saxon cultural heritage while paying lip service to “unification” to deceive and mislead the gullible Southern Cameroonians and those with weak spines.
That the annexation and assimilation agenda has no room for dialogue, negotiation and compromises for these are predicated on respect and equal standing of the partners concerned.
That Yaounde’s bold-attack on our inherited Anglo-Saxon educational system and the Common Law under the pretext of harmonisation and recent decree on the nationalisation of the CDC and transfer of its headquarters from Bota – Victoria in British Southern Cameroons to la Republique du Cameroun, must be seen as a sharp knife the annexationist regime wants to drive through our heart.
THE COUNCIL
-Takes judicious note of the growing nationalistic consciousness in Southern Cameroonians thanks to the educational materials issued by the SCNC, other patriots, and the good work of the print media and the audio and calls on all vital forces, the youths, the women and men to strengthen the patriotic bonds of unity and defend our inherent right to a sovereign homeland. He who fails to defend his self worth and identity but depends on and slavishly serves his slave master to attain a subordinate status will remain a serf forever.
-Congratulates the Common Law Lawyers, the various Teachers Trade Unions, the Education Forum on the Anglo-Saxon educational heritage for the good work courageously initiated. The drive from all angles should be towards the liberation and restoration of the sovereign statehood of British Southern Cameroons. Harmonisation is assimilation for the consolidation of annexation and colonial occupation, that’s total annihilation of the British Southern Cameroons nation.
-Salutes the Bamenda Market Women, the Buyam Sellam, the Petty traders for rising up to say “NO” to the intensification of exploitation, over taxation, economic genocide visited on Southern Cameroons, for the glory of the Yaounde oligarchy and its mentor Paris.
-Calls on the total mobilisation and organisation of all the vital forces for national liberation, the key to our collective dignity, progress and prosperity.
-Assures the Bamenda Market Women and all the petty traders that removing the current Government Delegate and replacing him with another, changes nothing. The problem is with the system which is anti-people, insensitive, nonchalant and inherently corrupt and irredeemably autocratic. Under Yaounde British Southern Cameroons will forever remain a farm and a mine for mindless exploitation and plunder.
-Reminds the dynamic mothers and youths of our beloved Fatherland, British Southern Cameroons, abundantly blessed by God, that British Southern Cameroons is not an integral part of la Republique du Cameroun. We are a separate nation and a distinct people under international law entitled to sovereign independence. This is our inherent right and in unity under the Lord of Justice, we will triumphantly restore our Government in Buea-the key to our political salvation, economic development and progress.
-Reiterates SCNC’s irrevocable commitment to national restoration and calls on all forces to jump on the SCNC liberation train for a holistic approach for a permanent solution of rebuilding the British Southern Cameroons nation on constitutional democracy, effective separation of powers, rule of law, participatory democracy, where those in authority rule by the consent of the governed and remain transparent and accountable to the ruled in whom resides popular sovereignty.
-Calls on all Southern Cameroons political and economic elites, the intelligentsia, Common Law Lawyers at home and abroad, Traditional Rulers, Religious Authorities to put an end to playing the ostrich game and understand that what took place in Wum was not against the victims nor is the plan to transfer the CDC Headquarters to a town in la Republique du Cameroun an affront or attack on the Bakweri or a matter for Fako County. What became of the CamBank and the Produce Marketing Board nationalised and transferred after the 1972 fraudulent referendum? While the Wum Saga demonstrates the impunity of the Yaounde regime against us, the planned transfer of the CDC Headquarters which confirms Dr. Endeley’s prediction, stands as the last straw to break the camel’s back which must be resisted energetically by all us. To pretend to be indifferent is to deny your roots and betray God’s will.
-Reaffirms that the CDC, its headquarters in Bota, Victoria is to British Southern Cameroons what Fako Mountain, Victoria natural deep seaport, Kupe Manenguba Mountain, Kilum Mountain is/are to British Southern Cameroonians; inseparable and in transferable. We have had enough of Yaoundé’s arm twisting aimed at the consolidation of annexation, annihilation and assimilation of our Fatherland, British Southern Cameroons. The will of the people through collective resistance for national rebirth must triumph for their dignity. Rebellion against foreign aggression in collective national self-defence is neither a crime nor a sin for as God created Mt Fako as part of this our heritage; the CDC was established by law in 1947 for the defined purpose of the development of British Southern Cameroons. It is our heritage!
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE, THE COUNCIL;
Disturbed by grave sufferings of the innocent Africans within the Lake Chad Basin due to Boko Haram’s menaces, the growing waves of insurgencies on the African continent and in the world at large,
Grieved by the constant numerous deaths of Africans in the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea in their desperate efforts to flee from oppression and economic misery perpetrated by the tyrants on the African continent,
Cognisant of the persistent depletion of the limited resources of African nations by their Presidential Monarchs and their cronies which are stored in safe havens in Europe, the Americas and West Indies,
Mindful of the holding of the 2016 AU Summit in Kigali, Rwanda,
Considering the referendum in the UK on Brexit and the appointment of a new Prime Minister,
Conscious of the UN’s founding mission to humanity and the prevention of wars that cause human suffering,
THE COUNCIL
1 (a)- Salutes the joint task force fighting the Boko Haram insurgents and appeal to the international community to intensify their support in the resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced people to enable the affected rebuild their lives.
(b)- In acknowledging and commending the efforts at fighting terrorism in Africa and the world at large, prays due attention should be given to finding out the root causes of terrorism – the growing threat to global security and human development.
2.(a)-Mourns with the affected families and calls on Africans in general to rise up and enthrone democracy and the rule of law the sure guarantor of peace and unity based on justice and enduring economic development and human progress.
(b) Calls on western nations to stop collaborating with African dictators at the detriment of Africa and cooperate with all Africans in their legitimate efforts to attain both political and economic freedom and independence.
a)- Makes a special appeal to western democratic nations to assist African nations in recovering looted funds by corrupt African leaders.
b)- Calls on western nations to adopt legislation making it a crime for any bank to assist in hiding looted funds for as corruption, embezzlement are responsible for Africa’s underdevelopment, refugees will continue to invade the shores of Europe and America. Corruption and embezzlement of public funds in Africa is contagious. African democracy, the rule of law and development will enhance global development and stability.
a) -Congratulates the Government and people of Rwanda for playing host to the AU Summit of July 2016.
b)- Warmly salutes the AU Commission and the AU Summit for adopting an African Common Passport which will greatly facilitate trade, services and tourism within the African Continent and boost the drive towards African Unity.
c) – Reminds African leaders that till date the Constructive Dialogue approved by the AU Summit of 2009 under the Good Offices of the African Commission between Southern Cameroons leaders and the Government of President Paul Biya of la Republique du Cameroun has not taken place.
d) – Calls on the AU Summit to take all necessary disposition and ensure the holding of the Constructive Dialogue in the AU Headquarters, Addis Ababa, within a specified time frame. But should President Paul Biya continue to with impunity ignore the AU Summit approved Ruling and recommendation, the continental body through the Chairperson of the AU Commission should table the British Southern Cameroons Question at the UN under Article 35 of the UN Charter.
a)-Takes judicious note of the will of the British people expressed through the ballot box.
b) -Congratulates the British people in expressing their inherent and eternal right of self-determination and their decision to exit the European Union which is now subject of negotiation to determine the future relationship between the U.K. and E.U.
c)- Congratulates the new Prime Minister, The RT. HON. THERESA MAY on her deserved election to this prestigious post.
d)- In congratulating and welcoming Mrs. Theresa May to this prestigious post, Council draws her High attention to Britain’s unfinished task in the UN Trust Territory of Southern Cameroons under UK Mandate in that botched decolonisation facilitated annexation and colonial occupation for UK failed in her sacred responsibility- moral and legal- to ensure the implementation of UN Resolution 1608 of April 21,1961.
e)- Calls on PM Theresa May, that as a mother and Chief negotiator on Brexit and in view of the error of 1961, she should write her name in gold in the sands of history by leading her government place the British Southern Cameroons Question on the agenda of the UN for peaceful exit of British Southern Cameroons from annexation and colonial occupation of la Republique du Cameroun.
6.a)- Draws the attention of the UN to the fact that the UN Trust territory of the Southern Cameroons under UK Administration is the only Trust territory which unlike all others that graduated from trusteeship to sovereign independence; the Southern Cameroons, due to non- implementation of UNGA Resolution 1608 of April 21, 1961, descended into annexation and colonial occupation and assimilation under another former UN Trust territory, la Republique du Cameroun, which had its independence from France on January 1, 1960.
b) –Mindful of UN’s declaration of annexation as a crime against humanity and threat to world peace, calls on the UN to listen to the legitimate cry of the British Southern Cameroonian people and apply the very measures that were applied in similar circumstances such as in Namibia, East Timor, among others, to free the people from the consequences of UN’s failure to respect Art. 76(b) of UN Charter and UNGA Res. 1514 of 1960, and save Africa from genocide. One more genocide that the UN could have avoided, will be genocide too many for the African continent and an irremovable scar on the UN.
THE WUM SAGA: THE PLIGHT OF BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS UNDER IMPERIAL RULE
History has demonstrated again and again over the centuries that an imperial power respects no standards and no law. It is simply an embodiment of evil. It is easier for hawks in their numbers flapping their wings to chase away a lion from its prey than to have an imperial power feeding fat on its occupied land to respect international law, conventions and good conscience and withdraw honorably. This explains the case of imperial la Republique du Cameroun in British Southern Cameroons. But the day of reckoning as declared by the Lord of justice is not far.
On Friday April 22nd, 2016, some 19 detainees from Wum, Menchum County of British Southern Cameroons who had been in the Bamenda detention camp since January 2016, for fear of confrontation with the population, were under the cover of darkness transferred to Yaounde, la Republique du Cameroun. Prior to being transferred under heavily armed troops, these defenseless suspects, as if this detention under life-threatening conditions was not bad enough, were tortured to break their will power and spirits. The 19 transferred to Yaounde by Order No.090/ORD/C1/16 of April 16, 2016 signed by Chief Judge of the Yaounde Military Court, Captain Fredric POH MBOLULE are;
Quala Dze Queenta____________ born on Dec. 02, 1993. She is pregnant.
Livingstone Fung Achuo________ Oct. 10, 1990
Joseph Afuh Ngourou__________ March 02, 1975
Mamouda Sule________________ May 20, 1998
Azang Hamlep Azang___________ born in about 1998
Kingsley Njuh Kelley___________ born in about 1989
Abang Modest Amih___________ born on April 25, 1993
Nasser Fontoh_________________ March 03, 1985
Ngong Solos Wallang____________ May 13, 1974
Franck Tsu Itie_________________ in about 1979
Gerald Kum Chou______________ on March 16, 1985
Nestor Kangsen Mbah___________ on Feb. 14, 1992
Marcel Fung Mih_______________ July 22, 1989
Ewi Alain Meeh________________ Aug. 28, 1993
Bruno Lumba Nkemta___________ in 1985
Canisius Ngong Yoh_____________ in 1989
Emmanuel Achou Kum__________ on March 30, 1998
Tibi Vincent Tebug alias Ojong____ born on Oct. 02, 1978
Tem Josua Mua_________________ born on Sept. 13, 1999
Plus two soldiers working in Wum;
Athanase Ateba Mvodo
Pierre Gaetan Kame Nkoo
This Order which is issued completely in French, and that dictates the language of the masters and in which they will be tried, concludes that these suspects will be at the Kondengui Maximum detention till Oct. 07, 2016. That is to say Queenta’s baby who had been a prisoner in the womb will be born a prisoner without a crime except that God created him/her a British Southern Cameroonian.
The 19 suspects were not arrested in the act but many days later through a kale-kale in Wum town and as such should be presumed innocent until proven guilty by the law. This kale-kale, as usual, took place in the wee hours of the morning when peace loving citizens are deep asleep.
These are not the first Southern Cameroonian suspects arrested in Southern Cameroons for allegedly committing a crime on British Southern Cameroons soil which falls under the Common Law jurisdiction that have had to be transferred without the knowledge of their family members and lawyers. Since the 1992 episode in which late Justice Nyo Wakai, a retired Judge of the Supreme Court, and one hundred and seventy two (172) other leaders and militants of the SDF detained at the BMM Up-Station, Bamenda, after the heavily flawed presidential elections of October 1992 in which the victor, Ni John Fru Ndi, a Southern Cameroonian, became the vanquished, many other Southern Cameroonians have suffered this same high handed barbarism of la Republique du Cameroun.
Your Excellency, what provoked mob action that led to the burning of the make-shift military barracks in Wum was the murder of Leonard Mih Ngong aged 23 years by a francophone soldier in the night and the insensitive attitude of the proconsuls who treated it as if it were the death of a careless chicken. This nonchalant attitude only came to ignite held up anger, a sad reminder of several complaints tabled against the forces to the authorities who did nothing to establish healthy relationship between civilian population and the forces who behave as lords of a conquered territory. While the population is mourning the irreparable and irreplaceable lose of their dear son, compatriot and bread winner of the poor family, no one is talking about the Francophone murderer soldier who like others before was immediately protected. The murder of Leornard Mih Ngong over his snatched girl friend was a premeditated act. Similar murders by these occupation forces, such as that of Mbengwi, to teach “les Anglos” an unforgettable lesson have taken place in the past in other towns of British Southern Cameroons. What happens is immediate transfer of the holier than thou “home” and that ends the story.
Beginning from the Ebubu, Tombel massacre in 1962, the numerous unprovoked kale kales, the Black Saturday in Ndu, the states of emergency of the 1990, 1992, 1997 and the economic blockade of 1993, code named Operation Dorade, the murder of unarmed peace-loving SCNC activists in Kumbo, on Oct. 1st. 2001 and other acts of vandalism, these and more have made the Southern Cameroonian conclude that under la Republique du Cameroun he is neither safe, secured nor has he hope and a future in freedom and dignity. This reminds him of the good old days of British Southern Cameroons where, in freedom, under rule of law, enjoying social justice, he was his own master with the sky as the only limit.
Your Excellency, Sir, the one billion dollar question is, if this is not concrete evidence of treating British Southern Cameroons and its people as a conquered and occupied land and subjugated people, how many citizens of la Republique du Cameroun arrested, for an alleged crime committed on their
home soil, have been transferred for trial under the Common Law jurisdiction in British Southern Cameroons? To the Yaounde authorities the people of British Southern Cameroons are a subjugated people with no rights, no dignity: disregarding uti possedetis juris and the critical date and Art. 4(b) of the AU Constitutive Act, this former UN Trust territory does not exist to merit any respect.
Having with impunity flouted the Banjul Ruling on Communication 266/2003 approved by the AU Summit of July 2009 which recognized Southern Cameroonians as a distinct people, from those of la Republique du Cameroun, entitled to the unquestionable right of self-determination and called for Constructive Dialogue, the annexationist regime has continued to intensify its military repression. Furthermore, it has continued to kidnap our fellow compatriots and like looted cargo humiliatingly ferry them to la Republique du Cameroun for brutal and dehumanizing interrogation, torture and trial under kangaroo courts. This is in gross violation of the Banjul Ruling in which the Commission called on the Respondent State, la Republique du Cameroun, to forth with put an end to “the transfer of accused persons from the Anglophone Provinces (British Southern Cameroons) for trial in the Francophone Provinces.” The Respondent State is called upon to ensure “that every person facing criminal charges be tried under the language he /she understands.”(Emphasis, mine).
This calls to question the so called bi-cultural, bi-jurial, and bilingual Cameroun which the apologists of the Yaounde regime, to protect their crumbs, propagate and pretentiously defend. If no citizen of la Republique du Cameroun brought up under the Civil Law system has ever been transferred for trial under the Common Law jurisdiction, why should citizens of British Southern Cameroons brought up under the Common Law be transferred and tried under the Civil Law in a foreign language – French?
Sir, nothing illustrates the unbearable and humiliating treatment British Southern Cameroonians are subjected to than the contrasting treatment Wum suspects have had to endure and humane treat given Mora, Far North Region of la Republique du Cameroun where the Boko Haram insurgents are marauding. For those who doubt or question the reasoned presentation in this Memorandum, let them find out how the Yaounde authorities responded to the setting ablaze of the barracks in Mora in October 2015 by a mob. Was there a kale-kale? Were there arrests and humiliating torture in public and are there any now languishing in Kondengui Maximum Prison, Yaounde like those of Wum?
We must here firmly understand one thing: neither imperialism nor annexation can be reformed. It is hard core evil pure and simple. It must be over thrown for the subjugated people to regain their freedom and dignity. The Yaounde state will never treat British Southern Cameroons as the equal of la Republique du Cameroun due to non-implementation of UNGA Resolution 1608 of April 21, 1961 that facilitated annexation and subjugation. We do not belong. British Southern Cameroons and la Republique du Cameroun can never belong as equals under one national polity. Historically, culturally and legally, they belong apart and for peace based on justice and stability in the region, separation respecting colonial inherited boundary is the only permanent solution.
Your Excellency, if the international community is not begging for another Rwanda, to nip the inevitable in the board, they all should mount pressure on la Republique du Cameroun to submit to the Constructive Dialogue under the Good Offices of the African Commission as approved by the AU Summit of July 2009 in Libya. Consistent repression, kale-kales ( i.e. organised state terrorism), transfer of suspects for trial in a foreign language under the civil law system, persistent killings of unarmed civilians by occupation forces, economic rape, among others, has put the two distinct Cameroons, held together by the barrel of the gun, on a ticking time bomb: the inevitable explosion will have grave consequences for the AU and the UN as a whole for their prolonged culture of silence.
Where has it, annexation or imperialism, triumphed unto eternity? British Southern Cameroons will not be the exception!
As for our compatriots kidnapped to the gulag in Yaounde as if they were war captives to await the worse;
YOUR EXCELLENCY, WE SOLEMNLY APPEAL;
To the UN and international community at large, all defenders of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and fair trial, to mount pressure on President Paul Biya to bring back these compatriots to British Southern Cameroons where they are alleged to have committed the crime for fair and expeditious trial. To be tried in a foreign land under a strange legal system by foreign judges in a foreign language, which the accused do not understand, will tantamount to persecution not prosecution.
To the UN, AU, Commonwealth, all human rights organizations committed to justice and the rule of law, to assist in whichever way possible or to monitor the trial of these compatriots and ensure that they receive fair trial and this implies that they should be tried under the Common Law system, investigations and interrogations, the giving of evidence in court and trial are all in English, and the trial is conducted by Common Law Judges.
That the Francophone soldier murderer is brought back to British Southern Cameroons where he committed the heinous crime and given fair trial under the Common Law system.
In conclusion, the UN having declared annexation a crime against humanity and threat to world peace, remaining silent and withholding your positive action from according these unfortunate people of Wum origin the right of fair hearing and expeditious fair trial, an act which will bring to international lime light la Republique du Cameroun’s annexation, imposition of foreign domination and alien rule in British Southern Cameroons, will tantamount to giving the violator of international law a pat on the back. Saddam Hussein of Iraq never enjoyed such treatment when he annexed Kuwait and reduced it to the 19th Province of Iraq.
We seek JUSTICE within the ambit of international law!
Done, in Buea, this day, 27 April, 2016.
For the SCNC and on behalf of the people of British Southern Cameroons.
____________________________
NFOR, NGALA NFOR
(National Chairman, SCNC)
Cc,
All UN Member Nations,
Chairman of AU Commission, Addis Ababa
President of ICJ, Den Haag,
President of ICC, Den Haag,
President, Pan African Parliament, Johannesburg
African Court of Justice,
Commonwealth SG, London,
President of ACHPR, Banjul,
All Diplomatic Missions, Yaounde
High Commissioner of UN Human Rights Commission, Geneva,
Human Rights Bodies Accredited with the UN, among others.
New Anti-Terrorism Law Batters Cameroonians Seeking Secession
YAOUNDE, Apr 26 2015 (IPS) – Cameroon’s government under President Paul Biya is bearing down on a separatist movement fighting for the rights of a minority English-language region, using as its weapon a sweeping new anti-terrorism law introduced at the end of last year.
The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) – which is demanding an independent Southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions – has been targeted under the new law, which forbids public meetings, street protests or any action that the government deems to be disturbing the peace.
Map showing location of Southern Cameroons (highlighted). Credit: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
English-speaking Cameroonians make up over 22 percent of the country’s population of 20 million.
Long desired by Western powers for its beauty and natural resources, Cameroon was first occupied by the Germans in 1884. After the First World War, the French and British carved it up between them as League of Nations mandates – four-fifths went to France, the rest to the United Kingdom.
A federation was declared in 1961, followed by the annexation of the English-language region into the United Republic of Cameroon, with its capital in Yaounde in 1972. Dissension continues to seethe, however, in the English-speaking regions which resent the lack of control over their assets.
Over the years, Cameroon has downplayed its problems with the English-speaking regions, while making token placements of a few of their citizens in its administration.
Secessionists say this relationship of inequality has led to impoverishment of the territory and its population and a diminishment of their educational and cultural heritage, while feeding the flame of ethnic strife between the people of the Northwest and Southwest Regions.
The extraction of oil and the expropriation of Cameroon’s substantial oil revenues is frequently cited as the touchstone for frustration and anger among those of the struggling south.
The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) has been targeted under Cameroon’s new anti-terrorism law, which forbids public meetings, street protests or any action that the government deems to be disturbing the peace
“Cameroon’s national oil company (SNH) dominates the sector,” NRGI reported. “It is directly controlled by the Presidency … The largest revenue streams are collected by SNH and transferred quarterly to the national treasury after subtracting the company’s operational costs – meaning that some oil revenues never reach the treasury.”
Aside from publishing environment impact assessments, Cameroon provides very little information on its extractive sector, noted NRGI, while it performed near the bottom of rankings on measures of budgetary openness and the rule of law.
Oil exploration, production and refining all take place in Southern Cameroons, while oil-derived revenues are paid to the state coffers directly in Yaounde.
Against this background, and since Cameroon’s President Paul Biya endorsed an anti-terrorism law in December 2014, the SCNC has not been able to organise any major gathering.
An attempt this month, on Apr. 3, ended with the arrest of Nfor Ngala Nfor, SCNC Vice National Chairman, and six others in Buea, Southwest Region.
Andrew Kang, who had hosted the SCNC leaders, told IPS from his hospital bed at the Buea Regional Hospital that security forces barged into his house while he and the guests were about to have a meal. “We were not even permitted to eat our food. They just beat us, ordered us to move and led us to the station. We spent four days in a prison cell and only regained freedom at about 5 pm on Apr. 6.”
Kang denied the government’s charges of promoting secession and rebellion which had been levelled against the group.
Talking to IPS, Martin Fon Yembe, a member of the SCNC and human rights activist, said that while the government made it seem that the new anti-terrorism law was designed to boost the fight against Boko Haram, the main aim was to stop the holding of SCNC meetings and gatherings.
“Everyone knows that law was put in place to hinder the activities of the movement and there is no gainsaying the fact that it poses a problem,” he said.
A U.S. State Department human rights report on Cameroon in 2013 referred to security force torture and abuse, denial of fair and speedy public trials and restrictions on freedom of assembly and association. “Although the government took some steps to punish officials who commit abuses in the security forces and in the public service, impunity remained a problem,” said the report.
Meanwhile, thousands of Southern Cameroonians are currently in exile in Europe and the United States and thousands more are on the run because of their support for the separatist movement.
The Biya administration, on the other hand, presents a picture of a country unswervingly headed for growth. In a document titled Cameroun Vision 2035, a long-term vision is described which envisages the consolidation of democracy, enhancement of national unity, economic development and increasing employment.
Under a three-year plan, unveiled in December, Cameroon will spend 1.75 billion dollars “to meet the immediate needs of the population,” focusing on sectors such as road infrastructure, health, agriculture, energy and security.
“The special programme, evaluated at 925 billion CFA francs, is financed through the mobilisation of the required resources from local and international financial institutions at sustainable rates,” Prime Minister Philemon Yang said without giving further details.
In the latest twist to the South Cameroons issue, a meeting this month of Cameroon’s English-speaking lawyers gave notice that an All-Anglophone Lawyers Conference would be held shortly in Bamenda, chief city of the Northwest Region, “to develop strategies at safeguarding the Common Law and to map out the way forward for the Southern Cameroons territory,” the Cameroon Concord reported.
The news online was met with over a dozen enthused readers. “Machiavelli Ayuk” of the University of Buea wrote: “This is the kind of action that the marginalised Anglophone people love to hear. At last we have some Educated Elites in the Anglophone zone…”
The comment was followed by “Fast Man”, a self-described fieldworker, who wrote: “I hope the lawyers use their intelligence and remember their oath. We will never go anywhere under French hegemony. God bless the Southern Cameroons and its citizens…
HRH Fon Kum Achuo II
HRH Fon Kum Achuo II of Esu was aggressively apprehended without warning and interrogated by the Assistant Commander of the 25th Motorised Infantry Battalion in Wum,Menvhum Division in the NorthWest Region on the 15 th ofJuly 2016.
Accompanied by 8 soldiers all in uniforms,the company commander whisked off the Fon into a storage room of Mr Heison’s shop located at Total Roundabout.
According to our source,The soldiers of the Cameroonian army claimed that information has reached them that some Esu elites and the Fon have put in place a group in Nigeria to come into Cameroon and attack the army stationed in Esu.
Alafnet.com source says HRH Fon of Esu was in Wum to attend a political meeting and has stop at one Mr Joe Kum’s garage to repair his car when the soldiers suddenly arrested him.
This reporter is aware that during the interogations the Fon strongly denied knowing any such plans and wondered if at all they ever existed and he further debrunk it saying it made no sense because Nigeria, Cameroon like all countries in the sub-region closely watching their borders given the current threats of terrorism posed by Boko haram islamic sect.In another attempt to find a reason to arrest the Fon of Esu. On Monday 11th July 2016, in a desperate attempt to implicate the Fon of Esu, Sale Umaru, the manager of Elba Ranch, Esu, travelled to the Bamenda Central Prison where he presented a document to the 5 Esu youth leaders in detention to sign. The document stated that the Fon of Esu ordered them to burn down properties of Elba Ranch. The youth leaders refused to sign the fabricated accusation aimed at implicating their traditional leader for a crime he did not commit.
In a pure CPDM arranged plot,Sale Umaru the branch manager of visited the youths in prison with thier concent and in the absence of their lawyer to submit a false complaint that led to their arrest and detention.
This yet another attempt to find a reason to arrest the Fon of Esu and those opposed to the land grab so as to forcefully expropriate their land.This new allegstion comes in the same week after his failed attempt to implicate the Fon using the youth leaders.
Esuans in the diaspora and within Cameroon contacted by this publication have denied knowledge of any such plans to attack the milary base to.
The Esu diaspora futher calls on the administration and law enforcement to help protect the law abbiding people of Esu from all forms of harassment, insults, intimation and the corrupt practices that are being used to divide the land of Esu.
Cameroon’s dictator, Paul Biya, finally promulgated into law the new penal code (Law No. 2016/007 of 12 July 2016).whose adoption by both houses of parliament received condemnation from most national stakeholders including civil society organizations, Bar Council, and protest from lawyers
The National Executive Committee, (NECO) and National Council of the Southern Cameroons National Council, (The COUNCIL) met respectively on July, 15 and 16, 2016 in Bamenda. It examined and deliberated on the life of the movement at home and the Diaspora, state of the nation and international scene and took the following Resolutions.
HRH Fon Kum Achuo II