For those who may not know Commonwealth is a voluntary association of “52 independent sovereign countries” with the noble view of promoting democracy, peace, and development of member state. In fact, one of the condition to be member is to demonstrate commitment to: democracy and democratic processes, including free and fair elections and representative legislatures; the rule of law and independence of the judiciary; good governance, including a well-trained public service and transparent public accounts; and protection of human rights, freedom of expression, and equality of opportunity. One of the implicit condition to be a member is to speak English. It should be noticed that Mozambique becomes the first member with no colonial links to Britain. Base on all this we will try to take a look at the Cameroon membership; but before that let take a look at some historical fact. La Republic Du Cameroun which is the current official name of Cameroon had his independence on 1 January 1960 from France, sometime later on the 1st October 1961 the British Southern Cameroon had is “Independence By join in “La Republic Du Cameroun, a new form of independence created by the British Government at the time. Last time we were at the house of Common a fellow comrade asked an MP what is “independence by join in” and he was incapable of giving us an answer, let not get lost in this now. So British Southern Cameroon Join La Republic Du Cameroun on Ballot Paper and they Became one federal state with 2 officials language inherited from their formal tutor country (FRANCE and UNITED KINGDOM). Cameroon because of the Southern Cameroon becomes a member of the Commonwealth in 1995. In November 2016 Biya’s regime in Cameroon has once again shown it population how brutal, barbaric and inhuman they can be. The problem is nowadays it is difficult to hide such behaviors as more and more people get access to the internet and share images and video of what happened; as result, Biya’s regime had suspended the internet in Southern Cameroon for almost three months in order stop people sharing the truth of the reality they living in daily basis. Since the children in Southern Cameroon had not attended classes, economic is falling, even more, faster than before as the regime in the past has close down many industry and institution and relocate the most prolific one in French Cameroon. Since lawyer and teacher decide to say enough is enough in November 2016, Biya’s regime has silence or imprison those who spoke publicly about the issue, those who are not in prison are all in exile. In order to inflict more fear in population the even arrest one head judge in the name of JUSTICE AYAH PAUL without reason and by that breaking their own procedure and law just because he is from Southern Cameroon. Today MR AYAH PAUL don’t know when he will appear in form of another judge as there is no charge against him. Worst the regime has arrested roman catholic priest for not intervening to ask parents to send their children to school and are claiming the sum of 150 billion CFA francs in damages. Now that the world is looking with close eye what is happening, most trials are indefinitely adjourned to a different date and like that keeping those in prison indefinitely. Those arrested are charged with treason which is a death sentence if found guilty and according to the Cameroon penal code those outside the country who speak out about this will be charged with the same crime whit mean many of us cannot get back for saying or supporting publicly was is right. Amnesty International report 2016/2017 about Cameroun speak by himself. The list is much bigger than that so here are our questions. What those it takes to the Commonwealth to take a decision against one of his member? Which principle of the Commonwealth did Cameroon respect? Because base on what we read we can easily say very few if none Which Commonwealth principle is more important than other? On the 15th March 2017, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland QC had tweeted an image of her and the Minister Delegate in the ministry of external relations in charge of Commonwealth Affairs, saying Biya’s regime was doing all possible to address concerns about human rights abuses in Cameroon. Four months now that that happens we will like to ask the Commonwealth’ Secretary-General if she had any update on the situation; because so far all the so call protestor (traitor of the nation) are all in exile or in jail waiting for a trial which may never happen as it is always adjourned. What does more Biya’s regime need to do to Southern Cameroon population in order to the Commonwealth to firmly react and show their interest in British Cameroon population?

By GUTENBERG N MBAKOP SCNC ACTIVIST UK

 

The sun may set, the road so rocky, rivers dry, Southern Cameroonians day in and out treated as second class citizens. The government is untouchable, not shakeable and the same names shuffle in the top ranking positions in government. From generation to generation, the answers to our history questions are same if lucky perhaps just change in port folio as long as you are loyal to the ‘king’.Southern Cameroonians are not to have a say in nation building and if you dare oppose the government, your life is at risk if not death. So too is the Constitution, it is amended and adjusted to suit any situation when need be. Many of us were brutalized, raped and detained in deplorable conditions in jails for no reason. But one thing remains which will never die, the spirit to fight for our independence. Total restoration of our statehood is what we want and it will be soon. No compromise, we are in tears and agony today but joy will come tomorrow whether la Republic wants it or not. This is our birth rights to be reminded one more time that we are not giving up. The fight continues and no amount of intimidations, threats and brutality will stop us from fighting to the end. Our fallen heroes in the struggle our watching from above and we promise not to let you down. Mr. Biya all we want is the Total restoration of our statehood, set us free.

 

 

BY; CATHERINE MURING  YOMBO,  SCNC ACTIVIST UK.

Southern Cameroon a United Nation territory ruled by Britain under Nigeria. After Nigeria independence on October 1^st, 1960, left Nigeria to join the French Cameroon. Today my people are suffering, arrested, murdered and marginalized because of their human right. Is it a crime to fight for your fatherland, culture, language, educational system, judiciary system, health system? Is it a crime to fight for your future and that of your future generation?

Since November 2016 till date, Southern Cameroonians demonstrated on the streets of various towns, Kumba, Bamenda, Limbe, Buea etc for the restoration of their independence statehood, the people are suffering. As a result of the strike action. Private teachers, lawyers, and traders have no money to look after their families, pay rents, bills and even food to for their families. Students, lawyers, teachers and a judge are arrested, raped, tortured then put to prison from their homes, streets and students hostel. For no reason at all, only for the sake that, they are Southern Cameroonians taking up their responsibility as loyal citizens as their right, some because they are in secessionist groups leaders. Families are crying calling on the government of La Republic du Cameroon for their release, no answer. A country where people are jail with no crime, is that fair in this modern society? Clergies are taken to court for not forcing the parents to sent their children to school. Must you force Southern Cameroonians to join French Cameroon? If we Southern Cameroonians are marginalized by La Republic du Cameroon, set us free. We are in need freedom. Europeans today are negotiating for the exit of other European countries, why not Southern Cameroon and La Republic du Cameroon.

HELP SOUTHERN CAMEROON

By Cecile Ebvangah Tarh

SCNC ACTIVIST UK

Saturday, 25 March 1995 19:00Border

Dispute “NO WIN WITHOUT

AMBAZONIA”Summary: Ambazonia the former

British Southern Cameroons, a buffer state located between

Nigeria’s South Eastern boundary and Cameroun Republic.

The final outcome of the case presently before the

International Court of Justice (ICJ), will be dependent upon

whether or not Ambazonia is acknowledged as a sovereign

state. Ned Nwoko gives a studied opinion on this rather

complicated matter.

INTERNATIONAL LAW ACKNOWLEDGES

Ambazonia as a state with internationally

recognized boundaries (fixed by the League of Nations,

inherited by the United Nations and which remains so today).

Cameroun has been forced to drop the politics of claiming

that Ambazonia is part of a single Cameroonian nation. In

its litigation it, in effect, claims that it is suing

Nigeria in exercise of a mandate given to it by the

Ambazonian people. According to Cameroon’s statement of

claim, the Ambazonian people gave it that mandate through

the United Nations plebiscite of February

1961.That has now put the said plebiscite in

issue and raised the question; had the UN legal authority to

conduct the said plebiscite in Ambazonia after trusteeship

had technically been terminated with the promulgation of the

territory’s independent constitution in October 1960?

The answer is that according to the UN Charter Article 76 B,

the UN trusteeship over territory ends once the territory

has achieved self-government or independence.In

1958 Ambazonia achieved self-government, then in 1959 the UN

Passed a resolution severing it fromNigeria, and

in October 1960, an independent Constitution was promulgated

For the territory. Therefore, the UN had no legal authority,

And therefore the plebiscite was invalid.Another

Question asked is; what then was the object of the

Plebiscite? The answer is that from the terms in the

Manifesto “The Two Alternatives”, the plebiscite

Was to give the UN a mandate to either “append”

Amazonia again with Nigeria if the people voted for joining

Nigeria or to unite Cameroun and Ambazonia in a confederacy

Of sovereign states, if they voted for joining Cameroon.

Therefore, Cameroons claim that Ambazonian people gave the

The Cameroon Republic a mandate to annex Ambazonia has no legal basis

at all.

TERENCE.NYANGA MANIHSCNC ACTIVIST UK

The United Nations was an organization with great values, will voice to the voiceless, stood up for against human right violations, a rescuer for the oppressed, will call member states to order a great overseer of the world.

After the Second World War II, the UN obliged colonial power to guide their colonies towards independence in Africa, Southern Cameroon was one of those countries

 

Southern Cameroon was under British rule has three options, independence as a sovereign state, and independence by joining French Cameroon or by joining Nigeria. The British put forward a case to the UN that southern Cameroon was not economically viable to be a sovereign state, the people of southern Cameroon appeal against the to the un who was quick to reject the appeal of the southern Cameroon given rise the plebiscite questions.

1. Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Federation of Nigeria?
2. Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Republic of Cameroun?

The United Nations documents defined the basis of integration as: “Integration with an independent State should be on the basis of complete equality between the peoples of the erstwhile Non-Self-Governing Territory and those of the independent country with which it is integrated. The peoples of both territories should have equal status and rights of citizenship… at all levels in the executive, legislative and judicial organs of government.” With all confidence, southern Cameroon voted to gain independence by joining French Cameroon according to the UN specifications above and trusting that they will always be there as a marriage counselor between the English and French Cameroon.

Since independence In 1961 French Cameroon have re-colonise Sothern Cameroon the people of southern Cameroon have been living in fear in their own homeland they can’t call the name of their own country without the fire of persecution. At the core of Anglophone grievances is the loss of the former West Cameroons as a “distinct community defined by differences in official language and inherited colonial traditions of education, law, and public administration,” which can be broken down to the following

1. The failure of successive governments of Cameroon, since 1961, to respect and implement the articles of the Constitution that uphold and safeguard what British Southern Cameroons brought along to the Union in 1961.
2. The flagrant disregard for the Constitution, demonstrated by the dissolution of political parties and the formation of one political party in 1966, the sacking ofJua and the appointment of Muna in 1968 as the Prime Minister of West Cameroon, and other such acts judged by West Cameroonians to be unconstitutional and undemocratic.
3. The cavalier management of the 1972 Referendum which took out the foundational element (Federalism) of the 1961 Constitution.
4. The 1984 Law amending the Constitution, which gave the country the original East Cameroon name (The Republic of Cameroon) and thereby erased the identity of the West Cameroonians from the original union. West Cameroon, which had entered the union as an equal partner, effectively ceased to exist.
5. The deliberate and systematic erosion of the West Cameroon cultural identity which the 1961 Constitution sought to preserve and protect by providing for a bi-cultural federation.

The SCNC raised these issues with the government but there was no solution, the SCNC started their campaign for impendence of southern Cameroon. The government’s first approach to this idea was to band the SCNC, persecute its members some were sent on exile or incarcerated. The lawyers and teachers joined in last November and they were brutalized by the law enforcement officers (Boko gendarme and haram police), this led to the birth of the coffin revolution in southern Cameroon. At least 10 people have died who went out to express their frustrations against the government in a peaceful way. The government called for dialog and when their terms were not met they arrested all southern Cameroonians who went in good faith to dialog with the French government and were imprison in addition to 100 southern Cameroonians who went out demonstrating against the government who were also arrested and are in jail till date, followed by internet blackout in southern Cameroon for 91 days.

The above is the product of the marriage between LRC and southern Cameroon after fifty years and where have the almighty UN been? The last UN residence coordinator for Cameroon was bribed and did not raise any of these concerns to the UN. The UN visited Cameroon early this year and only Boko haram was discussed not southern Cameroon. Thanks to the relentless questionS asked by inner city press at the UN daily briefings the UN was forced to go to Cameroon for the third time and asked for the realize of all detained and the restoration of the internet in southern Cameroon and dialog should resume. The government In Cameroon reluctantly restored the internet but did not realize all who are unjustly detained. The gangster regime in Yaoundé is now forcing children at gunpoint to take GCE both O and A level exams when these children had not been to school since last year November in an attempt to destroy or downgrade an English exam. When asked the above and the none compliance of the Cameroon government’s last request at the daily briefing by inner city press, all the Un can say was that they were closely monitoring the situation ( whatever that means).the UN is hoping that dialog will restart in Cameroon but how can that happen when gangster regime was to dialog while pointing a guns at the head of southern Cameroonians but we cannot continue to leave with LRC we had tried it two times it did not work first was the joined condominium from 1914 which collapsed in 1916 the British and the French could not jointly administer Cameroon, the independence by joining LRC in 1961 which has given rise to the marginalisation of southern Cameroonians. Two clear example that these people cannot stay together, why the UN still wants dialog and unity baffling to me, there is only one solution to this problem the total independence of southern Cameroon please Mr un wake up to this reality, your greatest achievement in Cameroon since 1961 is the restoration of the internet in southern Cameroon, at time I wonder if this is the same UN that forced colonial power to grant independence to their colonies or we have a shadow that UN now.

By  PRIDE MBI AGBOR

SCNC ACTIVIST UK