Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.

International human rights law lays down the obligations which Governments must comply to or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

One of the greatest achievements of the United Nations has been to define a broad range of internationally accepted rights, including civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, also encompassing specific standards for women, children, persons with disabilities, minorities and other vulnerable groups against discrimination, alongside established mechanisms to promote and protect these rights and to assist states in carrying out their responsibilities.

It is notable that Cameroon is a contracting state party to a number of international and regional human rights law instruments that are relevant for purposes of human rights abuses. The Cameroon Constitution contains the traditional fundamental rights, freedoms and protection. This includes the right to life, liberty and security of persons, the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, fair trial protection before the law and non-discrimination and the prohibition of arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. Under the Cameroonian  Constitution, international  law retains primacy over national laws.

In as much as the Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon, Rules 144(5) and 132(4) from Rules of Procedure clearly makes provision for the violation of Human Rights, the peaceful protests promoted by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium against the marginalization of Cameroon’s Anglophone regions by Cameroon´s Government in 2016 was suppressed with extreme violence by the state authorities, thereby fuelling support for separatism. The armed conflict, ongoing since 2017, has killed thousands of people and led to a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions; To date, more than 3 000 civilians and hundreds of members of the security forces have lost their lives; the ongoing conflict in Cameroon has internally displaced over 1 million people; over 2, 2 million people require humanitarian assistance and over 66 000 people have sought refuge in neighbouring Nigeria; Cameroon hosts more than 447 000 refugees and asylum seekers as a result the spill over of this crisis affecting the West and Littoral regions. Cameroon’s English speaking regions have suffered gross human right violations by the Cameroon government as they have shown consistent disregard to human rights laws and have repeatedly refused to implement international  human  rights judgment in favour of Anglophones.

The current violence in the Northwest and Southwest regions in Cameroon cannot be properly comprehended outside of the historical context in which it has arisen as it is a deeply rooted problem.The British governmentthrough its Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Organization significantly  participated  in and co-shaped Cameroon’s socio-politics and culture till 2014 when they withdrew just two years before the conflict broke out. The continuous  relationships  from colonialism into present has arguably  created  a moral duty  for the British state to help resolve  the Anglophone  Crisis in Cameroon. It is noted that, considering the gravity of the human rights abuses that have been committed during this crisis, the international community including the United Kingdom has been lacklustre.

Various treaty bodies and of the United Nations have condemned the ongoing violations of human rights especially in the Southwest and Northwest regions of Cameroon over the decades. These violations have included a pattern of torture perpetrated  by French Cameroonian security forces; arbitrary arrest extrajudicial killings including women, children and disabled persons; enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention. All these violations have been documented by United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT.) and UN Human Rights Committee (HRC). The committee has been specific on the elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination and has noted its concerns with reports on the inequality of rights that exists between the English and French speaking populations. The following are links to several pictures and videos for more information.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2021-0573_EN.htmlhttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4840878992635779&id=100001411785290&sfnsn=scwspwa , https://mimimefoinfos.com/anglophone-crisis-military-killed-burned-in-mbengwi-chrda-co-conclude/

Human Rights Watch have reported several incommunicado detentions and torture of people suspected  of having ties  to armed  separatist groups at the state Defence Secretariat (Secretariat  d”Etat a la defense,SED) prison  in Yaounde. Gendarmes and  other security  personnel at the SED used torture, including severe beatings and near-drowning  as well as other ill-treatment  to force suspects to confess  to crimes or to mortify and penalize them. Amnesty International, Aljazeera have all reported widespread human rights abuses.

The list extends with the most recent one on the assassination of the Senator in Bamenda Barrister Henry Kemende, because he dared to ask pertinent questions about the government. Sadly, though President Paul Biya keeps signing ratified protocols on Human Rights, he still kills and even burns his people in their homes

Unfortunately, not enough has been done to stop all these atrocities as English speaking Cameroonians have been robbed of their essentiality and dignity, their economic systems have been torn down and we are being humiliated in our birth land.

Dialogue is a precondition for peace, and President Paul Biya’s government has consistently rejected direct talks with any separatist leaders from the Anglophone regions and convened a monologue on September 30th and 4th of October.

The rule of law is not being upheld by the state of Cameroon as the country´s judiciary system is primarily filled with corruption and is politically influenced by the president as he appoints judges and dismisses them at will and as such, they are forced to do what the government wants.

Civilians are tried in military courts using the 2014 anti-terrorism law and some are given dead sentences. These military trial proceedings are marred by serious substantive and procedural defects, in which the presumption of innocence, the right to adequate defense, and the independence of proceedings of the judiciary in general are all seriously undermined. Examples of such a trials are the cases of Fomusoh and two of his friends who were sentenced for sharing an SMS joke and most recently Antionette Kongso who was also arrested simply because she was an ex-partner of a Separatist General “No pity´´. She was arrested while pregnant and actually gave birth while in prison.

https://mimimefoinfos.com/bamenda-four-persons-arrested-by-soldiers-remain-unaccounted-a-week-later/

About 58% of Anglophones arrested have not been tried and might not even get a trial whereas President Paul Biya has been granting clemency for prisoners but many of the detainees currently held in pre-trial detention in relation to the Anglophone crises won’t benefit from it. Overcrowded prisons with poor access to Healthcare and dire living conditions and approximately a doctor per 2000prisoners.Inmates are malnourished and most of them are sick with tuberculosis. Notwithstanding the additional vulnerabilities created by the COVID -19 Pandemic. Many detainees have died in custody due to the harsh living conditions

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4840878992635779&id=100001411785290&sfnsn=scwspw

Clashes between Anglophone separatist armed groups and government security forces are increasing in frequency and severity. Humanitarian aid has also been heavily disrupted in the affected regions due to non-state armed groups and lockdown measures, leaving people in those regions out of food supply and depriving tens of thousands of people access to vital healthcare. Few exceptions to the lockdown measures were granted on humanitarian grounds and, as a result, aid disbursement was significantly disrupted and UN agencies have been forced to suspend humanitarian activities, notwithstanding the additional vulnerabilities created by the COVID-19 pandemic;

Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence whereas government and separatist forces are continuously perpetrating reprisal attacks against one another, intentionally targeting civilians; the government forces have continuously carried out extrajudicial killings of civilians, including women and children with torture and ill-treatment, committing sexual violence, including rape, gender-based violence, destroyed and looted properties, including villages, homes, health facilities and hospitals, arrested and detained citizens arbitrarily, all as a result of hostilities or presumed collaboration with separatists. Also, in the first five months of 2021, armed separatists carried out at least 27 attacks with explosive devices in 13 towns, more than in all previous years of the crisis combined and have raped, killed, tortured, violently assaulted, threatened and kidnapped hundreds of people, including women, humanitarian workers, teachers and children, presumed to have been collaborating with the military.

The conflict has had a heavy impact on children, with 700 000 students having been deprived of their right to education due to forced school boycotts across the Anglophone regions. As of August 2021, children in Cameroon make up 28 % of all survivors of gender-based violence and face a higher risk of child recruitment, child labour, and child abuse, and over 50 % of children in the country have reportedly been abused. According to the UN Population Fund, 38 % of women in Cameroon aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18 and 13 % were married before the age of 15.

The signature of the presidential decrees providing for the transfer of competencies and the gradual transfer of human and financial resources to the decentralized authorities for the concrete implementation of the decentralization process is pending; despite the special status granted to the Anglophones.

The government continues to restrict the freedoms of expression and association and has become increasingly intolerant of political dissent, hundreds of opposition party members and supporters were arrested following demonstrations calling for a peaceful solution to the crisis in the Anglophone regions. Also, restrictions are persistently placed on political opponents, protestors, journalists, and civil society;

The Cameroon government forces are unable to effectively protect the affected population, but kill and torture its own people which they have a national duty to protect.

Various organizations and countries have given recommendations on how this conflict can be resolved but the Cameroon authorities are adamant and uncompromising. For instance, on the 23rd of November 2021, the European Parliament proposed a motion for a resolution on the human rights situation in Cameroon. Another exhaustive report was done by The University of Oxford(Faculty of Law)

In conclusion, our concerns as Southern Cameroonians are well documented. The British have a role to play in assisting and aiding to resolve this crisis and justice to be given to all who are guilty for committing atrocious crimes against humanity.

Written By: Emilia Efeti Agey 

SCNC UK

WHAT IS THE DUTY OF THE MILITARY?

According to Google, military duties are to plan, organise, and lead troops in military operations, and to help and preserve peace and democracy.

The military of la Republic du Cameroun does not know this!. They are there not to preserve peace, but to kill anything or anyone who gets in their way. The Camerouns army is trained to kill their fellow countrymen. There is No peace, No freedom, no voice for the people of Southern Cameroons(Ambazionian).

PEACE
My understanding is that peace means freedom from disturbance, it means tranquillity. At this moment, the definition of peace is been erased by the military of without mercy. For example, in the space of three months, young girls and boys have been killed recklessly by the military. The people of Southern Cameroons will not give up until our independence is secure. Mr Biya will dissolve in the way he planned for the Ambazonians. We will then be given independence.

HOPE FOR TOMORROW
We, the people of British Southern Cameroons, are calling on the US, UK, UN, GERMANY and the whole of Europe to intervene and bring our homeland to life again. The military has taken away so many lives, especially those of innocent children who do not know what is happening!… They have taken away their hope for tomorrow.

SO
Indendence is the way forward. Long live southern Cameroon’s, short lift our struggle.

By Vivian Ngum fomukong.

CORRUPTION IN CAMEROON UNDER PRESIDENT PAUL BIYA

ANTI-TERRORISM  LAW AND ITS USE (Case Study   Cameroon

By

Electa Shalo Manyimuchua

In Cameroon  the Oppressive  regime of President Paul  Biya   uses this law  to silence  political  activists  and forced the people into submission .

Under the leadership of president Paul Biya,  of Cameroon continued to use the anti-terrorism law enacted in 2014 to suppress political critics and freedom of expression by arresting journalists and activists in connection with the ongoing crisis in the Anglophone regions.The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) which is demanding an independent Southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s North West and Southwest regions has been targeted under the new law.This law is use to   forbid public meetings, streetprotests or any action that the government deem to be disturbing peace. The law also prescribes death penalty for persons who are suspected of involving in any activity which may trigger political dissent, especially the North West and South West regions.

The Anti-Terrorism law has triggered a wave of criticism from the media and the international community. Many believe that the law is not only intended to silence freedom of the press  or speech, as its hidden intent is to target Southern Cameroonian groups such as Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), Ambazonian Defence Forces(ADF), Movement for the Restoration of Southern Cameroons (MRSC), Southern Cameroons Governing Council (SCGC), Ambazonian Governing Council (AGovC) andthe Southern Cameroon Public Affairs Committee (SCAPAC) etc.Specifically, the law is  against fundamental liberties and Human Right of the Cameroonians, especially Southern Cameroonian political activists who are clamouringfor the independence of Southern Cameroon alais Ambazonia. The case ofSCNC National chairman Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor, Sissiku Ayuk Tabe, Barrister Agbor, Dr.Fontem Neba, Bibixy Mancho, Ngalim Felix and many other Anglophone activists is an illustration of how the law has been twisted since it was enacted

. This law  twisted  law shows itsnegative impact on Human Rights and Freedom vis-a-vis the exercise of Cameroon military court’s jurisdiction over civilian cases in Cameroon.In October 2019, the government released 333 low-level detainees arrested forsuspicion of being Anglophone separatists and facing misdemeanor charges. This was a charade to taie off some pressure  from the international  communities. However,hundreds of others remain in detention.

 The government continued to arrest ordinary armless civilians and charged them for terriosm especially those from the Southern and Northern regions of the country . In  August 2019, sentenced separatist leader Julius Ayuk Tabe and the Nera 10 to life imprisonment. Other activists such as Bibixy Mancho and Pen Terence are serving a15 years term. You also have the likes of Tsi Conrad  a journalist  who was arrested  in Bamenda  reporting on anti government  protest on the 06/12/016l He  has been incarcerated  in the kondengui  maximum  prison under deplorable  condition , He was  sentenced  for anti state charges (terrorism, secession, rebellion  against the state ,propagation  of false news )

As we speak  thousands of Southern  Cameroonians  activists   of   the   SCNC   and   other groups are incarcerated all over French Cameroon based on the 2014 Anti-Terrorismlaw. Many of them have been sentenced to 13-17 years.

In effect, the  2014  Anti-Terrorism   law  has  significant  deficiencies.  For  instance,   the  offences  that   constitute   “act   of   terrorism”   are   not   clearly   defined  by  the  same  law.“Peaceful protesters have been arrested under terrorism laws and have been labelled terrorists   while   only   exercising   their   unalienable   human   rights.

   Anti-terrorism efforts have been too broad in scope at times, and as a result, the negative effects of terrorism efforts have been felt far too often by civilians.

  One common theme is clear. Terrorism offenses   should   be   narrowly   defined   and   clearly   limited   to   actual   behaviour   that  is related to terrorism. Peaceful protests should be a positive reflection of the democratic values of a country and not wrongly condemned as terrorist acts”.Cameroon has since seen the acts of armed secessionist groups as acts of terrorism and launched several military crackdowns which has resulted to the death of hundreds of civilians.“

Anti-terrorism laws which are ambiguous and lack clarity can negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights. The government of Cameroon’s Law No. 2014/028 of 23rdDecember   2014   on   the   suppression   of   acts   of   terrorism   in   Cameroon   has   raised concerns from policy makers, activists and governments alike. Its potential infringement on important Human Rights and freedoms protected under the Cameroon Constitution and   international   human   rights   law   was   immediately   signalled   by   the   barrage of criticisms   that   followed   its   promulgation.   Contra   Nocendi   International   and   ContraNocendi Cameroon have raised such concerns in the past, especially with respect to the freedom of expression and of assembly. We have equally raised concerns about thepossibility of abuse of the law to silence political opponents leading to disproportionate punishment for the exercise of civil rights and liberties. Persons actually  earns death penalty   for   the   sole   reason   of   exercising   their   freedoms   of   speech,   opinion   and association..Like the four Southern  Cameroonians who were recently condemned  to  death by firing squad in the Buea military  Tribunal.This is so Barbaric   ,inhumane  and degrading.

By Hatem Johnson

The injustices suffered by the people of Southern Cameroons as British Colony was officially extended on the eve of October 1961 which was UN mandated date for Southern Cameroons to attain independence. Instead of declaring the Southern Cameroonians independent with a sovereign authority, the Britain handed Southern Cameroons to French Cameroun without due regard to the full implementation of the Resolution UN 1608(XV) on the independence of Southern Cameroons.

French Cameroon upon assuming authority over Southern Cameroons, wasted no time in establishing authoritarian rule, abolishing the post of Prime Minister that was assumed by Dr Endeley as the first Prime Minister of Southern Cameroons between 1954-1958 and John Foncha. In 1958-1965, Southern Cameroons became the first country in Africa to have democratic elections that saw the peaceful transfer of power from KNC party of Dr Endeley to KNDP party of John N. Foncha. Apart from abolishing the post of Prime Minister, they equally shutdown the lower and the upper houses of Parliament, dismantling the police force and replacing all Southern Cameroons administrators.

French Cameroun under Amadou Ahidjo and Paul Biya – led regimes have since treated Southern Cameroons as if it had been conquered. Faced with these injustices, many Southern Cameroons human rights fighters and independence advocates immediately gained courage from the words of Thomas Jefferson (When injustices become law, resistance becomes duty) and have for decades fought for the independence of Southern Cameroons.

The brave Fon Gorji Dinka, founder of the Republic of Ambazonia-1984 and writer of the Ambazonia’s Athem. Albert Mukong consider as Prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International for speaking out about the right to self-determination of the people of Southern Cameroons, Dr Kevin Ngwang Gumne leader of SCAPO in 2006, formally declared the Republic of Ambazonia. Late Mola Njoh Litumbe dreamt of seeing an independent Ambazonia state in his lifetime. In 1995, the SCNC rose to political prominence with a host of efforts to push for independence of Southern Cameroons under leadership Ambassador Henry Fossung, Dr Martin Luma, Dr Chief Ayamba, Frederick Ebong, and Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor, who is sentenced life imprisonment in Yaounde Central Prison since August 2019. Between 1993 and 1994, the charismatic Architects of the All Anglophones Conference (AAC) Dr. Simon Munzu, Barrister Elad Ekongtang and Pr. Carison Anyangwe called for the restoration of the Sovereign State of Southern. This resulted in several arrests and incarceration by French Cameroun’s Biya-led regime.

Under President Biya – led regime the French Cameroun enacted in 2014 the Anti-Terrorism law.

The law was intended to target, silence and supress Southern Cameroons defence movements advocating for independence such as the Southern Cameroons  National Council (SCNC) Movement for the Restoration of Southern Cameroons (MRSC), Southern Cameroons Governing Council (SCGC). Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC) and the Southern Cameroons People Affairs Committee (SCAPAC) etc, that are clamouring for the independence of Southern Cameroons also known as Ambazonia.

THE SOUTHERN CAMEROONS DECOLONISATION STRUGGLE.

(KNOW YOUR HISTORY)

1st January 1960 – The Republic of Cameroon gained its independence.
The direct implication of this was that those within its geographical boundary immediately acquired Cameroonian nationality. No one out of that geographical space under international law can be called a Cameroonian or acquire Cameroonian nationality until specific treaties were negotiated, the terms agreed on and signed.
On the 1st of October, 1960 The Federal Republic of Nigeria also obtained its independence.
It is worthy to note that Southern Cameroons the United Nations Trust Territory was not given independence.

What went wrong? Why is Southern Cameroon still colonized?

THE PLEBISCITE

1959-1961. The United Kingdom ensured that Southern Cameroon did not have its independence.
In February 1961 Southern Cameroons was forced to achieve independence by joining either Nigeria or French Cameroon in a plebiscite. The plebiscite question was phrased to achieve two things:
1. Independence in keeping with the United Nations Regulations 1514
2. Joining.
The unjust plebiscite took place and southern Cameroonians voted to have independence by joining French Cameroon on the 11th of February, 1961.
The United Nations on April 21 1961 voted on the issue of Southern Cameroons independence
64 voted yes and 23 voted No and 10 Abstained.

Based on the majority of the Yes votes (66%), the United Nations sets October 1, 1961, as the Independence Day of the Southern Cameroons.
But the process of joining does not take place. French Cameroon had secretly planned to recolonize Southern Cameroons. No real negotiations for Unity took place. There was no engagement or UNION TREATY signed. Thus Legally, joining did not happen.
The period between April and September was the time that was allocated for the joining terms to be negotiated between both countries.

THE FOUMBAN CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS.
The motive of the conference in 1961 was to establish a unique Federation on the continent of Africa and to evolve a bicultural society in which the distinct heritage of each of the parties to the Cameroon Union would flourish. These talks took place from the 17th to the 21st of July 1961.
We believe that such a lofty goal could be achieved. But we were deceived with fake independence.
The UNION JACK was lowered and the British left the Southern Cameroons after having prepared grounds for our recolonization. Instruments of power were illegally handed over to Ahmadou Ahidjo of French Cameroon on the eve of the 1st of October 1961.

On eve of the joining on September 30th, 1961, the Cameroon military got into the Southern Cameroons and officially became a reoccupied and recolonized people.
Southern Cameroons could not celebrate independence but was terrorized by an occupier.

THE PEOPLE’S INDEPENDENCE WAS STOLEN.

Over the period the French Cameroon government ensured.
1. The Southern Cameroons government was dissolved without the voice of the people.
2. The Southern Cameroons Parliament was dissolved.
3. The Southern Cameroons House of chiefs was dissolved.
4. Almost all of Southern Cameroons cooperate headquarters were moved to French Cameroon.
5. Southern Cameroon biggest corporations were forced to pay local taxes to French Cameroon municipalities.
All this happened under the banner of a fake federation.
As if this was not enough, the form of illegal union was banished completely. French Cameroon Unilaterally decided to change the federal nature of the state to a unitary state in violation of Section 47 of its constitution.
They changed the countries name from the United Republic of Cameroon. All these were done by the former head of state, the late Ahmadou Ahidjo.
On the 4th of February, 1984. Mr. Paul Biya, unilaterally changed the name of the country made up of two countries with two distinctive cultural backgrounds to the Republic of Cameroon. The name la République du Cameroun had at independence.
Southern Cameroons disappears, even the flag changed. We were effectively assimilated and erased from the map of Africa? The people were betrayed and subjugated.

Paul Biya, the President of Cameroon said it in his interview in France in 2019 to Mo Ibrahim, an African entrepreneur who supports good governance, “we have been trying to assimilate the Anglophone culture into ours but that has been difficult “

THE DECOLONISATION PROCESS 1984-1990.

The Southern Cameroons nationalist leaders stood up for independence. They were arrested, brutalized, jailed, tried in military tribunals and so many killed.
THE 1990’s The Southern Cameroon elites got together to advise the French Cameroon government to immediately return to the Federal nature of the state or risk seeing Southern Cameroons Unilaterally declare independence.
1993. The people of Southern Cameroon petitioned the United Nations.

ORGANISATION OF THE ALL ANGLOPHONE CONFERENCES

Two major conferences took place, organized by Southern Cameroon Elite.

April 2nd and 3rd 1993. AAC.1.

All Anglophone conferences took place at Mount Mary in Buea. This was a historic conference. The purpose was to adopt a common Anglophone stand on constitutional reform and to several matters related to their welfare and posterity, their territory, and country. This was published in a pamphlet for the information of the general public.
The Resolutions that were adopted and the Declaration that was issued from the AAC 1 was known as “The Buea Declaration”
of 1994.

April, 29th to the 1st of May. AAC 2 (All Anglophone Conference 2)
The Bamenda proclamation. This conference was held to consider the implications for Anglophone Cameroon of the BIYA Government arbitrary suspension for nearly one year of the constitutional reform process initiated in November 1992 to evaluate the execution by the Anglophone standing Committee of the mandate it received from the All Anglophone Conference at Buea in April 1993 and to examine other issues concerning the people and the Territory of Southern Cameroons. Regarding the implications for Anglophone Cameroon of the lack of progress in the constitutional reform process which the BIYA Government had abandoned since June 1993. The All Anglophone Conference noted with deep regret that one year since the Anglophone constitutional proposals were officially submitted nothing was done by the BIYA Government, so the council was dissolved and replaced by an Anglophone council. This conference recalled the following;
1. That it held its first session at Buea in April 1993 for the proposed inter-alia, of preparing Anglophone participation in the National Debate on Constitutional Reforms which the BIYA Government had undertaken to organize in May 1993.
2. That accordingly, it formally declared the preparedness of Anglophones to participate in constitutional talks.
3. That, to this end, it ( i )created a committee for the final drafting of the All Anglophone constitutional proposals in accordance with the general guidelines which it adopted at Buea.
( ii ) It directed that the Anglophone Delegation at the constitutional talks should conduct negotiations in close observance of the terms of the Anglophone Draft Constitution tabled at the talks and should, in any case, be bound by the return of Cameroon to the federal form of government.
The All Anglophone conference further recalled that since its first session at Buea in April 1993.
1. Its standing Committee officially submitted Anglophone Constitutional proposals in the form of a Draft Federal Constitution to the Government in May 1993 and released the said Draft for general public discussion in July 1993
2. Its standing Committee published an official French translation of the Draft Federal Constitution in July 1993 to make the Anglophone proposals accessible and more easily comprehensible to Francophone government officials and the Francophones generally.

3. Its officials have striven to educate, in French, Francophone government officials and Francophone public in general on the content, spirit, and purpose of Anglophone Constitutional Proposals, notably through the appearance of its spokesman on the television program “Actualite Hebdo” in May 1993.
4. It addressed several memoranda and resolutions to the government on the subject of Constitutional reform and in December 1993 a formal request for the audience with the President to obtain the Government’s official reaction to the Anglophone constitutional proposal.
5. It has, knowing the influence that the French Government appears to have on BIYA Government to engage in dialogue with All Anglophone Conference concerning reform.

They came up with the Bamenda proclamation. Which states as follows:
1. That one year since the Anglophone Constitutional proposals were officially submitted, the All Anglophone Conference in 1993 is hereby dissolved and replaced by an Anglophone Council.
2. The Anglophone Council shall take over and perform all tasks, responsibilities, and their duties and exercise all powers previously assigned to the defunct Standing Committee by the First All Anglophone Conference.
3. Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraphs (2) of this Proclamation the Anglophone Council shall seek and secure Constitutional talks between Anglophone Cameroon and Francophone Cameroon and the basis of the Draft Federal Constitution which was submitted by the Anglophone Standing Committee in May 1993, as subsequently amended by the Standing Committee.
4. In its negotiations with Francophone Cameroon and the Anglophone delegation at the constitutional talks shall not accept any arrangement which does not envisage the restoration of an Anglophone Federated state within the Federal Republic of Cameroon in the recognition of the bicultural nature of Cameroon and under which citizens shall be protected as envisaged in the Draft Federal Constitution against such violations and abuse as cataloged in the Buea Declaration.
5. The All Anglophone Conference hereby reiterates the resolution taken at its first session in April 1993 that:
(a) There shall be a single and indivisible Anglophone Delegation at any future constitutional talks.
(b) That the members of the Anglophone Delegation to the Constitutional talks shall be those who at the opportune moments, and in the spirit of the conference shall have been mandated as such by the Standing Committee (now the Anglophone Council) appointed at the conference.
(c) That Anglophone Cameroon shall not be bound by any undertakings given or commitments made at the constitutional talks by any Anglophone not mandated to attend the talks as a member of the Anglophone Delegation.
6. Should the Government either persist in its refusal to engage in meaningful Constitutional talks or fail to engage in such talks within a reasonable time, the Anglophone Council shall so inform the Anglophone people by all suitable means. It shall thereupon, proclaim the revival of the Independence Sovereignty of the Anglophone Territory.
7. Following the Proclamation of the Revival of Independence and Sovereignty of Southern Cameroons as provided above, the Anglophone Council shall, without having to convene another session of the All Anglophone Conference, transform itself into Southern Cameroon Constituent Assembly for the purpose of drafting and adopting a Constitution for the Independent and Sovereign State of Southern Cameroons.
8. For the purposes of paragraph (7) above, the Anglophone Council shall enlarge itself to such organs or individuals as shall appear expedient, beneficial, or necessary and in the interests of Southern Cameroon.
9 In the event of the situation contemplated in paragraph (7) above, the independent and sovereign Southern Cameroons and the Sovereign Republic of Cameroon shall negotiate their peaceful separation on the basis of the Buea Peace Initiative and on such other terms as shall be mutually beneficial.
The Chairman of these conferences was Sam EKONTANG ELAD.
God bless Anglophone Cameroon.
THE BIRTH OF SOUTHERN CAMEROON-NATIONAL COUNCIL (SCNC).
The Cameroon government gave no regards to the Bamenda Proclamation, so the SCNC was born to continue the fight against our assimilation by French Cameroon through the Force of Argument and not the Argument of force with the ideology of Separation to maintain our identity as a people and to create this awareness to other Southern Cameroonians who didn’t know the trend of events.
In 2002, The Nigerian High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria to place the self-determination case of the Southern Cameroon people before the United Nations General Assembly.
In 2003, the people of Southern Cameroons petitioned the African Commission on Human and people’s rights. Note ACHR verdict in 2009
I remember being an SCNC member on the eve of 1st of October we will go to all government institutions in Mamfe at midnight and hoist the SCNC flags so that before the police are sent out in the morning of the 1st we had done our job. It was an accomplished mission. To us, it was our way of celebrating our denied independence and raising awareness. At that time most of the Southern Cameroons were looking at us as trouble makers because they were denied these truths by deliberately not teaching our history in our schools. I am happy today because the SCNC has succeeded with its ideas. I am proud to be part of this wind of change.

WHERE THINGS WENT WRONG.

During October – November 2016 – Common law Lawyers of Anglophone Cameroons and teachers went on strike. They had written a letter to the government over the use of French in courtrooms and in classrooms to protect the English culture. Enough with the assimilation. Give us a Federation or we will declare our Independence.
The Lawyers and the Teachers formed what was known as the Consortium. This was not only a problem of lawyers and teachers but all Southern Cameroons who had been living like slaves in a land they call their own. The Consortium had the support of the people. Honorable WIRBA made it clear in the National Assembly Session, “Mr. President Something is brewing out there”.

CAMEROON government branded these leaders as terrorist and ban the consortium and the Southern Cameroon National Council and other Trade Unions.

In January, 16th – 19th of 2017, key leaders were arrested. PEN TERENCE KHAN. BARISTER AGBOR BALLA, DR FONTEM NEBA, MANCHO BIBIXY (popularly known as the leader of the coffin revolution).

So many of our people were arrested, several leaders escaped the country about 240 Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) known activists escaped into exile of which I Electa Shalo Manyimuchua was amongst.

With French Cameroon out rightly refusing to dialogue with the people to address the root causes of our recolonisation quest, the people of Southern Cameroons prepare the restoration of their independence.

On September 22nd people went out with peace plants to demonstrate their zeal for their freedom, they were ruthlessly killed in their numbers

On the 1st of October, 2017 .HE Sisiku Ayuk Tabe with the mass of our people declared the restoration of independence of the Southern Cameroons and rename the Country the Federal Republic of AMBAZONIA.

Then the Diaspora follow suit for a call to free Southern Cameroons.

Then BIYA declared war on us in on the 4th of December 2017. Ever since then our people are been massacred on a daily basis with the most recent, the Mbonge massacre. Women and pregnant women murdered in cold blood.

The Southern Cameroons have known nothing during the 32 years of been together with French Cameroon than subjugation, terror, torture, maiming, injustices and above all the ongoing genocide to erase us as a people .The Southern Cameroon problem is clearly that of incomplete decolonization process and not that of cessation as the French Cameroon government has made the world to believe.

My concern is that the International community know this truth but we have been neglected.

Ambazonians know your history, know who you are as a people and stand up as one man one people and fight.

Fight for your freedom Say No to NEO COLONIALISM.

Article written by

Electa Shalo Manyimuchua. Assistant Secretary, SCNC UK

CAMEROON’S ANTI-TERRORISM LAW: HOW THE GOVERNMENT USES IT TOSILENCE POLITICAL CRITICS AND SCNC ACTIVISTS

By Cyprian M. Achuo

Under the leadership of president Paul Biya, the Republic of Cameroon continued touse the anti-terrorism law enacted in 2014 to suppress political critics and freedom ofexpression by arresting journalists and activists in connection with the ongoing crisis inthe Anglophone regions.The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) which is demanding anindependent Southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s North West and South Westregions has been targeted under the new law, which forbids public meetings, streetprotests or any action that the government deem to be disturbing peace. The law alsoprescribes death penalty for persons who are suspected of involving in any activitywhich may trigger political dissent, especially the North West and South West regions.The Anti-Terrorism law has triggered a wave of criticism from the media and theinternational community. Many believe that the law is not only intended to silencefreedom of the press as its hidden intent is to target Sothern Cameroonian groups suchas Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), Amberzonian Defence Forces(ADF), Movement for the Restoration of Southern Cameroons (MRSC), SouthernCameroons Governing Council (SCGC), Ambazonian Governing Council (AGovC) andthe Southern Cameroon Public Affairs Committee (SCAPAC) etc.Specifically, the law is also against fundamental liberties and Human Right of theCameroonians, especially Southern Cameroonian political activists who are clamouringfor the independence of Southern Cameroon also known as Ambazonia. The case ofSCNC National chairman Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor, Sissiku Ayuk Tabe, Barrister Agbor, Dr.Fontem Neba, Bibixy Mancho, Ngalim Felix and many other Anglophone activists is anillustration of how the law has been applied since it was enacted. Equally, it shows itsnegative impact on Human Rights and Freedom vis-a-vis the exercise of Cameroonmilitary court’s jurisdiction over civilian cases in Cameroon.In October 2019, the government released 333 low-level detainees arrested forsuspicion of being Anglophone separatists and facing misdemeanor charges. However,hundreds of others remain in detention. The government continued to characterizepeople espousing separatism for the Northwest and Southwest Regions as terroristsand, in August 2019, sentenced separatist leader Julius Ayuk Tabe and the Nera 10 tolife imprisonment. Other activists such as Bibixy Mancho and Pen Terence are serving a15 years term.Currently,   more   than   one   thousand   Anglophones   activists   of   the   SCNC   and   othergroups are incarcerated all over French Cameroon based on the 2014 Anti-Terrorismlaw. Many of them have been sentenced to 13-17 years.In effect, the  2014  Anti-Terrorism   law  has  significant  deficiencies.  For  instance,   theoffences  that   constitute   “act   of   terrorism”   are   not   clearly   defined  by  the  same  law.“Peaceful protesters have been arrested under terrorism laws and have been labelledterrorists   while   only   exercising   their   unalienable   human   rights.   Anti-terrorism   effortshave been too broad in scope at times, and as a result, the negative effects of terrorismefforts have been felt far too often by civilians.  One common theme is clear. Terrorismoffenses   should   be   narrowly   defined   and   clearly   limited   to   actual   behaviour   that   isrelated to terrorism. Peaceful protests should be a positive reflection of the democraticvalues of a country and not wrongly condemned as terrorist acts”.Cameroon has since seen the acts of armed secessionist groups as acts of terrorismand launched several military crackdowns which has resulted to the death of hundredsof civilians.“Anti-terrorism laws which are ambiguous and lack clarity can negatively impact theenjoyment of human rights. The government of Cameroon’s Law No. 2014/028 of 23rdDecember   2014   on   the   suppression   of   acts   of   terrorism   in   Cameroon   has   raisedconcerns from policy makers, activists and governments alike. Its potential infringementon important Human Rights and freedoms protected under the Cameroon Constitutionand   international   human   rights   law   was   immediately   signalled   by   the   barrage   ofcriticisms   that   followed   its   promulgation.   Contra   Nocendi   International   and   ContraNocendi Cameroon have raised such concerns in the past, especially with respect tothe freedom of expression and of assembly. We have equally raised concerns about thepossibility of abuse of the law to silence political opponents leading to disproportionatepunishment for the exercise of civil rights and liberties. Persons could incur the deathpenalty   for   the   sole   reason   of   exercising   their   freedoms   of   speech,   opinion   and association.

Cyprian M. Achuo