THE BIRHT OF A NATION (AMBAZONIA)

FROM RIGHT TO LEFT PRIDE MBI AGBOR (ASG SCNC UK) SHEBU LONDO (CHAIR SCNC UK) Protest at the Cameroon high on 13 aug 2017

After the defeat of the Germans during World War 1, Southern Cameroon was administered by the British administrative traditions, educational and legal system (mainly the Common Law), system of government and management of the local community – which were all done and government by the British by indirect rule.

This therefore goes without saying that the main language of administration, governance and instruction in these parts is English and rightly so – likewise as French traditions and administrative system dominate the French speaking part of Cameroon.

Therefore, judging from the above brief assessment of the way both Cameroons were been administered and governed traditionally, any form of social and economic unrest in an area where English is the main language suggests that there is an issue and only fair to conclude that it is an Anglophone problem within its own right – based on its roots and heritage! This however does not equally imply that, Anglophones have a problem because they are Anglophones but solely because the people feel abandoned, segregated, marginalised, ignored and been treated for long as “second class citizens” – for lack of a better expression! Some of the reasons for this Anglophone problem have been discussed below:

 

  • Official name of the country

One of the most frustrating issues of the Anglophone problem is found in the official name of Cameroon. The name of this country: La République du Cameroun as subtle as it might seem is a potential source of the destruction of the country in its current state of affairs.

Going back to the beginning, it is worth-noting that prior to the British and French administration of the Cameroons in 1961, the part that was governed by the French was called La République du Cameroun. But when both parts came together and were united as one, the country was called the Federal Republic of Cameroon. Note the use of the word ‘Federal’ – as this denotes the recognition that at least two political entities had decided to federate.

Three years later, i.e. 1972, the name of the country was now changed to the United Republic of Cameroon albeit against the spirit of the Foumban accords that led to the 1961 federation, however, the term UNITED still was a reminder that there was more than one political structures, identities or entities were not in unity.

This now brings us to the current issue as the name of the country is La République du Cameroun – which clearly highlights if not project the fact that there is no remnant or reminder of Cameroon comprised of two political entities that came together. This is also the exact name of French Cameroon before the federation. I guess the question now remains: what became of the English speaking Cameroon or the Anglophones? Are we no longer part and parcel of this so called “marriage”?

It is for this reason that some Anglophones feel that they have been suppressed, occupied or simply erased from the country entirely.

 

 

  • The language of the law

Another deliberate projection of institutional aberration from the spirit of the 1961 union is that the French mannerisms, language and culture significantly buttress the conception of laws in Cameroon. Inasmuch as the constitution evidently stipulates that Cameroon is a bilingual country, never in the history of Cameroon has a law been presented to the National Assembly in English first. In cases where laws are proposed in both English and French versions, the English version is a translation and as in the case of the revised Penal code tabled in 2016 – the legal implications and quality of the English version is a clear indication of the level of competence (or lack thereof) of the translator.

The undergirding problem here is that if laws are systematically conceived in French, it goes without saying that its application, interpretation and implementation will based on the traditions inherited from the French with no regard for the English traditions and culture. I guess the next question now is this: how is this legal system fair towards the Anglophones especially when the cultures and interpretation of the law is already biased from the unset!

  • Administrative

This is the one that is really painful and embarrassing to say the least and makes the heart of every educated Anglophone to have their hearts sinking. A country with over 30 Ministries has the inscription of the various names of the ministries in French first, then followed by English underneath mostly with smaller characters, as if was an irrelevant footnote. These are some of the trivial issues that most people might not notice unless they are Anglophones or an activist of equality and human rights.

That notwithstanding, even the websites of the over 30 Ministries are in French and in most cases, the English version is either not updated, not available or Google translated. Information, when made available to Anglophones is therefore not news or is in such poor and inappropriate English that is tantamount to an insult as if there are no educated Anglophones who would have done a better job.

The final example is Cameroon’s relations with the Commonwealth, which could and should have been noticed by members of the Commonwealth of nations. The Head of State has never deemed it necessary, important or vital to attend a Commonwealth Summit but unfailingly attends Francophonie summits which seem to be more important to him than African Union Summits. The presence of the French president at Francophonie summits and the extent of French investment in Cameroon and the diplomatic cards that may be played at these summits may be a factor in the Head of State’s decision to attend. But then, his non-attendance of Commonwealth summits begs the question of why a similar economic rapprochement is not made with countries of the commonwealth or is English Cameroonians not that important for their plights to be heard or benefits to be shared with the rest of the commonwealth member states?

 

  • Language of communication

Firstly, inasmuch as the current (Paul Biya) and former Heads of State (Late Hon. Ahmadow Ahidjo) have made numerous speeches lasting over 50+ years, inasmuch as the current Head of State has made some small parts of a handful of speeches in English, no Cameroonian Head of State HAS EVER made a full speech in English. As a matter of fact, Anglophone Cameroonians do not know what it feels like for citizens to hear their so-called Head of State make a full speech in their first official language which could be equated with “seeing a pig fly”

Secondly, no key decisions, appointments, laws or any legal procedures or any state matter has ever been published or announced in English first; nor are Anglophones aware of any such decision for which the French version is only a translation.

There’s a major radio newscast at 3pm in English and a major radio newscast at 5pm in French. There is also a major TV newscast at 7:30pm in English and a major TV newscast at 8:30pm in French all of which are either on the CRTV radio or Television. Critically looking at it and not being biased, could the government of La Republique honestly confirm to the public that for over 50 years, all major decisions have been made between 3:30pm (after the radio news in English) and 5pm (before the radio news in French) or between 8pm (after TV news in English) and 8:30pm (before TV news in French) and thus announced in the next available newscast which happens to be in French? This would be a coincidence that has never and will never happen on planet earth. How convenient!

Another critical element is the fact that the language used on Bank Notes in Cameroon does not a single word in English printed on any of them – could there ever be a scenario in human history where the term marginalisation could be better used? This remains a problem that Francophone Cameroonians cannot complain about except by solidarity –  this constitutes an Anglophone problems!

 

  • Lack of economic development in English speaking Cameroon

Nothing of a major economic benefit to the people of West Cameroon have gained any interest from the government even when the resources are there to be developed. The Menchum fall comes to mind as an example. Research conducted has suggested that the Menchum fall, if harnessed could provide electricity to the whole of Central Africa. Any reasonable government, taking into account the frequent power failure in Cameroon would jump to this opportunity to make the lives of its citizens better and attract businesses, investments and economic growth. But because this is found in Southern Cameroon, no one cares.

  • Economic headquarters of most if not all corporations and enterprises have been moved out of the area. A good example is the headquarters of the CDC from Buea to Yaounde. This is the definition of what marginalisation looks like for real

 

These injustices are real and they affect real people especially the Anglophones. They are so systematic that they seem obviously deliberate and ultimately criminal. It is true that Honourable WIRBA quoted Thomas Jefferson… but I want to quote Honourable WIRBA: When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty”. It is the injustices above that Anglophones are RESISTING hence the cry of an Anglophone problem!

BY PRIDE MBI AGBOR  ASG SCNC UK

Did the Commonwealth Fail in Cameroon?

GUTENBERG N MBAKOP
AT A PROTEST AT THE COMMON WEALTH OFFICE IN LONDON 27 JUL 2017

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

Total Restoration of our Statehood

 

CATHERINE MURING YOMBO BLACK JACKET AT THE MIDDLE OF THE PHOTO SCNC PROTEST AT THE BBC LONDON

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.

CATHERINE MURING YOMBO WITH BLACK JACKET I THE MIDDLE OF THE PHOTO SCNC ACTIVIST, SCNC PROTEST AT THE BBC LONDON

 

 

BY; CATHERINE MURING  YOMBO,  SCNC ACTIVIST UK.

Southern Cameroon, My beloved country.

From left to right, Gutenberg Ngadjeu, Shabu Londo, Cecile Ebvangah Tarh SCNC ACTIVIST UK AFTER LAST SCNC MEETING ON 10/06/2017  IN BOLTON UK

Southern Cameroon a United Nation territory ruled by Britain under Nigeria. After Nigeria independence on October 1st, 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

THE FAITH OF AMBAZONIA AMIDST HISTORICAL COMPLEXITY.

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 AND SOUTHERN CAMEROON

PRIDE MBI AGBOR SCNC UK ACTIVIST HOLDING DOWN THE BLACK PLACARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE

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.

COFFIN REVOLUTION IN LONDON CARRYING THE COFFIN FRONT LEFT PRIDE MBI AGBOR SCNC ACTIVIST UK

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.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT PRIDE MBI AGBOR SCNC ACTIVIST PROTESTING AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY

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

 

 

Cameroon Defends Security Forces’ Response to Protests

The government of Cameroon says its security forces did not abuse protesters during clashes in two regions last month. Students and professionals in English-speaking parts of Cameroon were denouncing what they call the overbearing influence of the French language in the bilingual country. The United States has expressed deep concern about the situation.

Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma says contrary to widespread media reports, the military did not abuse the rights of protesting teachers and lawyers in the English-speaking regions of the central African state.

“The law enforcement officers [military] handled demonstrations in Bamenda and Buea with respect and professionalism, in strict compliance with international norms and commitments of Cameroon in matters of human rights. Investigations are under way and in the event of proven misconduct, the government will take some corrective and disciplinary measures in compliance with the provisions laid down by the law,” he said.

v3

Victim of  police brutality
Victim of police brutality

Tchiroma said Cameroon will not tolerate any attempts to disrupt the country’s hard-earned national unity, insisting that requests for Cameroon to return to a federal state, a political system scrapped in a 1972 referendum, can not be granted.

The spokesman said he was reacting to a statement issued November 28 by the U.S. State Department. That release expressed concern about the deaths, injuries and damage that resulted from protests which turned violent in Bamenda and Buea, the respective capitals of Cameroon’s Northwestern and Southwestern regions.

U.S. ambassador to Cameroon Michael Hoza has also expressed concerns over the violence. He met with Cameroon’s president Paul Biya and explained his country’s position on the protests that turned violent.

“It is the American government’s position that Cameroon has great strength and diversity, Cameroon has a wonderful history of tolerance and both President Biya and I agreed that dialogue is the future for Cameroon. We know that there are many discussions and we are certain that Cameroon’s people will find solutions and they have to live together in tolerance as they have for many, many years,” he said.

The ongoing protests were called by English-speaking lawyers, followed by teachers and then university students protesting the dominance of French in Cameroon. The lawyers have complained that some judges posted to English-speaking areas are not fluent in the language.

The U.S. has extended its deferral of all non-essential travel for U.S. embassy personnel to the Northwestern and Southwestern regions until December 6 due to the unrest.

Violence Hits Cameroon Over English vs. French Government

vcamAnti-government demonstrators block a road in Bamenda, Cameroon, December 8, 2016.
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YAOUNDE, CAMEROON —
Several people were killed and hundreds more were arrested or are missing Thursday in northwest Cameroon in violence that followed rallies by the country’s English-speaking minority. They were protesting what they call the overbearing influence of French in the bilingual country. Some are demanding a return to federalism while others are asking for secession from the Republic of Cameroon.

Protesters in Bamenda, the capital of the northwest region of Cameroon, came out to stop the ruling CPDM party and the prime minister of Cameroon, Philemon Yang, from organizing a so-called “Peace rally,” intended to halt Anglophone protests that started last month.

Yewong Petra, a resident of Bamenda, says the military shot at protesters who were hoisting blue and white flags that are an symbols of the English speaking regions that want to separate from the French speaking parts of Cameroon.

“The people of Bamenda are hoisting a flag that is not recognized,” Petra said. “You cannot, in a nation, hoist a flag that is not recognized by the people. If it was a white flag, I would understand it is for peace. Hoisting a flag that symbolizes something like a secessionist attitude is going to provoke the military.”

The government said two people were killed, but some residents and media outlets reported there were at least seven deaths.

victim of violence in Cameroon
victim of violence in Cameroon

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Soldiers clear a road in Bamenda, Cameroon, December 8, 2016.
Soldiers clear a road in Bamenda, Cameroon, December 8, 2016.
In 1961, a vote was held in what are today’s northwest and southwest English speaking regions of Cameroon. The referendum was over whether to join Nigeria, which had already obtained independence from Britain, or the Republic of Cameroon, which had obtained independence from France. Voters elected to become part of French speaking Cameroon, and the country practiced a federal system of government. English and French became the official languages of Cameroon.

Ebune Charles, historian at the University of Yaounde, says since 1972, when a new constitution was adopted replacing a federal state with a unitary state, French speaking Cameroonians have failed to respect the linguistic and cultural nature of the minority English speaking Cameroonians.

“We were supposed to have predominantly English speaking administrators in the predominantly English speaking regions of the northwest and the southwest, and that is not the case,” Ebune said. “We were expecting official documents signed in both languages; that is not the case. Presidential decrees come only in one language. If you look at the level of the military, that is where it is so scandalous. It is just in one language but we are in a bilingual country.”

Charles also pointed out that the country’s currency is printed only in French, notice boards even in the English speaking regions are mostly in French, and more than 70 percent of radio and TV programs in the state media are in French.

The ongoing protests started when lawyers in the English speaking regions asked for French speaking judges who are not of the common law system to be transferred out of courts in those regions. They declared that justice can’t be rendered when the judge, the advocate and the suspect can’t communicate.

They also asked that the OHADA business law used by French African countries be translated into English.

When those requests were not granted, they refused to defend clients in court.

Teachers also went on strike to protest what they said was an overbearing influence of French in schools.

Professor George Dopgima Nyamdi, politician and former presidential aspirant, says the situation degenerated because the government has refused to listen to the cries of English speaking Cameroonians.

“If things like this happen to a country, it means there is something fundamentally wrong that must be addressed,” Nyamdi said.

As the strikes continue, with violence closing schools, universities and markets, the Catholic Church has been calling for dialogue.

“The prime minister … is setting up a committee, he has appointed the chairperson of the committee so why not give him a chance,” Cornelius Esua Fontem, the archbiship of Bamenda said. “There is a move of dialogue and we should not refuse that move. We want the government to prove that they too are coherent.”

It is not the first time English speaking Cameroonians have protested. In 1984, they created the “Cameroon Anglophone Movement” to press for a return to the federal system, which eventually started calling for independence.

THE ANGLOPHONE PROBLEM: LESSON TO MY FRANCOPHONE BROTHERS

francoRecall that though both Nigeria and “La Repubique du Cameroun” promised a Federal Union with The Southern Cameroons, “La Republique du Cameroun”, being smaller than Nigeria, agreed on a FEDERAL union with The Southern Cameroons as two equal states of the Federation. “La Republique du Cameroun” pledged never to use its larger population and annex The Southern Cameroons.

Two things happened:

1) The whip-wielding French comrades of the Federation manifested domestic truancy which led to the total destruction and subsequent dissolution of the foundation on which the Union rested and a complete repudiation of the very idea of The Southern Cameroons and “La Republique du Cameroun”.

2) Following this, was colonial imperialism, the annexation and armed occupation of The Southern Cameroons.

These two moves (overthrow of The Federal Constitution Order and the revival of “La Repubique du Cameroun”) meant the status of The Southern Cameroons have been degraded from that of a self-government of an independent state to that of a dependent territory, thus The Southern Cameroonians have become a colonised people under alien subjugation.

The May 20, 1972 Referendum was firstly UNCONSTITUTIONAL in that, it violated Article 47 of the Federal Constitution which stipulated the method of amending it. It stated that:

Any proposal for the revision of the present constitution which impair the unity and integrity of the Federation shall be inadmissible” (Federal Constitution of 1961)

Ahidjo’s hidden agenda, which was the destruction of the Federation and the subsequent assimilation of The Southern Cameroonians was revealed in the Referendum of May 20, 1972.

Since the 1972 Referendum, relationship between the Francophone and the Anglophones have never been the same. Dr John Ngu Foncha in his letter of resignation from the ruling C.P.D.M. party stated that:

“The constitution that I have held and preached as the supreme law of the land is in many respect being ignored or manipulated. People are encouraged to support a flagrant violation of the constitution by going out on marches against the existence of multiple parties”
(Foncha 1990)




The rational behind the Referendum was to destroy the culture of The Southern Cameroons and dismantle its institutions especially in the spheres of legislative government, House of Chiefs, Judiciary, Police force, economic development etc, this was in a bit to accelerate the exploitation with impunity of The Southern Cameroons.

Mr Paul Biya, placed the last nail on The Southern Cameroons casket and being Ahidjo’s well groomed and hand-picked successor, finalised Ahidjo’s diabolic agenda by unilaterally and by a mere Presidential decree promulgated law No. 80.001 of February 4, 1984 abolishing The United Republic of Cameroon and resuscitating in its place “La Republique du Cameroun”.

This unconstitutional change of the country’s name was an ACT OF SECESSION by “La Republique du Cameroun” from the original Union. Remember that the name “La Republique du Cameroun” is the name French “Cameroun” assumed when it became independent on January 1, 1960, without The Southern Cameroons, and became admitted into membership of the United Nations. It equally gained international recognised boundaries.

If this be the case, where is the identity of The Southern Cameroons?

Fon Gordi Dinka, the first President of The United Republic of Cameroon Bar Association, in reaction to this unconstitutional behaviour and in a bit to salvage the situation, bearing in mind, other accumulated grievances, addressed a petition to President Paul Biya. In the protest letter entitled THE NEW SOCIAL ORDER, Dinka accused Biya SECESSION AND ANNEXATION. He argued that by reviving the old name “La Republique du Cameroun”, which was submerged at the Foumban Conference to create a Federation with The Southern Cameroon, this means “La Republique du Cameroun” has seceded from the Union and any claim by la Republique du Cameroun to govern The Southern Cameroons means pure annexation.

Mockery and stereotyping are unavoidable features that have dug rifts between Anglophones and Francophones. This include discrimination in public services, promotions, examinations, admission into schools, mockery references and even psycho-social issues. J.N. Foncha in his resignation letter from the C.P.D.M. emphasized that:

“…the Anglophone whom I brought into the Union have been ridiculed and referred to as ‘les ennemis dans la maison’, ‘les biafrans’, ‘les tritres’… ”

In recent times, what is prevalent is “les sécessionnistes”. Such appellations are derogatory and meant to dehumanise or disenfranchise Anglophones. When Ni John Fru Ndi, an Anglophone, forcefully launched the Social Democratic Fund (S.D.F.) on May 24, 1990, the Anglophones were referred to as ‘traitors’. Also, when continuous Anglophone pressure for democracy forced The National Assembly to adopt in November the Multipartism law and Biya promulgating it into law on December 19, 1990, the Anglophones were referred to as ‘les ennemis dans la maison”.

These derogatory words on Anglophones dismiss the fact that the Anglophone problem is elitist but an issue which has eaten deep into the fabrics of the country’s grassroots.

The UN Sponsored plebiscite of February 11, 1961, is the hardcore of The Southern Cameroon question today. The plebiscite mortgaged The Southern Cameroons’ independence and reunification with “La Republique du Cameroun” that is in violation of UN Resolution 1514 if 1960 on the granting of independence to all colonial and trust territories.

The plebiscite was based on two obnoxious clauses that denied The Southern Cameroons of its right to sovereign independence. The two alternatives were:

a) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent “La Republique du Cameroun?”
or
b) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining The Federal Republic of Nigeria?

Reactions from The Southern Cameroons had advocated a third option which was that of total independence. Unfortunately, the UN rejected the third option.

The UN had pushed The Southern Cameroons into this mess by limiting her options for Independence and failing to respect its own UN Resolution 1514 of 1960. The funny UN proceedings and non-implementations of the UN Resolution 1608 approving a post plebiscite conference had frustrated The Southern Cameroons’ right to self-determination.

The said UN Resolution appointed a commission of three constitutional experts to be nominated one from “La Republique du Cameroun”, another from The Southern Cameroons, enabling then to form a Federal United Republique as contained in the UN Resolution 1608(XV) of 1961.

At this time, “La Republique du Cameroun” was already independent while The Southern Cameroons was enjoying regional status in Nigeria. Their reasons for this committee of experts on constitutional matters was to mediate between “La Republique du Cameroun” and The Southern Cameroons whose independence was to be assumed at the unification, thus the UN intervention was to assure the balance of power.

Unfortunately, the UN and Britain, the administering powers failed to attend the conference while the French supported and advised the Francophone Republic. The UN and British absence was a betrayal of The Southern Cameroonian.

The two questions were against the spirit of the Mamfe Conference which resolved that The Southern Cameroons should first be independent before thinking of re-unification. The resolution of The Mamfe Conference was effectively placed before the UN but was ignored. The plebiscite was therefore something that was forced down the throat of The Southern Cameroonians and is still hunting them today.

Dr J.N. Foncha, The Southern Cameroons Prime Minister who led The Southern Cameroons to independence in his letter to the British, the UN and member countries titled “Startling Revelation from British Declassified documents on The Southern Cameroons” revealed that:

“There is an increasing movement in The Southern Cameroons in favour of a third choice in plebiscite-total independence with United Kingdom Aid. We have not supported this proposition when I wrote my letter 1519/1/60 of June 7, about Cameroons, I had not seen Hell’s letter 1847/11230 of May 25 to Kale about the third question… The terms of the last sentence of that letter cause me concern…”(Declassified UK document).

There is no legal union of the Cameroons, Yaounde seceded since 1984. This means, the territory of the Southern Cameroons is occupied, its citizens annexed and its resources plundered. Only a return to the Pre-1972 status (Federation) can salvage this problem, failure of which will lead to Independence of the Southern Cameroons as Ambazonia Republic.

By Dr.Tee Ebogo-Ngwa
Yaounde

“The Penal Code of Oppression”

From let to right Pride Mbi Agbor,Alain Bougan SCNC activist demonstrating at the Cameroonian high commissioner in London on the 25 Nov 2016
From let to right Pride Mbi Agbor,Alain Bougan SCNC activist demonstrating at the Cameroonian high commissioner in London on the 25 Nov 2016

Cameroon, known by many as Africa in miniature, is a product of its colonial masters the English and the French country with a rich ethnic diversity of over 300 different ethnic languages and some of which are spoken and prevalent in other parts of the African continent. With such a diversity with living in close proximity with each other and only been separated by geographical boundaries, Cameroon lives up to its true identity as Africa in miniature. Apart from the myriad tribal languages, English and French remain the two official languages in Cameroon.  However, the contemporary challenge, difficulty, problem or in many ways the dilemma we (Cameroonians) face in Cameroon is not as a result of the 300 different tribes living in close proximity but a problem of marginalisation, suppression and oppression of English-speaking Cameroon especially being the minority.

 

The Cameroon judicial system also varies depending on the area or region where one finds him or herself – if you are in the English part of Cameroon, the Common Law is in practise whilst in French Cameroon, the civil or criminal law – this is a direct effect of both English and French Cameroon previously having two different colonial masters and as a result, these laws have been passed down to the people of Cameroon even after the many years of colonialization.

The Common Law which is practised in English Cameroon is generally uncodified. This means that there is no comprehensive compilation of legal rules and statutes. While Common Law does rely on some inefficient statutes, which are legislative decisions, it is largely dependent on precedence – meaning that the judicial decisions that have already been made in similar cases. These precedents are maintained over time through the records of the courts as well as historically documented case laws known as “yearbooks and reports”. The precedents to be applied in the decision of each new case are determined by the presiding judge. Common law functions as an adversarial system, a contest between two opposing parties before a judge who moderates, with a jury of ordinary people without legal training decides on the facts of the case. The judge then determines the appropriate sentence based on the jury’s verdict.




Civil Law, which is practised in French Cameroon in contrast, is codified. Countries with civil law systems have comprehensive, continuously updated legal codes that specify all matters capable of being brought before a court, the applicable procedure, and the appropriate punishment for each offence. Such codes presents a clear-cut dichotomy between different categories of law: substantive law establishes which acts are subject to criminal or civil prosecution, procedural law establishes how to determine whether a particular action constitutes a criminal act, and penal law establishes the appropriate penalty. In a civil law system, the judge’s role is to establish the facts of the case and to apply the provisions of the applicable code. Though the judge often brings the formal charges, investigates the matter, and decides on the case, he or she works within a framework established by a comprehensive, codified set of laws. The judge’s decision is consequently less crucial in shaping civil law than the decisions of legislators and legal scholars who draft and interpret the codes.

These two legal systems are not mixed in any court sessions and the system of education is set up for English Cameroon to study common law and the French civil law in their various schools of law found in the different parts of Cameroon.

In recent past, we have seen the French domination in English courts by French lawyers who are trained in civil law and have no idea little or no conceptualisation of the common law, sent to work or represent English people in English courts in Cameroon or English people transferred to a French Cameroon and tried for their actions (crime). Although these acts were committed in English Cameroon (i.e. Northwest and Southwest provinces of Cameroon) culprits were tried using civil law in their court proceedings, and on numerous occasions, these have been the case of SCNC activist who have been tried in French courts using civil law while their acts were committed in English Cameroon!

Finally, the penal code enacted on July12, 2016, completely eliminated, erase or better-still wiped out the common law in Cameroon, with section 1-1 stating “All persons shall be subject to criminal law ”, I can begin to describe the frustration of the English Cameroonians or the common law lawyers who have studied all their lives suddenly becoming jobless and having to go back to university to study civil law with a clear and succinct message that Common law has been scrapped out of the English educational system in Cameroon – this is text book definition of marginalisation, oppression, and discrimination.

That was just a section of the so-called Penal code. Other parts include:

Section 102: Hostilities against the Fatherland; any citizen taking part in hostilities against the state is committing treason punishable by death.

Yet hostility means unfriendliness or opposition. Being a member of SCNC will be classified as being hostile against “the fatherland” as they seek to secede from French Cameroon.

Section 111: Secession; whoever undertakes in whatever manner in infringe the territorial integrity shall be punish with imprisonment for life. The SCNC members again will fall prey to this too especially we also know that self-determination is a fundamental right for all.

Other sections include, Section 152: Contempt

Section 153: Contempt of President, Section 158: Collective resistance

Section 231: Unlawful public meetings and processions, the SCNC has been banned and all its meetings have been deemed unlawful, because SCNC is a secessionist activist group and sufficient enough to ban any of such groups from existing.

After several attempts by proponents of the common law to bring the government’s attention to these issues (jobless due to the potential eradication of the common law) to no avail, protagonist of the common law (i.e. lawyers) decided to take to the streets in a peaceful demonstration, that resulted in the government’s response that wasn’t that of dialogue but police harassment and brutality that left many lawyers injured and running for their lives. That notwithstanding, a general strike action was call by the lawyers to force the government to consider the common law of the English Cameroon, that took place on Monday 21 November 2016 and after two days at least 5 civilians were killed by the militia. This has caused not only Common Law lawyers to go on strike, but  English speaking Cameroonians worldwide to take to the streets to demonstrate and show their support and solidarity to these lawyers against police brutality vis-à-vis civilians.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38078238




In the UK, English Cameroonians demonstrated at the Cameroon High Commissioner at Holland Park in London on the 25 of november 2016  and as usual, instead of a peaceful dialogue, a Cameroonian spy came out of the consulate taking pictures of those demonstrating without their permission: consequentially, all who were there for the demonstration have become potential targets of the Cameroon government but that will not stop us the English speaking Cameroonians! We will die trying to make our voices heard!

SPY IN BLACK LEATHER JACKET AND DROWN TROUSER AT THE DEMONSTRATION AT HOLLAND PARK LONDON
SPY IN BLACK LEATHER JACKET AND BROWN TROUSER AT THE DEMONSTRATION AT HOLLAND PARK LONDON TAKING PHOTOS WITHOUT PERMISSION
SPY IN BLACK LEATHER JACKET AND DROWN TROUSER AT THE DEMONSTRATION AT HOLLAND PARK LONDON
SPY IN BLACK LEATHER JACKET AND BROWN TROUSER AT THE DEMONSTRATION AT HOLLAND PARK LONDON

SPY COUGH IN CAMERA GOING INTO THE CAMEROON HIGH  BUILDING AFTER TAKING PHOTO OF ACTIVIST DEMONSTRATING AT CAMEROON HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON

The demands of the English Cameroonians is simple: to be able to practice common law in English Cameroon and to have a two state federation as it was in the days of late President Ahmadou Ahidjo. But being an SCNC activist, the independence of English Cameroon is what I demand: for the right of self-determination is a fundamental right and I strongly believe Cameroon is a signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or maybe I am simply hallucinating! #just saying

Please see below a copy of the Penal Code

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38078238

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/15/world/cameroon-protesters-deaths/

By Pride Mbi Agbor.

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