FATHERS OF THE AMBAZONIA INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

 

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.

 

 

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LEST WE FORGET!!!

Ambazonia is bleeding beyond mass killings.

The Anglophone crisis which debuted in 2016, has escalated over the years with government forces of the Biya regime committing genocidal massacres on an extensive scale. This has significantly contributed to immense and lasting trauma for the people of Southern Cameroons (aka Ambazonia). The Cameroon military are the perpetrators of extrajudicial and targeted killings, summary executions and uncountable massacres in Southern Cameroons. The rate at which the government forces are slaughtering Southern Cameroonians daily has become a potential existential threat. The conflict has seen some of the worst atrocities and crimes against humanity ever spoken of in our times.  

The anglophone conflict is gross futility because for decades, the people had called on the Cameroon government to address their grievances through negotiation and genuine dialogue. Turning down all calls for dialogue and negotiation, the government has now turn around to killing the same people who appealed for talks.  It is a shocking and brutal reality that the government has resorted to systematic genocide as a strategy to silence the voice of self-determination.  

The conflict began in 2016 as a peaceful protest by teachers and lawyers who were calling on the government to amend their working conditions which have been suppressed and marginalised by the dominant civic law system of French Cameroon. These grievances which had accumulated for over 50years of economic, political, and social marginalisation/discrimination attained new heights when the government instead of dialoguing with the civil society resorted to brutal killings of unarmed civilians.

This article attempts to summarize some of the massacres perpetrated by the government forces of Cameroon against the people of Southern Cameroons. It is however, our sole responsible to remember these genocidal massacres that violated international laws and fundamental human rights and continually ask for justice according to international standards. Holding the Cameroon government accountable for genocide is a crucial part of delivering justice to the people of southern Cameroon whose fundamental human rights have been abused and undermined by the over 40 years regime of Paul Biya. Left alone to the defective court proceedings of Cameroon, justice will never be delivered to the victims.

The Ngah-buh massacre

This gruesome killing of at least 21 civilians, 13 of which were children, and a pregnant woman took place on the 14th of February 2020, at Ngah-buh. Ngah-buh is a remote village located in the Donga Mantung division of Southern Cameroons. During the incident, many homes were razed to ashes and some of the bodies were found burned inside their homes. evidence from several national and international reports revealed that government forces stormed the village and started firing down civilians. This was also confirmed by several local eyewitnesses.

Of particular attention is the story of a 32-year-old man who witnessed the dead of his wife and all four children as well. He narrated how his wife was first shot, and one by one the bodies of his four children fell on that of their mother as they were being shot before the home was set ablaze. What a bitter and horrific experience for him

The government directed the blames of the incident to fightings with Ambazonian fighters that led to the explosion of a fuel container. Eyewitness and investigations amongst which include reports from Human Right Watch confirmed the killings were deliberate as there was no fighting between government forces and the fighters of Ambazonia, neither was there explosions of any sort. Difficult to Imagine that after the art, the military warned the villagers of a worser outcome if they continue to shelter fighters from Ambazonia. They accused the villagers of housing Ambazonian fighters but found none during their raids. How inhumane and cruel for the regime to use a genocidal massacre as punishment for unarmed villagers following unfounded accusations of them supporting Ambazonia fighters.

The Kumba massacre

The 24th of October 2020 was a deadly day for school children in Kumba. Government forces attacked the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy situated at Fiango Kumba, and gunned down 7 children, 6 of which were girls and a boy. The victims were aged between 10 and 15years.

The military stormed the school in broad daylight and opened fire on children undertaking a class lesson. Obviously, the shooting frightened the rest of the school and in the cause of escape, about 13 other children were injured. The firing blew off the heads of some of the victims.  Brain tissue and blood was filmed scattered all over the classroom. Some of the victims laid lifeless in their own pool of blood. Devastating to have learned that for the family of Victory, the only boy amongst the victims, he was the only child.

Worth mentioning here that attacks on education facilities are a gross violation of children’s rights. The act was condemned at the national and international level as it violates children’s right to life and education. Again, the government of Camerron as usual denied the responsibility to its endless cycle of extreme violence towards Ambazonians. The attack significantly derailed efforts for school children to resume education due to the conflict.

The Mbonge massacre

 This took place on the 26th of March 2021. Mbonge is a small village situated on the outskirts of the town of Kumba. According to eyewitnesses, the government forces came to the village under the pretext that Ambazonian fighters were hiding in the village. They raided the village, arrested civilians including the aged, women and children. They led them to the execution ground, where they commanded them to sit on the bare ground and executed them all in cold blood.

Summary execution of unarmed civilians without trial by the government forces of Cameroon is a war crime. There is no justification for the forces of the Biya regime to use such tactics against innocent civilian. It was reported that some of the civilians picked by the military, were just returning from the farm. About 5 children were among the more than 40 civilians that were massacred at close range by the Cameroonian forces.

Government forces led civilians to the execution going. Take note of the aged, woman and children among the victims.

Mortal remains of the Mbonge massacre.

The above massacres are horrific reminders of ongoing genocide in Ambazonia. Time will fail us to talk about the Mautu, Pinyin, Muyuka, Ekiliwindi and several other massacres. Massacres are a pattern that has continually been employed by the government forces since the onset of the conflict in 2016. Although the massacres are executed with military precision from Cameroon military men and weaponry, the government continues to deny responsibility. They tend to accuse the fighters from Ambazonia until the testimony of local eyewitnesses/residents, as well as both local and foreign investigations prove otherwise.

While the Biya’s regime should be held accountable for genocide in Ambazonia, the urgent need for ceasefire cannot be overemphasized. The regime is responsible for innumerable violations of human rights and war crimes and should be held accountable.

It is our responsibility to remember the horrific dead toll that the crisis has on the poeple of Ambazonia and keep appealing for those responsible to be held accountable for justice to prevail. Impunity empowers abuse. The regime should be accountable for extreme violations of human rights.

Massacre is a war crime. By shedding light on horrific incidents of gross human right violations, massacres remain vivid proves that the regime has failed in its responsibility to protect Ambazonians in times of armed unrest. They do all on the front stage to present a safe and peaceful nation while perpetuating genocide on the backstage. It is time for the international community to intervene and stop the genocide in Ambazonia.

#notoimpunity

#stopthegenoideinambazonia

Emilia Efeti Agey

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SOUTHERN CAMEROONS DECOLONISATION STRUGGLE

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

 

 

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

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

Demo Picture

Home – Where is Home?

 

 

Home – Where is Home?

It is an unfortunate situation for the people of British Southern Cameroon.

 

For four years, no rest, no sleep, no peace, no happiness.

People are driven from  their homes, either by gunshot or by the smell of smoke from fires started by government soldiers looking for their brothers and sisters of the country, or maybe from the same village, tribe, or even the same town.

 

The life of the people of British Southern Cameroon are still in limbo. Home. Where is home?…..We don’t have a home anymore as everyone is looking for somewhere to hide their head.—They don’t even mind if it is comfortable or not.

 

Fleeing from Home

 

Unsettlement in Cameroon has driven boys and girls into prostitution and also driven some to premature death. The people of Southern Cameroon are homeless and stateless as they take risks that only put their life on the line. In any country they go through, the local people may find it hard to accept that Cameroonians are prepared to take any risk to enter a country. Southern Cameroonians have decided that it is better to be eaten by crocodiles, or drowned in water, or be eaten by wild forest animals, rather than to go back to Cameroon.

 

 

 

Youth  are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow, but in this case they go instead to other African countries, smaller and also poorer, just to make ends meet. But some die in the process from sickness, or having no money, or from poisoning. Some even get killed by their employer as their affairs have got out of hand.

With pregnancy comes the risk that they will be killed because they don’t want to be found out  –   or maybe their wife has found out and given them poison direct. I can go on and on.

 

Humans Being Burnt

Imagine the world without humans. In Southern Cameroon these days I think animals are more respected by the government at this time of struggle than the people of Amba. Since this fighting between the Ambazonians and the republic people have been barbecued by the soldiers who have decided to roast people alive. The government have turned their heart to stone with no feelings. From January to March they have been killing by fire and gun the innocent people who cannot defend themselves.

It is very difficult when people are not allowed to stay in other countries because if they have to return to Cameroon life is very dangerous for them as their government don’t care if they live or die. Imagine your 5 year old being roasted like a barbecue pork?….Who wouldn’t protect their children?…  Babies are being burnt  –   toddlers are being burnt   – an old mum or dad who can’t walk are being burnt?…. Ambazonians are tired and don’t know what to do.

 

Now the trick the government are using to punish innocent people is burning their planting seeds. This means they will starve. They burn their homes to make them homeless, hungry, and desperate to survive. Those who have managed to enter another country are still struggling even though they don’t believe they are at risk. If the government can burn babies what will theyl do to those belonging to a movement or party?  You still remain a threat to the government of La Republic because they have no respect for anyone.

 

Conclusion

I am just raising my voice, joining that of my brothers and sisters scattered around the world in search of safety and a home where they will find peace, hope and love. I hope my cry will be loud enough for the world to see and intervene.

 

 

By

Vivian Ngum Fomukong

 

SCNC-UK

 

History of Southern Cameroons

 

The history of our people can never be hidden from the rest of the world . The Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia was one of the first democratic autonomous Trust Territory, under the trusteeship of Great Britain, from 1922 – 1946, from the League of Nations.

Our group of MPS walked out of the Enugu House of Assembly in 1953 to create the Southern Cameroons house of Assembly in Buea from 1954- 1959, where two successive democratic governments reigned with two Prime ministers, without any conflict.

This alone qualifies The Southern Cameroons, under UNGA ( United Nations General Assembly) Resolution 1514 , article 76 B, to be restored as an Independent state.

Where as, French Cameroon also qualified under the same UNGA resolution 1514, article

76 B and they had their Independence from France on the 1st January 1960. Where did joining French Cameroon come from, when we had same factors as French Cameroon and governing ourselves with a good economy, education and culture?

Asking our rights today to be restored as an Independent state, is acceptable under the 1951 Convention for The human and people rights to belong and for self determination.

The decolonisation process of the Southern Cameroons is still questionable and the United Nations has every answer to these questions.

We are being killed today. Hundreds of thousands of our children out of school for the fifth year in a roll. More than 400 of villages burnt and destroyed by French Cameroon military. Thousands arrested and detained in LRC jail’s without judgement. More than 18000 innocent civilians killed by French Cameroon military.

We the people of Ambazonians, continue to tell the International Community to arrest this situation now and complete the decolonisation process, abandoned by Great Britain and the United Nations in 1961, therefore giving our Separate country from French Cameroon.

We are two distinct people with different cultures that cannot continue to live together in the scammed, called one and indivisible Cameroon. The 60 year experience in this illegal union, has proven to be negative. The lost Independence of the Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia must be restored now. This is the freedom we need and nothing less.

 

By: Betsy Azwe Chi, epse Ken

SCNC OUR HISTORY AND THE TRUTH OF TIME

 

SCNC OUR HISTORY AND THE TRUTH OF TIME

 

 

 

The United Nations organised a plebiscite in the region on 11 February 1961 which put two alternatives to the people: union with Nigeria or union with Cameroon. The third option, independence, was opposed by the British representative to the UN Trusteeship Council, Sir Andrew Cohen, and as a result was not listed. In the plebiscite, 60% of voters in the Northern Cameroons voted for union with Nigeria, while 70% of voters in the Southern Cameroons opted for union with Cameroon. The results owed partly to a fear of domination by much larger Nigeria Endeley was defeated in elections on 1 February 1959 by John Ngu Foncha

 

Southern Cameroons federated with Cameroon on 1 October 1961 as “West Cameroon”, with its own prime minister. However, the English-speaking peoples of the Southern Cameroons did not believe that they were fairly treated by the 80% majority French-speaking government of the country. Then-president Ahmadou Ahidjo feared that Southern Cameroons would secede from the union, taking its natural resources with it. Following a French Cameroon unilateral referendum on 20 May 1972, a new constitution was adopted in Cameroon which replaced the federal state with a unitary state, and also gave more power to the president. Southern Cameroons lost its autonomous status and became the Northwest Region and the Southwest Region of the Republic of Cameroon. Pro-independence groups claimed that this violated the constitution, as the majority of deputies from West Cameroon had not consented to legitimize the constitutional changes.

 

In 1993, representatives of Anglophone groups convened the first All Anglophone Conference (AAC1) in Buea. The conference issued the “Buea Declaration”, which called for constitutional amendments to restore the 1961 federation. This was followed by the second All Anglophone Conference (AAC2) in Bamenda in 1994. This conference issued the “Bamenda Declaration”, which stated that if the federal state was not restored within a reasonable time, Southern Cameroons would declare its independence. The AAC was renamed the Southern Cameroons Peoples Conference (SCPC), and later the Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation (SCAPO), with the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) as the executive governing body. . The SCNC sent a delegation, led by John Foncha, to the United Nations, which was received on 1 June 1995 and presented a petition against the ‘annexation’ of the Southern Cameroons by French Cameroon. This was followed by a signature referendum the same year, which the organisers claim produced a 99% vote in favour of independence with 315,000 people voting.

 

SCNC activities were routinely disrupted by police. On 23 March 1997, about ten people were killed in a raid on a SCNC camp in Bamenda. The police arrested between 200 and 300 SCNC supporters. On 1 October 1999, militants took over Radio Buea to proclaim the independence of Southern Cameroons, but failed to do so before security forces intervened. The leadership and many members of the SCNC were subsequently arrested.

 

 

After clashes with the police, the SCNC was officially declared illegal by the Cameroonian authorities in 2001. The 2012 Amnesty International Report on Cameroon found that the security forces continue to disrupt SCNC activities and arresting it leaders.since the start of the angophone crisis in 2016 SCNC has been in four front of the movement fighting for the indepence for the people southern cameroon with our leaders in jail we shall never give up our strugle for indepence,our voices will not be silence with favour from God almithy we achieve our indepence.

ROYCE BUH

 

20170813_131046

THE SOVEREIGN POWER OF THE PEOPLE WHAT YOUR MIND MUST KEEP TODAY IS THAT SOVEREIGN POWER AND THE EXERCISE THEREOF BELONGS TO YOU THE PEOPLE.

THE SOVEREIGN POWER OF THE PEOPLE
WHAT YOUR MIND MUST KEEP TODAY IS THAT SOVEREIGN POWER AND THE EXERCISE THEREOF BELONGS TO YOU THE PEOPLE.

This write up aims at enlightening you about your constitutional right of national sovereign power under which power belongs to you unless you elect to give it up yo someone through free and fair elections. Five points what elections can do and ten points what elections can not do for you as a SOUTHERN CAMEROONIAN.
1) WHO OWNS SOVEREIGN POWER.
As a matter of the highest law of the land Article 2(1) of the 1972 Cameroonian constitution as revised in 2008 provides that ‘NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY SHALL BE VESTED IN THE PEOPLE.” The constitution does not state that national sovereignty belongs to the President ,the governors the DOs the police or the military officers.
The Cameroon constitution further provides that sovereign power can only be exercised by the people “through an elected president ,members of the parliament or by way of referendum. ”
Hence you must keep it mind that everyday you go to sleep at night and wake up alive in the morning that no President or member of the parliament in Cameroon has the right to exercise SOVEREIGN POWER over you unless you have elected him to to exercise such power on your behalf as provided under Article 2(2)of the constitution,which states that,the authorities responsible for the management of the state shall derive their powers from the people through elections
The interpretation of this article is that by refusing to Participate in the 2018 elections and the 2019 fake parliamentary senatorial and council elections ,the people of Southern Cameroon elected to retained and keep their SOVEREIGN POWER to themselves

Hence no individual the so call mayor senator or parliamentarian from the SOUTHERN Cameroon origin to is legally or constitutionally qualified to represent the people and exercise sovereign power on their behalf .Southern Cameroonians you have the right to stop any one playing this DIRTY ROLE. No local administrators( SDOs DOs civil and military personnels)appointed by the President Biya who was never elected by the people in 2018 as confirmed by other opposition leaders has legal authority to exercise sovereign power of the people. Consequently what is happening today in SOUTHERN CAMEROON IS ANARCHY AGAINST THE PROPLE .THIS PEOPLE HAS NO CONSTITUTIONAL BACKING .SOUGHERN CAMEROONIANS YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO TAKE ANY ORDERS FROM THEM .IT IS LAW TO DISOBEY A BAD LAW ,PARTICULARLY IF THAT LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
2)THE VOICE ON BLOOD MONEY
NOW to those of you who embrace elections as an opportunity to enrich yourselves over the blood of slain innocent civilians and at the detriment of an entire people,listen to me clearly regarding your appetite for blood money. a)Elections in Cameroon will never bring you freedom ,liberty and happiness
b)Elections will never bring peace and security in Buea and Bamenda
c)Elections will never build you hospitals and clinics
e)Elections will never build you roads and schools nor
d) Portable drinking water or Electricity
3) TEN THINGS ELECTIONS WILL DO
a) Will keep police in your neighbourhood ordering you at gun point to eat your own shit
b)Elections will legitimise the pain and suffering inflicted on you
c)Elections will create jobs for the occupiers and enablers not you
d)Elections will create new monsters in the name of politicians to spy and sell locals
e)Elections will hasten poverty ,misery suffering and shorten lives in Southern CAMEROON.IS
f)Elections will further enslave Southern Cameroon and ensnare her to foreign rule by LRC on behalf of France
g)Elections will make a way for more enablers and infiltrators
h)Elections aid and abate crimes such as elections rigging ,fraud ,bribery and corruption and above all extrajudicial killings
i)Elections offer opportunities for nor colonial agents to gang up against nationalists and destroy all nationalists activism to promote anti sovereign
activities
j)Elections without safeguard for fairness, transparency an x protection of valid votes cast by an independent body and judiciary is a wanton waste of time and resources and a preparation for disenfranchisement.
4)CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD
Since independence and annexation ,we have been having elections in Cameroon with catastrophic outcomes and unhealthy results that empower autocracy, torture and all kinds of human rights abuses against out people. Southern Cameroonians come from a culture of free and fair elections .Any attempts to either allow or mpose another fake elections on the people is an act of oppression aimed at validating the on going GENOCIDAL war and must be discouraged , resisted and rejected completely. The only way forward is GENUINE NEGOTIATIONS that examines the history and root causes of the war for a police outcome that is a win – win for all stake holders
Whether it is ten autonomous regions or two states federation of special status,these are all 50% measures which we don’t want and that our people have not been killed for. We don’t want 50% FREEDOM. WE WANT 100% FREEDOM.100% FREEDOM IS ALL WE WANT AND STAND FIRMLY ON OUR GROUNDS TO ACHIEVE.
FELLOW SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS THIS FREEDOM IS ACHIEVABLE.
LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE OF AMBAZONIA SHORT LIVE THE STRUGGLE.
ELECTA SHALO
SCNC UK

 

 

JUSTICE FOR NERA 10

Nera 10 are leaders of Southern Cameroons, consisting of professors, lawyers, and teachers. On the 5th of January 2018, they were holding a meeting at Nera hotel to discuss the growing refugee crisis in cross river state of Nigeria due to the ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. The forcible and illegal abduction of the Nera 10 violated international laws, and not much has been documented about the conditions of their abduction.

They had barely started the meeting when 20 heavily armed gunmen appeared, handcuffed, and blindfolded them. They were then driven for hours to an unknown destination and later detained at the underground facility of Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja. They were held incommunicado for 20 days.

On the 25th of January 2018, they were again driven to the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport where a Cameroon military plane was waiting for them. They had no opportunity to resist because they were surrounded by heavily armed military who were ready to shoot.

Their abduction revealed that the Nigerian government violated its own laws while the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) failed in their obligation to protect asylum seekers. Looking at the circumstances of their arrest, the existence of a conspiration between the security services of Nigeria and the government of Cameroon cannot be ruled out because of the following:

  • Given their refugee statue in Nigeria, they were not supposed to be extradited to Cameroon without the engagement of a due process of law.
  • Detaining them incommunicado at the Nigerian military facility (DIA).
  • Transferring them to the Abuja airport where a military aircraft from Cameroon was waiting to pick them up to Yaounde.

It is evident that their fundamental human rights were systematically violated.

In March 2019, the Federal High Court of Abuja ruled in favour of their release. Furthermore, the UN-HRC Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) also asked for their unconditional release.

They were handcuffed and made to sit on inappropriate seats without seat belts and guns pointing at their faces throughout their flight to Cameroon. The soldiers did not stop threatening them of execution if they make the slightest move.

On arrival in Cameroon, they were taken to the State Secretariat for Defence (SED) in Yaounde, a detention facility renown for the widespread use of torture and abuse. At SED, they were held incommunicado again for 10months on grounds of an ongoing investigation with regards to their arrest. This is unacceptable!

It is questionable to abduct and treat them as terrorist without any conviction.

While at SED, they were routinely tortured and abused. Their bodies were molested as they were made to undress, line up naked, while being touched at awkward places and making mockery of their private parts. The gendarmes took pretext of searching them to abuse them in extremely inhumane and degrading manner, subjecting them to all forms of physical and psychological trauma. They were offered a pair of tracksuits as their only clothing for 46days before given another one. The cell was sprayed with acaricide with them inside to suffocate them with the smell.

Torturing and abusing the Nera 10 is illegal, cruel, inhumane, forbidden, unacceptable and unjustified. This is extreme and inappropriate, a catastrophe against their fundamental human rights.

On the 22nd of November 2018, they were transferred to the central prison at Kondengui where the population of inmates detained is over ten times the capacity of the prison. Living conditions are extremely poor and deadly, coupled with abusive routine searches and treatments.

As asylum seekers and refugees abducted illegally from Nigeria, they were not supposed to be tried in a military court which does not regard civilian judicial norms. During their trial, they were deprived legal aid, and contact or emotional support from their families and loved ones. They were tried in French, a language they could not speak or understand while on the other hand, the judge and prosecutors were unresponsive to the use of English language. One of them became uncomfortable and collapsed during the court proceedings. The trial continued to condemn him for life imprisonment while he laid helplessly struggling for survival.

The court proceedings which started at about midday on the 19th of August 2019, ended at 5:30 am the next day, that is the 20th of August 2019. The trial that was raced for 19hours was grossly wanting in due diligence.

They were charged with crime and sentenced to life imprisonment in a language they neither speak nor understood and without any legal representation.

What is the wrong in advocating for the restoration of the independence of Southern Cameroons? As a people, we have the right to self-determination and a voice to decide our future. Justice was denied Southern Cameroons in 1961.We wanted total independence, but the United Nations imposed a plebiscite on us which was reduced to two alternatives. To gain independence by either joining Nigeria or Cameroon, excluding the option of gaining independence as a nation. Southern Cameroons has clearly demarcated international boundaries with a surface area of about 43,000km square. Her territory is larger than some member states of the African Union. A federal constitution was imposed on us by Cameroon, on the day our independence was supposed to take effect, that is, the 1st of October 1961. Today, we stand for the restoration of our lost statehood.

The Nera 10 didn’t commit any crime known to law. They are languishing in the dungeons of kondengui, detained against international laws and serving life sentences. Their continuous detention is a human right scandal, and this is to call on the attention of the international community to investigate on the extent to which they are unjustly being detained and abused, given that in March 2019, the Federal High Court of Abuja had ordered their unconditional release. This is proof that they are innocent of all allegations laid against them by the Cameroon government. Human rights are for them as well.    

#freethenera10

#endanglophonecrisis

Follow me on twitter for more updates.

Dorothy Arrey

Conflict in the Southern Cameroons

 

By

Mbah Vitalis

SCNC-UK

  • Cameroon has its roots in colonial history just like any other
    African country. During the 19th century, the territory of
    Cameroon was ruled by many local kingdoms. In the 1880s,
    the Germans in their quest for colonisation took control of
    Cameroon, making it their colony in 1884. After World War I,
    when Germany was defeated the League of Nations handed
    control over the territory to Britain and France who divided it
    and established separate administrative systems. Both
    countries assumed responsibilities over the territory until after
    the second world war when many African countries started
    demanding their independence.
    During this period, Britain did not grant independence to
    Southern Cameroon, saying that they were not economically
    viable and could only survive by uniting with Francophone
    Cameroon or Nigeria. In a plebiscite organised in the British
    Administrative part of Cameroon on the 11 of Feb 1961, the
    northern part of Anglophone Cameroon voted to join Nigeria.
    Neither option was as popular in the southern part which, in
    the absence of a much-preferred option for separate statehood,
    ultimately joined with French Cameroon.
    When the two territories reunited in 1961, a new constitution
    was drafted to define the new union as a federal entity in
    which the autonomy of the English-speaking minority would
    be protected. However, in 1972, a controversial referendum
    transformed the federation into a unitary state, effectively
    ending the autonomy of the Anglophone regions. The fact that
    the will of the Anglophone population was overruled in 1961
  • 2
    and the subsequent systemic discrimination and
    marginalization they suffered under successive governments
    dominated by Francophones planted the seeds of the current
    separatist conflict.
    The conflicts and crises in the Cameroon Anglophone region
    are between the part of the country that was once run by the
    British (1916-1961), today widely referred to as Ambazonia
    and the larger part once ruled by the French (1918-1960).
    These conflicts were foreseen in the decolonisation of colonial
    countries, peoples, and territories.
    The conflict began in October 2016
    with teachers and lawyers taking to
    the street protesting the infiltration
    of the French legal system into the
    Anglophone systems. By the end of
    2017 this turned into an armed
    struggle and has of date resulted in
    a civil war. It should be noted that
    in the conflict since September 2017 1,850 people have died;

    most schools have been closed for the past three years;

    than 170 villages have been destroyed; 530, 000 people have
  • been internally displaced and 35,000 have sought refuge in
    neighbouring Nigeria. The conflict has also devasted the local
    economy which accounts for about one fifth of the country’s
    GDP.
  • The conflict started when lawyers and teachers took to the
    streets protesting that the government should stop sending only lawyers and teachers who spoke French and not English to manage the affairs of the Judiciary and Educative sectors of
  • the anglophone regions. Those who could not speak French
    were brutally handled by the forces of law and order.
    The civil society then joined the lawyers and teachers and
    they were equally brutally handled by the police. The interim
    Anglophone government of Southern Cameroon has declared
    that the cities become ‘Ghost Towns’ on Mondays, when no-
    one goes out, as a protest to the Francophone government.
    The majority of the protesters were also brutally treated by the
    police and many trade unions like the Consortium were
    banned. Many union members who were to dialogue with the
    government were arrested while others are still on the run.
    Those arrested were charged with Terrorism and an attempt to
    change the form of the state from a Unitary State to a Federal
    State what it has once been since the 70s. The government
    became aggressive in handling the crisis, even shutting down
    the internet in the two anglophone regions to stop people
    organising and passing information, or receiving orders from
    supporters in the diaspora.
    The president of French Cameroon who has been in power
    since 1982 failed to manage the conflict adequately and after
    criticism from the international community he restored
    internet connection into the regions and released some of the
    actors arrested at the beginning of the crisis.
    The move was seen by a majority of Anglophones as a sham
    by the government and on the 1
    st
    of October they tookto to the
    street and restored their independence and imposed their
    supremacy in the region by hoisting the Ambazonian Flag.
  • 4
    The government, repressive as they have always been, killed
    about 3000 people, while about 600 000 were displaced.
    The conflict has been dragging for years now with Separatists
    on the one hand claiming that independence is just around the
    corner while President Paul Biya and his government still
    think a very quick and strong military intervention will give
    them victory.

     The conflict has already left so many displaced persons and so
    many killed in the Anglophone regions that it is only the
    intervention of both local and international communities that
    is likely to bring it to an end.

Mbah Vitalis 

 

 

 

 

 

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