Undoubtedly, is it fair to say that the United Kingdom has failed the people of Southern Cameroons amid the ongoing genocidal war and also complicit with the current misery of the people in Southern Cameroons perpetrated by the La Republic du Cameroon Government?
If you must know, Southern Cameroons was once under British rule and when it was time for her to gain independence, she was denied her rights to self-determination. Southern Cameroons option for independence tabled by United Kingdom was either to join Nigeria or French Cameroon known as La Republic du Cameroun.
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In late 2016, lawyers and teachers took to the streets in a peaceful protest to express their grievances against the Francophonisation of the legal and educational systems which are different from the French. They Cameroun government ordered the military to beat them like common criminals and live ammunition was used on them. Many were injured and also arrested and detained. It is worth noting that the French lawyers and magistrates study civil law while the Anglophone’s study common law.
Since the escalation of the crises in 2017, the authoritarian government of Cameroun led by Mr Paul Biya declared war on the Southern Cameroons and has since then carried genocidal acts, indiscriminate killings and human rights abuses on its people. Over35,000 people have been killed, over 500 villages have been burnt down to ashes, over a million children have been deprived education, more than half a million people have become refugees, with more than 1.5 million people internally displaced.
Despite the gross human right violations by the Cameroun Government on the people of Southern Cameroons, no pressure has been given to the government to put an end to this war. The truth about the ongoing genocide is hidden by the government and also the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. Credit be given to the United States government where the conflict has been tabled in the house of representative and senate. Resolution 358, July 2019 by the house of representative and senate resolution 684 January 2021 called for an end to the war and return to peace through broad based dialogue. The US has not yet taken any significant action.
It is has been very interesting to see how the world have come together to support Ukraine from Russia’s attack. Almost all media houses are reporting on the war on a daily basis. The Ukrainian government is receiving support from most governments including the UK.
The question here is why is the same attention not being paid to Southern Cameroonians?
Is it because, the UK government signed an offshore natural gas trade deal with Cameroun government in June 2018 or a UK –Cameroun Economic Partnership Agreement in April 2022. Has the UK put her economic interest and friendship with Cameroun Government over the lives of innocent Southern Cameroonians?
Is the African Union (AU) quiet because Cameroun is a member of its Peace and Security Council?
Why has the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) not looked into the genocidal war in Southern Cameroons?
Are Southern Cameroonians less of humans or their lives do not matter?
Southern Cameroonians have a right to self-determination and that right was denied by the UK who has a moral duty to put to an end the suffering of these people.
There is an outcry appeal to the UK, US AU and UNSC to bring this war to an end by addressing the root causes.
Pauline Ngomaso Achondi
