It all started in October 2016 when citizens of the Former British Southern Cameroons decided to join the Lawyers and Teachers to stand up against the continuous marginalisation, oppression and occupation of Southern Cameroons by La Republique du Cameroun. As peaceful protests were being held in the entire Southern Cameroons, La Republique du Cameroun’s military responded by brutalising unarmed civilians and fired at closed range leading to the death of 8 protesters. The protesters demanded for a return to the Two States Federation as was the case in 1961. However, this is a minority because a greater majority of Southern Cameroonians including myself are in support of the restoration of the statehood of Southern Cameroons https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/958772480709185536.
The peaceful protests of 28th September 2017 actually confirmed that the majority of Southern Cameroonians are for an Independent Southern Cameroons Ambazonia. Hundreds were killed between 28th September and 1st October 2017 when the Interim President of Southern Cameroons Ambazonia declared the restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameroons Ambazonia and made it clear to Mr Paul Biya that he was open for dialogue to negotiate the terms of separation. Mr Paul Biya has since declared war on Southern Cameroons Ambazonia where thousands have so far been killed. The Yaoundé regime of 85 years old Paul Biya who has ruled the country for 36 years, has embarked on mass abductions and illegal arrest of Southern Cameroonians believe to be in support of the separation movement. Over 1000 are in jails in Yaoundé and other Prisons around the country and their only crime is for standing up against the regime. Others are suspected to have been systematically silenced like the case of Woliem Vitalis who was incarcerated at the Kondengui maximum security prison in Yaounde even with his frail health and later died in hospital. Reports also have it that some arrested cases of Southern Cameroonians have simply been executed like the case of Sam Sawyer who was arrested with two others in Belo but later found dead in the Bamenda Regional Hospital mortuary having been slaughtered by the military of La Republique du Cameroun. As a result of these deaths, Belo has been turned into a battle field unlike other areas in Southern Cameroons Ambazonia. There has been heavy casualities on both sides and the population has now deserted the town to seek refuge in the bushes while some courages young men resist the military in self-defence. Several houses continue to be torched by the military on daily basis in most villages in Southern Cameroons.
Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora on their part continue to mount pressure on the Government of La Republique du Cameroun to release or show proof of life of the Leaders of their Interim Government abducted and illegally extradited to Cameroun by the Nigerian Government. Major protests have been held in London and major cities around the world and civil disobedience is promoted back home in the form of ghost towns every Monday and a complete boycott of schools. The diaspora groups have also called on the Cameroun Government to unconditionally release the over 1000 prisoners in their prisons before any form of dialogue can take place. Various foreign Governments have also added their voices to call on Cameroun to dialogue with the People of Southern Cameroons including those in detention. The most recent call was made by the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson after meeting Philomen Yang, Prime Minister of Cameroun during the Commonwealth Heads of Governments’ Summit in London (https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/987036101981409281). However, the Foreign Secretary’s support of Decentralisation attracted so much criticism from Southern Cameroonian Activists on Twitter. (https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/988833086602383360). Mr Paul Biya reacted by blocking several Activists who raised concerns about his poor management of the crisis in Southern Cameroons Ambazonia and the brutality of the military on civilian population in Southern Cameroons (https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/987789184734846976).
We in the diaspora would like to call on the International community to step in now to stop the killings, looting, rape, maiming, burning of homes, destruction of property and the abductions perpetrated on Southern Cameroonians by the military of La Republique du Cameroun (https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/985842705354907648 )
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https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/987037969637953538
https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/987230538263072768
https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/988809600009949186
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https://twitter.com/vincentkushine/status/987692700173467648
By Vincent Kushine
Scnc-uk Activist