Breaking

Editorial

The Republic of Cameroonâ€”a former French colonyâ€”which once prided itself as an oasis of stability in Sub-Saharan Africa, is in disarray. Its minority English-speaking people (â€œAnglophonesâ€), whoâ€™ve been victims of Cameroonâ€™s assimilationist policies since October 1961, are in open revolt against this calamity that has stricken them.Â Eighteen months ago, fed up with the scourge of assimilationâ€”some of which involves sending French-trained Cameroonian teachers, mayors and magistrates into English-speaking regions, in order for them to manage these regionsâ€™ affairsâ€” English-speaking teachers and lawyers took to the streets in protest, demanding that this practice be abandoned by the government.Â

Details: Joseph M. Ndifor; 12.Apr.2018; Hits: 4542

The present stalemate in the Southern Cameroons (Former West Cameroon) began in October 2016 with the Common Law Lawyers Association’s¹(MELA, FAKLA, MALA AND NOWELA)strike and followed by the Anglophone Teachers Trade Unions (SYNES, TAC, CATTU, PEATTU, CEWOTU, and BATTUC) strike in November amid serious and numerous grievances underlying a political volcano.

The Francophone state-‘La République du Cameroun’ had her independence on January 1, 1960 and at the time Southern Cameroons as part of the British Cameroons²was a trust territory administered by Britain under Nigeria. And on October I, 1961 the Southern Cameroons gained independence through a plebiscite³ of February 11, 1961.

The present agitations is resistance to 21^st century slavery and neo-colonialism administered by the repressive government of ‘La République du Cameroun’ on the Anglophone regions of North West and South West commonly referred to as the Anglophone problem which has come after 45 years or 56 years of frustration of our people. The Anglophone problem is deciphered as the LOSS OF POLITICAL POWER BY THE ANGLOPHONE⁴.The Francophone has produced two presidents in since 1960 as against none for us.

Francophone nationalism has been exercised by confiscating power and denying the Anglophone political rights and freedoms (state terrorism-police and gendarme brutality-rape, murder, kidnap or abductions, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment without trial, cut of internet, no freedom of speech and communication and other ills you can think of). And the Anglophone nationalism can be seen exhibited in pluralist democracy⁵.

I urge Cameroon Concord team of investigators to paint a true story of this broken promise of bad faith perpetrated by the Francophone and their dictatorship government, especially now with the availability of the declassified files of the Southern Cameroons’ independence at the UN library in New York.

[1]Notes

[1]Cameroon as a bilingual state has a Bi-Jural System- the other is Civil Law which is French Law for Francophones;

²The British Cameroons included Southern and Northern Cameroons that were trust territories of the United Nations administered by Britain under Nigeria;

³Plebiscite-A referendum administered by the UN on February 11, 1961 on the British Cameroons where the Southern Cameroons voted to join ‘La République du Cameroun’ and the Northern Cameroons voted to join the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

⁴Instances of loss of power-1961:Federal Republic of Cameroon- A federal system of 2-states in which Southern Cameroons became West Cameroon and ‘La République du Cameroun’ became 'Cameroun du L’Estwithout a union treaty; 1972: United Republic of Cameroon-A false referendum where the minority Anglophones and the majority Francophones were consulted on whether they shall continue to live together as a united republic with the answers ‘YES’ or ‘OUI’ instead of the minority Anglophones as was the case in 1961; 1984-A return to ‘La République Du Cameroon’ by a Presidential decree (a name Francophone Cameroun had on independence on January 1, 1960);

⁵Pluralist democracy-democracy of interest or pressure groups-associations, syndicates and unions, etc.;

Details: Egbe Samuel Bisong; 03.Apr.2018; Hits: 5032

Since 1993, Paul Biya has established mushroom universities across the national territory as showmanship rather than an intentional act aimed at providing solutions to the myriad problems that Cameroon face on a daily basis.

Ask Biya or his self acclaimed Professors to give the mission and Vision statements of the various state glorified primary Schools tagged Universities and see the embarrassment in their faces?

There isn't any state university that was founded on the foundation of a solid vision and mission statement.

Mission and vision statements are fundamental blue prints that are conceived as fundamental guiding principles that constantly rudely remind those managing it and its students of the purpose of being in that university.

So long as our universities won't cease being certificate mills, the graduands shall continue to be worthless institutions that weren't created to provide answers to questions but a problem creating institutions.

How can our universities continue to be
Theorists whereas the world today is gradually becoming practical inclined so that graduands can hitch freely inter grade into the mainstream society?

So long as our graduands aren't provided the leeway to become free thinkers, then our universities will continue to be empty and irrelevant structures where junk headed persons are awarded empty certificates.

Details: Rita Akana; 08.Mar.2018; Hits: 4567

The mood in Cameroon is not jolly, even though supporters of Paul Biya's regime in Washington DC, Paris, Brussels and London would want the world to think differently. There are killings every day of civilians and soldiers. And it is not any good for life is precious.

Yes, those backing Biya are the same pretentious people who market liberal democracy to as the best form of human governance. And it's true.

Since genuine pro-democracy are out of stage in the U.S., France, Britain, Canada and Germany, we are left with westerners who have no values and can sell everything including their mothers because of money.

It may explain why, they are ready to allow a repugnant and barbaric regime who inflict regular bouts of horrific violence on its people to survive longer than expected, as long as they can secure contracts.

Are you now surprised that, the United States is supporting Saudi Arabia that is killing innocent Yameni children every day? They can growl at Iran, pretend on Burma, an evil regime practising ethnic cleansing on the Royinga people.

Their only crime? Because they are Muslims. I just wish to tell the brave people of West Cameroon, who are daily humiliated and disparaged in their own country to know that, they are on their own. An orphan must know how to fend for itself or know which fights to pick and fight . Good morning from Lagos, Nigeria.

Details: Elie Smith; 06.Mar.2018; Hits: 3920

The recent changes in government is welcome by majority of Cameroonians and saluted by the International Community.The regime has started reacting to the Anglophone cry of marginalization.This appointments is part of the demands tabled by the consortium of lawyers, teacher and syndicates of the civil society, we hope the process be speed up to touch all the grievances advocated.

Cameroonians should accept that better late than never and there is no time limit for peace. Mr Biya is not Cameroon, he is neither Methuselah, he will certainly leave the stage. Balla, Fontem and Co should equally press for the release of the arrested Cameroonians, bring back the refugees and instill confidence in the people, together we dialogue and build a strong and united country.

Those with agenda to divide Cameroon must understand that not all demands are accepted by God and he does not listen to evil prayers. Every delay by nature has a reason. We need peace and unity in Cameroon not war at a bitter cost. The Consortium should be saluted for putting reason above anger and emotions and take back leadership in a process they initiated.

Details: John Agbor Obi; 04.Mar.2018; Hits: 3752

Open Letter to the German Ambassador, Yaoundé—Cameroon

Your Excellency,

Germany, the state whose diplomatic interest you represent in Cameroon, is one of the most liberal countries in the world with civilized democracy and the respect for human rights. Your exposure, Mr. Ambassador, from such a democratic society leaves one with the believe that, to a greater extent, there’s absolute respect for human rights in your Yaoundé embassy, which, according to the law on extraterritoriality, is a German territory in the Republic of Cameroon. Unfortunately, Your Excellency, this is not the case as the procedure to obtain a student visa, for example, in your embassy isn’t only jumbled with incongruity, but also strongly discriminates against Anglophone visa applicants.

Your Excellency, the official website of the German embassy in Cameroon (http://www.jaunde.diplo.de) which, as of now, stands as the only gateway to Germany for studies, is constructed in three different languages; to wit: German, French, and English. I have noticed with utmost disgust, Your Excellency, that the English section of the website translated from either German or French is not only biased with incomplete information for visa applicant but carries a lot of poor and misleading translations. This website, in “Appointment-System of the German Foreign Office - Jaunde” (https://service2.diplo.de/rktermin/extern/choose_realmList.do?locationCode=jaun&realmId=271) provides a 3-step procedure for visa application, one of which must be selected by applicant depending on the visa category. Sadly, Your Excellency, these 3 steps are unexplained. Instead, one finds the word “continue” against each of 3 different dashes, leaving the visa applicants to their fate. My concern here, Your Excellency, is that where do applicants “continue” to when there’s basically no information to guide their sense of direction?. On the other hand, the website (page) in French (https://service2.diplo.de/rktermin/extern/choose_realmList.do?locationCode=jaun&request_locale=fr), explains the 3 steps in details and then prompts the applicant to “continuer” (continue) to the next step.

Again, Your Excellency, I see Anglophone marginalization on the embassy’s website where the visa applicant is prompted to chose between “visa étudient” and “étudiants BAC 12.00+ ou C+/ boursiers / doctorants”. As in most cases, the English website has woefully failed to provide translation for this, and both options “technically” side-line holders of Bachelor and Master’s degrees. The first option, visa étudient, is logically reserved for applicants with poor examination grades. Meanwhile, the second option is also logically reserved for student applicants with good examination grades. Your Excellency, the second option above doesn’t seem to accommodate students with Bachelor or Master’s degree. Does it mean they fall under the first option? Or, does it mean a BAC student with 12+, for example, is more qualified for the second option than a Bachelor or Master’s degree holder with 12+? I am appalled by this logic, and would frankly say, without fear of contradiction, that the student visa procedure at your embassy isn’t only made up of bureaucratic red tape, but grossly violates human rights. As a victim, Your Excellency, I have documentary evidence to support these facts. Also, I am witness to many, most of whom are Anglophones, who are today victims of these boring procedural irregularities. Sadly, the embassy provides sanctions for any applicant who submits an incomplete file.

Be reminded, Your Excellency, that linguistic marginalization is one of the cardinal reasons why there’s “genocide” in Anglophone Cameroon today. Your embassy, through its official website grossly violates human rights, especially the right to information. It also violates Article 1(3) of the Constitution of Cameroon, which puts both English and French languages on the same magnitude. Article 1(3) provides that “the official languages of the Republic of Cameroon shall be English and French, both languages having the same status”. Your Excellency, despite the immunities and extraterritoriality rules which, like any other embassy, your embassy enjoys, it has the legal obligation under international human rights laws to respect—equally—the rights of all the people it serves. Besides, both Germany and Cameroon are signatories to human rights instruments which protect the right of equality— the right to information—freedom from discrimination, to say a few. It is because of this recognition, of course, that the embassy’s website conspicuously writes, that, “German human rights policy has one concrete goal: to protect people against violations of their rights and fundamental freedoms”. Also, there’re tips there about human rights in Cameroon.

Troubled by the above, and believing that the Ambassador is most likely unaware of these human rights violations, I am by this letter conveying this information to the Ambassador. By so doing, I urge the German embassy to respect the rights of fellow Cameroonians seeking their services, especially the Anglophones whose rights are being violated. Equally, I urge the government of Cameroon, through the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, to protect the rights of her citizens by ensuring that the embassy respects rights that are enshrined in the Constitution and other international human rights instruments.

CC:

- Cameroon National Commissions for Human Rights and Freedoms

By Jean Atabong Fomeni, Esq.

Barrister of the Supreme Court of Cameroon

MA Human Rights – Friedrich Alexander University, Germany