Politics

The Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland has been urged to address the spiralling human rights violations in Cameroon, press President Biya to restore fundamental freedoms and refer the matter to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

In an appeal to Scotland, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)—an accredited body of the Commonwealth community—has expressed its deep concern over the ongoing political crisis, violation of human rights and the rule of law in the Cameroon. “It is now clear that the deteriorating situation in Cameroon merits greater attention from the Commonwealth,” CHRI said, adding that despite assurances by the Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations to the office of the Commonwealth Secretary General during a recent visit to London, “there is no discernible progress on addressing the human rights abuses being committed against the Anglophonic community in Cameroon.”  

The current crisis developed in early October of 2016, with a lawyers’ strike in Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest region, and unrest in the Southwest region capital, Buea. The unrest was sparked by the violent dispersal of citizens peacefully protesting the banning of two Anglophone civil society organisations, the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC).  “Instead of engaging in dialogue, the government authorised the use of force to disperse protesters,” CHRI said.

The right to life, freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of assembly and association are guaranteed under the preamble of the Constitution of Cameroon; Article 6 (1) & 9 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) recognizes the right to life and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life; and the Commonwealth Charter provides for rule of law, respect for protection and promotion of civil and political rights, and open dialogue and free flow of information. These rights were being violated by authorities in Cameroon. 

“The use of tear gas and live ammunition against protesters has so far resulted in four deaths and dozens of injuries. The police have also been responsible for arbitrary arrests and unwarranted detention. Since the protests began, hundreds have been arrested. Those who have not been able to afford bail continue to be detained at undisclosed locations. Furthermore, in an act of enforced disappearance, eight protesters remain missing.” The statement points out that “the targeting of the Anglophone judiciary, and arrest of a sitting judge run directly contrary to Latimer House Principles,” which assert the relationship between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.

In addition, CHRI said the Cameroon government was preventing access to information. “In January, authorities also blocked internet services in the English-speaking provinces.”

About the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

Headquartered in New Delhi, with offices in London and Accra, The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) is an independent, international organisation committed to protecting and promoting human rights in Commonwealth nations. CHRI works towards strengthening access to justice (through prison and police reforms) and building a culture of transparent governance (through the Right to Information). CHRI also monitors human rights-related trends and developments across the Commonwealth and makes formal submissions to treaty bodies and inter-governmental agencies, including the United Nations Human Rights Council.

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Rita Akana

03.Apr.2017

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 Several online dictionaries establish that the word “Truth” is a noun, referring to “the quality or state of being true”. Wikipedia elucidates further that: “Truth is most often used to mean being in accord with fact or reality, or fidelity to an original or standard. Truth may also often be used in modern contexts to refer to an idea of ‘truth to self’, or authenticity”.

A lot of us reading this editorial may wonder why The Times Journal has chosen this seemingly uninteresting subject matter at this point in time when everyone is concentrating on key strategies on how Southern Cameroons should become the independent country it was voted at the United Nations to be since April, 1961. Some of us are even holding stones already to throw at the writer for daring to recall that truth ought to be an essential part of this struggle for liberation and greater freedoms for all.

The Times Journal has always been for the truth in every sphere of national life and nothing shall frighten us to think differently now. Let us begin by recalling that the greatest Dictionary of all times, the greatest source of wisdom of all ages, the Bible says some simple but compelling thing about how the truth should contribute in a liberation fight like this one. The Bible says; “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set thee free".

That message is clear and unambiguous; especially so because our struggle is to lay bare a truth which has been hidden from so many Cameroonians and the rest of the world over the years, until this time that our lawyers and teachers decided to take the bull by the horns so that all may see that Cameroon is a den of discrimination, marginalization, dehumanization, torture and bare-bone repression. We are struggling to let those out there who do not know, to take home the truth that we are a people, that the UN General Assembly voted for our independence in 1961 and that Southern Cameroons has recognized and documented international boundaries.

But we must admit one thing to ourselves; it is not possible and not even conceivable to say you can use falsehood to unveil truth. If we never thought about this, it is time to begin looking at this stark reality in the face, so that we can courageously begin to adjust to embrace the only veritable path that will bring real freedom; truth. Those who fought liberation fights with resounding success before us are still here in their writings to remind us that truth is a huge weapon that devastates the enemy more than anything else.

We all quote and like the venerated Mahamat Gandhi for his achievements that will remain relevant thousands of years from today. Hear what he said about the role of truth in struggles like this one; “Truth never damages a cause that is just”. These eight words are so potent that no one needs to elaborate on them. Perhaps adding another authority, William Faulkner’s view to it would bolster our understanding, he says; “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth”.

Since October 2016 when this struggle started, a lot of falsehood has been perpetrated and that has scared a lot of converts and made them opponents of the revolution. It has been so easy to destroy people who look at us in the eyes and tell us that we are wrong by coming up with conspiracy theories to tag them as “agents of La Republique” or “someone who has been bought over with as mission to betray the ‘winning’ struggle”. It is obvious that once you are associated with “La Republique” gimmicks, you immediately become an enemy of the freedom of the people and everyone gets authorized to call you names at will.

Worse, by ignoring the truth, because we want to present to the world at all cost that we are united, that everything is alright even when it isn’t, we have succeeded in creating virtual and android monsters whose inconsistencies we now are afraid to point out because we run the risk of being blocked on ‘hot Facebook pages where things happen’ or we may be called blacklegs and named agents of the enemy. Hypocrisy is now the order of the day and we have seen so-called and sometimes self-styled leaders flicker between the federal option and outright self-determination the same way pop stars change dresses, and no eyebrows raised.

We have gradually created the type of leaders known only in the 17th century; the likes of Pope Pius IX who came up with the Dogma of Papal Infallibility. It stated that; “The Pope in discharge of his duties is infallible”. Now, dear friends, go to Facebook and see how those who dare come up with a truth that everyone knows but is refusing to say is treated; “No please, not here, why don’t you handle this one-on-one, make a call please, we don’t need this here, even if he insulted you, please ignore it because he is too important in this struggle, he is our leader, please let the teachers and lawyers allow these guys to continue the way they are going- they should wait and when things are over they can take back their organization” and the list is long.

It was these kinds of thought that pushed one-time US President Theodore Roosevelt to say; “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American people”. President Roosevelt was a great man still acknowledged until this day and what he said is what a lot of us reproach of the current regime, but can’t afford to be different.

The message from Rick Riordam is that we need to think and act in a way that honours, not in a way that demeans us. He says; “It takes strength and courage to admit the truth”, so, because a lot of people think it is a weakness to make a turnaround and uphold a truth that holds the potential to save millions of lives, to guarantee a future for millions others counting on our ability to walk them out of slavery and servitude. The kind of fear is so nuclear and better described by Czestaw Mitosz when he says; “In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot”.

Today, the reality is here; power struggles that ought not be are raging on, Facebook constituencies are creating and dismissing leaders of bodies whose basic texts and functioning they know nothing of, basic principles on the devolution of power in every organization have eluded us and even renowned and sometimes venerated men of law attempt to make us see our organizations that federate other organizations as belonging to single individuals who can suddenly decide that although someone were elected along with them, they can decide to endorse any other persons above them- what a shame!?

By Anglo-Saxon, a lot of people mean integrity; that is why we at The Times Journal buy the view of Barbara De Angelis when she notes “Living with integrity means: Not settling for less than what you know you deserve in your relationships. Asking for what you want and need from others. Speaking your truth, even though it might create conflict or tension. Behaving in ways that are in harmony with your personal values. Making choices based on what you believe, and not what others believe”.

Here, we must regret that at a time things are taking a very determined turn, a lot of us still do not realize that boys have to be separated from men. That is why we still cheer when someone stands and says, on behalf of a body that has from inception stood for non violence, preferring to sell reason and not threats, that; “We are giving Parliamentarians of Southern Cameroons origin one month to resign and return home”, and when asked what he would do if they did not cooperate, he answered without wavering; “We will blackmail and threaten them to cooperate”. That is exactly what President Paul Biya and his men describe as “terrorism”.

At The Times Journal, we know the Southern Cameroonians who conceived this struggle never blackmailed nor threatened anyone to adhere; that is why the truth is urgently needed to rescue the struggle from the hands of opportunists and conspiracy theorists before we start finding it difficult to garner the global support we all need to attain our objective.

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John Mbah Akuroh I The Times Journal

03.Apr.2017

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Boko Haram terror group has released a fresh video in Hausa and French languages targeting Cameroon and mocking its special forces, and promising to behead the country’s President Paul Biya.

“I would behead you Paul Biya, it’s me that would behead you with the left hand, be ready,” a Boko Haram commander says in French displaying Mr. Biya’s picture in a news magazine, in a chilling video that also warned residents of other parts of Cameroon that the killers were on their way.

The man slams the magazine onto the ground and crushes Mr. Biya’s face with his leg, saying “I would behead you, imbecile, sluggard!”.

The word sluggard means a person who is habitually inactive or lazy. Mr. Biya spends months abroad and at over 80 years old, he has never visited Cameroon’s far north since Boko Haram has been wrecking havoc and killing many of his countrymen in three years.

The video is about six minutes and thirty seconds long and shows intense shooting by the ruthless terrorists presumably in Nigeria.

In the video with French language, the first of its kind, a man tells residents of Maroua, Cameroon’s far north capital, and those in the northern region capital of Garoua, and Ngaoundere that they were coming for them.

He shows shoes and helmets and other military items reportedly belonging to Cameroonian soldiers and says they were abandoned by the troops terribly afraid of the terrorists.

“These are their shoes they left behind, these are their helmets they left behind, these are their mats for prayers they left behind. They are fighting God and praying again? I do not understand why you’re still praying?” the Boko Haram terrorist is heard saying in French.

“We are ready to arrive. We are on our way to Maroua, Garoua and Ngaoundere,” the man says, naming three capital in northern Cameroon.

“We are on our way to Ebolowa, Yaounde, we will arrive in God’s name,” he says mentioning the capital of President Paul Biya’s region in the South and the country’s capital itself in Yaounde.

The man shows identity cards belonging to Cameroonian citizens. One of the identity cards he displays to the camera he says belongs the minister of defence.

He said he would behead Cameroonian President Paul Biya with the left hand, and calls him the bigger Christian. Mr. Biya is a catholic who often goes to church in Yaounde.

At least 150 Cameroonian soldiers and policemen have been killed by Boko Haram while about 2000 civilians have been massacred there since 2014 in over 500 attacks, including more than 50 suicide bombings. Sixty other suicide attacks were not successful and killed no one else but mainly the attackers themselves.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and thousands of boys and girls have been kidnapped and never seen again.

In Nigeria, more than 25, 000 people have been murdered by members of Boko Haram President Muhammadu Buhari has branded the “godless, mindless” militants.

At least 2.5 million civilians remain displaced in Borno and Adamawa states in Nigeria and the Chibok girls abducted in 2014 remain missing till date, although about 21 of them have been found out of 276.

In the latest video in Hausa language, the sect seems to focus again on Cameroon although it shows shootings reportedly in Nigeria.

President Buhari declared in December that Boko Haram had been decimated and the remaining fighters were on the run. But recent incidents, including the killings of many soldiers since that high profile declaration, show that the sect that pledged allegiance to ISIS in March 2015 is far from being defeated, rather, it seems to be emboldened in recent months and has been modelling its barbarism after the Middle East killers.

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Simon Ateba

03.Apr.2017

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In a letter addressed to Members of Parliament, Hon. Wirba Joseph has pleaded  Members of Parliament, Who Are The Representatives of The People of West Cameroon To Protest & Walk Out Of Parliament.

Hon. Wirba Joseph Mbiydzenyuy MP,
Bui South,
Jakiri Bui Division
28"' March 2017

Honourable Members of Parliament, The Representatives of The People of West Cameroon.

Right Honourable Members, Dear Colleagues

SUBJECT: HISTORICAL MOMENT TO STAND TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE OF WEST CAMEROON.
 
I have chosen this dark moment in our history to write to you from exile, following the vicious man-hunt to put me in chains and an attempt on my life, by a government that believes the people of West Cameroon are a lower cast of humans who must be kept in bondage and servitude.

This is your moment in history in which all of you. without exception, must stand together in the name of the suffering. oppressed and struggling people of West Cameroon! Our people have been mistreated, humiliated, tortured, jailed. exiled and others killed: merely for peacefully asking for their basic fundamental rights as a people with a distinct cultural heritage and a dignified way of life.

They have endured systematic and traumatic abuse for over half a century and we all can testify that they have had enough! As the representatives of the people that you are, you have witnessed in each of your constituencies, the collective will and the dogged determination of our people to resist oppression in order to have a voice and a place in their own land.

 Our children and their teachers have been out of school for months! Our lawyers have been out of court for much longer! The general masses from every village to every town have joined the struggle to take back our freedom! Our brothers and sisters in the diaspora have fought and struggled along with the people in every way imaginable! The world has taken notice that our people are in bondage. and in various ways expressed support for them. You their representatives, are the ONLY group left that has not supported the people in their desperate hour of need!

 YOU MUST STAND TOGETHER NOW AND JOIN YOUR PEOPLE IN THEIR STRUGGLE,OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION AND SILENCE!

Honourable Members, this is the moment that you, representatives of the people of West Cameroon; from Boyo, Bui. Donga-Mantung, Fako. Kupe-Manenguba. Lebialem, Manyu. Merne. Mentchum. Mezam. Momo, Ndian and Ngokitunjia must stage a protest, in the name of our people, and walk out of the Cameroon National Assembly together!

This is your historic moment to stand in solidarity with the people and save them from 56 years of slavery! If you lose this chance, our people and history will never forgive you!
God is with us and He will bless and protect you all for standing up for His People!

Hon Joseph M. Wirba
MP Member Of Parliament
Cameroon National Assembly.

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Rita Akana

03.Apr.2017

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Southern Camerooonian activist, Mark Bareta who also doubles as a member of the Anglophone civil society consortium has made a call for citizens to boycott musical concerts and shows organized by Cameroonian musicians who distance themselves from the current crisis in the South West and North West regions of Cameroon.

 In a statement published on his Facebook wall, Mark wrote:

As a matter of fact, any musician from the Cameroons be it a Southern Cameroonian or Camerounese (Francophones) who have not stood up for our struggle to voice out concern should be boycotted. This is the time these musicians move around Europe and USA for concerts. I hear Mami Gueya will be in USA and guys are already advertising her. These musicians will expect you to come out, pay gate fees to watch them sing. Na new song? Those days are over. Southern Cameroonians should boycott these so called Cameroonian nonsense and put their money in the struggle. If you must have fun, there are hundreds other ways to get fun.

Please in this struggle it is an eye for an eye, you do me I do. Musicians should use music to inspire and speak out even in the most sarcastic ways. Musicians are by themselves activist. They should be bold to speak out. They should not say am not into politics. To say NO to human rights abuses is not politics.

Southern Cameroonians, we have come of age. We must begin severing the Cameroun link and free ourselves from mental slavery. If we can call out our people back home to boycott events of La Republique and we go to watch and clap for any musician who has failed to show concern for the struggle especially a Camerounese then we are hypocrite and are committing a capital SIN. On the other hand, those who have shown concern, those who stood with us in these trying times should be encouraged, promoted with all might in us.

That change and freedom begins with you. Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora must begin making these musicians or Cameroun events start seeing the impact of "Anglophone" boycott and the power of Southern Cameroons diaspora.

There were reactions on social media after the press statement.Prominent Southern Cameroonian blogger, Maybelle Boma had this to say:

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Rita Akana

03.Apr.2017

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The Common Law Lawyers Association has transformed itself to Southern Cameroons Bar Association according to Barrister Bobga. Barrister Bobga now speaking and posing as President of Southern Cameroons Bar Association(SCBA), and taking the position of restoring the independence and sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia), aligns well with the mission of SCACUF to lead Southern Cameroonians through these last days into the restoration of the statehood of the the Republic of Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia).

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Rita Akana

02.Apr.2017

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