Politics
The fight for secession or the right to self determination for Southern Cameroon is logically dubious and empirically flawed. Along ethic fractionalized lines, unity is hardly guaranteed in Africa in particular, especially for countries that have inherently strong cultures. The Anglophone problem face two major challenges with one being most dominant:
1. Marginalization by French-speaking Cameroon (external problem)
2. Masked unsolved grievances or tense "unity" between Southwest and Northwest citizens (internal problem).
There is no guarantee that even if Southern Cameroon gains independence today from "La Republique du Cameroon," as SCNC calls it, they will live in peace unity. The peace will be as negative as what we experience under the current political dispensation. The new Southern Cameroon could most likely fight for another break up between themselves. Hate speeches flare for any honest observer who has lived in any of the two Anglophone communities. We call ourselves "came no go" and even call the Bamilike community as the "11 province." Why so much hate?
Even after the rift between E.M.L Endeley and John Foncha in the 1960s, no one has ever pacified issues to solve our grievances before seeking a dubious secession. He who goes to equity, goes with clean hands. Our hands are messy.
South Sudan should tell us better that self determination in Africa does not bring peace.
Cameroon and Vanuatu are the most fractionalized countries in the world with the most languages. What we can do best should be to live in a federation like the Nigerians do. However, only high-level dialogue, understanding and empathy in the presence of a UN body will bring us to that point.
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- Tapang Ivo
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Douala-Cameroon: Former SDF communications Secretary Elimby Lobe assualted by activist after TV-show
Former SDF communications Secretary Elimby Lobe, was physically assaulted after a TV appearance at the premises of Canal 2 TV headquarters in Douala by a militant of the SDF party.
Abel Elimby Lobé, who recently resigned from the SDF, was physically assaulted by SDF activist Carlos Ngoualem, who also participated in the discussion forum on Canal 2 as an opponent of the guest Elimby Lobé, a politician much appreciated by his compatriots for the quality of his Media interviews.
"At the end of the show, Ngoualem approached me and gave me a blow in the face, specifically to my nose, causing me to bleed. This is how one day an activist of the SDF in Yaoundé was killed in the premises of the SDF, a certain DIBOULE.
While awaiting the outcome of this criminal act which further degrades the image of our politicians, this aggression also raises the problem of the lack of measures taken to ensure the safety of guests in certain television channels in Cameroon.
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- Mbi James
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The Teachers Trade Union leaders have cancelled their talks in Yaoundé, which were billed for 18th day of November 2016 on grounds that the treatment meted on lawyers, which from every indication was ordered by highly placed government officials, leaves them with a heightened sense of insecurity; after all they are just common teachers as our society prefers to see them, not power- broking members of the judiciary, like the lawyers, whom the petty gov't law enforcers battered without qualms!
If that could be done to lawyers who were protesting peacefully, then worse will certainly befall us - to feed or slake that diabolical taste that appears to be asking for and getting its pounds of flesh and litres if blood almost every other day. We think that all talks must be in Bamenda and the minister of higher education cannot chair a meeting with issues many of which he deliberately created and whose resolutions he has fudged many times in the past.
We think that if there must be a meeting, it will be with our parents, legal counsels, religious leaders, etc. Also, we think it paramount to assert that there is no particular leader who is focal point, but all six signatories of the PM's memo/fliers are leaders in equal capacity, this because we must take away any heat that might be in the offing from that one person and diffuse it on all of us and also to forestall any attempts at suborning individuals in order to destroy the anglophone steam.
We hope to stay focused and rational and pray that all comrades should do same.
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- Valentine Nfon Tameh
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St. Joseph Catholic Church in Big Mankon, under the largest Anglophone Cameroon archdiocese in the opposition stronghold of Bamenda, has called for the unconditional promotion of justice and the rule of law in Cameroon, and hailed the peaceful protest of lawyers during a church sermon today.
Hundreds of Christians including top elites working for the regime were in attendance. Christians are reporting that the first mass focused on justice and the end of the war and end time.
Elsewhere in the North West region, the catholic church in Tatum also called for the regime to uphold the rule of law and justice for all citizens in Cameroon. The priest preached unity and equality as a necessity for national peace and prosperity.
In another development, during a sermon today the St. Joseph's Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, USA, the priest called on all citizens to be pro-voice and not pro-choice. By being pro-voice, Fr. Jacob Ledwon explained, citizens join as one to push leaders to unite all citizens irrespective of their different political, social, economic and religious views.
He suggested that pro-voice should be replicated across countries as a positive model for citizens and their leaders.
Yvette Mbu, Doreen Mbain and Tapang Ivo contributed to this report.
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- Rita Akana
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From the dawn of the Federation of Cameroon, the biggest challenge that hung over it like the “Damocles Sword”, was and has been the management of our diversity. Passionate Southern Cameroonians who had the vision of a United States of Africa, thought that maybe a United Cameroon was just the place to start. They felt the shackles that were constituted by a legacy of different colonial cultures could not be allowed to stand in the way of the reunification of peoples torn apart and dispersed by a War they did not start and had nothing to do with.
Under the seduction of a 100% increase and even more in salaries West Cameroonians made the chant “going federal” their mantra. Yes, salaries were doubled even tripled, and some people moved to Yaounde. Arrears were paid on the new salaries and people carted away ton loads of money. “Federalization” was indeed a misnomer, for what in fact was the path to a centralization that spelt the death of the Federation. Still in good faith, the new form of the Union was given a chance. Dealing with the legal framework meant the organization of the Bar had to be revisited. So a new Law was passed in 1972 creating a Cameroon Bar totally controlled by the Government in which the lawyers were appointed by a presidential decree. The decade that followed was one in which the Bar fought for its independence and that is another story.
The movement of the Common Law Lawyers today must bring us to admit that, diversity in our country has been mismanaged. This has produced, negative dynamics, ethnocentrism, stereotyping and cultural clashes. These negative dynamics over the years have combined with imbalanced structures to create an atmosphere of social injustice. While it is true that diversity might well create ambiguity complexity and even confusion, the danger of assimilation under the guise of harmonization now appears as a time bomb. In such an atmosphere polarization of social groups becomes easy and this ultimately will breed cynicism and resentment and even heighten friction and tension that could all lead to unfathomable consequences in terms of civil and political unrest.
It will be remiss of me to give the impression that there are no other diversities to be managed. Different groups have come up with memoranda about their regions, what is the response? These are the cries of people who feel that they have been left behind or in some cases left out totally. Many international reports have concluded that the economic predicament of the areas attacked in the Central African Region, indeed facilitated the penetration by the terrorists. Thus many regions do face discrimination in many subtle forms, which are slowly contributing to disappointment and anger. When conflict is the unfortunate outcome, the “majority” or the group controlling power will see and treat any incident as “isolated” when in fact the minority just count it as another event in the pattern of oppression and injustice that is imbedded in the system.
I must hasten to add that there have been times when I have personally been witness to the clear demonstration of political will to protect diversity and ensure the respect of our constitution. When the very first OHADA laws were promulgated, the then Minister of Justice, Mr. Laurent Esso, delayed the application of the OHADA laws throughout the territory until they were translated and duly gazetted. He did this regardless of the coming into force date as per the Treaty. He insisted to the dismay OHADA authorities that our nation is bilingual and bi-jural. Further the accommodation of customary law in our judicial system is clear evidence of the fact that diversity can be accommodated.
In the final analysis, we must avoid building a nation where dialogue is assimilated to weakness and the strength of nation demonstrated by the use of force against its own people. We must have a system that builds in horizontal and vertical communication in the management of our diversity. We must unlearn practices rooted in an old mind set, change the way we manage diversity in our nation, shift our culture, revamp our policies, redesign and create new structures and emphasize the fact the ultimate goal of any Government is a better life for it citizens. The Swiss, the Nigerians, the Belgians, the Canadians, the Tanzanians just to name a few have all learned this. It is urgent that a high level Dialogue be initiated. So heed to the cry of the Common Law Lawyers we must, otherwise in the words of Alan Paton in his revered book Cry the Beloved Country “I have one great fear in my heart, that one day, when they are turned to loving they will find that we are turned to hating”. Respecting diversity might well mean CRTV will have a channel or channels in English, Cameroon Tribune reverts to having an English Edition as it once did and the Supreme Court having Common Law Benches sitting as it once was.
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- Rita Akana
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Dear T B Joshua
You seem to be the Godfather of Spiritual Fathers in Africa. You are one of the people who has inspired the whole African continent to follow the Spiritual Papa movement. Personally, I believe you are one of the men in this world who is hurting the black race. You are accountable for brainwashing millions of vulnerable black people and keeping them in slavery, mental slavery.
The white man is no longer our enemy, men like you TB Joshua are the true enemies of the black race. You are accountable for keeping black people in chains when God released us from Egypt centuries ago. You train men like Walter Magaya to cause maximum damage to black people, and you do all this in the name of God.
You call yourself a Prophet who hears directly from above. But today I have the honor to call you a liar and a false prophet. I hold you accountable using the same bible you claim to follow.
“If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and needs not be feared.” Deuteronomy 18:22, NLT
You issued a prophecy to the world via Facebook on 6 November 2016 at 4:16 pm where you claimed that you had been shown a woman winning the next American Presidential Election. Holding you accountable using the bible, your prophecy has failed to come to pass just 3 days after.
Today Donald Trump became the American President and I think it’s fair for us all to agree that he is definitely not a woman. According to the bible, you did not hear from God sir and you spoke without authority from above. People should no longer fear you. In other words, you are not a prophet and no one should hold you in that esteem.
Today soon after Donald Trump shocked the world by becoming the 45th US President, you quickly deleted your prophecy from Facebook. But we thank God for technology, smart black people had already screenshot your lies, and they will never be deleted from social media forever. Here is the evidence of your lies below.
TB Joshua, please do the honorable thing and apologize to God first. Then to us the black race. I think its also fair to apologize to the American people who truly believed your false prophecy and did not go to vote thinking God had already done it. It’s actually because of people like you why Trump has even won in the first place. You contributed to the media hype and campaign that caused people not to vote for your beloved Hillary Clinton thinking it was a done deal. The true God has really spoken, he favored Donald Trump over Clinton.
May I end this open letter by addressing all the black people who are under the spell of prophets and spiritual fathers. Just a few days ago I wrote about how men like you TB Joshua are a curse to the black people, especially black women. To my dear black folk across the whole world, may the winning of Donald Trump be a wake-up call to the entire black race.
Do not be afraid of anything or anyone. Donald Trump is not your enemy. Slavery was abolished in the 18th century. We are now in the 21st century. Colonialism is over. It is time to just move on from the chains of slavery. Stop mourning. Hillary Clinton was never going to do anything for you anyway. Even Barack Obama could not save you. The problem is not the world leaders or the white men. The problem is us.
As for you TB Joshua, instead of just deleting your fake prophecy from Facebook, please do issue a statement and explain to us why your god lied to you. I for one am waiting for that statement from you, and I know millions of black people who believed in you are waiting too. You are trending all over social media, even BBC and CNN are mentioning your failed prophecy, so please redeem yourself and speak out.
Yours sincerely
Jean Gasho
PS: I was not used by the devil when writing this letter and I definitely won’t be cursed or punished by God for it. And for the record I’m not mad, I’m just a woman
Read more on Jean Gasho Blog
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- Jean Gasho
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Biya Article Count: 73
# Paul Biya and his regime
Explore the political landscape of Cameroon under the rule of Paul Biya, the longest-serving president in Africa who has been in power since 1982. Our Paul Biya and his regime section examines the policies, actions, and controversies of his government, as well as the opposition movements, civil society groups, and international actors that challenge or support his leadership. You'll also find profiles, interviews, and opinions on the key figures and events that shape the political dynamics of Cameroon.
Southern Cameroons Article Count: 549
.# Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia
Learn more about the history, culture, and politics of Ambazonia, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that have been seeking self-determination and independence from the Francophone-dominated central government. Our Southern Cameroons section covers the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the human rights violations, and the peace efforts in the region. You'll also find stories that highlight the rich and diverse heritage, traditions, and aspirations of the Southern Cameroonian people.
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