“We ask the people of Southern Cameroon to exercise their rights of a referendum which is provided in the Constitution” Bar. agbor Nkongho proposed to Canadian Parliament
5 min read“We are in a democracy, the best option be that we should give the people of Southern Cameroon the option to decide on federation whether they want to stay in the current dispensation or they want to have a separate state” The human rights defender, the founder and general over seer of Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (https://chrda.org) shriek to Canadian parliament on behalf of the masses in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
Though majority parliamentarian have refused in a robust zeal to discuss about the Anglophone crisis in a supposedly Cameroon house of parliament. What a shame is what a reasonable Cameroonian will exclaim when hearing that parliamentarians from different countries around the world have in many occasions give a listening ear to the problem of Southern Cameroon unlike brainwash, hand clappers and rented comedians in the name of parliamentarians in Cameroon who only cares about their stomach.
Bar. Abor Nkongho suggesting a referendum as the best way by which an Anglophone crisis can be solve to the Canadian parliament was because he has observe and come into a conclusion with facts that some Southern Cameroonians are clamoring for two state federation and others for total separation from La Republic du Cameroon. Hear him speak “some are clamoring for federation and others believe in the independence of the state of Southern Cameroon”
A human rights defender did not only clamor for a referendum but also went ahead to suggest possible solutions to the crisis pertaining to what the masses believe in as a solution to their problem in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. He told the parliamentarians that “there is a cry for a return to either two state federation or at best an independent Southern Cameroon” He also drills the Canadian parliament that any solution to the crisis rocking the Northwest and Southwest region of Cameroon must partake with ideas of Southern Cameroonian in the diaspora.
What is qualified as a wonderful question is the query by one of the parliamentarian lby name Mr. Sweet to Bar. Nkongho: “I will like you to tell us about the separatist, the number of them and how they are operating”? With experience and facts from where one is by nature must term “Ground Zero”, the human rights defender took the house of parliament back to what has been and what is happening in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon as a reason of the existence of separatist fighters in their numbers in Southern Cameroon. Hear him answer Mr. Sweet, “as a result of the killings of unarm civilians, burning of villages some citizens decided to come together to protect themselves as a self-defense”. This short phrase from Bar. Agbor summarizes the reasons for the creation of separatist fighters groups and its expansion in the sense that these atrocities are still being committed on the civilians by supposedly military men who are supposed to guide civilians. It is worthy to note that as civilians are being killed and village’s burned, these groups are bound to increase in their number either because of frustration or as a means to revenge the death of their love ones. Bar. Agbor explained to the parliament that some of this groups has been existing since the 1990s when the Southern Cameroonians started gearing for a return to two state federation or total independence from La Republic du Cameroon for example, Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC)
The Canadian parliament also asks the fate of journalism in Cameroon pertaining to 07/10/2018 presidential elections and human rights issues to bar. Agbor Nkongho. “Freedom of press and assembly will sink during Biya’s next seven years term” the barrister exclaimed. Explaining how journalist are illegally arrested and jailed in Cameroon for no just cause with the example of Mancho Bibixy and others who were arrested in connection with the Anglophone crisis, the founder of Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa decry acts of government authorities and the types of laws put in place to regulate freedom of press in the country. He also brought up the issue of hate speech tilting to the fact that there are some media houses or journalist in Cameroon who are best at preaching hate speeches against the population and going free because they support or are government sponsored media houses. But other media houses or journalist who do not preach hate speech are being banned, tortured, arrest and detain or have their license seized for criticizing government acts which are either against the principle of democracy or in violation of human rights
Another question was asked to bar. Agbor, this time pertaining to the creation and the functioning of bilingualism commission in Cameroon. According to a legal luminary, the voice of the voiceless and a human rights defender, the commission was created to showcase to the world that they are doing something tangible in relation to solving Anglophone crisis. He debunked the credibility of this commission having an impact as far as the crisis in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon is concern. He further explain to the parliamentarians that the problem in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon is largely based on marginalization and the failure of the United and decentralized form of government as per the 1996 Cameroon constitution.
A human rights defender label the most successful thing that the president (Paul Biya) of Cameroon has achieved for the past 36 years of his rule to be that he has succeeded to make sure that people are not talking about his country Cameroon. But he praises the fact that many people, organizations and government around the world are now talking about Cameroon as he gave the example of Canada, United states, UK, UN, etc.
All in all, as a human rights defender, Bar. Agbor Nkongho urges the Canadian parliament to pressure the government of Cameroon to take into consideration the respect of human rights before any other step. He explained that the referendum and other political issues are to take a little time before they can be finalized but emphasizes that the deteriorating human rights abuses in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon should first be taken care of as early as possible.
Likening the features of what happened in Rwanda (1994), the human rights defender in a vigorous pronouncement bring into people’s mind that the war which is only between Anglophone population and state authorities may in the near future if care is not taken generate into war between Francophone and Anglophone citizen.
We believe the Canadian parliament will pressure Cameroon government dialogue with Southern Cameroonians
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
You ask the people of southern Cameroon to exercise their right. You are correct. When did you ask? Who is not entitle to exercise their rights? Are this rights limited to you? There was a draft constitution but you failed this to address the so called rights to self determination y?
Is your rights under Cameroon Constitution?
Thank you Sir. He was making that statement because the government have failed to address the Anglophone crisis.
May I ask you this question; what is the anglophone problem that is not a Cameroon problem that warrants an anglophone solution alone?
OK Sir. When Cameroonian parliament refused totally to discuss our problem, Cameroon problem or a problem that if care is not taken it may lead to the division of a country. What do you expect from the victim? Where then can this problem be discuss when parliamentarians will walk out Joseph Wirba is insisting that the problem must be discuss!!! Yes it is Cameroon problem but the government is silent, the leaders who feel for people ought to like Bar. Balla beg for help outside the country since
What really make this problem to be an Anglophone problem and not a Cameroon problem
You have cited Wirba but I am not discussing with mr Wirba here. You presented the article and I am taking you through it. Put forward the anglophone problem that warrants an anglophone solution first.
Mr Cajetan answer the question before moving on to another please. Be focus
What really make this problem to be an Anglophone problem and not wholely a Cameroon problem is because of historical, cultural and political differences between the Anglophones and Francophones
Big man be focus don’t divert attention. It is 3yrs today with many life(lives) lost.
What is called an Anglophone problem which generated into a crisis in late 2016 solely on the unevenly distribution of resources or in other word marginalisation. Which emerged out of political differences.
Though what is happening now has claimed and still to claim many lives in this part of Cameroon.
This is generating into a full war because villages are being burned, properties destroyed, people killed by either the military or separatists fighters. Yes these things are happening, youths are victims and are potential victims of tomorrow,
But the facts remain clear the military is causing more harm than good to the population
The amba boys on the other side are causing harm also
But the government is has everything it takes to solve the problem which is dialogue. Worthy to note is the fact that dialogue created our country and only dialogue can build it stronger.
We do not always criticized the government because of any thing but because we wants a better living conditions for all. The threats by separatists activists is not a guarantee that they will be separation but if the government is wise and cares for you and me they should initiate dialogue now because war will not solve the problem but create problems. Every war ends in a dialogue and only the stronger party can initiate dialogue. In Cameroon only the government and separatists can initiates dialogue
Dialogue will be on the so called anglophones problem and I have asked you to spell just that problem but you are going round in circles. From your comments can you get a sense of why we are here today? If you can not spelled the problem what dialogue will address it?
OK Sir. Thanks for that clarification. An Anglophone problem is initially marginalisation
You are correct, as Cameroon is concern start by eliminating who you think is not marginalised in Cameroon. Secondly is Atanga Nji and all those within the government marginalised more than an ordinary French speaker in Garoua? I fully agree with your rhetoric but take out moral grounds and emotions and hit the legal and political aspects. Have a go let us see how far you will proof your marginalisation of anglophones.
Next are anglophones marginalised equally in all communities? Do anglophones marginalised anglophones?
What is called or term marginalisation here is mostly base on the fact that. Citizens of this part of the country have no jobs as compare to other part of the country. For example, there are no industries to employ youths in the Anglophone region of Cameroon. There are some important resources which the government do not always want to utilized like Limbe deep sea port, Ndop plains, and etc. This things can employ thousands of youths. So for instance, if youths were having industries to keep them they could have not been this crisis because they could have been occupied. Because this opportunities are not provided in this side of the country, they always feel marginalised by the government
Yes there is marginalisation even in our own homes, in our tribes and in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. But it not like I am partial to this fact when it comes to Anglophone problem. The reason why they (Anglophones) are talking of marginalisation is in relation to government policies. But we pray there is Chance for dialogue in the nearest future
Our problems are practical not embedded in the law
Sir, it must be acknowledged that there are problems in Cameroon but be focus on what I have ask you. Tomorrow you and me may be on the table of dialogue. Don’t carry weapons to seek dialogue when you have no voice to dialogue sir
Ok Sir. “Wars started in the minds of men and defenses must be constructed in the minds of men” we pray things get better and we experience a normal life again in Cameroon. Thanks for impacting me with some important issues
Mr Caje we are ordinary anglophone. I am a Bamenda boy. Do you now understand how misled we are! We have turn practical problems to major problems to wars. Please brother a heterogeneous society is not a homogeneous society. What you coin marginalisation is rooted in our communities. Look no further than your own family. Please be impartial. Reflect on that and get back. Nobody knows about tomorrow bother
That is it Sir. By the grace of God we pray things get better