The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, Dabney Yerima has told the Cameroon Concord News Group that he plans to travel to the US to attend the critically important international conference on the escalating armed conflict in the Southern Cameroons scheduled for March 19-21, 2020 in Washington D.C

The exiled Southern Cameroons leader hinted that his trip to the United States will also include a meet-the-people tour to decide on the timing of an Ambazonia electoral process to split off from La Republique du Cameroun.

The Ambazonian Vice President is also expected to meet with US State Department officials to assure the White House that the Federal Republic of Ambazonia will not be another South Sudan but that a UN sponsored referendum vote for secession in Southern Cameroons would simply re-draw Africa’s map and guarantee security and prosperity in the Gulf of Guinea.

In a telephone conversation with our London Bureau Chief late on Tuesday, Vice President Dabney Yerima opined that he will do all within his powers to meet with US Assistant Secretary of State Hon. Tibor Peter Nagy Jr. to urge him to intensify his engagement to find a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in Southern Cameroons-Ambazonia that will of course include a peaceful separation of the two countries.

Dabney Yerima lashed out at some so-called front line Southern Cameroons leaders whose actions have been sending conflicting signals to the international community. “Instead of celebrating the declaration of our independence made possible by our great leader President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and working hard to multiply and consolidate our gains during this struggle, a handful are busy helping the French Cameroun invading army in creating the largest refugee crisis in the Sub Saharan African region”  Yerima said.  “An estimated 2.5 million Southern Cameroonians have been forcibly displaced.  An estimated 20,000 may have been killed since President Biya of La Republique du Cameroun declared war against us, but the death toll could be far, far greater” the Vice President added.

Comrade Dabney Yerima observed that the humanitarian situation in Southern Cameroons is dire with more than 89 percent of the Ambazonian population in Ground Zero requiring humanitarian assistance.  Yerima pointed out that insecurity created by the French Cameroun invading army and armed militias sponsored by barons of the ruling French Cameroun crime syndicate have disrupted farming cycles and trade routes in Southern Cameroons.

Vice President Yerima revealed that Southern Cameroons popular markets in Tiko, Kumba, Bamenda and Mamfe have all collapsed and food prices have skyrocketed.  He indicated that over 2000 Ambazonian children in Lebialem and Menchum County including Bui, Akwaya and Ndian are facing acute malnutrition and relief supplies from international donors have been repeatedly looted by soldiers loyal to the French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé.

The war in Southern Cameroons has been characterized by horrific human rights violations blamed on the Cameroon government army. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group have all reported that civilians have not only been caught up in the violence but have directly been targeted by French speaking army soldiers.

The U.N. Representative in the North West region recently suggested that genocide was ongoing in Southern Cameroons. Both Cameroon government army soldiers and Ambazonia Restoration Forces have engaged in widespread violence with attacks on aid workers on a rise. Human Rights Watch officials assert that targeted attacks against civilians, humanitarians, and U.N. personnel in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon by government forces may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai in Brussels, Asu Isong in London and Oke Akombi Ayukepi Akap in Glasgow