Southern Cameroonians have lived under a permanent state of emergency since 1961
This so-called Ministerial order banning the SCNC and the Consortium of Southern Cameroons Civil Society Organizations is a desperate kick of a dying horse. This desperate move is not new. Southern Cameroonians have lived with this since the annexation and colonization of our territory in 1961. Southern Cameroonians have resisted colonial governance through dictatorial fiat and the ongoing popular revolt against colonial rule and bestiality are but an irrevocable step towards regaining our freedom. We have lived under a permanent state of emergency in our territory since 1961 and the so-called Ministerial Order in context tacitly affirms that. But the egregious violations like abductions, assassinations and all forms of crimes against humanity did not drive us underground even under Babatoura Ahidjo and Forchive. On the contrary, the coercive methods they deployed against us convinced even those who were born into colonial rule and skeptics that life under colonial rule is simply unacceptable and impossible. The liberating spirit of freedom which our ancestors endured and which we inherited must not be frightened into submission.
A regime that invites the Consortium into purported negotiations and failing to bribe or intimidate them to betray the popular aspiration of the people they were mandated to represent is itself living on life-support. It is on life support because it no longer has the pleasure and benefit of time or the hitherto docility of its own emasculated citizens to realize its desperate goals. The requests made by the Consortium that are cited in the so-called Ministerial Order banning the Consortium were made within the context of the supposed negotiation convened by the government of La Republique. What a responsible government would have done would have been to provide a reply to the requests made within the context of the purported negotiations. To ban and abduct a negotiating party on the basis of proposals made within that context of a negotiation in which it is party and indeed convened the meeting, and on the basis of legitimate actions taken within the context of the issues in contention is criminal and indeed an act of state terror.
The purporting banning of the Consortium is null and void ab initio and no legal consequences whatsoever. The purported baning and abductions must therefore be condemned worldwide and the abducted persons and all other Southern Cameroonians abducted prior to and during the ongoing resistance unconditionally released.
The supposed ban of the SCNC is laughable. The SCNC has litigated cases with La Republique du Cameroun internationally. At the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the SCNC, SCAPO and SCYL litigated the Southern Cameroons Case and La Republique du Cameroun accepted the outcome of the case and in writing, accepted to abide by the decision of African Leaders for a resort to dialogue under the supervision of the African Commission to discuss constitutional arrangements aimed at resolving the Southern Cameroons issue.
The fact that La Republique has so far not submitted itself to the decision of the AU long after the extension of time it sought does not invalidate its acceptance of the outcome of the case. The SCNC has an international status and has been recognized as such, including by La Republique du Cameroun. Curiously, the purported decision banning the SCNC does not refer to any specific legal instruments indicating that it had at any time sought legal status or legitimacy from a colonial contraption it has always rejected. The SCNC has and will always operate in the territory of the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia and will never ever be driven underground at the threshold of success when previous attempts failed and failed woefully.
One act of panic on the part of the neo-colonial contraption aimed at frightening the Southern Cameroons to capitulate was the meeting of CEMAC countries summoned on or about the 23 December 2016 at the heart of the resistance purportedly to discuss matters relating to the colonial currency, the Franc CFA. The real purpose of that meeting had nothing to do with the colonial currency but intended by the humiliating presence of two French colonial representatives to send warning signals to the Southern Cameroons not to mess up with the French colonial economy within our territory.
Again the banning of the Consortium and the SCNC and the abduction of the Chairman of the Consortium, distinguished President of Fako Lawyers Association and Vice President of the African Bar Association Barrister Agbor Nkongho and others only a few days after the anniversary of the assassination of Ernest Ouandie whose assassination on 15 January, 1971 provided a pretext to impose a state of emergency under which the Yes /Oui fraudulent referendum was conducted on 20 May 1972 was intended again to frighten us and force us underground.
Again this is a miscalculation for this time around, fear has changed sides as HRM Fon Gorgi Dinka prophetically said many years ago. The ongoing resistance of the Southern Cameroons against colonial rule, oppression, injustice and bestiality will be determined by a number of factors all which are on our side: Justice, history, resilience, and time. The glorious days of colonial rule are in the past. Only the sovereign will of the people in the exercise of their right to self-determination will determine our fate and not force and the abusive use of force. The people have taken control of their destiny and there is no looking back under any cowardly use of force against armless and peaceful people.
Chief Charles A. Taku
18/03/2017 @ 05:47
TO “MWALIMU” GEORGE NGWANE: HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN SO SOON?
By: C.NSAM
It’s a pretty long time “Mwalimu”.
My eyes however strayed last night on articles published by Bareta News and Cameroon Intelligence (Online edition) announcing your appointment as member of Mr Biya’s ambiguous bilingualism commission. My immediate reaction was to scan your blog, and appreciate your reaction to the appointment. So far (i.e. at the moment of scribbling this open note to you) I am still to know if you have accepted the appointment or not!
Whatever position you take, the fact is that your name conjured memories of moments that I consider very key to the Southern Cameroons struggle. Consequently, you will permit me to pose a few questions to you “Mwalimu”!
Do you still remember those days in Buea “Mwalimu”? The days we all passed around for a community of “Idealists”? Do you remember how we thronged the rocky streets of Great Soppo in Buea? Draining the last “33”dregs at “Olivia” after launching the front at “Gaston” or “Pa John” at Bolifamba? Those were great days! Great company! Great minds! How soon have the beautiful ones gone.
“Mwalimu”, can you still recollect those days? The names? The people? Some of those people have gone ahead of us all – BB (Bate Besong-RIP), Julius Afoni (RIP), Teche (RIP). Some are still alive – Francis Wache, Anu Vincent, Barrister Charles Taku etc. Those were great days “Mwalimu”! Do you still remember them?
Do you remember the famous Pamphlet (Book) launch at the Buea Youth Centre! I mean the launch that was organized to celebrate the Pamphlet you quickly published to “honour” Bate Besong (BB), who was pronounced ANA (Association of Nigerian Authors) Laureate – Drama Category for that year? Do you remember all of those hopeful eyes that flooded the Buea Youth Centre? Do you at all remember “Mwalimu”?
Do you still remember the title of the pamphlet you wrote? – “Bate Besong or Symbol of Anglophone Hope?” Can you still remember the lightening sparks that came out of that moment – Simon Munzu’s words? Barrister Ekontang Elad’s words? Carlson Anyangwe’s keynote? Do you still remember “Mwalimu”? Do you even still remember that you were at the centre of the mobilization of the entire Southern Cameroons to this eventful moment? Do you still remember “Mwalimu?”
Do you still remember that this was the moment that gave birth to the All Anglophone Conference 1 (AAC1)? Do you still remember this glorious newspaper headline that I casted after the Buea Youth Centre Pamphlet Launch – “IS IT NOT TIME FOR AN ALL ANGLOPHONE CONFERENCE?” Have you suddenly forgotten “Mwalimu?”
Do you remember how old Dr Agbor Balla was then “Mwalimu”? Or have you also forgotten that “Little Agbor Balla” of the times then, is the now versatile, courageous, selfless leader of a struggle that you once claimed to stand for?
Can you really tell me that you have forgotten “Mwalimu”? Have you forgotten that in those days, when the mantle seed of the Southern Cameroons, rocked and rattled, “Little Agbor Balla” looked up to you? Have you forgotten? Teacher, don’t tell me you have forgotten!
Yes, “Little Agbor Balla” looked up to you. You were the great master of ceremony during AAC1 (Mount Mary); you were this articulate columnist in Kebila Fokum’s edition of “The Messenger”. Yes that’s who you were. Have you forgotten “Mwalimu”? Have you truly forgotten? So soon?
I don’t want to believe that you have so suddenly forgotten, even though I have just stumbled upon reviews written by our contemporaries who believe that you have never ever been serious or genuine about your southern Cameroons chanting. Most of our contemporaries believe that you have always been the self-seeking schemer, nosing around and sniffing any opportunity that will swell your ego!
Can you then prove them wrong by turning down this appointment “Mwalimu”? After all what is there in this club of gangsters that you can change? Or are you now one of them? Or you were already one of them as some of our contemporaries hold? Can you please disprove them? Can you show the world that there is nothing in common between you and sycophant greed eaters like Peter Mafany Musonge? Or have you grown to become one of them “Mwalimu”?
Dear “Mwalimu” George Ngwane, truly I have not met nor seen you for a very long time. But I want to believe you are still a fervent Christian; 1John 2:4-6 echoes these holy words:-
The Man who says, “I know him” but does
Not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in
him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly
made complete in him. This is
how we know we are in him:
Whoever claims to live in him
must walk as Jesus did.
Is there anything in the Biya regime that has happened in the last 34 years of Cameroon’s tortured history that you can call truth “Mwalimu”? Is there anything that this man has done in the past 34 years of the history of the nation that you can place to define the love that he has for the country “Mwalimu”? What therefore makes you believe that your presence in this farce will change anything “Mwalimu”?
Mr. Biya, and his disciples have told Cameroonians lies for 34 years today. There is no iota of truth in anything that has ever come out of his mouth since he assumed the mantle of power in Cameroon 34 years ago. That is why in all these years, one common factor has rest as the identity of his disciples – Lies!
My dear “Mwalimu” George Ngwane, let me close with one more scripture from the book of Philippians 2:5-8
“Your attitude should be the
Same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature
God,
did not consider equality
with God something to
be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of
a servant,
being made in human
likeness.
And being found in
appearance as man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death-
even death on a cross!”
I do recognize the cravings of man’s ego that causes us to lose reason, and even accept poisoned chalices as sweet incense gifts. Jesus Christ opens our minds to fresh scale of thought in this scripture; let us stay obedient to the truth, even when faced with the cross. For the glory that the Lord adorns us with will outshine the clustered dim of the wicked.
“Mwalimu” I do rest my case; say hello to George Mofor, Barrister Ashutangtang and all those crop of young Southern Cameroonians who have always looked up to you. God Bless You.