Bakassi: C’River Accuses Cameroon of Violating ‘Green Tree’ Agreement

From Ernest Chinwo in Calabar

Cross River State has accused the Republic of Cameroon of violating the Green Tree Agreement that set the terms for the handing over of Bakassi Peninsula, saying the country is responsible for the violence in the area.
Nigerian nationals in the Peninsula have been complaining of harassment by the Cameroonian Gendarmes whom they say are not allowing them fish in the high seas.

Members of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) also said last month while surrendering their arms to officials of the Federal Government at a ceremony at the temporary headquarters of the Bakassi Local Government Area at Ikang, Cross River State under the amnesty programme, that they came into existence to protect themselves from the violence of the Gendarmes.

Addressing journalists in Calabar, yesterday , the Director-General of the Cross River State Border Communities Develop-ment Commission, Mr. Leo Aggrey, also said the lack of co-operation by the Cameroonian authorities has been responsible for the non-development of the border communities in the Peninsula.

He said Cameroonian Gendarmes have been harassing Nigerian fishermen at the high seas contrary to the terms of The Green Tree Agreement on the 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded the territory to the Republic of Cameroon.

According to Aggrey, “The Cameroonians are not living with the terms of the Green Tree Accord and that has been the problem.
The things that are contained in the Green Tree Accord which would have allowed our Bakassi fishermen to fish in the high seas are not being observed by the Cameroonian authorities and that is putting pressure on the Federal Government.

“It is not that the State or the Federal Government has abandoned the Bakassi people. There are intricate issues of the Green Tree Accord which up till now the National Assembly is very vexed over because the Treaty ought to be passed by the National Assembly which was not done.

And most of these things are the set backs what we are facing”. Aggrey, a former Attorney General of the State, however said the State Government was working with the Federal Government to seek a review of the ICJ judgment in line with the procedure of the Court.

“We can still ask for a review of the ICJ Judgement from The Hague. There is a 10-year gestation period from judgement for you to apply to The Hague for a review. I think we still have two years on our hands to appeal for a review of the judgement if we are serious and I think Governor Imoke is taking that up with the Presidency”, he said.

On reports that the United Nations has released funds for the resettlement of displaced persons of Bakassi, the Aggrey said he was not aware of the release of any funds by the United Nations.
“If any funds have been released I am not privy to it. But I know that Governor Liyel Imoke will plough every kobo that is meant for the resettlement of the displaced people of Bakassi into it because I know his feelings towards the plight of the people”, he said.

Courtesy:THIS DAY Online,Nigeria