By Peter Tacheo
The Anglophone crisis, which erupted in
October 2016, was not intended to be xenophobic attacks by English-minority Cameroonians
against their French-majority compatriots. Both Francophones and Anglophones have
co-existed for as long as the Republic of Cameroon has existed.
In fact, the
Anglophone crisis is an outburst of decades of pent-up anger by the
English-speaking regions (Northwest and Southwest) of Cameroon, against the
majority Francophone-led Administration.
But the battle field is Anglophone Cameroon
where deadly clashes between Government forces and armed separatists have been
taking place as separatists seek the independence of their supposed country called
Ambazonia.
Although not a
xenophobic fight per se, some Francophones resident in Anglophone Cameroon have
reportedly been threatened with deaths and asked to leave for their safety.
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| Tangwo Ngueffe G.T |
They are accused- rightly or wrongly- of
contributing money to support the Government in its crackdown of Anglophones or
of leaking information about the hideouts of the separatists
A recent case is that of Tangwo Ngueffe
Garcial Toscani, who was born in Loum in September 30, 1996, but later moved to
Muyuka Subdivision where he was living with relations. Unfortunately for Tangwo,
he was accused of leaking information to government forces about separatist
fighters in Munyenge, where deadly clashes between government forces and
separatists have been recurrent.
Hinted of a plan by some unknown men to
abduct him, Tangwo and relations escaped. But their residence was reportedly
later burnt down. It was not clear who committed the arson.
But the military
has been accused of burning houses and villages, suspected to be hideouts for
armed separatists while unknown men ,believed to be separatists have attacked
and or kidnapped those their consider as the enemy to their struggle for
independence.
Many other
Francophones especially in Meme and Fako Division, who reportedly received
anonymous threats, have also relocated to Francophone Cameroon.
Cameroon’s Northwest & Southwest regions o were formerly
known as UN British Southern Cameroons, which had gained independence from the
British on October 1, 1961, by joining with La Republique du Cameroun, for both
states to become a federation.
But the
federation was abolished in 1972 against the spirit of the federal constitution,
which in its 47(1) stated: “Any proposal for the revision of the present
constitution which impairs the unity and integrity of the federation shall be
inadmissible”.
The country then
became United Republic of Cameroun and in 1984 it was renamed La
Republique du Cameroun, the name by which French Cameroon was called when it got
independence on January 1, 1960.
Since the union of Francophones and Anglophones, the latter
have persistently complained of
their gross marginalization,
resulting in the formation of the Southern
Cameroon National Council (SCNC) in 1994 as a pressure group fighting for the restoration of Southern Cameroons
independence.
But the Cameroon
Government has outlawed the SCNC, labeling it as a terrorist group and thus
prosecuting members.
The current
crisis started when Anglophone teachers and lawyers staged public protests in
late 2016 against perceived injustices by the Biya government but the latter rather
resorted to repression after a failed dialogue.
Many fear that if
the crisis, which has led to the deaths of many-both civilian and solidiers,is
not quickly resolved as recommended by international organizations including
the UN,it may sooner or later turn into a civil war between Francophones and
Anlophones.
