Cameroon Anglophone Crisis: Bullets Will Not Solve The Problem, Dialogue Will

 By Dr. Amos Namanga  Ngongi *

Dr. A mos Namanga. Ngongi

The months of October, November and December were in many ways a great disappointment for Cameroonians. October 1^st that should have been a day of great joy and celebration of the 60^th Anniversary of the unification of Cameroon, a diamond jubilee worthy of pomp and pageantry, was not marked in any way or form. I remember with fondness the celebration of the first anniversary on 1 October, 1962.

However, considering the fact that the date has been all but wiped out of the country’s political calendar and in the face of the ongoing socio-political crisis and being a Monday, that day was marked by deafening silence in the North West and South West Regions. I remember the great enthusiasm and hope of the population of Buea on 1 October, 1961 and the mammoth crowd that gathered at the Buea Town Green for the historic occasion. The guard of honour led by Inspector of Police Boniface Patcha, now of blessed memory, was inspected by President Ahmadou Ahidjo and the Vice President and Prime Minister of West Cameroon, John Ngu Foncha. Even the early morning drizzle did not dampen the spirits of the population. There must be hundreds alive who witnessed that ceremony and who like me were disappointed at the non-recognition of such an important event 60 years later.

Then came the 14^th of October and the gruesome killing of little Carolis by a Gendarme. The spontaneous reaction of the crowd was a powerful demonstration of the pent-up anger of the population that is living under the weight of hardships -imposed by the sociopolitical crisis. It is a pity that the little girl lost her life in such a brutal manner. I visited Caro’s grave on 1^st November and prayed that her soul be received in heaven. Of equal pity was the mob justice imposed on the Gendarme by the angry crowd. Caro’s death brought back bad memories of the Kumba massacre of 24^th October, 2020 in which seven children were killed at Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy and 13 others injured.

However, as the saying goes, every dark cloud has a silver lining. The silver lining on the 14^th of October, 2021 was the unveiling of the Governor of the South West Region. He spoke as a Governor and a father, using words of empathy that would calm any angry crowd. One can only wonder what would have happened had he addressed the crowds in 2016 and 2017 in similar manner. May be we could have avoided the extremes of the current sociopolitical crisis.

The killing machine that has been unleashed on the population of the North West and South West Regions marches on. The social media is full of horrible images of heaps of dead bodies, armored cars blown up by improvised explosive devices, houses torched to the ground and villages that have been destroyed. To this carnage is added the million or so Cameroonians who have been displaced and are roaming from place to place. One only needs to visit Buea and see how crowded it has become because of its relative security. The resulting unplanned population growth and taxis, both regular and clandestine, have made life difficult for the resident population. The limited infrastructure (roads, water and electricity) has been stretched to the limits. The cost of living has skyrocketed. All of these inconveniencies are no match for the loss of life, torture and wanton arrests and imprisonment without trial that the population endures on a daily basis. As if October was not bad enough, November started with a bang.

Another young girl of 7 was killed by a Policeman in Bamenda and a school attacked in Ekondo Titi resulting in the death of four students and a teacher. These killings are in addition to the continued killing of soldiers, separatists and civilians, most of which are unreported. Then followed the explosions of IEDs in Buea. Two taxis bombed resulting in one death and the bombing of the Trade Fair Grounds that resulted in the wounding of twelve persons. The population of Buea that has lived in some security is now in shock

The only way to stop the killings, restore human rights and dignity, encourage displaced persons to return to their homes, ease the pressure on infrastructure, launch a credible reconstruction programme and revive the crippled economy in both regions is to stop the war.

The National Assembly, recently in session, did not have on its agenda an item on the sociopolitical crisis. Apparently, the crisis is not yet considered serious enough to merit a debate. However, advantage was taken during the discussion on the reconstruction programme for the North West and South West regions to express views on the Anglophone crisis. Is this case even one of “putting a cart before the horse”? The two regions are in a state of emergency and insecurity in which people are losing their lives and there is massive involuntary migration of the population to urban areas within and out of the two English-speaking regions. Instead of seeking avenues to put a stop to the emergency situation caused by the war, the talk is about reconstruction. It is amazing that organizations and countries that should be exerting pressure on the warring parties to make peace are pledging resources for reconstruction. The goodwill is appreciated but evidence from other warring countries does not support such planning. At best, it is to comfort the government to maintaining a wrong strategy.

As long as the war rages on, all plans for reconstruction and reviving the economy are fraught with failure. The Anglophone crisis has been analyzed and proposals for a solution made by many well informed persons, Cameroonians and others. What is now needed is the convening of a national conference or dialogue to discuss various options to save the people of the  North West and South West Regions and the country. There is no need for Cameroonians, be they members of security forces, separatists or civilians to be dying in a war that did not have to occur. Five years into the war it is incumbent on the government to initiate action to end it. Separatists should respond positively to invitations from the government for dialogue. Bullets will not solve the problems and end the war, dialogue will. A mediated dialogue without preconditions will chart a path to peace.

At the end of October, representatives of some of the warring factions and other stakeholders convened in Toronto, Canada, to discuss the Anglophone crisis. The stated objective was to work towards coordinated positions. Although all parties concerned were not represented, that was a step in the right direction. If there is common understanding among the various non-state actors it would make future discussions with the government much easier. It was a welcome effort on the part of the Coalition for Dialogue and Negotiations (CDN). Hopefully future sessions will broaden participation and fine-tune positions and options that can be tabled at a Dialogue. The essence should be to identify, discuss and agree on options that would allow the populations of the North West and South West Regions to have a true sense of belonging and live in harmony with the rest of the country, if possible.

Having missed the 60^th anniversary of unification for peace to return to the North West and South West Regions, I hope we will not wait until the 61^st anniversary to start the process. Let us start now with a ceasefire. At least a truce that permits discussions on modalities for a ceasefire should be declared. Borrowing from the Greeks and the truces they used to institute in respect of the Olympic Games, let a football truce be declared from 1^st January to 15^th February, 2022. It will be a bold step towards creating conditions for peace. Peace @60 is still possible. We have 9 months to the 61^st anniversary of unification. That is enough time to silence the guns and breathe the fresh air of peace.

 *Dr.Namanga Ngongi is a former Under-Secretary General and Special Representative of the UN to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Head of the Peacekeeping Mission (MONUC).