Cameroon:CHRDA Launches Book on Anglophone Crisis

 By Christopher Ambe

The Centre for Human Right

s and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), Buea has published a book on the socio-political and economic crisis (otherwise known as the Anglophone crisis) rocking the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon since 2016.

The 173-page and nine-chapter book,titled “IN THE EYES OF THE STORM, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA. The Unheard Voices of the Anglophone War in Cameroon

”, was launched, March 17, at the Press Flat Centre, PCC Synod Office- Buea.

The book , which  contains  pathetic  testimonies and eye-witness accounts of ugly happenings ,  unheard voices of victims, also demonstrates how  the Anglophone crisis  has morphed into an Anglophone War-and  claimed  several thousands of lives and  destroyed  property worth billions of FCFA.

The CHRDA, the author of the book, is an NGO that is committed to protecting and advancing human rights, as well as promoting democracy in Africa.

Launching the book, Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho (fondly called Agbor Balla) who is President/Founder of CHRDA, said the revelations contained in the book would prick the conscience of readers and cause them see the greater need to protect humanity.

“We are not blaming anyone. We are trying to find solutions to the crisis. So when you read The Unheard Voices…, Speak to your leaders, speak to your MPs, your senators, speak to Amba boys that you know. Tell them, ‘Enough is enough. This is the time when we need peace. Life must return to normal.’ ”

Describing the book as a must-read document, the CHRDA founder implored everyone to read the book and share widely its contents.

“We should not be bystanders, but active participants in making Cameroon a better country to live in,” Barrister Nkongho appealed to the audience, who greeted him with thunderous applause when he announced that every person present at the launch was entitled to a free copy of the new book.

Addressing the audience, Christopher Tambe Tiku, head of the Southwest Regional Office of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission and noted rights activist, commended all the contributions of CHRDA towards improving the human rights situation in the country.

Although the book launch was not the traditional kind where people are invited to buy copies of the new book in question, so impressed with the publication was Mr. Tambe Tiku that, he gave a symbolic financial support to the staff of CHRDA for their enormous efforts towards rights promotion.

He promised the Cameroon Human Rights Commission would   forge an important working collaboration with CHRADA soon.

 “We would like to tap a lot from CHRDA experiences; we can complement efforts towards the promotions of human rights. The promotion and protection of human rights is not an individual responsibility. We must complement one another,” Mr. Tambe Tiku reiterated.

The audience at the launch included lawyers, journalists, civil society leaders, teachers, security rights advocates, administration officials and diplomatic representations (like Consulate-General of Nigeria in Buea).

At the end of the launch, each of the over 200 launch attendees received a free copy of the book.

The book review by rights advocate, Norman Taku, aroused the interest of the audience in the book.