Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Tibor Nagy, well known for his stance against the use of violence to end the Anglophone crisis has reiterated that a military option cannot stop the armed conflict that is gradually taking a disturbing twist.
In the space of a week, Cameroon lost at least fifty soldiers in two targeted attacks perpetrated by suspected separatist fighters, one of which has been described as one of the most gruesome on the military since the Anglophone crisis went violent.
Confirming the deadly attacks, Cameroon’s army revealed that the “terrorist” armed separatists are cooperating with external violent fundamentalist groups thanks to which they have been able to acquire sophisticated weapons such as anti-tank rocket launchers that they used in one of the attacks to immobilize the soldiers’ convoy.
The army spokesperson said these attacks and many others suffered by the military recently will in no case stop the soldiers from accomplishing their mission in the two troubled regions, that is do everything possible to restore peace and guarantee the free movement of people and goods, an opinion not shared by the former US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Tibor Nagy.
The American Diplomat who has on several occasions warned against the use of violence to solve the crisis in a fresh outing Tuesday September 21 on the situation reiterated that the military option will fail the Government.
“So sorry to see increased violence in Cameroon Anglophone conflict. I’ve warned for years that if not resolved conflict will get deadlier and spread. There is no military solution…” Tibor Nagy wrote on his twitter page.
“What’s in the human spirit cannot be extinguished with force.” He added.
Tibor Nagy has always advocated for a genuine dialogue between both parties to see an end to the armed conflict. In one of his outings, he cited the US-Vietnam war and advised that only dialogue would end the sufferings of the people in the regions.
As far as dialogue is concerned, in 2019 the President of the Republic, Paul Biya convened a Major National Dialogue that aimed at looking for solutions to the crisis. Recommendations to see into that were adopted, some of which have been implemented.
That notwithstanding, two years after, the prospect of peace in the two English-speaking regions is still distant.
Ariane Foguem
