The President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya has indicated that the Major National Dialogue convened two years ago to seek solutions to the close to five-year-old Anglophone crisis rocking the North West and South West regions of the country has been yielding tangible fruits.
The declaration was made last September 25 by External Relations Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella on behalf of President Paul Biya, at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, America.
Speaking at the session, Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella outlined some of the implemented recommendations of the Major National Dialogue convened two years ago to seek solutions to the crisis which have contributed a long way to reduce tension in the crisis-hit regions and is making way for peace.
Among others, he cited; the creation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration centres; the humanitarian assistance plan; the reconstruction plan of the two regions; the special status conferring on the North West and South West regions a regional assembly, a House of Chiefs, a regional executive board and Public Independent Conciliators.
After outlining these implemented recommendations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella said actions on the ground have been yielding tangible fruits with a “gradual return to peace.”
He nevertheless mentioned that some sporadic acts of banditry are still being perpetrated by armed gangs but defence and security forces deployed to the regions are determined to ensure the protection of people and their property in total respect of human rights.
It is worth mentioning that recently, the Anglophone regions, especially the North West was the theatre of despicable violence perpetrated by separatist fighters on security forces. After losing at least 15 men in less than a week, the military announced a change in strategy.
More sophisticated weapons have been dispatched to the regions to reduce the rate at which soldiers fall during Ambazonia ambushes.
The Anglophone crisis which started as a street protest by teachers trade unions and lawyers associations will enter its fifth year this November. As the conflict continue to rage on, calls for a genuine dialogue as the only way out of the situation intensify.
Attacks between Government forces and armed separatists have displaced more than 700,000 civilians and forced more than 60,000 across the border to Nigeria with thousands of deaths according to the United Nations report of April 2021.
Ariane Foguem
