Today October 1, 2021 marks 60 years since former British Southern Cameroons gained independence by voting to re-unify with La Republique du Cameroun. Separatists in the two English-speaking regions of the country consider this day as their ‘Independence Day’ declared by jailed Ambazonia leader, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe in 2017.
Parts of the North West and South West regions of Cameroon often experience clashes between separatists fighting for the ‘independence’ of a State they call Ambazonia and Government forces on this day, October 1 since 2017 when jailed Ambazonia leader, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe declared the independence of the said State.
This independence, they say is in remembrance to the day the former British Southern Cameroons voted overwhelmingly to achieve their independence by joining La Republique du Cameroun, the former French Territory of East Cameroon which had gained its independence in January 1960.
A referendum was held in British-ruled Cameroon over whether to join the newly independent Cameroon or Nigeria. The option of independence was not on the ballot. The territory's northern half opted to join Nigeria, whereas the south chose to merge with Cameroon for a federal status. Since then, Cameroon has been split between a French-speaking eastern and an English-speaking western half.
The federal status was later changed to United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 by late President Amadou Ahidjo and finally to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by President Paul Biya.
October 1 according to historians therefore stands as a very important date in the history of Cameroon. Late Barrister Bernard Muna once said that “without the October 1 plebiscite, there would never have been any May 20, without the re-unification on October 1, 1961, East Cameroon would have been stuck with January 1 as its National Day…”
Today, separatists in the two English-speaking regions demand the independence of a State they call Ambazonia over what they termed ‘Anglophone marginalization’. A crisis that began with a protest by lawyers and teachers calling for the English language to be given full recognition in public administration, the judiciary and the education and health care sectors, as guaranteed by the constitution soon escalated and saw the birth of a separatist movement.
Despite efforts by the Government to weaken the separatist groups which reports say benefit from support out of the country, the situation is yet to return to normal in the two English-speaking regions. The United Nations report of April 2021 indicated that attacks between Government and separatist fighters so far displaced more than 700,000 civilians and forced another 63,800 across the border to Nigeria. Added to that, civilians, children, students, soldiers and separatists continue paying with their lives.
The Major National Dialogue
In September 2019, the Head of State, Paul Biya convened the Major National Dialogue during which delegates had to seek solutions to the lasting crisis.
At the 76th United Nations General Assembly, President Paul Biya who was represented by the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella said the implementations of the recommendations of the dialogue, including the granting of a special status to the regions and the reconstruction plan have contributed a long way to reduce tension in the troubled regions.
He stated that despite “sporadic acts of banditry still perpetrated by armed gangs”, peace is gradually returning to the regions.
It is worth mentioning that ahead of this October 1, administrative authorities in parts of the North West and South West regions restricted movements and banned undeclared gatherings to frustrate any move by separatists to celebrate their “Independence Day”.
Ariane Foguem
The military has accused separatist fighters of cooperating with violent fundamentalist groups operating outside the country in exchange for sophisticated weapons that enable them successfully carry out deadly attacks on security forces and the civilian population in the restive North West and South West regions.
Four days after an attack by separatist fighters on a convoy of the 6th Rapid Intervention Battalion in Bamessing, Ndop sub-division, Ngoketunjia Division in the North West left a dozen of soldiers dead, the army finally made a statement on the incident.
In the statement issued Monday September 20 in the evening, the army spokesperson, Navy Captain Cyrille Serge Atonfack says the soldiers were on a reconnaissance mission to the above-mentioned locality when heavily armed separatist fighters who now deal with violent fundamentalist groups operating outside the borders ambushed them.
“Using an improvised explosive device, (IED) and an anti-tank rocket launcher (ATRL), the insurgents immobilized the vehicles of the Defence Forces before opening fire on the latter, who were seriously incapacitated by the detonation of the explosive charges…” Part of the statement reads.
Cyrille Atonfack adds that a similar attack few days before on the Kumbo-Tatum axis, Kikaikom locality, Kumbo subdivision, Bui Division of the North West left some other soldiers stripped life off some other soldiers.
Condemning the attacks carried out in “contempt of the International Humanitarian Law”, the army spokesperson discloses that the quality of weapons used resulting from their collaboration with other “terrorist entities” operating outside the country clearly indicates a change of operating style.
“Intelligence services have established with certainty that the resurgence of these terrorist groups by means of the quality of fire-power they have at their disposal and are systematically using is largely the result of their joining forces with other terrorist entities operating outside the country’s borders…”
“In any event, the Cameroonian army remains determined to eradicate all forms of violence in the North West, South West and Far North regions, areas in which it is now clearly established that there exist sophisticated arm links and exchanges between secessionist terrorists from the North West and South West regions with external violent fundamentalist groups.”
It is worth mentioning that the army seized this opportunity to convey the Head of State’s sincere condolences to the families of the departed soldiers.
Ariane Foguem
The Nigerian separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has disclosed that Biafra and Ambazonia in Cameroon are at the threshold of their collaboration in the struggle for independence.
In a statement by the Biafra group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday September 12, it says the Nigerian Government and its Cameroonian counterpart met recently to plan ways to frustrate any attempt by IPOB and Ambazonia leaders to come together because any such agreement would be a nightmare to both nations.
According to the Biafran group, Cameroon and Nigeria enjoy the spilling of the blood of their innocent citizens and that Nigeria’s Buhari facilitated the meeting with the delegation from Cameroon, while hiding under claims it was for security and border control.
The statement makes it clear that no matter what the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon will put in place to stop the two separatist groups in their moves to obtain independence, they will not succeed.
“The meeting in Abuja between both countries shows the fear of the agreement between Biafra and Ambazonia. The agreement between the two emerging nations has become a nightmare for Nigeria and Cameroon but unfortunately, there is nothing they can do to stop their emergence…” Part of the statement reads.
"Biafra and Ambazonia have been divinely ordained to come, and they are at the threshold. No antics of Nigeria and her partner in crime can stop Biafran and Ambazonia actualisation.” It further reads.
The group is sure that the only way out for peace to dwell in the Sub Saharan region would be by letting them get their independence. “The independence of Biafra and Ambazonia and Biafra are the only things that can guarantee peace in the gulf of Guinea and the African sub-region because they are the countries that can guarantee peace in the region.”
It has thus called on world leaders and the international community to guarantee referendums for the separatist groups to peacefully break away from their mother nations. “We are also calling on world leaders and the international community especially America, Israel, European Union and civilised nations across the globe to prevail on Nigeria and Cameroon to allow Biafra and Ambazonia to conduct their referendum to decide their fate.”
“The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and Paul Biya of Cameroon should be held responsible for whatever happens to Biafrans and the good people of Ambazonia and Biafra.”
The Biafra group ended by confirming it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the self-proclaimed State of Ambazonia to see into it that both “nations” obtain independence.
“We signed MOU for collaboration in our struggle for independence. We shall continue to work together as brothers and the oppressors understand our resolve to synergise, hence their morbid fear and anxiety. The agreement and MOU have come to stay and nothing can change it.”
It is worth mentioning that after news of a possible alliance between Biafra and Ambazonia groups went viral last April, the later distanced herself from the reported association, indicating the claim was propagated by opponents who intend to place a wedge between their movement for an independent nation and the Nigerian Government.
Ariane Foguem
