Cameroon’s national dialogue was announced by H.E. President Paul Biya in a televised address Tuesday September 10, 2019. The dialogue in question will mainly concern the crisis in the North-West and South-West Regions.
Please share your specific perspectives on the following:
- What are your first thoughts as far as the dialogue initiative is concerned?
- Who should be the key actors at the dialogue table?
- Should the UK-resident Cameroon Diaspora be represented? If so, how should the representatives be agreed?
- What should be the items on the dialogue agenda?
- What are the necessary conditions to reduce tension and assure the security of likely attendees ahead of the dialogue takeoff?
- Perhaps the dialogue should be undertaken in phases? If so, why and what should these phases be?
- Should the dialogue be limited over a timeframe, say a week or 2 weeks?
- What should be the desired outcomes of the dialogue exercise and at what point must these outcomes become binding?
- Any general comments concerning this dialogue inititative?
Anyone affected, directly or indirectly, by the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon should simply not be indifferent to the dialogue initiative announced by President Paul Biya in his televised address of 10 Sept 2019. No matter how you feel about the crisis, the thing to do is to use every opportunity to unambiguously state your feelings. You are therefore strongly encouraged to share your views. These would go a long way to help boost the drive of those who opt to step up to participate in the dialogue with a goal to, without fear or favour, advance the resolution of the Anglophone problem once and for all.
While the idea of having dialogue is very welcomed after all what has been going on in north west and south west regions, the approach being suggested will dilute the focus of the dialogue and will probably not achieve any the desired outcomes. The dialogue should be aimed at the root causes of the problems that led to the uprising in north west and south west regions but it is seemingly taking a national dimension which will not address the underlying issues of the crisis in the anglophone regions. While a national dialogue can help deal with other outstanding issues facing the country as a whole, there is need for a separate and focused dialogue on the issues of the anglophone people and look at ways of resolving them. It will serve no one in engaging on a broad base dialogue that will not resolve the greatest problems that have threatened the union of the two Cameroons since they came together. I will suggest that the government grants amnesty to all imprisoned members of the uprising as way to start genuine dialogue. Having a dialogue while people are in prison will not resolve any problems. It will actually cause more divisions as those who pretend to attend the dialogue as representatives of the anglophone people are only doing so for their individual benefits and will do nothing to resolve the current crisis. So a dedicated and focused dialogue on the problems raised by the anglophone people and concrete steps to address them through inclusion of all key stakeholders is the only viable way to get a resolution of this crisis. My humble suggestion.
Here are some of the issues that have gotten the anglophone people disenchanted with the current system in Cameroon:
1.While Francophones have kept their unitary/centralized French system of government, Anglophones have lost their federal system.
2. While they have kept their French Franc, Anglophones have lost their pounds and shillings.
3. While Francophones have kept the Flag they gained independence with, Anglophones have lost theirs.
4. While Francophones have kept Yaounde as their capital in Cameroun, Anglophones have lost Buea which was their capital.
5. While Francophones have kept French as their National Language, they are making Anglophones to lose theirs which is English, through assimilation.
6. While Francophones have kept their Airports and Seaports, Anglophones have lost theirs, Tiko and Limbe.
7. While Francophones have decided to join CEMAC, Anglophones have lost their membership in the West African Union.
8. While All Military and Police Schools are administered in French, Anglophones have lost theirs.
9. While Francophones have kept their French Law and Court System, they disrespect Common Law and have made it to lose its value.
10. While Francophones have kept their history, Anglophones have lost theirs.
11. While Francophones have kept their Gendermarie and Police, anglophones have lost the West Cameroon Police and Mobile Wing.
Until these problems are addressed with honesty and goodwill, we may never see peace. As history has taught us, guns and suppression of a people with such historical facts to back them, can never lead to any meaningful dialogue or resolve the crisis.