The week of November 28 to 2nd December 2016 was indeed preoccupying and brought the British Southern Cameroons struggle for self-determination and independence to the forefront forcing those who before had pretended to brush it aside to come to terms with the concrete reality. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) declares, “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

The British Southern Cameroons struggle for self-determination, de-annexation and independence under the UN Charter led by the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) as a revolution has passed through first and second stages and has just entered the third and final. We heartily congratulate the Common Lawyers, the Teachers and all the Southern Cameroonian people. Through this massive support, what the SCNC has been working for through political education, we will end foreign domination and alien rule and all become masters of our destiny.

In Bamenda on Nov. 28, 2016 the SDF MPs, Senators and Mayors had a real standoff with la Republique du Cameroun Proconsul, Adolph Lele L’Afrique. Determined to hold a public rally and make their position known to the population whom they represent, they were not ready to bow to a “No Public Rally” from the Proconsul of la Republique du Cameroun. The rally that held as the elected leaders arrived from the Proconsul’s office protesting with placards carrying various messages condemning use of tear gas and brutalization of peaceful protesters making legitimate demands, was heavily attended by the politically conscious and no nonsense Bamenda population.

The population was not only anxious to hear, they had their own message to give their leaders thus any speaker who spoke in favour of federation, received shouts of “NO! No!!. No!!!” To demonstrate that they mean business, the youths rejected the use of French by any speaker, even the guests from la Republique, at the rally for you never discuss your imposed problem, in your enemy’s language. It was an interactive rally for the population had a firm message for the leaders and people of la Republique. Enough of la Republique barbaric domination and brutality! British Southern Cameroons INDEPENDENCE is not negotiable!

When the SDF National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi turned to the trigger-happy oppressors present and declared, “There should be no drop of blood in Bamenda again. We will not take it!” he received a thunderous applauds from the enlivened crowd.

While Fru Ndi and the elected leaders were giving hope to the subjugated people, the annexationist regime, once again transformed Buea University into a war zone. Without provocation the Vice Chancellor Dr Nalova Lyonga failing to force students into class for her personal glory invited the occupation forces into campus. And they in colonial aggression descended on the campus with tear gas, battons, guns and life bullets which they used recklessly. As mature, disciplined and law- abiding people, the unarmed students shocked to see armed troops swiftly brought in screamed, “No violence! No Violence!! No Violence!!!. But the colonial repressive forces responded in style “Nous y reviendron…”

The campus was covered with thick smoke of tear gas while the innocent were screaming as those who could make it scampered for safety as brutalisation by the invading troops got intensified.

Students residential areas in Molyko were invaded and rampant torture, looting and abuse of innocent girls took place as was in 2005 and 2006.

Why must our children in the University of Buea regularly suffer such impunities? Is the Buea University set aside to teach the anglofools the unforgettable lesson? In 2005 it was the lone university among all state universities that went on strike where students were murdered and others suffered despicable atrocities. For how long will we continue to watch our children maimed and murdered and institutions created to nurture future leaders visited with mayhem? It is the living and healthy create, invent and make the impossible happen for human progress.

NOT ISOLATED BUT THE PEOPLE’S WILL

The strikes called by the Common Law Lawyers and the Teachers Trade Unions have opened a new chapter in the struggle for self-determination and de-annexation of British Southern Cameroons from la Republique du Cameroun. These professional groups defend the core values and heritage that project the distinct identity of British Southern Cameroons as opposed to la Republique du Cameroun. It is in this light that the strike has been welcomed and defended by all the people of British Southern Cameroons irrespective of gender, religion, or political ideology.

Beginning concretely from 1993 in Buea when the Yaounde regime could not even allow Southern Cameroonians use their own facilities to hold the AAC1 to Bamenda in 1994 when under military siege AAC 11 could not hold under normal circumstances, the evidence of treating the people as a conquered people has been self-evident. On Oct.1, 2001 when we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the confiscation of our statehood and independence under military siege, four compatriots were murdered, many wounded and hundreds including leaders were arrested and detained in deferent parts of the country. Not giving up, in 2011 and 2012, the commemoration took place in Buea where SCNC leaders, lawyers and journalists suffered arrests, torture, and detention and finally more than four hundred and one hundred and fifty respectively were charged to the Buea Court.

This said, certain facts must be made abundantly clear to avoid confusion. Language is not only a vehicle expression it is equally the store house of the people’s belief and cherished values.

What do the people of British Southern Cameroons want?

Not a federation! Not even confederation! Why? To answer these questions we take introspection into the 55 years of co-existence, (just trying to be polite and nice), with la Republique du Cameroun. And to do this I will do justice by posing these questions for you to reflect upon and putting sentiments aside and from your inner man answer sincerely.

1. In 55 long years, what did we gain by being with la Republique du Cameroun?

2. To those campaigning for return to federal system, who killed the 1961-1972 lame legged federation and why?

3. To those campaigning for a four or ten state federal system, what will we gain by this if the lord of the manor were to grant it that we could not get in the defunct so- called two state federation of 1961-1972?

4. If by intrigues, divide, weaken and rule, corruption, constitutional manipulation and anti-constitutional acts, the lord of the manor by decree changed the name of the country to suite his whims and caprices yesterday, what are the guarantees that the disease that attacked coffee yesterday will not attack cacao tomorrow?

5. What have we lost consequent on our subjugation under la Republique du Cameroun?

6. Why must we on our knees beg for federation from a man and system that equates federation to secession?

7. Speaking realistically and from the depth of your inner man, what do we stand to lose if, like other nations, large and small, we stand on our own as a sovereign state?

The stand of the British Southern Cameroonian people has nothing to do with Mr. Paul Biya’s determination to rule his country, la Republique du Cameroun, for life. That is his people’s cup of tea.

British Southern Cameroons was a democracy. And this we are determined to restore and improve upon. We do not hate the people of la Republique du Cameroun. We respect them and their full rights to rule themselves as they see fit and beneficial. But we in toto reject their system and determination to impose annexation and assimilation on us, make our country their footstool and us their slaves.

The British Southern Cameroons struggle is not calling for regime change in la Republique du Cameroun. It is not calling for “Biya Must Go!” To remain focused and consistent our message must be precise, clear and without ambiguity. An independent British Southern Cameroons promises good neighbourliness to all our neighbours as was the case before 1961. In African spirit we offered sanctuary to those who fled from terrorism and the civil war in French Cameroun. Goodness and hospitality done in African brotherhood should not be repaid with evil.

OUR RIGHT TO SOVEREIGNTY

British Southern Cameroons inherent right to sovereign independence is defined in UN Charter and international instruments. British Southern Cameroons is not to be granted independence by la Republique du Cameroun but by the UN and there is a process to be followed. The announcement is not to be made clandestinely or discretely through someone’s whatsApp. All of us will be involved in the process of de-annexation that will be umpired by the UN as was in Namibia and other territories that were annexed by neighbouring expansionist states.

British Southern Cameroonians are a disciplined, hardworking and intelligent people and proud of their indigenous cultural heritage inter-married with Anglo-Saxon cultural values should conduct themselves decently and honourably.

THE ONGOING STRIKE

We thus salute the Common Law Lawyers and Teachers Trade Unions for respecting nonviolence. The violence that led to deaths, injuries, maiming and destructions was engineered by the repressive forces. Peaceful protests should not attract the use of life bullets and tear gas. This is primitive behavior of an annexationist colonial regime. And to the perpetrators the doors of the ICC are wide open and they have no place to hide from the long hand of justice.

We take this unique opportunity to salute and heartily hail the social media and activists behind doing the marvelous job. We have only started and have to remain faithful and constant till the job, namely, INDEPENDENCE is got.

The enemies of British Southern Cameroons inherent right to self-determination and de-annexation have tried in vain to put a wedge in between the different interest and professional groups involved in the ongoing strike and the people’s legitimate struggle for independence anchored on legality. Every struggle manifests itself in different phases. When the dismissed workers of Ndu Tea Estate, Tole Tea Estate, MBOSCUDA protesting repressive tactics, Wum Women agitating against the seizure of their fertile farm land by the CPDM baron Alhaji Dan Polo Ndawara protected by the Yaounde regime in its application of divide and rule, the target is the same, namely, the annexationist regime.

Who is destroying the Common Law and raping the Anglo-Saxon Educational System? Why is it possible for such evil of decapitation to be visited on a people and nation? Is it not because British Southern Cameroons has become the footstool of la Republique du Cameroun? Are the Common Law Lawyers and the Teachers Trade Unionists not Southern Cameroonians? Are they as patriots not defending what is dear to them and all Southern Cameroonians, namely the true inherent core value that distinguishes a British Southern Cameroonian from le Camerounaise? How then are they doing what is contrary to what the SCNC and the people stand for? Who, all along, has been defending SCNC activists or the people once brutalized and detained? Is it not the Common Law Lawyers?

Ask a gendarme or Issa Tchiroma Bakary, “Who is an SCNC and who is a Southern Cameroonian?” His quick answer will be, “No difference. Simply, two sides of a nasty coin.”

That the lawyers and teachers are defending the will of the people is concretely demonstrated by the overwhelming support the strike has enjoyed both at home and abroad. At home both the parents and the children are ready to sacrifice even an academic year to have the problem solved permanently. From abroad Southern Cameroonians have gone out in peaceful demonstrations to call the UN and international community to intervene promptly and solve the problem by pressurizing la Republique du Cameroun to withdraw its occupation forces and respect its international boundary inherited at independence on January 1, 1960.

Based on these irrefutable facts it is thus not only wrong but the devil’s act of divide and rule to describe the ongoing strike as a lawyers and teachers strike. It is an effective manifestation of the British Southern Cameroons struggle self-determination, de-annexation and sovereign independence.

WE THUS DECLARE THAT

1. The PM, Phillemon Yang does not have the authority to solve the Common Law Lawyers and Teachers Trade Unions’ problems for it is inseparable from the British Southern Cameroons political conflict with la Republique du Cameroun. The solution lies in de-annexation and sovereign independence of British Southern Cameroons which lies within the competence of UK and UN.

2. The Press Conference organized by a group of la Republique du Cameroun ministers in Yaounde while the PM was in Bamenda dialoguing with various leaders was a clear show of force and authority meant not only to undermine the PM – a Southern Cameroonian, but to graphically demonstrate that the annexed have no legal and political right to be respected and to Mr. Yang, that opportunity to dine the master’s table is a privilege, not a right. So no difference!

3. The Ad Hoc Committee is an empty basket of promises, a diversionist tactic of playing for time, to weigh you out and when you get hungry you come begging, this time for the crumbs of the crumbs.

4. The promised subvention to the lay private education is a bribe to tear this sector away from the rest and weaken Teachers Trade Unionism. To triumph we must guard against sweet talks, divide and rule tactics, bribery and corruption.

British Southern Cameroonians remain firm, steadfast and focused till the UK and UN step in to right the wrong of 1961 and we take our seat at the UN and other international fora. No retreat till victory!

NFOR, N. NFOR

National Chairman, (SCNC)

Cc;

Common Law Lawyers

Teachers Trade Unions

Religious Authorities

Diplomatic Missions in Yaoundé,

ACHPR, Banjul, The Gambia

Pan African Parliament, Midrand 1685, Gauteng Province, South Africa

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, London

AU Commission Chairman, Addis Ababa

Commonwealth SG, London

UN SG, New York, USA

The Press

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