YAOUNDE, CAMEROON – In a move that epitomises a reign defined by staggering detachment and brutal repression, Cameroon’s octogenarian dictator, Paul Biya, is preparing to abscond to the luxurious confines of a Swiss palace, a mere three weeks before a presidential election engineered to grant him an eighth term. This trip, a private vacation to Geneva’s Intercontinental Hotel, is a slap in the face to a nation buckling under the weight of his nearly four decades of misrule, a bloody conflict, and a spiralling humanitarian crisis.

Biya, a leader often criticised as a reclusive and out-of-touch figure, submitted his candidacy on August 25th for an election he has no intention of contesting fairly. Instead of engaging with the electorate, he is scheduled for a ten-day sojourn in Switzerland, a country where historical records from Le Temps newspaper show he has squandered over 55 million Swiss Francs (approximately 34 billion CFA francs) of state funds on extended stays between 1982 and 2009. His return, just days before the campaign’s start on September 22nd, reveals a man confident that the electoral process is a mere formality, to be rigged by his stooges and clansmen while he enjoys European luxury.

A Dirty War and a Daughter’s Damning Indictment

As Biya packs for Switzerland, the military force he commands continues a brutal campaign in the Anglophone regions of Ambazonia, a conflict accurately described as a “dirty war.” As reported by HumAngle Media, this brutal fratricidal conflict has thrown victims into a vortex of trauma, with widespread atrocities, disappearances, and killings occurring under the silent and complicit gaze of the international community. This is not a war but a genocide, state-sponsored terror aimed at subduing a population seeking autonomy.

The damning condemnation of this regime comes not just from external observers but from within the dictator’s own household. His daughter, Brenda Biya, recently broke ranks in a stunning act of defiance, urging Cameroonians to reject her father. “My Father has made a whole nation suffer, don’t vote for him,” she declared, a truth that echoes through the bullet-riddled villages of Ambazonia and the impoverished neighbourhoods of Yaoundé and Douala.

A Nation on the Brink

The security situation remains volatile. Recent attacks, including a deadly roadside ambush claimed by separatists that killed seven soldiers, as reported by CTV News, highlight a conflict with no end in sight. There is a palpable fear that Biya’s absence could trigger a violent power struggle or even a military coup, exposing the fragile and fear-based foundation of his rule. The nation is a tinderbox, and its absent president is playing with matches from a safe distance of 4,000 miles.

A Call to Action: For Justice and Liberation

This cannot stand. The international community, particularly Switzerland and signatories to the Geneva Conventions, must no longer be a haven for a man whose treasury-draining vacations are funded by the misery of his people. We call for the immediate arrest of Paul Biya for crimes against humanity and genocide upon his arrival on Swiss soil. The principle of universal jurisdiction must be invoked to hold this tyrant accountable for the blood spilled in the Cameroons.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Cho AYABA held in Norway, Mr Benedict Nwana Kuah and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, held in the United States and all Ambazonian political prisoners held in Cameroonian detention facilities, where torture and inhumane conditions are rampant.

To the brave fighters of the Ambazonia Defence forces (ADf), we say: Continue your righteous struggle. Continue to protect the citizens of Ambazonia from the genocidal attacks of the Cameroonian military. Continue to inflict painful and heavy losses on the invading forces, particularly the notorious BIR (Rapid Intervention Battalion), the brutal spearhead of Biya’s repression. Your resilience in the face of a monstrous regime is the only shield our people have.

The world must open its eyes to the suffering in the Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia). The time for silent complicity is over. The time for justice, accountability, and the liberation of Ambazonia is now.

By: Dr. Larry AYAMBA,

Former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Ambazonia Governing Council (AGOVC)

September 22, 2025

Pour plus d'informations sur l'actualité, abonnez vous sur : notre chaîne WhatsApp