Cameroun - The Plight of Mother Land by Ophilia Bih

Cameroon our great land of promise. The land of milk and honey. The land for which our forefathers fought relentlessly to protect and build. Today, in this same great land of promise, the dreams of many young English speaking Cameroonians like myself have been shartered by poor polictcal and governace stance.

The Anglophone crisis as it is popularly known today is not the direct cause of the ungoing instability in the English speaking regions.

Underlinng issues like unequal opportunities between the french and english, substandard treatement of the english speaking citizens, the lack of career opportunities for the youths and above all the tyrany from the Biya regime are the direct cause of instablity in Cameroon.

Empthatically, the inequality between the anglophone and the francophone parts of Cameroon has been the trigger for burgeoning conflicts within society. Corruption and state failure, especially with regard to the education and health systems are other triggers and exacerbators of the ungoing conflict.

Although not only French, but also English is implicitly recognized as the official language in Cameroon due to its past history, all official activities are done in French only.

For example, all speeches of the current President Paul Biya are held in French, all laws are written in French, and all necessary administrative procedures must take place in French.

In the face of the ongoing crises, the English regions of Cameroon have suffered great violence mitigated upon them by Biya and his military thugs. The government and the separatists – the so-called “Amba Boys” – have outbid each other in their acts of violence, which often affect the civilian population.

Entire villages have already been burned down, thousands of people killed, and about 300,000 people have fled the country so far, families dispersed and some taking up refuge in bushes or nearby countries.

The civilian population does not know how to behave: Those who respect or support the dictes of the Amba boys such as school boycott and the popular ‘country Sundays’ observed every monday are punished by the government/military whereas those who resume teaching or operate on country sundays are attacked by the separatists. How feasible is it for one to live and operate in the mist of such chaos.

It is an established fact that in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon, the separatist movement has led to increased levels of violence with armed clashes between separatists and government forces, and other acts of violence, including kidnapping for ransom and arson on the increase. The ongoing conflict has led to a breakdown in order, crimes of opportunity, and a significant decline in medical resources in large areas of both regions.

It is time for Biya and his govenment to have a heart and think of the harm that has befallen innocent people trapped in this confliect. Many Cameroonians in the diaspora live in deplorable circumstance but they can’t go home because they don’t even have a place where they can call home.

Mr Biya, Cameroon is not your private property.

At least you have had ownership for about thirty five years can you please give others a chance?. If your government was really that brave would you be so intimidated by your own citizens that you will choose to crumble the economy of a nation with impunity.

At the beginning of 2017, the internet in the anglophone region was blocked for over 90 days. The internet in this day and age is an essential intervention in the everyday lives of many people including Cameroonians who depend on internet access for everyday activities such as money transfers. Also how do you intend to rebuild all the burn down villages and homes in the English speaking regions. What of businesses and companies that have closed down because of this power strugle. Please Many years have gone by and it will be good for positive action to be implemented to restore back our country to its original glory.

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