14, February 2017
Biya Francophone government announces reforms urging Southern Cameroonians to shun the Consortium 1
Francophone government officials are multiplying their promises in order to ease the tensions in Southern Cameroons where for more than 8 weeks trade union demands have turned into a political crisis and paralyzed socio-economic activities in the two English speaking regions of the country.
The Francophone authorities are pretending that the socio-political crisis in the North West and South West are problems that affect the education sector in all regions in the country. As a result, the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo government has decided to give impetus to the education sector. The CPDM government has proposed new methods of examination into technical and scientific schools.
Yaoundé has also announced the creation of a new technical teacher training school (ENSET), – French-speaking, after that of Douala in order to reduce the presence of Francophones in the ENSET of Bambili (North- West) and Kumba (South-West). The government hinted of the establishment of new specialties in the technical education of the Anglophone sub-system and the creation of a polytechnic in Bamenda or Buea to reduce the deficit of Anglophone engineers.
The Francophone regime further announced that 2970 teachers will be contracted during the year 2017, with the objective of reducing the teacher deficit decried in rural areas. However, the interim leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium have dismissed the Yaoundé gesture saying is too little too late. Ghost town operations have resumed all over Southern Cameroons today, Tuesday the 14th of February 2017.
By Sonne Peter
14, February 2017
Southern Cameroons: Highlights of the Road map for Independence Restoration 1
A detailed road-map showing several steps, strategic actions and campaigns expected to culminate on Sunday, 1 October 2017 in Buea, South West Region, with the restoration by an Interim Congress of the independence of Southern Cameroons was released Sunday at a townhall meeting in Maryland, USA. The road-map has been put together by the Movement for the Restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameroons (MoRISC) whose objective is to use all non-violent ways to enthrone a government based on popular consent, deriving authority and legitimacy from the people of Southern Cameroons, not from decrees or the might of the Government of La Republique which, since 1961, has been injurious to citizens’ rights to life, freedom, independence, equality and dignity.
Here are a few highlights from the road map:
Effective 1 January 2017 and lasting until 30 September 2017 – Ghost Towns, once a week (every Monday); a Prayer for the Peaceful Restoration of Independence to be said in all churches on Sundays and all mosques on Fridays across Southern Cameroons; Governors, SDOs, Dos, to be de-legitimized as colonial officers to be replaced by elected officials such as councilors, mayors, MPs and Senators. The House of Chiefs and Fons to be reconstituted as the Upper Chamber of the New Interim Congress whose Lower Chamber will include elected officials and leaders of other organizations (trade unions of lawyers, teachers, student unions, Okada taxi bike riders, women’s groups, etc.)
Once every month until September 2017 – Southern Cameroonians to hold a monthly day of shaming colonialism in street protests outside the homes of residents.
Boycott Campaigns – A series of boycotts are included in the road map. Under the plan, Southern Cameroonian citizens are invited to boycott all events called, organized or presided by Governors, SDOs, and/or DOs seen as colonial officers sent by Yaounde to lord it over the people. Also to be boycotted are celebrations to mark the so-called Youth Day – really Plebiscite Day for Southern Cameroons (11 Feb. 2017); Women’s Day Celebrations (8 March 2017); and the so-called Reunification (20 May 2017).
Ambassadors, Governors, SDOs & DOs in Waiting – The road map envisages the election by Southern Cameroonians in the Diaspora of Ambassadors-in-Waiting who will begin lobbying on behalf of the Restoring Independence and Recognition of the New State; the election by elected councilors, mayors, MPs, Senators and Chiefs/Fons of Governors-in-Waiting and of a Government-in-Waiting.
Worldwide Diaspora Conventions – Southern Cameroonian Diaspora worldwide are convened for 11 February 2017, according to the road map, to hold a major conference to, among others, agree ways of raising funds for the struggle.
Interim Government of Southern Cameroons – The House of Chiefs and Fons along with the Lower Chamber of the New Interim Congress of Southern Cameroons will elect the interim government of Southern Cameroons on 21 April 2017, the anniversary of the adoption of the resolution by the United Nations General Assembly granting Southern Cameroons independence.
Sunday, 1 October 2017 – The Interim Government, the New Interim Congress of Southern Cameroons, Ambassadors-in-Waiting, and Delegations from all across Southern Cameroons and the Diaspora convene in Buea, South West Region for the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence.