Politics

24, November 2017

Opposition MPs Demand Open Debate on Anglophone Crisis ⁰

Opposition lawmakers disrupted parliament for a second day in a row Friday as tensions deepen over the government’s handling of the crisis in the country’s anglophone regions.

Lawmakers of Cameroon’s main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front sang a protest song demand parliament hold debates on how to resolve the year-long strike in the two English-speaking regions.

“We have been here for more than one year and in every session nothing is said about the crisis,” complained SDF’s Joseph Mbah Ndam, who is also vice speaker of parliament, “so we have decided today that nothing will go on here if we do not find a definite solution to the anglophone crisis.”

Uptick in violence

The crisis has grown increasingly violent over the past year as separatist groups have emerged. Many schools in the southwest and northwest remain shut and a strike has closed down many businesses.

French-speakers are the majority in the bilingual country, and anglophone activists say they are marginalized. Many are demanding reforms, while others want all-out independence.

Most of the SDF lawmakers hail from the two anglophone regions. They have faced threats and physical assaults for continuing to serve in the National Assembly amid the crisis.

The SDF lawmakers announced a boycott a week ago demanding the government do more to peacefully end the strike. On Thursday, they began singing to interrupt parliament proceedings.

2018 budget

Government ministers had come to answer questions on last year’s budget and the 2018 financial plans. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, the speaker of the National Assembly, says he could not bear the disturbances by the SDF and called off the plenary.

He announced that the ruling CPDM majority had voted and adopted last year’s settlement bill even though no vote had taken place.

The CPDM controls 148 seats in the 180 member parliament and the SDF just 18. Political analyst Reymond Etoga says the SDF won’t be able to derail the passing of the 2018 budget, but the government should heed their calls for open debate to resolve the anglophone crisis.

“In order for us to be able to create a society where everyone can feel part of, we must understand that truth is very necessary,” Etoga noted, “and we are in a quagmire situation at this point in time because the system in place has refused categorically to be able to say this is white and this is black.”

Professor Elvis Ngole Ngole, a close aide of President Paul Biya, has been leading teams to dialogue with the populations in the northwest and southwest. “Those who felt they were excluded, I think it is genuine,” he said. ” As we continue, there will be more inclusion than exclusion because no one should be excluded because as long as there is democracy and we believe in it, as long as we are a republic we will keep on talking to one another and that is dialogue.”

However, government overtures at dialogue have also been coupled with a crackdown. Following violent unrest last December, troops were deployed to the anglophone regions and the internet was cut for three months. The government has released several dozen people detained for months over the strike. Activists say more remain behind bars and must also be released before any dialogue can take place.

Culled from VOA

24, November 2017

Ambazonia Crisis: Anglophone MPs disrupt parliament in La Republique du Cameroun ⁰

Lawmakers predominantly from Cameroon’s Anglophone region on Thursday disrupted parliamentary proceedings in protest over the crisis in their region.

Members of Parliament from the main opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) party threatened that there will be no business in the house till the ‘Anglophone crisis’ was tabled for debate.

Amid chanting of slogans and singing, the protesting MPs asked how many more people were going to be killed by the Paul Biya-led government.

Security forces last month stopped a planned demonstration in the port city of Douala organised by the SDF. The protest was said to be in solidarity with the embittered Anglophone regions.

People in the said regions have long decried marginalization by the majority French speaking part of the country. An attempted independence declaration under the Ambazonia Republic was met with armed force leading to deaths, mass arrests and injuries.

The government has described the secessionists as terrorists and also issued international arrest warrant in respect of 16 leaders of the secessionists. President Paul Biya has condemned the violence and called for dialogue but concrete efforts in that direction have yet to materialize.

Source: Africa News

23, November 2017

Biya to attend Africa-EU Summit as Anglophone groups abroad have left the government permanently under pressure ⁰

Cameroon’s Head of State, Paul Biya, will be in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from November 29-30, 2017, for the 5^th AU-EU Summit which will bring together African and European heads of state. The Summits of Heads of States and Governments take place traditionally every three years alternately in Africa and Europe with the aim of taking stock of the progress made in the implementation of commitments and providing political guidance for further work.

The Summit, which will be held on the theme: “Investing in youth for a sustainable future,” will also be attended by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, the President of the African Union and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The meeting will hold against the backdrop of political changes in Zimbabwe where the country’s former president, Robert Mugabe, has been forced to retire after having led his country for thirty-seven years. It should be recalled that it was Mrs. Mugabe’s vaulting ambition that pushed the former president to make some mistakes which led to the military taking over power and sidelining the 93-year-old Mugabe. Also, having been in power for that long, it was just normal for the country’s population, that had taken the brunt of Mr. Mugabe’s dictatorship and mismanagement, to take to the street in support of the military.

Similarly, the situation of Africans being sold in Libya as slaves will also be on the agenda of the summit, as this incident has shocked the entire world, especially the African continent, with many experts around the world blaming African governments for not doing enough to create an enabling environment for their citizens. It should be recalled that Sub-Saharan African countries have been mired in corruption and poor governance which are blighting the lives of their people and chasing young men and women from their countries to failed states like Libya where they hope to make their way to Europe which they erroneously consider as an earthly Paradise.

It is obvious that the issue of security will also be on the table, as the continent is facing a huge security challenge. Libya is today a magnet for many jihadists groups following the killing of Qaddafi, Somalia is yet to be back on its feet, Boko Haram is making its presence felt in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, while the Malian situation is far from being addressed. The Anglophone crisis will give Mr. Biya and his delegation an uncomfortable moment, given that the entire world is aware that all its efforts to roll back the Anglophone rebellion have been unsuccessful. If not checked, the situation could transform the entire Central African region into a pretty mess. The Anglophone problem will therefore be on the table, either during Mr. Biya’s personal meeting with European partners or during his tête-a-tête with his French masters.

Though the continent has made some baby strides towards modern-day democracy, there is still a long way to go for some countries such as Cameroon where Mr. Biya has been presiding over the country’s destiny for thirty-five years, with no impressive economic and political outcomes. In Cameroon, multiparty politics exists on paper, but political alternation is surely a distant tomorrow affair. Mr. Biya and his party have won all elections organized in the country since 1992 and this speaks to the type of multiparty politics that exist in the country. Political intimidation and physical elimination are still among the tricks and tactics used by the ruling party, popularly known as a crime syndicate, to stay in power.

With regard to human rights, Cameroon has one of the worst human rights records on the continent. Freedom of association has suffered over the last decade, while arbitrary arrests and detentions have been on the rise over the last few years. Over the last year, its response to the Anglophone crisis has been anything but civilized. On October 1, 2017, more than one hundred Anglophones were mowed down by the country’s military which thought it could intimidate the Anglophone minority into silence, but its response has instead made the conflict more complicated to address.

More than 50,000 Anglophones crossed over to Nigeria as refugees on October 1, 2017, with people from Manyu Division accounting for more than 90% of the refugees, as the government wanted to use the occasion to punish Manyu Division which is the birthplace of Anglophone activism and activists such as Barrister Felix Nkongho Agbor-Balla, Chief Justice Paul Ayah and Sisiku Ayuk Julius Tabe who is the current president of the “Federal Republic of Ambazonia”, which is the name of the Anglophone region that wants to secede from Francophone Cameroon.

It should also be recalled that some 100,000 Anglophones have been internally displaced following a botched declaration of independence by the Anglophone minority on October 1, 2017, and this is giving the country a bad name. Mr. Biya and his government have never really addressed concerns expressed by Anglophones who have been discriminated and marginalized for more than 56 years. Mr. Biya who counts on time to solve his problem is gradually coming to terms with the fact that the Anglophone problem will not go away anytime soon, as various Anglophone organizations are working hard to keep the struggle on the front burner in order to erode the government’s reputation and credibility, if it has any. Courts and schools in the Anglophone region have remained closed and diplomatic efforts by Anglophone groups abroad have left the government permanently under pressure.

In recent months, the conflict has degenerated, with soldiers and Special Forces deployed in the Anglophone zone becoming targets for Mr. Cho Ayaba’s military wing of the SCNC which has been calling for the secession of the Anglophone zone from the francophone region which is suffering from advanced economic and political decay due to neglect and mismanagement. Some 20 soldiers have lost their lives in this conflict which many analysts believe could have been averted if Mr. Biya and his government had opted for genuine and inclusive dialogue called for by many, including the Vatican, the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Canada and other partners of the beleaguered government.

Meanwhile, the country’s northern part is still under an insurgency that is making life unbearable to the citizens. Boko Haram has been killing and maiming innocent civilians and its objectives are still unclear. Many Cameroonian soldiers have also been victims of this insurgency that has lasted for more than four years and there is really no end in sight. The Boko Haram insurgency is complicating issues for the government that has to deal with a very vociferous Anglophone minority that is hell-bent on walking away from a union that was flawed right from its inception. If this region succeeds to walk away, Cameroon’s economy will suffer, given that the Anglophone region accounts for more than 60% of the country’s GDP. The South West region alone accounts for more than 40% of the country’s wealth, given that its oil and gold deposits are in the region. The South West region is also the country’s largest producer of cocoa and it is also rich in timber which is being harvested with impunity.

Regarding the country’s economy, the once prosperous economy has been on its knees for a long time due to mismanagement and corruption, with unemployment and inflation attaining unimaginable rates. The country’s road infrastructure has aged and is crumbling, making it hard for farmers to move their produce from the rural areas to the city where the markets are.

Over the last eleven months, the country has reported more 4,300 fatal accidents, with some 20,000 Cameroonians losing their lives. The railway system has also faced some major challenges in recent times. The country’s railway corporation is struggling, as its assets are old and cannot stand the stress of moving large numbers of people and goods. The corporation is currently locked in a class-action law suit following a terrible accident in Eseka in 2016 that resulted in the death of more than 200 Cameroonians. Many passengers on that ill-fated train have never really been accounted for and many families are yet to be compensated for the loss of their loved ones.

As usual, the government is working hard to deflect blame and responsibility and this is earning it so many enemies and adversaries. Cameroon is seemingly a peaceful country, but if you scratch beyond the surface, you will find out that there is a lot of insecurity in the country. Poverty and unemployment have created pockets of bandits and crooks who are marauding the streets of cities such as Douala and Yaounde to prey on innocent citizens. Even uniformed officers are taking advantage of the insecurity caused by the Anglophone crisis to make a quick buck and the government is looking the other way, giving the impression that it has approved of these illegal means used by these criminals to extort money from the population.

While not much is expected from the Abidjan summit, many experts hold that many issues will be dealt with during the two-day summit. They argue that focusing on youths will be good, but seeking to address the issue of insecurity across the continent will help to attract investors who will help to create jobs for the youths. It is hoped that the summit will be used to bring pressure on African leaders to embrace democratic means that will help their economies create job, foster transparency and reduce the insecurity that is helping to stunt the continent’s economic growth.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with contributions from the editorial team

23, November 2017

How did Robert Mugabe win the last election convincingly? ⁰

The multitudes turned up yesterday in great numbers in Harare to pay adoration to the man taking over as President of Zimbabwe from Robert Mugabe, Emerson Mnangagwa. After 37 years under a brutal despot, the people of Zimbabwe, can be forgiven for their colourful celebrations following the end of a bitter era.

From the happenings of the last week, one can only conclude that Robert Mugabe had virtually no support in his country. After the generals put him under house arrest over nine days ago, nearly all the MPs and rank and file of his own party, the Zanu-PF voiced their discontent with him and his failed policies. Even the influential war veterans spoke out vociferously against their comrade.

One question that comes to mind repeatedly over the last few days is how he managed to win the last elections so convincingly? In the the last election in 2013, Mugabe won 61% of the vote. That was a landslide victory. His Zanu-PF party also won 160 of the 210 seats in the national assembly. An astonishing result. In fact it is laughable that whilst western election observers were not allowed in the country, African Union had monitors in place during the last election and they said ‘‘the election could have been handled better, but that initial reports indicated a fair election had occurred’’.

Mugabe was his party’s candidate for next year’s general election in which he was expected to carry another landslide victory. These facts are beyond belief but true. How can a man who won elections so convincingly only four years ago and was expected to carry another landslide next year be so unpopular in such a short period of time? He made one grave error of judgement, sacking his vice president. Had he not done that trying to pave the way for his wife to succeed him, he still would have been president today.

The fact is that a sizeable majority of these ZANU-PF MPs, war veterans and party militants not forgetting the president-in-waiting were accomplices in Mugabe’s election rigging machinery. Why were they involved in such large scale deception and hence co-conspirators in ruining their country?

It’s unbelievable that until the generals stepped in last week with the world’s first ever coup-that-wasn’t-a-coup, on the surface Mugabe exerted great power and control. His notorious wife, Gucci Grace also wielded influence and openly and shamelessly conversed her ambitions to succeed her husband and all appeared normal.

This might be an eye-opener that in many countries, where the ruling party, clans and elites appear happy in public with their leader, it does teach us that they might be hiding a deep sense of melancholy underneath and will happily take the opportunity to kick them out when need arises.

By Asu Ashu Isong, London

22, November 2017

US: Trump backs Moore despite sexual misconduct allegations ⁰

US President Donald Trump has voiced support for embattled Roy Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, despite mounting allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he did not want to see the victory of the Democratic opponent of Moore, who has resisted growing calls to step aside.

Moore, who has been accused of sexually abusing and pursuing teenage girls, is facing off against Democratic Doug Jones in a high-stakes special election in Alabama.

“He totally denies it,” Trump said of 70-year-old Moore when asked about whether electing “a child molester” was better than electing a Democrat in the Alabama race.

“He says it didn’t happen,” said the president, noting “You have to listen to him, also.”

“We don’t need a liberal person in there, a Democrat, Jones,” Trump said. “I’ve looked at his record. It’s terrible on crime. It’s terrible on the border. It’s terrible on the military.”

Trump shrugged off the accusations, saying the fact that those who have accused Moore did not come forward earlier put into question such complaints.

In response, Jones issued a statement, saying he “believes the women, and that the people of Alabama will hold Roy Moore accountable.”

Doug Jones meets with supporters and voters at a Mexican restaurant, November 20, 2017, in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by AFP)

Trump, who himself has been accused of sexual impropriety, also said that he was happy that women are now coming forward accusing lawmakers and media figures, many of whom Democrats, of sexual misconduct.

This comes as the United States is grappling with a growing list of sexual assault and harassment scandals that rocked the world of entertainment, business and politics.

Others involved in such scandals include Democratic Senator Al Franken, renowned actor Kevin Spacey as well as Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Culled from Presstv

21, November 2017

230 parliamentarians vote to impeach Mugabe ⁰

Impeachment proceedings against Robert Mugabe will start on Tuesday after 230 members of the ruling Zanu-PF party voted in favor of the motion in Harere on Monday.

Simon Khaya Moyo, Minister of Information and Media said: “They just concluded that was attended by 230 Zanu-PF members of parliament out of 260 members has endorsed the impeachment.”

Mugabe was initially expected to resign on Sunday after the Zanu-PF central committee voted to sack and replace him with his former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

However, Mugabe refused calls to step down and vowed to stay on as president in a defiant TV address to the people of Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Mugabe’s sacking comes after the army seized the state broadcaster on November 15 and placed him under house arrest.

Source: Presstv

20, November 2017

Shifting alliances among Southern Cameroons figures in the US is making political initiatives inconsistent ⁰

Molyko in the Buea County of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia is a street of contrasts, with hotels, cafes and an old Art Decor University of Buea campus intermingled with hoops of razor wire that cordon off private buildings. The first anti French Cameroun government action resulting from the Southern Cameroons revolution took place here about a year ago. Anglophone citizens from all walks of life—young and old, men and women, secularists, teachers and lawyers, members of trade unions and employers unions—all united to denounce successive Francophone regimes that have not met the needs of Southern Cameroonians for over 56 years.

The people of Southern Cameroons have drafted a new constitution, meant to be a new social contract for its society. The process is still going on and has not been smooth. The Governing Council that has legitimate authority in Southern Cameroons has renamed the territory as the Federal Republic of Ambazonia. Negotiations between the interim government and other Southern Cameroons groups stopped when few of the opposing sides could not reach agreement. But after the new nation was shaken by a series of French Cameroun killings, massive arrests and detentions, the President of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and a cream of other Southern Cameroons leaders observed the chaos currently going on in La Republique du Cameroun and decided that, despite their differences, they shared a common need to forge ahead with the struggle for an independent Southern Cameroons.

The 4^th Conclave that produced the draft constitution, grappled with three contentious questions: the role of political parties in the Southern Cameroons society, gender equality, and limits on executive power. Professor Carlson Anyangwe and the legal think tank purposely used precise language in the constitution to set forth principles for the Federal Republic of Ambazonia. To be sure, the 4^th Conclave was a potent reminder of the United States’ constitutional process in 1789, when setting down words defined values for a nation.

Seeing the violence against our people and the sufferings of thousands that have escaped to neighboring Nigeria should bring everyone together with a renewed understanding of the urgency to come to agreement. We of this publication believe and fervently too that you are either with the interim government or with the Biya Francophone regime.

The interim government pointed in the draft constitution that the Federal Republic of Ambazonia is a civil state that is based on citizenship, the will of the people, and the supremacy of law. The draft constitution declared that women and men have equal rights and duties and we understand this will reflect in the upcoming cabinet.

The greatest challenge was how to prevent a return to dictatorship. The Federal Republic of Ambazonia’s draft constitution places limits on executive power, protects civil liberties and freedom of the press, and guards due process. It is the only constitution in West and Central Africa to grant “freedom of conscience.” The draft constitution included provisions for presidential term limits, elections, a constitutional court with power to impeach, an independent judiciary, and independent constitutional bodies with responsibility for issues such as combating corruption and human rights.

Based on this draft constitution, Southern Cameroonians should all rally behind the interim government and participate in the political process including the struggle for complete and total independence. Governance will not been smooth. But we as a people will get to Buea. Bloody attacks by French Cameroun forces have undermined the tourist industry, the bedrock of the Ambazonia economy. Consequently, shifting alliances among leading Southern Cameroons figures in the US and Europe is making political initiatives inconsistent.

Thanks to the interim government, Southern Cameroons has maintained its peaceful revolution. Nigeria is helping with support to our refugees in the Cross River State and several other measures. Ambazonia is slowly but surely becoming a priority for the UN, the EU and the African Union. Keep the faith in the interim government.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Cameroon Concord News Group

20, November 2017

“Robert Mugabe has no intention of leaving the scene” ⁰

The world sat in front of hundreds of millions of TV screens yesterday and watched Robert Mugabe make a speech regarding his future and that of Zimbabwe. The expectations from east to west, north to south were the same. Reuters, long believed to be the leader in news scoops had fed the other leading news agencies including Cameroon Concord News Group that the old fox was about to announce his exit from the international and political scene with dignity. We were all fooled.

It seems to be a familiar pattern on the world scene that news agencies these days get their predictions utterly erroneous. The election of Trump and Brexit were predicted inaccurately and incorrectly reported. As I watched the TV screens and spoke to Cameroon Concord News Group Southern Africa Editor live from Harare, nothing could have prepared me for what I was witnessing.

I witnessed a fragile old man, 93 years of age ramble; ramble on and on and on. At some stages of his speech, he sounded like someone who had suffered and was recovering from a stroke. Earlier in the day, the political party which he founded, and has led for 37 years, the ZANU-PF had dismissed him as leader. He had been given till today noon by the party to step down as the president of Zimbabwe or face the degradation of impeachment. His speech to the nation was seen as a platform for the old fox to announce his submission and ensuing peaceful retirement.

We waited for the punch line announcing his resignation which never came. We have now been reliably informed that the generals who led the move to remove him from office were told he was going to make a speech announcing his resignation but Mugabe refused to show them a copy of his speech. Cameroon Concord News understands from our Southern Africa editor in Harare that the Generals asked to see his speech but Mugabe emphatically refused.

As I watched the speech, I noticed like the hundreds of millions who did the same around the world that he was too old and in many occasions couldn’t follow the pages coherently. It was a pity and an embarrassment for someone who was once a great leader. I wondered what drives him to believe that if he didn’t have the mental coordination to read a written speech, he had all the faculties in place to run a nation. He appeared just too ancient and incapable.

The party which he founded has now disowned him. The overwhelming majority of his people don’t want him to continue as leader after almost four decades. Based on what we saw yesterday, Mugabe hasn’t got the mental ability and dynamism to make day to day decisions as a leader but he insist on carrying on as the president of his country.

We thought we had seen the last chapter of this drama, but it looks like Comrade Robert Mugabe has no intension of making that happen. Those close to him say bushiness is what took him to the top. The big question now is if that is what will bring him down spectacularly.

By Asu Ashu

Cameroon Concord News

London

20, November 2017

Kenya: Opposition leader Odinga calls for international intervention ⁰

Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga has urged international community to intervene in what he has called his country’s “election crisis” as sporadic clashes between police and protesters keeps claiming more lives.

Odinga said Sunday that at least 31 people had been killed since he returned from overseas trip on Friday, adding that the situation needed an urgent “international intervention” to stop government from trampling on rights of opposition members.

“This is state-sponsored thuggery,” Odinga said, adding that his country was being pushed to the precipice”.

The opposition leader, who protested his loss in the August presidential election and then boycotted a rerun last month, said people who had lined up the roads Friday to welcome him home from engagements in the US and Britain were confronted by police and 18 were shot dead.

His remarks also came after residents of a Nairobi slum protested the killing of at least 13 people in an overnight attack by unknown gunmen. Police has put the death toll of the clashes at four, but people attending the mortuary said 13 bodies bearing bullet wounds had been brought in. police said that five people had been killed in the Friday stampede before Odinga’s arrival. But mortuary records corroborated 18 people were dead.

Tensions remain high in Kenya, a major ally of the West and a an economic powerhouse in the Horn of Africa region, since a Supreme Court ruling in September which nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta victory in original votes. Civil society activists and a politician are again challenging Kenyatta’s win in October repeat of the election. A decision by the court is expected on Monday as Odinga insists that irregularities that led to the nullification of the first round remained the rerun.

Culled from Presstv

19, November 2017

Southern Cameroons: Statement on nominations into the cabinet ⁰

London, 19th November 2017

Fellow Compatriots,

There comes a time when a people have to take their destiny into their own hands or let the opportunity slip past them forever. We have taken the leap of faith and cannot let doubt hold us back. Our people have been holding their breath and even getting impatient as they await the nomination of the Cabinet of the Ambazonia Interim Government. Thank you for your patience. It is not easy selecting fourteen individuals out of a population of eight million. It is even harder when one is working with a wonderful and experienced group of people scattered all over the world and has to select a few to help steer our restoration train to its final destination.

Over the past weeks I have consulted far and wide, and listened to the wisdom of some of our best minds. At the end of the process, the responsibility and accountability of the decisions I take remain entirely mine. I must emphasize that these decisions are taken with the best interest of our people and our nation at heart with RESOLVE, UNITY and DISCIPLINE being the guideposts.

When we attended the first Conclave in February this year, extra effort was made to ensure that all our frontline leaders participate in the founding of a United Front. With the Successes of the first Conclave, the second Conclave went an extra mile to ensure that this unity was cemented and saw the participation of all our frontline movements including: –

Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC),
Southern Cameroons People’s Organization (SCAPO),
The Consortium,
Republic of Ambazonia (RoA),
Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL),
Ambazonia Governing Council (AGC),
Movement for the Restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameroons (MoRISC).

At the end of the second conclave, a new leadership was born. Ever since, our movement and the struggle for the restoration of our Independence has seen several positive changes which culminated in the establishment of an Interim Government at the 4th Conclave earlier this month.

The United Front has not been without its problems. Over time, some movements have lost their membership. Today, we have passed the point where we should be working as separate factions and groupings. The time for politicking will come. For now, we need to close ranks and operate as one people with a single ambition which is to liberate our country. When we all get to Buea, we shall give the chance for those who want to play politics. But not NOW!

Immediately after my election as Chairman of the Governing Council, I reached out to all the known leaders of our movements in a bid to find common ground. During our Meet the People Tour, we made every effort to meet every of our leaders and to build the much-needed cohesion. In the build-up to the fourth Conclave, I made sure to invite our frontline leaders with the hope of finding common ground and work as one unit. Unfortunately, all these efforts have not always met with great success. In spite of these shortcomings and disappointments, I am still convinced that we are stronger together. Therefore, I have decided that in the constitution of the cabinet for our Interim Government, I will make one last effort to ensure that our compatriots and leaders of frontline movements should be part of our United leadership. We must also recognize that a significant ratio of the 8 million Southern Cameroonians are not members of any of the frontline movements. Many of our people have joined the struggle as patriots, as concerned citizens and as members of a community without ties to any movement. Many people play key roles in advancing this struggle to the point where it is today. The bulk of support, both financial and material, that we are getting as an Interim Government is coming through the leadership of Country Coordinators and Heads of Departments. Most of them hold no movement allegiance. We must also recognize and respect them for their work. For that reason, the leadership that we seek to build must be inclusive in accordance with the role played by all involved. It is for that reason that we took the decision at the 4th Conclave to dissolve SCACUF. This is because we believe that we now need a different kind of entity to take our revolution to its logical end. That entity can only be one which allows us, while maintaining our personal and group affiliations, to embrace a common platform that belongs to all of us together.

I must caution that revolutions do not succeed in the midst of disunity and indiscipline, where every individual and group does as they please. This revolution is no exception. We must have unity of purpose, unity in our actions and be disciplined in whatever we do. It is therefore my hope that everyone will see the importance of working together. We must put aside our personal egos and ambitions, for the common good of the eight million people that we are privilege to lead. Should we encounter any further resistance in this quest for unity, I want to signal very strongly that we have to accept that the train does not have to wait for every traveler before it leaves the station. We are in the process of building a Coalition of the Willing and only those who are willing will be admitted on board. While I do my very best to be inclusive, if obligated, I would not hesitate to exclude any individual or group that seeks self-aggrandizement over our common interest. This will be my last attempt at bringing our leaders together to work under one banner. We must make this clear, we will not allow for anarchy and chaos which, in some countries, has allowed individuals, groups or tribal affiliations to put selfish priorities before the common good of all our people.

We have heard some talk of whoever takes us to Buea will decide. Be rest assured that such selfish ambitions will not be tolerated and will be nipped in the bud. We shall not limit our condemnation to those who espouse such philosophy but their supporters and sponsors as well. I therefore ask all our citizens to be vigilant and to report any such activities geared at hampering our God-ordained struggle. In a while we shall publish the names of those who have been selected to serve our people. I will ask everyone to serve with humility in whatever role they will be assigned. I am sending letters inviting various leaders to join me in serving and leading our people. I hope to hear from each person within 48 hours of dispatch of my letter. We have a list of great individuals in the struggle ready to serve. Should any of the leaders turn down the invitation to serve as part of the UNITY PLATFORM, he/she will be replaced. Your interim government will be made public as soon as I hear from the leaders.

All of us as leaders must either choose to work together for the good of our people and our country or accept being rejected by our people. We have gone past the activism stage of our struggle. We are now at the nation-building stage. The real business of Unity starts now and I invite all to be part of this Coalition of the Willing!

Sisiku AyukTabe

President, Interim Government

Federal Republic of Ambazonia