By NDIMUH B. SHANCHO, TALLA A. CHRISTOPHER, SAH TERENCE A., SIMON N. KALLA & IKOME CHRISTIE-NOELLA E.
In consonance with the commission of Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, September 13, 2019, the governors of the crisis-hit North West and South West regions held consultative talks with elected and appointed officials, elite, civil society and religious leaders of their respective regions, September 17 and 18, 2019 respectively, to pave the way for the national dialogue slated for September 30-October 4, 2019. During these regional talks, both governors charged the Senior Divisional Officers SDOs, Divisional Officers, DOs and Mayors of their respective regions to engage in the process, and they too have been holding talks with different stakeholders in their sphere of influence.
These talks have reaped a number of proposals at the sub divisional, divisional and regional levels of both regions including but not limited to federations with elected governors, rotating Presidency, cease fire & general amnesty to all arrested in connection with the Anglophone crisis, and a neutral mediator and dialogue ground.
10 state federation with elected governors
While the stand of a majority of stakeholders in the North West region are yet to be fully captured on the exact type of federation they will be putting forth, it is clear that most stakeholders at the different levels of consultations within the South West region are pushing for a 10 state federation with elected governors.
Speaking shortly after the South West regional consultative talks that took place last Wednesday September 18 at the Buea Council, the President of the Fako Chiefs Conference, Chief Ndika said “we still stand for 10 federal regions and elected officials. Whether it is called decentralization or what, we do not have a problem with the name but what matters is the content we are looking for”. This was affirmed by most stakeholders at the different dialogue consultative meetings across the region.
Speaking after the North West regional consultative talks, September 17, 2018, a representative of the teachers, Sema Valentine, said the crisis is a pure cultural problem. “The system has greatly disfavored Anglophones to the advantage of Francophones and must be restructured in a way that they will operate without violation. If this is possible in a federation, let it be done. If it is possible in a confederation, let it be done or if it is possible in a decentralized unitary state, let it be done” he stated.
Amnesty to jailed, detained Anglophone activists
Amnesty to jailed and detained Anglophone leaders, has equally dominated the proposals from consultative talks in the North West and South West regions. Bishop Andrew Nkea of Mamfe Diocese, like many others in both regions, says it will be difficult for those in these regions to be taking part in the dialogue with their children behind bars. He implored President Paul Biya to release all activists, so the people can be happy to walk together in the dialogue process. “Without which, it will be a bid difficult”, he noted.
Call for ceasefire
A call for cease fire from both parties was made in almost all the regional and divisional talks. The Cameroon government was implored to take the first step in initiating cease fire, for dialogue cannot be ongoing why killing, kidnapping, torture and exchange of bullet continues to rain in the North West and South West regions. Bishop Bibi specifically appealed to the Amba boys and military to review their strategies and show respect for human lives as they wait for the dialogue process.
Rotating presidency between Francophones & Anglophones
The need for the presidency of Cameroon to rotate between Anglophones and Francophones was well re-echoed across the board in the regional and divisional talks. This was the view of Fako chiefs and a majority of other stakeholders at the different consultative talks.
Involvement of separatist leaders
Another proposal that characterized most consultative talks in the Anglophone regions was the need to involve separatist leaders in the national dialogue. Speaking shortly after the SW regional talks, an elite and a Chief in Lebialem Division, HRM Nkemayang Paul, who is also Managing Editor of The Star Newspaper, suggested that leaders of Ambazonia be invited for the dialogue. “In conflict resolution, all parties are equal on the table, which means if the boys are asking for separation and the government stands on decentralization, they sit on the table a hundred or five hundreds on each side and then we discuss to have a paradigm shift to get to the middle. When we get there, we produce something that can give us win-win” he stated, also underscoring the need for third party mediation in the dialogue. On her part, the president of Tiko women’s forum, Mbongo Magdalene, while decrying the marginalization of women in the government at the Fako divisional consultative talks, equally suggested that, all the separatist leaders be involved in the dialogue.
Neutral mediator
Given that Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute is part of the government, which is also involved in the dialogue, most proposals across the consultative meetings underscored the need for a neutral mediator. Taking part at the South West consultative talks in Buea, Bishop Agapitus of Kumba Diocese underscored the need for a neutral mediator and for all parties to be genuine. This view was corroborated by a good number of other stakeholders HRM Chief Nkemayang Paul, President of Fako Chiefs Conference and President of Fako Transporters, Mbeng Gilbert.
Revisit root cause of ‘Anglophone problem’
In order to get a lasting solution to the problem, many proposals converged on the need to redress the root cause of the crisis. The representative of the Muslim community, who also participated at the North West regional meeting, questioned why the federal constitution was scraped and why the 1996 constitution has not been respected. He urged government to look at the root cause of the problem and solve it from there. This same view was shared by the President of the South West Chiefs Conference, Chief Ndike and a host of stakeholders at the different regional and divisional talks including those of Meme Division.
Other specific developmental demands
Other specific demands, most especially from elite and traditional rulers of the South West region was the rehabilitation and reviving of the Limbe deep seaport, Tiko Airport, PAMOL etc.
It was also proposed that Anglo-saxon educational and legal systems should be restored as in the days of the federal republic of Cameroon and that regional balance should be observed in the appointment and recruitment in the civil service. Other requests included the integration of the separatist fighters into the civil service and payment of indemnities for those affected by the crisis after peace is restored.
Most, if not all stakeholders insisted during the talks that the dialogue should first handle the Anglophone problems before handling national issues, if not the dialogue will be bear no fruit.
Meanwhile, most divisional and sub divisional consultative talks are expected to continue at the different regions for more proposals to be rallied, assembled at the regional level and then submitted during the national dialogue chaired by Prime Minister, Chief Dr Dion Ngute Joseph, from September 30 to October 4, 2019 in Yaounde.