By Elah Geofrey Mbongale
The president of the republic, Paul Biya has announced that security operations in the North West and South West regions of the country will continue unabated following the recent killings of military officers in the region.
The head of State was speaking during his annual end-of-year address to the nation last December 31, 2017.
The president, while regretting that socio-professional grievances that were tabled by lawyers and teachers were exploited by extremists seeking to impose their secessionist plans through violence, promised that all those who have taken up arms, who perpetrate or encourage violence would be fought relentlessly and held accountable for their crimes before the courts of law.
“Our children’s education was compromised by criminal arsonists who did not hesitate to burn down schools and attack students. Economic and social activities were disrupted by irresponsible strike calls imposed on the population through threats, intimidation and violence. Bomb attacks were carried out. Many of our compatriots lost their lives in violence perpetrated by secessionists. Members of our defence and security forces were assassinated in cold blood in the line of duty”
The head of state went further to congratulate the defence and security forces on the bravery, determination, restraint and professionalism they have demonstrated thus far.
The president, as many others have been saying for a long time now, also prescribed dialogue to solve the current crisis but said it must be within legality.
“I should make it very clear that, to my mind, dialogue has always been and will always remain the best means of resolving problems, so long as it is strictly in line with republican legality”, President Biya added.
While many political pundits have been quick to observe that the president tone during his current address was less confrontational that that of December 31, 2016, others also noticed the president’s failure to use lines like ‘One and indivisible Cameroon’, ‘Form of state is non-negotiable’, being words that have marked the political dictionary of the nation over the just ended year.
Also interestingly, the president did not call those he describes as fanning violence in the North West and South West regions “Terrorists”, as was the case on the day he declared war against ‘Anglophone terrorist’ at the airport upon arrival from Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The president preferred milder words like ‘Criminals’ and ‘Secessionists’.
Reacting to the president’s New Year address, the Chairman of the leading opposition party, SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi, accused the president of failing to personally supervise dialogue in the Anglophone regions.
He accused the president of being the real secessionist, evidenced in the way he has handled the crisis. “How can you declare war on an unarmed people and restrict internet for months in the North West and South West regions”, Fru Ndi demanded while saying that Mr. Biya is only concerned about military deaths and is yet to acknowledge civilian deaths by the military.
Sisiku Ayuk Julius says self defense is a universal human right
Speaking through social media, the self-declared President of the virtual Federal Republic of Ambazonia, Sisiku Ayuk Julius Tabe, who had hitherto condemned killings on both sides, announced his support for the separatist fighters across the North West and South West regions.
“This Interim Government stands with the youths and supports them because self-defense is a universal human right protected under the charters of the United Nations. The forces of occupation in our territory, especially those deployed in Mamfe and the rest of Manyu are suddenly realizing that no matter how equipped and trained an army can be, it cannot break the will of a people who have been incessantly deprived of human dignity and freedoms”, Sisiku Ayuk Julius said.