At the invitation of His Eminence, Cardinal Christian Tumi, Rev. Babila George Fochang, Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, Imam Tukur Mohammed Adamu and Imam Mohammed Aboubakar of the Bamenda and Buea Central Mosques respectively, met in Douala recently for what a communiqué issued after the meeting said was intended for a session of reflection and prayer over the political, social, economic and security situation prevailing in Anglophone Cameroon [North West and South West regions]. This session, however, turned out to be one that was laying down the groundwork for the convening of an Anglophone General Conference AGC, expected to be held in Buea, on Wednesday and Thursday August 29 and 30, 2018.
The four Men of God, having identified themselves as the convenors of this gathering, have simply added their voice to what has been the opinion of many in favour of an inclusive dialogue. The difference being that a new dimension has been added to the whole concept of a dialogue as important as the one being proposed. The convenors of the Anglophone General Conference strongly believe in the necessity to hold a preparatory General Conference in order to agree on the issues to be examined at the national dialogue. We in this Newspaper cannot afford to be indifferent to his proposal.
In the first place, the conference, as the conveners plan it, will freely designate their representatives at that dialogue, since the government has always insisted that they do not know who to dialogue with. Secondly, the convenors insist that the Anglophone General Conference will be organised by a broad-based conference organising committee, comprising traditional and religious authorities, civil society leaders, professional associations, women’s and youths groups, trade union organisations etc. We certainly see plenty of sincerity and sanity in such a proposal. We also cannot question the integrity of the man championing such an initiative in the person of Christian Cardinal Tumi, backed by three other religious leaders whose reputation is being held in high esteem. We are also impressed that governors of the two Anglophone regions, North West and South West shall be invited to attend the conference.
Under the present circumstance, no proposition that leans towards a lasting solution to the present crisis should be over-looked. We also appreciate the fact that the issue of some kind of cease-fire has equally been addressed. For no meaningful dialogue can produce its desired results in the midst of the sounding of guns and the braking news of killings on both sides. The guns certainly need to be silenced, so as to create a conducive atmosphere for talks. We are, therefore, once more adding our voice to what has already been said in calling for the state security forces and the separatist fighters, as well as the government, to give Cardinal Tumi and Co. a chance. We are compelled to make this appeal on account of the fact that both parties seem not to accept that in issues of conflict, such as the one we are facing today, concessions usually become a matter of necessity or a prime condition. We see the whole burden of pain lying on the entire population of the Anglophone regions of the country. They have lost their loved ones and to continue to sustain the bloodbath is morally wrong.
Our appeal also goes to the pro-independence fighters, with whom we should together protect such institutions as the CDC, PAMOL to name but these, not only as the pride of our people but as sources of livelihood for the thousands of our people who depend on these institutions. This apart, these institutions are by all considerations monuments, if not symbols of our pride of existence as a people with a history and common destiny wherever we may be. Unfortunately, one can see the secret hand of some of our administrators and even elite of Anglophone origin not feeling comfortable at all about any initiative that suggests dialogue as a way out of the present crisis that is consuming many lives.
We strongly believe that this fresh initiative by the ‘’FOUR WISE MEN’’ is about to put us on the right path and we call on government to create the necessary enabling environment for the proposed Anglophone General Conference AGC, to hold as planned so that where the two All Anglophone Conferences, 1 and 2 could not scale the wall, AGC and its conveners should be given the chance to do so.