By NDIMUH B. SHANCHO
Invitations to Ambazonia leaders and activists in the diaspora to attend the Major National Dialogue in the country from September 30 to October 4, 2019, have been turned down, as activists doubt their security in the country.
Last October 25, 2019 the cabinet of the Prime Minister’s office, addressed letters to Mark Bareta, Dr. Sako Ikome, Marc Chebs Njoh, Boh Herbert, Sally Liwoko, John Mbah Akuru, Milton Takah, Sebastien Mbariko, Milan Atam, Derrick Yuh, Akwanga Ebenezer, Ayaba Cho, Christmas Ebini, Chris Anu, Elvis Kometa and Jenny Tausch-Buhr, inviting them to participate at the Major National Dialogue.
Shortly after receiving these invitations, the activists took to social media, displaying and rubbishing the invitations, while urging the Cameroon government to release all those arrested, if it is really serious to dialogue with separatists.
One of the activists, Mark Bareta, who initially laughed off his invitation as a trap by the government to arrest separatists, later addressed an 8-page document to the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, turning down his invitation. “I cannot in all good faith honour your invitation because there have been no conductive preconditions to make these negotiations to take place as truthful as possible,” the document reads in part.
He stated he was ready to “abandon anything and take the next flight to sit and talk should our leaders and people be released, a neutral venue named, third party mediation guaranteed, cease fire declared and buffer zone created.”
Another activist, Eric Tataw, on his part said he will not attend because he and fellow separatists based in the diaspora are wanted in Cameroon on charges of secession and terrorism, same charges leveled against Ayuk Tabe Julius and nine others. He called on the Cameroon government to release Ayuk Tabe and other leaders as a sign they are truly ready for dialogue.
“I have told them categorically clear that let them release all detainees, and then start discussing with them and then from there we will know if the president of Cameroun is serious to have dialogue or not” said Tataw.
Reacting to a delegation sent by the Cameroon Government to America to get Cameroonians in the diaspora participate in the national dialogue led by Professor Fru Angwafor, one of the activists, Harmony Bobga Mbuton (esq.) said the dialogue is “misconceived and it does not matter how much money is wasted on it and the sea of dishonest endorsement it will buy, it is dead on arrival”.
Though many are yet to react, it is however clear that the grand national dialogue convened by President Paul Paul Biya, will go on from September 30 to October 4, with or without the separatist leaders and other Cameroonians in the diaspora.