By George Njanjobea
update.direct…..Rumour has it that the Head of state, H. E President Paul Biya will be tomorrow in Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon, one of the main Anglophone zone where the ongoing Anglophone struggle like in the South West Region is taking a more difficult twist.
Though the president’s rumour impending visit is still a rumour, Anglophones are already prepared for the visit, for they are bent to have solutions for the Anglophone problems and not compromise. Earlier on during the week, Anglophones involved in the struggle, home and abroad, have already warned their counterparts in Bamenda not to bow down to the promises they believe the Head of state may be coming with, but to stay focus on the goal of this ongoing struggle.
H.E President Paul Biya of Cameroon
Mark Bareta, a citizen journalist and Anglophone political Activist yesterday January 10, posted on his facebook page that, “we have rumours about Biya planning to come to Bamenda. This should not excite us because his coming or not will not solve any problem……”
Unconfirmed reports say that the Head of State has decided to go down to Bamenda personally after several negotiations by the government to resolve the Anglophone problems have failed.
The reports further stated that the entire nation and most part of the world was shocked to see an effective and cooperated “ghost town” in all two Anglophone Regions on the 9th of January, a date for school reopening in Cameroon. The declaration was made by trade unionists in Cameroon headed by Wilfred Tasang after they realized the government was trying to play hanky panky games with the plight of English Speaking Cameroonians.
On this day, all schools in the North West and South West Regions remained closed, including business premises, offices and other important institutions. Some students and pupils who went to school on that day were sent home by school authorities. Still pictures and images of empty streets, closed school gates and business premises paraded the social media. Also pictures and images of peaceful protesters in hideouts brandishing placards with inscriptions describing the plights and needs of English speaking Cameroonians also flooded the internet.
A press briefing on Monday 9 by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, (CACSC) thanking all West Cameroonians who participated in the ghost town to send this very strong message to “those who feel that they can continue to oppress, humiliate, marginalize and deprive us of our citizenship in this country……” also stated that the ghost town will be suspended for other activities continue, while the aggrieved teachers and Common Law Layers strike will continue in full force “until the government is ready for genuine dialogue”, it reads.
According to the CACSC the content of this dialogue must see into a “satisfactory solutions to the problems of exclusion marginalization, abuse, infrastructural development, employment, and the safeguard or guarantee of our protection by the government.”
The Anglophone protest in Cameroon started late last year by Common Lawyers and later teachers, spread like wildfire across the borders. The struggle has taken the lives of many English speaking Cameroonians and has led to the unlawful arrests of many, some taken to the national capital overnight while others were taken to unknown destinations by the forces of law and order. Common Lawyers, journalists, students and other innocent English speaking Cameroonians were also arrested, tortured, rape and properties ceased and destroyed. This however has not brought the crisis under control. Anglophones have stood their ground knowing that they are fighting a common cause and for the good of all. Even traditional rulers, clergymen, business persons, farmers and transport agents have weigh in the fight.
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