Dear Southern Cameroonians (Ambazonians)
The submissions of the delegation I led, only in the last week, to the United Nations Dept of Political Affairs in New York, tendered the following evidence in support of the following matters:
French Cameroun which later became known as La Republique du Cameroun, and British Cameroons, were both UN Class B territories. These two separate and distinct territories were entrusted to France and Great Britain in separate Trusteeship Agreements dated 13thDec. 1946, to prepare the territories and their inhabitants ultimately to self-Government or independence pursuant to Art.76b of the UN Charter.
France granted “CONDITIONAL” Independence to French Cameroun on 1st Jan. 1960, on terms that the portfolios of Defence and Economy remained in the hands of Imperial France. This is generally unknown, but this is the situation till today, which enables France to continue to extort an almost perpetual colonial tax from its former African dependencies, and by controlling the portfolio of Defence, has strategically placed itself to ensure that only persons amenable to French interests continue to rule.
On 14th Dec. 1960, the United Nations in General Assembly (the UN’s highest operating organ), by Res. 1514(XV) proscribed Colonialism in all its facets as a crime against humanity, and a threat to world peace and security, decreed that ALL colonized and trust territories should be granted Unconditional Independence, regardless of their educational or economic circumstances. This resolution was updated the very next day, viz 15th Dec. 1960 by Res. 1541(XV) which stated that any territory which was entitled to Unconditional Independence, but found itself wanting in some areas e.g. Defence or Foreign Relations, would be deemed to have attained a full measure of Independence by “associating or integrating” with a neighbouring already sovereign state. The methodology for “Joining” in either category is clearly set out in the relevant Resolution.
The activities of all six operating organs of the United Nations must conform to its Constitution (otherwise known as the UN Charter). This means that even the Resolutions of the General Assembly must comply with the provisions of the Charter, which provides in Art. 102(1) that should a member state of the UN wish to join another territory, the two parties must evidence the terms of their association in writing, sign the Agreement, and deposit a copy of the said Agreement at the Secretariat of the UN, but that failure to do so renders the so-called association invalid, and it cannot be sighted before any of the six operating organs of the UN, one of which is the International Court of Justice.
La Republique du Cameroon (former French Cameroun) was granted Conditional Independence by France on 1st Jan. 1960 and with the assistance of France, was admitted a member state of the United Nations on 20thSeptember, 1960. As from that date, any legitimate joining by La Republique du Cameroun (LRC) with any other territory had to have its terms reduced into writing and the Agreement signed by both parties, with a copy of the said Agreement duly filed at the UN Secretariat in New York. The penalty for non-compliance is stated in Art. 102(2) of the Charter, and renders any non-conforming “Agreement” invalid.
Such is the situation of LRC with S. Cameroons. By a Resolution of the UN highest organ, the date of Independence of Southern Cameroons was fixed for 1st Oct. 1961. Before that date, the statutory evidence for joining, so as to comply with Art 102(1) of the Charter, was to be achieved in a tripartite conference comprising the British Administering Authority (The Trustee), the indigenous Government of Southern Cameroons (the Beneficiary) and the Government of La Republique du Cameroun, to draw up an Agreement setting out in clear terms the undertakings and the understandings of the contracting parties. The meeting never took place, so although the British Trust Mandate ended at midnight on 30thSeptember, 1961 there is no written evidence of the terms of Agreement of Association between the contracting parties. To make matters worse, Gt Britain handed the Instruments of Power over Southern Cameroons not to the Government of Southern Cameroons pursuant UN General Assembly Res. 1514(XV) #5, but to another foreign state, LRC. By yielding the Instruments of Power to the foreign state of LRC, Southern Cameroons did not graduate to Independence, but was handed to LRC a day before the UN’s critical date of 1stOctober 1961 when S. Cameroons was become an independent. It is also not clear how the British held UN trust mandate over Southern Cameroons was formally terminated to the satisfaction of the Trusteeship Council.
For the fore-mentioned reasons, my delegation made a strong case to the UN to please review the de-colonization process of Southern Cameroons that has been converted to re-colonization by LRC, a situation which the UN has declared as utterly unacceptable and a threat to world peace and security.
After many years of struggling to remove the imperial yoke around their neck, the People of Southern Cameroons have resorted to all civil means open to them, including “Ghost Towns and No Schools,” in the face of extremely harsh and brutal measures by La Republique du Cameroun, a state they did not legally join, but which invaded their territory when The British Trustee army departed on 30th Sept. 1961, and have subjected them since to an unacceptable colonial burden which they can no longer endure.
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The AFRICANS RISING Mission, composed entirely of African Organizations throughout Africa, sent a high-powered delegation to Cameroon last February, and in their Recommendations and Conclusion contained in their Report, released simultaneously in London, Abuja and Nairobi, they caution that the incredients for another Genocide are present, and Urgent steps should be taken to avert such a catastrophy.
The African Commission on Human & Peoples Rights declared in 2009 that Southern Cameroonians constitute a PEOPLE. My advice to the People of Southern Cameroons is that they should remain united so as to achieve their common objective of Fundamental, Unquestionable and Inalienable right of Self-Determination, applicable to ALL PEOPLES.
I have been advised that the panic for schools to re-open in the SW and NW Regions is not because LRC cares for those children, but because the INTERNATIONAL Organization controlling equivalence of academic certificates issued worldwide has threatened that certificates issued for the year when schools are not functioning properly across a country will be blacklisted for the whole country.
When INDEPENDENCE is achieved, there will be adequate opportunities for all of us to contribute our different skills for the economic development and wellbeing of our Fatherland. Those who seek political office will have to contest democratic elections. For now, let us all accept that any divisions among our ranks are a direct support to the enemy, and as the saying goes, we should fight first to kill the animal, before debating on how to share it.
“The Ghost Towns and Schools Boycott, as well as the Lawyers strike” should be intensified and the Southern Cameroonian leaders currently in prison released Unconditionally as a basis for any meaningful dialogue with the designated Leaders of Southern Cameroons, under the auspices of the UN or AU.
By the Grace of God, Comrades, we are nearly there, so stay united!
Mola