1st June 2017: Inside the struggle, where, what next, news and responses.

Good Morning Southern Cameroonians

Since October 2016, Southern Cameroons common Law Lawyers started this movement. They called for a number of reforms which they summed under the banner of a two state federation or outright independence. According to our lawyers, only the summation of the judicial problems in a two state federation or outright independence can help the people of Southern Cameroons. Next, Southern Cameroons teachers gave a plethora of problems concerning our educational system and by 21st November, they shut down our schools. By 8th December 2016, a number of our people were killed as the entire Southern Cameroons engulfed the strike action and turned it into the people’s struggle. But where are we today? What next? What do we hope for? And what is making news.

1. La Republique Government:

The government of Paul Biya as usual did not expect the resolved of our people. They began by ignoring the lawyers and the minister of justice Laurent Esso laughed and said our lawyers will get tired soon and go back to work. Since October, 2016, our lawyers have been home. They proved him wrong. Our teachers took over in November and the same was true. The only response the people of Southern Cameroons got from government of Paul Biya were killings, brutality, abductions, militarisation, internet shut down etc. The so called ad hoc committee which the government created to speak with our leaders were a farce and smokescreen. Nothing in that light has been done, not even the proposals accepted with the teachers have been implemented. The same with the lawyers, any proposals stated by the government regarding the lawyers problems are all cosmetic which by a stroke of a pen by another decree will be annulled. Only a change in form of state will guarantee these things.

2. Ghost Towns

Ghost towns have been our most priced weapon against the state. It started in December 2016 with Mondays and Tuesdays till late February when it went to once a week on Mondays. We acknowledged that ghost towns pains us but it is a necessary evil we must do to send a message. The only reason for the ghost towns are to include the other sectors of the society to join the teachers and lawyers to make it the true people’s struggle. It is true that it has not been easy, the government has fought this concept of ghost towns by organising marches in Kumba, Bamenda, Buea and limbe but yet the towns still got up to see ghosts. We also accept that the steam of the ghost towns especially the enthusiasm keeps dying down in some counties in Southern Cameroons. This is normal in every revolution and we can’t really blame our people. It has not been easy. They need a new motivation but again, it has been satisfactory so far. We also started naming our ghost towns to add more steam into it. This concept of ghost towns shall continue until the powers that be stopped it. We only ask our people to be steadfast.

3. Schools Shutdown

This is our biggest victories. Yes, we have kept schools and universities closed for months. The government did not sleep. They also fought back. It is fair to say that schools in Southern Cameroons remained shut down despite the few glitches of some secondary schools opening their doors. Yes, in most of these cases, it was the francophone section albeit under high security. The few Anglophone sections which tried to open saw dozens of students from tens of thousands. We do not expect the government to fold their arms. The University of Buea saw less than 2000 students out of 28000 students taking an exam they never studied and yes in Bambili, HTTTC Kumba where we have civil servants students, they are defying the odds. Primary schools also remained closed.

The educational system in a nutshell in Southern Cameroons has remained closed and the future is a sad one. How will students from forms 1, 2, 3, 4 and lower sixth be promoted to the next class without haven taken any exams. Recalled that school started last year in September 2016 and by November, 2016, they remained shut down till date. What happens next academic year? How can they be promoted to the next class without any results or completing the syllabus of their class? What happens to forms 3, 4 and lower sixth students whose GCE preparation begins in their current class? This directly means students in form 4 and lower sixth should they be moved to form 5 and upper sixth have lost one academic year of studies and non covering of their syllabuses and thus this affects 2018 GCE directly.

The Government has insisted that these students be promoted to the next class based on their test results they had before the strike action. This is suicide for our education.

This is why the struggle must intensify so that by August this year we are sure of the 2017/2018 academic year because as it stands it shows the next academic year will not begin. The Southern Cameroons liberation movements Must up their game to give our people alternatives.

4. Public Exams.

It is no news that la Republique decided to run common entrance exams and GCE practicals for our children who never studied. We saw pictures of empty class rooms for common entrance exams. Our people in most areas boycotted the common extrance exams because the pupils have not been studying. Those that took the exams took it under tight and heavy security- where have we seen that? The admission of any kids into form one in Southern Cameroons is already problematic. Yes, the struggle succeeded in stretching the military of La Republique to work.

The Government also forced some students and schools to take the practicals exams and in few days the written part of the GCE will begin. Let us be clear. This same GCE practicals and written part were and will be conducted in French Cameroun whose students have had a full academic year. It is different from our people in Southern Cameroons who have not been taught since 2016, how then will the GCE Board grade our people? We saw a video in May 2016 in one of the centres in Victoria during practicals how students were complaining that they know nothing about the practicals they were about to take and the same is true across all centres. The government is bent on organising this political GCE under a fake conditions and the most tight security ever known. We do not have the weapons to fight this but we can only caution our people not to fall into this trap because decrees from the Cameroons for this academic year will not be accepted globally except in Cameroun.

As a people, we need to increase our campaign and calling to our people to ignore the GCE. We must do all to sabotage it and free our people.

5. Common Law Lawyers.

They are the most faithful in this struggle. Despite staying for 8 months without salaries as they make their end meets through court cases have remained true to the struggle by letting the courts remain shut. We must thank and acknowledge their steadfastness and call on them not to give up. We must continue to support them.

6. Support a teacher/Lawyer

We on this platform started this initiative by adopting a teacher. Many of our people contacted Mark Bareta and were linked up to a teacher back home whom they are supporting. The Southern Cameroons Ambazonia Consortium United Front-SCACUF took over the initiative and it is run on their website. Teachers and Lawyers should register there for support and Southern Cameroonians should visit the website to adopt a teacher or lawyer for support.

Also, a lot of private initiatives are being carried out. We have seen Yannick Sicot and Mami Gera organised their counties by helping back home. We should follow in their footsteps. Organised and help some lay private teachers and lawyers home. Yes, we can do it.

7. Release of our leaders.

There has been a lot of debate lately about the Conditional Release/ bail or unconditional release of Dr. Fontem and Balla from jail. The debate has been fierce and sometimes emotional. However, this platform conclusion is that we have no powers over what happens in Yaoundé come June 7th. Our powers rest in debating on the merits and demerits of Conditional/ Unconditional Release. While this platform still holds that our leaders should reject any Conditional Release/bail, we respect the fact that they are matured enough to understand the stakes and the decision rest with them, our leaders. We can only pray for the best for them and the struggle. Whatever happens come June 7th, we must not forget our motto that we follow the struggle and not individuals as such the struggle must continue.

8. SCACUF

Southern Cameroons Ambazonia Consortium United Front-SCACUF has come to be accepted by majority of Southern Cameroonians as the mouthpiece of this current struggle. The Front has its own challenges but we are called upon to make it better and we challenge SCACUF to rise up to the occasion if being a truly United Front by making sure that all her actions must geared towards unity. This will mean calling anyone using its name for blackmail and sabotage. The people still awaits an interim government from SCACUF and the people are in anxiety what happens next. SCACUF must do all to deliver and to keep the struggle alive. Southern Cameroonians are in their own way called upon to help SCACUF achieved it missions.

9. Dr. Fontem’s Car.

When in late 2016, Dr. Fontem’s car was burnt. It was burnt on UB campus by agents of the government to inflict pain on Dr. Fontem, the anger of the public was consumed into support for a new car. I, Mark Bareta thought it wise that we must not let our leaders suffer, we must stand behind them to show strength. I therefore rallied Tapang Tanku, Mac Belmond Abakwa (Atanga Belmondo), Leslie Ngwa in a messenger group on how we can support Dr. Fontem. Leslie Ngwa works at the US embassy. It was decided that Tapang Ivo Tanku should immediately create a Gofundme account and Leslie should be in charge in Cameroon to receive contributions from those based home. Unfortunately, Leslie dropped out because a lot of government agents threatened him by text or call and so that move could not go. Tapang went ahead straight to create a Gofundme account as we agreed and within few hours, thousands of dollars were raised for Dr. Fontem’s car. This was a personal initiative which came from us and Dr. Fontem was never contacted if he will accept or not. By the time arrangements were made to wire this to Dr. Fontem, he was arrested and such we instructed Ivo to freeze the money in his account until such a time Dr. Fontem is out.

The attack on Tapang lately is a big witch hunt. Everyone knows how much was contributed. Everyone knows how much Gofundme will cut as their percentage. Everyone knows how much Dr. Fontem should be expecting. Everyone knows that the money is safely with Ivo. Why are people all over the place attacking Ivo about Dr. Fontem’s car money? Has Ivo declared the money missing? Is Dr. Fontem out of jail and Ivo resisted sending? The irony is that Ivo is the one championing the Conditional Release of these leaders. If Ivo had used the money, logic holds that he should have been supporting the unconditional release to prevent their coming out so that he can raise the money. Here is a young man fighting for the release of Dr. Fontem knowing well that he is ready to release what is due him to Dr. Fontem.

Please, let’s stop this attack. Let’s allow the process to play. We (I) have given strict instructions to Tapang that no money will be Release to any individual. Tapang shall release the money to Dr. Fontem or to whosoever Dr. Fontem gives the power of attorney legally so as to avoid any misgivings in future. It was a private initiative and the initiators will bear the consequences if things go wrong. Please leave Tapang Ivo alone, stop attacking the young man. We all have our flaws and different in opinions. Focus on the struggle and not trivialities.

10. Boycotts

We destroyed 11th February and 20th May already. Their celebrations in our land was stopped and in areas that defy saw a mockery of it. We continue to remind our people to boycott Amour Mezam bus company for standing against the struggle.

11. What Next

There are so many things going underground from the angle of SCACUF, AGC etc. Please believe in the struggle. Do your part to preserve the struggle. Support and observe ghost towns. Call upon our people to boycott any fake organisation of the GCE. Support the PCC moderator and Bishops going to court. Support our teachers and lawyers back home through initiatives. Just do your best to take the struggle ahead.

Mark Bareta
Bui/Manyu Counties
Southern Cameroons
Support the struggle and not individuals