Earlier today 2nd May 2017, Arch Bishop Samuel Kleda, the man who sent a letter earlier asking Catholic schools to resume was on the offensive. He was at the Bishop House in Buea. He convened a meeting with all Buea Diocese School Administrators to chat away for school resumption. He will thereafter be making similar stops at other dioceses as follows:

TUESDAY 02/05/2017 BUEA
WEDNESDAY 03/05/2017 KUMBA
THURSDAY 04/05/2017 MAMFE
FRIDAY 05/05/2017 BAMENDA

Let Bishop Kleda know that the Southern Cameroons people are aware of his intentions. We understand this is a tacit playbook from President Paul Biya to get schools to resume.

BaretaNews earlier informed all Buea Diocese administrators who will be attending the meeting to tell the Bishop the truth. Tell him that the struggle is now political and it has got to do with the future of Southern Cameroons and education forms an integral part of Southern Cameroons future. Southern Cameroons people shall not tolerate the betrayal of the struggle.

Those in attendance includes:

1. Archbishop Samuel kleda of Douala,
2. Bishop of Bafang Abraham for justice and piece,
3. Bishop Bushu of Buea,
4. Colonial Governor sw,
5.SDO,
6.DO,
7. Delegates of Secondary and basic education
8. GCE board registrar,
9. Fr Jervis Kebei secretary Episcopal conference,
10. Diocesan PTA president and secretary,
11. Fr. sob alexander, Buea Catholic Education Secretary,
12. Police, Gendarm high officers, and a good number of people from the governor’s office.

After the conclave of meeting between La Republique colonial administrators including Bishop Kleda, BaretaNews learned that the purpose of the meeting was centered around persuading the Bishop to make a call asking parents to send their kids back to school. From one colonial officer to the other, they took turns in begging the Bishop. Some of the participants in the meeting requested the release of our leaders and people, the Francophone Bishops and Colonial administrators could not provide any concrete answers. The meeting ended with an information session. BaretaNews correspondent reported that the Bishop of Buea was resolute about maintaining the status quo until a frank dialogue with the state is initiated. The Bishop went further to say he and others have done their best to mitigate but the situation lies in the hands of Southern Cameroons Parents.

The Colonial delegation has left for Kumba, Mamfe then Bamenda. It is the understanding of BaretaNews that the situation will be the same in these other dioceses.

BaretaNews maintained that while government schools across Southern Cameroons remained largely closed, the push by this regime to see mission schools open is only for the benefits of their Francophone kids who have flooded these mission schools. It has nothing to do with the love for our people, it has nothing to do with the need to see our kids educated with all tools they need for a better job market. Only a return to the lost Southern Cameroons State can give our educational and legal system as well as other institutions the sustainability they need to survive.

Southern Cameroonians continue to pray for our Southern Cameroons Bishops as their court case comes up within few weeks from now. We again add our voice to the release of all leaders and all those abducted since the beginning of this struggle.

The struggle continues. Stay tuned with BaretaNews