MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION (NUTHE/SYNES)
Dear Parents, Teachers, and Students,
When teachers declared a peaceful strike so that Government will address the decay and rot it had caused in the Anglophone sub-system of education, we little expected things to take the turn they did. Government ministers rented the airwaves and copiously insulted us without regard for the role they themselves had played in spoiling our school system.
Even as the Prime Minister, and Head of Government tried to find a negotiated settlement, these ministers undermined his effort, making him look powerless or even helpless simply because he is Anglophone. After taking part in two days of negotiations in Bamenda, I must say that I saw a lot of sincerity in the PM. But if after four days he still hasn’t been able to do one thing as agreed upon in Bamenda, then it means that, decidedly, he is not the person to solve the Anglophone problem in Cameroon. The way he was even ridiculed by his own ministers speaks volumes. Government is determined to absorb or wipe us out.
When our parents brought Southern Cameroons into a union with La Republique du Cameroon, they did not expect the raw deal we have been served in the last 55 years. As a people, we have suffered deprivation, exclusion, marginalization and exploitation, betrayed by some of our own brothers and today, compared to other parts of former Southern Cameroons which voted to join Nigeria, we are worse off, as Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Nigeria’ first PM) had rightly predicted. Our people are poor, live marginal lives, have no roads, even though our part of the country has provided all the wealth that has developed Yaounde and Douala and made our ministers arrogant. In fact, the Government of this country has no regard for our existence!!
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For years, our oppressor has used “divide and rule”, aided by some of our brothers and sisters who are ready to betray us for crumbs at their master’s table. It is therefore not surprising, therefore, to hear the shameful statements some so-called anglophone ministers made last week.
I call for unity among ALL Anglophones of Southern Cameroons extraction and urge YOU to shun the parochial definitions of “Anglophone” which are only meant to water down our problem. Resist every ploy by the Government to make our quest for a better life for our children bloody. Do not yield to police provocation; make sure that our resistance is as peaceful as possible so that those thirsty for blood will not have any cause to drink of it. Also desist from posting false information and demands like regime change on the internet and social media. These only distract us from our focus and could seriously injure our cause. Our demands are meant to give reparation to all the plunder we have suffered.Anglophone chiefs, ministers, politicians and those who wield any form of influence but have never done so in the interest of their people have their last chance now. STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH AND BE REMEMBERED or forever be shamed.
We have information that the Government is planning mass kidnappings, eliminations and the physical torture of teachers, lawyers and leaders of the unions so as to stifle the Anglophone movement. Already, gun men have been sent to eliminate some of us. We no longer fear what this government can do, but as stakeholders in this union, if they do not think that we have a right to cry out against such chronic marginalization, then we are certainly in the wrong place. Battalions of troops are being mobilized as they did in Buea against a peaceful students’ demonstration. But this time, more than before, the truth shall prevail and the glory of the Lord will shine among us. EVERY ANGLOPHONE has a moral duty to contribute to 5his struggle and we shall succeed.
We have asked the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium [CACSC], the umbrella organisation of our unions to consider the current stalemate and chart the way forward in our common interest.
Professor James Arrey Abangma
PRESIDENT,
UB CHAPTER OF NUTHE/SYNES
2 comments
Brilliantly written Prof. You and the union have my unconditional support.
NDEPENDENCE OF SOUTHERN CAMEROON
Dear leaders,
RE: WE NEED OUR INDEPENDENCE BACK!
I wish to appeal to you to begin sensitising the entire population of West Cameroon that we are asking back our independence. That is, independence is what we need to have at the centre of our discussion.
I would like you to note that even the best case scenario of federalism with La Republique will not work. For example, over fifty-five years, they have not shown us any good faith. Rather, they have developed a diabolical agenda of eradicating English- Speaking Cameroonians’ identity and impoverishing and humiliating them. Reflect on the laws of Cameroon. Do you know that the decisions, most of the time, taken by the Government are in favour of Francophones? Yes, look at what happens during recruitment of students into professional schools. They talk about regional balance which means that if there are 75 students admitted into each of the medical schools across the country, 15 must be Anglophones to match the 80:20 for La Republique du Cameroun and West Cameroon in that respect. You and I know that this does not happen in Cameroon as of now. This is exactly what will happen in a federation.
Another thing you need to know is that most of the major laws including marriage, divorce, international business laws, and major decisions on giant projects like deciding where an airport is to be constructed, for instance, will be taken by La Republique not us because they are the federal government. They will still be the ones to control how tax payer’s money will be spent not us!
ALSO,YOU NEED TO NOTE THAT LA REPUBLIQUE IS OWING HUGE DEBTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD USING OUR RESOURCES LIKE CDC, SONARA JUST TO NAME A FEW FOR COLLATERAL; YET WE DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THE HARVESTS FROM THESE RESOURCES. IN A FEDERATION, THE MARGINALISATION WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW WILL BE WORSENED. THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT KILLED THE VIRUS. IT MEANS THAT THEY STILL USE OUR RESOURCES AT THEIR ADVANATGE AND WE WILL BE MADE MUCH POORER THAN NOW.
Next, they will be the ones to control the federal state’s spending and will control our entire territory with their militarily men. It means that we will not have control over our lives. They will be the ones to decide which piece of land is government’s and which one belongs to the natives. What we are experiencing now as far as seizure of our land is concerned will be worsened.
Furthermore, you and I know that La Republique has a shadow that keeps following her – France. France has been at the forefront of the plight of British South Cameroonians from 1961. In addition, we can testify how dishonest this La Republique is. They will NEVER allow us rule in a country where they outnumber us. Take note that they had an underground plan to eradicate Anglophones and the English culture we inherited from Britain that is why they have been dictating who should rule, doctor, teach in the West Cameroon Region
If we ask for federation, we are making a mistake. And this mistake is a big one because we cannot separate from it again if we are uncomfortable. This is because for a federation to dissociate, all sates must agree. La Republique will never agree. Do not fall a victim a second time. Therefore the question of whether or not we want a federation is out of place. What we want is INPDENDENCE!
Moreover, you may think that a federation is simple to achieve. It is NOT TRUe. This is very complicated; there are a series of documents to complete and La Republique will NEVER sign any documents which give us equal power on certain positions as them. Even when a constitution existed, La Republique has never respected what belonged to the Anglophones. In addition, they will prepare the terms in a language they interpret best and will hold us with that as well as with fine prints on the documents. Make NO MISTAKE. INDEPENCE IS OUR BUS STOP AND WILL NOT REQUIRE US TO SIGN MANY DOCMENTS OR HAVE LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS WITH LA REPUBLIQUE. CONVERSELY FEDERATION WILL WARRANT LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS BESIDES THE MANY DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE.
Recently, we have all noted that the President of La Republique, Biya has always given ‘the best answer to a fool’ since Anglophones spoke up on their plight. He is not willing to talk on a round table with us. Even when he delegates people to talk with us, they come to the table with resolutions ( diabolic agenda they plan to push through), not with the aim of discussing to arrive at consensuses with us. These people and Mr Biya will not change over night. THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE WE SHOULD DREAM OF DISCUSSING WITH.
However, with independence, we will have the opportunity to take all major decisions on our own without interference from anybody. Also, we will be the ones to secure our territory and will have freedom from enslavement by La Republique.
Having said all of the above, I hope it is dawn on you that we need to focus on achieving back our independence, because this is what will make us live as a people with total autonomy over our resources.