Eric Chinje, the former editor-in-chief of the Cameroon television has hinted that President Biya has to humble himself as Head of State and engage in a genuine face-to-face dialogue with the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium to end tension in the country. Chinje also said that he would love to see Cameroon remain one and indivisible. He made public his opinion recently during a televised interview in which he examined the crisis that has rocked Southern Cameroons. The veteran newscaster also noted that there were some pretty fundamental problems that need to be addressed.
He observed that these were issues that have been going on for decades. “Let’s not go round. I will help this country. If decentralization had been applied in 1996, I am convinced that the Anglophone problem would never have existed.” Chinje added that he is aware of the efforts made by Prime Minister Philemon Yang to solve the problem.
Eric Chinje also opined that Minister Paul Atanga Nji was not right when he stated that the South West and North West people have no problems. He is distressed that Anglophones have not often held important ministerial positions. Eric Chinje pointed out that the 20 measures taken by the regime in Yaoundé to end the anger of Anglophones did not entirely satisfy them. The former communicator of the World Bank did explain that the Anglophone question is structural and perhaps social and cultural.
The Harvard University graduate believes that only President Biya’s genuine intervention can solve the Anglophone crisis. “As long as the President of the Republic has not been directly involved, I am sure that Anglophones will continue to claim. Because all they want is that the father of the family says to them “ok there is a problem I have taken note come back and we will fix it”. Chinje even suggested to Biya to either travel to Southern Cameroons to meet the Anglophone community or to invite them to the Unity Palace.
Eric Chinje further pointed out that since the establishment in 1984 of the so-called “Republic of Cameroon” in place of the “United Republic of Cameroon”, Anglophones feel marginalized. The much respected Cameroonian journalist believes that the detention of the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium is aggravating the situation every day. According to him, the arrests are one of the many mistakes made by the government in the management of this crisis. He therefore called for the immediate release of detained persons. The former journalist thinks that if nothing changes the Anglophone community will not vote next year.
By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai, CIR with files from Cameroon Info.Net
