Worldwide Protest for Release of Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia Leaders

By Delavil Lekunze | Jan 5, 2019

Massive demonstrations against the abduction of Southern Cameroons (SC)/Ambazonia leaders in jail for one year, resounded with success in different countries around the world on Jan 5. Ambazonians in Finland, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Germany and many other countries flooded the streets with protest songs of hope and victory.

At the Washington protest. L – R: Acting Interim President, Samuel Ikome Sako, Mrs Ngalla Nfor, Mrs Sissiku Ayuk Tabe, Eric Tataw.

With large placards and banners, they cried out loud for international intervention to stop the ongoing genocide in their country promoted by the President of La Republique du Cameroun (LRC), Paul Biya. This is intensifying each day, with reports of scores killed and more towns and villages burnt down.

In their speeches, the protesters called on governments of their host countries and international institutions concerned, to take action for the immediate and unconditional release of all in jail, especially the NERA 10. These are the leaders that were abducted at Nera hotel in Nigeria on Jan 5 last year, with their President Sissiku Ayuk Tabe Julius. Most of them were on asylum and others were citizens of this country. The illegal action, punishable by international law, was carried out by La Republic du Cameroun, in complicity with Nigerian authorities. They were extradited to LRC, kept incommunicado for about eleven months and are today jailed in a maximum security prison in Yaounde, to be tried by a military court next Jan 10.

This first anniversary of their abduction, also dubbed Sissiku Ayuk Day, saw Ambazonians come out once more in unity and one loud voice like they did on September 22, 2017, when President Sissiku declared the restoration of the statehood of Southern Cameroons.

Some major streets on 10 Downing Street in London were blocked for a while by protesters, who hammered on the Commonwealth and British government who have a hand in their mess, to do something for these leaders and stop the genocide in SC. In Washington, the Acting Interim President Dr Sako Ikome, in a speech said they are working tooth and nail to get the leaders out. He will be sending a third petition to the U.S. government, asking for its unilateral intervention to stop Paul Biya’s outrageous war against the innocent people of Ambazonia, so they can regain the freedom they once enjoyed as an independent state before 1961.

The Jan 5 event was organized by wives of the NERA10 abductees with support from the interim government. Under the supervision of social media activist Eric Tataw, thousands of dollars were raised during the day and night ceremonies in Washington, and elsewhere, to assist these women in charity work. The money will be used to help their husbands, other Amba prisoners, refugees and internally displaced persons.

Many days ahead of the event witnessed a twitter storm with the hashtag #JusticeforNera10, organised by some Ambazonia patriots who in this campaign are asking for a million tweets from all good will lovers of justice and human rights.