SOME KEYS TO THE CRISIS IN “KAMERUN”
by Fr. Edwin Boye
(The Southern Cameroonian or West Cameroonian or the Ambazonian! )
The key to this crisis consists primarily in the words used.
1. THE NAMING OF THE NATION.
Once the nation was called the Federal Republic of Cameroon it meant one thing which is historically verifiable and when it simply becomes The Republic of Cameroon it means quite another. The second too is verifiable. Where there is no constitutional justification, there too there is a problem. One who does not know this is not ready to yet to talk about the whole issue.
2. SOME COMMON BUT CONFUSED TERMS.
When journalists, both local and international use the terms separatists, secessionists or restorationists each of these has in itself already an exhibit of the shallowness or depth of one’s understanding of the subject matter. No one who uses inappropriate terminology to describe or appraise a situation can turn round to come out with any proper solution.
3.TERRORISTS.
The Civil Law which is part of the heritage from France presumes one guilty until one proves oneself innocent before the law. This is the direct contrary of the common law approach to life since it presumes one’s innocent until proven guilty before the law as the experts tell us.
For this reason, whenanyone without the common law background calls you a terrorist, then you are treated as such even if you are met sound asleep in your house. As a terrorist, one is liable to face the wrath of armed men whose primary reflexes are to torture, shoot to death, rape, loot and burn houses and to re-ennact the borrows of war misery.
4. AS A LINGUISTIC DIFFICULTY
For some vaïve minds, the whole scheme centers around the use of the two European Languages as official languages for instruction. Anyone who has or shows such an understanding must not be taken seriously because such are purely ignorant irrespective of their political or social status or the advocacy they hold. Unfortunately again many of those who intend to be heard and who are expected to give an opinion fall into this category, visibly caught using language that reveals this shocking ignorance.
5. THAT WEST CAMEROONIANS (AMAZONIANS) HATE THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF FRENCH EXPRESSION OR VICE VERSA.
This is the most erratic opinion to hold even if a few base minds use language suggestive of this. Human beings do not just hate others in the world. This hate agenda is the brainchild of those who in their levity of mind want bloodshed. People with such orientations need a lot of help wherever they may be. This is because as one and indivisible Cameroun or as two nations, one is bound to love in harmony with one’s relations neighbours and friends. The fact that there may be examples of narrow minds who incite violence is a human weakness which however is a deflection of shallowness and poverty of one’s moral, cultural and educational background .
6.THAT THE OPINION OF THE ONE IN AUTHORITY IS ALWAYS RIGHT.
An uninformed mind, either of a representative of the people or of a government official is a deadly tool in either escalation of the matter or in the process towards the solution of the crisis. In Africa in General, where meritocracy is not generally necessary as a condition for public office as are one’s political affiliation and biological descent, many are square circles for their job. That is why for instance you might not be surprised if people step out of their houses just to be shot dead in an attempt to exercise a universal human right. Also, it may not be surprising to realize that what looks like a dialogue has already been decided ab initio.
Truth in this context has nothing to do with one’s rank since it has to do with facts and reality.
7.THAT THE PRESS IS THE SUMMIT OF TRUTH.
This is so unfortunate not just in this case but in many others everywhere in the world. The guys writing the story could be uninformed or otherwise deform the facts which seems to happen so often. This could be intentional or accidental though. Therefore quoting from one organ of the press only, to say nothing of the very very repressive press censorship defeats the purpose. The internet blackouts and other related issues are already speaking out loudly here.
8. THAT THE U.N. IS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN THE REST OF THE PEOPLE.
This is a pitfall way of thinking. It is true that a lot of the historical data is stored or archived in the museums and libraries of the colonizers as part of what they looted and or are still looting, the story remains our story and no one can tell it better than us in spite of the pain it takes to do so.
CONCLUSION
The intention of this short article is to show that unless we apply proper principles and persons, the way forward could become a blind leap. Secondly all those who are involved either directly or indirectly, including the public and private media as well as individuals must learn to use the proper concepts if there is hope of any breakthrough.
Failure to reach a solution would only pave the way for the fashionable and flourishing trade in arms which is a useful weapon for the economic growth and stability of Africa. Such also open the doors to the exportation of Africa’s natural resources as well as the stabilization of her population. We have already seen these in Rwandan, Congo, Burkina Faso and Libya just to name a few.
Boye.
