Paul Biya’s Ineligibility and the Southern Cameroons Struggle: The Nexus

The present article falls within the category of problem solving analysis from an observer’s viewpoint. The connectivity of this idea might not be accepted by some pundits and opinion leaders, but it is worth of reflection. The Cameroons (French and British) have come a long way to be where it is today. After fifty years of unhappy matrimony, the string that holds the couple together is barely solid. After ruling the “Union” for 29 repressive years, things have only gone from better to raggedy. Since the introduction of Multi-party “democracy” in Cameroun in 1990 and the first ever electoral burglary in 1992, things have remained static. Every other election organized in Cameroon since then has been a mere process, void of credibility or veracity. The swelling majority are of the belief that elections in Cameroun are just a verisimilitude of what a democratic election is supposed to be. Yet, Cameroun gears once more towards organizing one on the 9th of October, 2011.

There is looming pessimism on almost every lip regarding the upcoming stakes. In a personalized system of governance like in Cameroun where an individual has risen above and beyond the law and state institutions, such a society is bound to be replete with irrationality, human right violations, repressive talents and impunity. This explains why President Biya has taken pleasure in changing the Constitution at will as if dealing with his personal wardrobe. Nevertheless, the hoi polloi is of the opinion that the sit-tight "absentee ruler" Paul Biya, has overstayed his leadership, outlived his mandates and usefulness and should make space for another. On the books, President Biya is the de facto leader of Cameroun, but in reality, he is nothing short of a visitor. President Biya is seldom seen and his “diplomacy of silence” in the international scene is Siamese with his internal muteness. Biya does not hold press conferences to enlighten the masses on his plans and programs neither does he make symbolic appearances to comfort victims or families of victims in times of distress such as: highway road accidents, the recent death of more over 500 people from Cholera in the Far North (Maroua); or the recent attack by armed-assailants on a bank in Limbe. Despite the apparent adamancy to heed to these repeated calls, the tyrant, his henchmen and cohorts have been concocting another bad flu to infect the masses.

The 2011 Presidential Elections

A succinct diagnosis of the Constitution revealed that Paul Biya is not eligible to stand for re-election despite the imposed Constitutional change he effected in April 2008 to maintain himself in power amidst the mass riots and protests of the youths. Ignited by Alain Olinga Didier, legal experts agreed to the fact that the revised 2008 Constitution did not affect the limitation on Biya’s two-term mandate because of the non retroactivity of the 1996 Constitution. Because the 2008 Constitutional revision came at a time when the 1996 Constitution was still active, and given that Biya was sworn in 1997, the changes made in 2008 will only apply to the next president. Therefore, any attempt to present his candidacy will be tantamount to committing “another” Constitutional crime. This may explain the silence and confusion within the Biya-CPDM camp.

Regardless of the overall pessimism, there is a cross section (both French speaking and Southern Cameroonians) from the hamlets to the big cities that have registered and hope to cast their votes and change the political situation in Cameroon. Although the two Cameroons live together, they have different histories and aspirations.

The Southern Cameroons Struggle

Paul Biya and Dr. Kevin Gumne of SCAPO (Southern Cameroons People's Organisation)


The People of the Southern Cameroons have been leading a legal battle to redress the injustices committed on them by colonial conspiracy and completed by the government of the Republic of Cameroun. Ever since the success of the Fon Gorji-Dinka case against La Republique du Cameroun (LRC) in the 1992 (HCB/28/92) at the Bamenda High Court and the All Anglophone Conferences - 1993 and 1994 (AAC I and AAC II) - in Buea and Bamenda respectively; the struggle has undergone a long string of tussle. On the one hand, the cries of the Southern Cameroonians against the Constitutional coups (1972 and 1984) and occupation, massive injustices, human rights violations, the violation of UN (Res. 1608) and other international treaties, and the call for a restoration of their autonomy and statehood. On the other hand, the frantic denial of the Regime of LRC of all allegations and the tagging of the restoration demands as “separatist” schemes and maneuvers. According to Abraham Lincoln: “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”

In the course of the struggle, the Southern Cameroons has won many battles but prominent amongst them are: the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2002 on its right to self determination; and the 2009 victory at the African Commission on Human and People’s Right (ACHPR) in May 2009. The ACHPR court in its ruling found LRC guilty and in violation of Articles 1,2,4,5,6,7(1),10,11,19 as well as 26 of the court’s Charter and solidly recommended "constructive dialogue" between LRC (Respondent) and the Southern Cameroons(Complainant). This was a hallmark victory in the Southern Cameroons struggle for self determination. The court’s demand for inter-party “dialogue” can be appraised as a diplomatic attempt for a peaceful resolution of the problem.

Despite the many demands for inter-party “DIALOGUE” which started at the AAC conferences and were reiterated by the ACHPR in 2009, the Regime of LRC deliberately chose to ignore, silence and stifle any attempt or discussions related to the Southern Cameroons.
Any keen political observer will affirm beyond fears of contradiction that the regime in Yaounde is afraid to stand up and face its ghost in the mirror. To water their escapist’s tactic, LRC and its sit-tight leader diligently built a system of distortion of historical facts , institutionalized illegality and beefed up its machinery of corruption, fraud and Constitutional hold-up.

The Nexus:

Albeit ongoing international judicial procedures and efforts for the restoration of the sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons people, it would smack of dishonesty for any supporter of the Southern Cameroons struggle to claim not to pay attention to the events in LRC. Either by obligation, choice or desperation, the sons and daughters of the Southern Cameroons are affected at every level of their lives by the decisions or policies drafted and implemented by the Regime in place. Amongst the levels, we can find among others:

1- Taxation: Southern Cameroonians are still bounds by administrative laws to declare and pay taxes (individual and entity) to the government under the control of LRC. Ironically, it is some of this tax money that is used inter alia, to reinforce and fuel the machinery of corruption, repression and domination machine.

2- Resources: The Northwest-Southwest regions are unarguably the bread-baskets of the Cameroons. The agricultural policies and the organization of the economic sector is designed to enable proceeds from the toiling of Southern Cameroons farmers, be it cash crops (cocoa, coffee, banana, palm oil, rubber)or basic consumer goods to be assembled and distributed to the rest of the country while the rest is exported to well known destinations. Despite these toiling, the farmers’ repeated demands for modern farming equipments, pesticides, insecticides, government subventions and farm-to-market roads are either ignored or thrown in the never resurfacing “To do” list of the Government. According to the 2010 statistics, the timber and food crops sectors have known exponential recovery since the financial crisis; and oil from the Southwest region is increasingly refined by SONARA but the proceeds seldom benefit Southern Cameroonians.

3- Remunerations and Pensions: Talented, skillful and educated sons and daughters of the Southern Cameroons who managed to secure a job within the public (and private) sector despite the crude marginalization within LRC, depend highly on the meager monthly salaries and /or catechist-level retiree pensions to meet the excessive and growing needs of their families. For job security, some are constrained by their jobs to sell or commercialize the vain merits of the regime.

4- Travelling and Consular services: Southern Cameroonians are obliged to make National Identification Cards (ID) and passports from LRC as well as use overseas consular services and embassies of LRC for travelling purposes.

5- Civic Obligations: The sons and daughters of the Southern Cameroons from Kindergarten to high schools are under the civic obligation to sing the French imposed National Anthem “The Rallying Song” every morning; and obliged to take part in imposed and significantly deformed National Day celebrations like the 11 February and 20th May events. Moreover, as far as election and voting rights are concerned, millions of Southern Cameroonians take part in the different elections whether municipal or presidential. Although some Southern Cameroonians refuse or abstain from taking part in elections organized by LRC on well founded grounds that the system is faulty, corrupt and untrustworthy or that they belong to a different Statehood (Southern Cameroons); it has unfortunately not stopped a cross-section of Southern Cameroonians from taking an active part in the elections either as candidates or voters. The complete resignation from some Southern Cameroons liberation activists is well founded and plausible. However, some Southern Cameroonians are still hyped up by the beautifully coated “political dreams” traded to them by some declared political aspirants of Southern Cameroons origin such as John Fru Ndi, Ben Muna, Ayah Paul Abine and Kah Walla or postulants like Christopher Fomunyoh and Nfor Susungi. Southern Cameroonians who are engaged to participate in the elections are lured by the belief that their “Anglophone” candidates would deliver the desired “CHANGE”. Again, the concept of change is relative. For the average French Cameroonian, it will be a change of regime and system, but for the Southern Cameroonian, such a change will be meaningless unless it is accompanied by complete freedom. In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s words: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent”. Is the back of the Southern Cameroons bent if it sons and daughters partake in the elections?

The underpinnings of my rhetoric and argument revolve around the idea of “Constructive Dialogue” that has been denied Southern Cameroonians for 18 years since the AAC conferences. Southern Cameroonian activists need to pay interest to what is happening in LRC as much as they pay interest to the developments in the international scene. The history of the Southern Cameroons may be unequivocal but there is no written algorithm for its liberation from 50 years of annexation. The sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons is unimpeachable, its activists are unflinching and unflagging and its eventual freedom is a certainty. However, whether that freedom comes from outside through an international legal victory or from inside; it would be welcomed. The question to ask at this juncture is: How can victory come from within? The Southern Cameroons struggle can gain its dividend from within in the event that a new leadership is ushered in at the helm of LRC. The longevity of the regime of Paul Biya and its institutionalization of the annexation process infused a de facto feeling of guilt and adamancy to partake in a constructive dialogue. Nelson Mandela once posited that: “Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” From this vantage point, it seems to be a daunting task for a regime that is soaked in blood and loaded with heinous crimes against Southern Cameroonians to agree to sit on the discussion table with its crimes starring straight at her like a reflective mirror. On the other hand, a new leadership in search of popular acceptance and assertiveness would be more courageous and favorable to the idea of dialogue. In other words, any new leadership that sets in will, for the sake of reconciliation, need to organize a National Dialogue to meet the needs of all aggrieved factions. The Southern Cameroons case will be brought to the discussion table as well and based on the strength ad force of her arguments, Southern Cameroonians may be heading to the finished line of their struggle for autonomy and self determination.

At this juncture, it is worthy to admit the fact that the Southern Cameroons struggle has slowed or stalled in progression at the international level although reflections are on the way to seek other avenues to get the engine running. The reason behind the quagmire is not at the level of Southern Cameroonians, but at the international pedestals. While Britain, the former colonial master dives into hoaxing, escapism, plays the game of innocence and refuses to face her conspiracy demons of the past; the shaded interests of other parties like France inter alia, has helped to asphyxiate the case at national level and at the United Nations. It is crystal clear that these great powers are the godfathers, landlords and decision makers within the United Nations. Thus, at the international level, it has become a situation where alliances interface with the safeguard of economic and political interests within the corridors of power. The Southern Cameroons will therefore need the backing of one of the super powers to get its engine spinning at the desired speed. While waiting for the Southern Cameroons struggle to get to another level within international instances, it would be worthwhile paying attention and seizing any fresh ground that opens up at the national level.

To dovetail, the argument expressed in this article should be inscribed in the regiment of weapons in the embattled Southern Cameroons liberation armory of counter-offensive rhetoric.The time for cynicism, complacency, compromise and inter-personal and inter-group vituperations and invective diatribes among Southern Cameroonians is long gone. It is time for Southern Cameroonians to start regrouping and uniting. It is time to regroup their MPs, traditional rulers, and sensitize the hoi polloi both at home and abroad in preparation for the Grand Debate and eventual plebiscite. The regime of Paul Biya and LRC have used the catch phrase that “Cameroon is one and indivisible” to brainwash French Cameroonians in general and Southern Cameroonians in particular. The thunderous question that needs to be reflected upon would be: Is Cameroon One and Indivisible or One but de-Federated?As John F. Kennedy said: "The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards, as all paths are. The cost of freedom is always high...And one path we shall never choose, that is the path of surrender, or submission”. Until that day sons and daughters of the Southern Cameroons will stand vertically with hands on their chest before the blue and white stripped flag chanting “Freedom Land”, all options should remain open.