Some 74,966 people have fled their homes to safer locations in other parts of the country, 84 defence and security forces killed as armed Anglophone separatists engaged in violent extremism. This situation has necessitated the launching of the National Humanitarian solidarity plan by President Paul Biya to the tune of FCFA 12.7 billion for relief efforts and reconstruction.
Shawn-Nathan Epang
The ongoing socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions which have become known as the “Anglophone crisis,” has recorded severe damages including loss of lives. The crisis that started with genuine concerns on the functioning of the Common Law system and the Anglophone sub-system of education expressed by lawyers and teachers in October 2016, were later hijacked by obscurantist agenda of secessionists movements.
President Paul Biya immediately created two committees to handle the lawyers and teachers request and through dialogue with the concerns corporate bodies, government provided solutions to almost if not all of the concerns. The President of the Republic even went further to create the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, the creation of the Common Law Section at the Supreme Court and ENAM, the redeployment of French-speaking judicial officers from the North West and South West Regions, the recruitment of 1000 bilingual teachers as well as the redeployment of teachers according to the first language amongst others.
Unfortunately, even President Biya’s call for dialogue have been given a deaf ear and government gestures in resolving the crisis relegated to the background by the armed secessionist who took up arms. The armed groups have so far inflicted enormous pain on the socio-economic lives of the regions, families and school children.
While launching the National Humanitarian Solidarity Plan this Wednesday in Yaounde, the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang presented startling figures on the atrocities committed by the armed gangs pressing for what they call the independence of a phantom “republic of Ambazonia” (current North West and South West Regions). From PM Yang’s report, it was revealed that as at June 11, 2018, some 74,966 internally displaced people have been recorded. 8,554 IDPs in the North West Region and 66,412 in the South West Region.
The armed separatists have assassinated 84 security forces with 123 attacks perpetrated on security forces. Some 120 schools were burnt and 15 attacks on traditional rulers leaving the 3rd Class chief of Esukuta in Toko sub-division in Ndian Division of the South West region gruesomely murdered. The Prime Minister highlighted the havoc wreaked by the armed separatists this far stressing attacks on government and private structures, administrative and traditional authorities as well as arsons that have left far reaching consequences on the population.