Defeating Separatists Through Popular Defence Strategy

Popular defence refers to the enunciation of a principle and results in a specific strategic option. The principle is that of republic in arms, whose vital forces, and energy are mobilized in defence of the Republic.

Emmanuel NGOTA                                        

Since the Head of State and commander in chief of the armed forces, Paul Biya instituted the concept of the army and the nation which figures in most of the themes of Cameroon’s national day celebrated every May 20th, many critics thought it was a myth or he was blowing hot air of which it is a reality. This hence forth gave a different twist in addressing security issues which gave birth to a productive operation which sociologists termed as popular defence.

With this policy of popular defence put in place, the Cameroon defence forces have proven their worth through the acquired professional approach in the face of insecurity. If Cameroonians most especially our brothers and sisters in the far north region can breathe a sigh of relief from the incursion of the Boko Haram sect, is thanks to the perfect collaboration with the military to exterminate the sect’s ungodly activities. Today irrespective of isolated threats experienced in that part of the country, the population has contributed enormously in fuelling the security and defence forces with intelligence gathering information to put an end to this intrusion. In this vein, they can chest beat of going about their activities with piece meal.

Take a halt in the predominantly English speaking regions, it is not too far from a similar  terrorism threats witnessed in the far north region where separatist groups emerged in the north west and south west regions as they manipulated the population by promising them manna from heaven, poisoning the hearts of these illustrious youths to take up and arms and committing all sort of atrocities like arson of public edifices, kidnapping, assassinating administrative and security authorities not forgetting civilians. As that was not enough rendering families homeless and jobless, thus frustrating development plans by sitting on economic projects of the state and worst still jeopardizing school attendance to the extent of killing our children whose only precious weapon is education, the list goes on and on.

What is left from all these mishaps is grief and agony as the people they claim to protect are fleeing from where their placentas were buried to seek refuge in their brother’s homes to the other part of the country. It is no longer news that those who instigated this plague are gradually being exposed of their egoistic tendencies. The population of the North West and south west regions have come to buy with the defence and security forces that the enemy is within.  Thus at this juncture, the defence and security forces on their part are calling on the population of these regions to apply the policy of popular defence by denouncing these enemies of the state that have humiliated the people they claim to protect. The results on the field no doubt is encouraging as the residents have taken the bull by the horn be it through the social media or other related medium likewise denouncing and unveiling the hide outs of these separatist who have turned schools, enterprises and even health centres as their camps. Remember dear people of good will don’t relent your efforts by pushing harder as your courage is yielding fruits while the activities of these enemies of the state are dangling like a candle in the wind.