Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Vincent Feko
Vincent Feko
The pioneer SCNC, the Southern Cameroons National Council, stands for the self-
determination of the former Southern Cameroons, an integral part of the former
British Cameroons. Self-determination, of course, is a later development due to La
Republique du Cameroun government’s intransigence for failing to heed to the All
Anglophone Conference (AAC) call for constitutional reforms. The proponents of the
SCNC, the AAC convenors and their disciples initially stood for a return to the
Federation of two-equal- in status Federated states of West Cameroon and East
Cameroun, English and French, which president Ahidjo and his successor had
successively replaced with the United Republic in 1972 and La Republique du
Cameroun in 1984. The AAC convenors and the rest of us, who supported them at the
time, were not as sure as we are today, that the Federation for which we nursed so
much nostalgia, was a phantom Federation, a colonial construct and a euphemism for
La Republique du Cameroun.
The emergent SCNC, the Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons Workshop, the
brainchild of Prof. Martin Chia Ateh and other frontline proponents among whom
are the eminent senior citizen and politician and retird. Chartered Accountant
Mola Njoh Litumbe and Dr Amos Gabuir; stands for the self-determination of the
former British Cameroons which, pending its independence, according to Prof. Ateh,
has reverted to the United Nations (UN) territory of Cameroons with the Secretary
General of the UN as the head.
While slight differences may exist between the two schools, one intrinsic
difference is worthy of note. Whereas the pioneer school wants the restoration of
the independence of an integral part, the emergent school wants independence
granted to the whole UN territory as independence “by joining” was predicated on a
Federal union that neither legally nor legitimately ever was.
Moreover, to ask for independence for the part rather than the whole would seem to
be an endorsement of the illegal and criminal partitioning and subsequent disposal
of the territory by the British in the most untidy and despicable fashion in
living memory.
We have now entered the crucial stage of the struggle and there is need now more
than ever before, to find a common ground. Fighting in dispersed ranks with
incoherent objectives will render us vulnerable to detractors and enemies. Any
article of faith that we ever held that has collapsed under careful examination
through the mirror of international Law and the Convention on the Law of Treaties
should be discarded. For example, the argument that Southern Cameroons achieved
independence on the1st October 1961 by joining La Republique du Cameroun has been
demolished by International Law and the Convention on the Law of Treaties. To
continue to insist on the point regardless of the rebuttal simply because a few of
us had, without thorough research held this view, is to mislead our people, send
wrong and confusing signals to the international community, and play into the
hands of our detractors and enemies who are lying in wait to do their worst. For
reasons of vested interest, Great Britain was bent on not letting the British
Cameroons achieve independence under Art. 76(b) of the Charter of the United
Nations.
Not even the diplomatic bullet of a Metternich would have turned the tables.
That is as bad as the story is. The Hansard tells it like it is.
With the knowledge we have today about what happened to the British Cameroons, in
retrospect, was the clamour for dialogue with La Republique du Cameroun the
appropriate thing to do? Some might say, yes, the weight of foreign occupation and
domination had become intolerable and the struggle for freedom had to start from
somewhere. Nevertheless, the illegal and criminal partitioning of our territory
and sharing it as spoils (of war) between Nigeria and La Republique du Cameroun,
has legally and legitimately returned the territory to the United Nations. The
Secretary General of the UN is now the head of the territory. Can any liberation
movement in the former British Cameroons still pretend to have the locus standi to
engage in any meaningful dialogue with the occupiers, either severally or jointly?
If yes, for what product? Moreover, this raises yet another crucial question: Is
it thinkable for slaves and slave masters to negotiate for freedom and liberty of
the slaves? On the other hand, to put it much milder and palatable: is it normal
for a minor and an adult to contract?
All the frantic but futile manoeuvres of the regime to justify their occupation of
Southern Cameroons can only provide impeachable evidence of their unwarranted
intrusion and balkanization of Southern Cameroons. Various amendments to their
Republican Constitution, calling them the Constitution of La Republique Federale
du Cameroun (1961), la Constitution de la Republique Unie du Cameroun (1972), and
back to La Constitution de la Republique du Cameroun (1996), show that La
Republique du Cameroun is a rapacious land shark.
The fragmentation of the former British Cameroons and the subtle assimilation of
its peoples by the occupying powers to destroy their history, culture and identity
are bound to fail. This is because according to the UN Charter and International
Law, the territory has become a UN territory, and secondly because its
international borders are delimited and therefore immutable and inviolable in much
the same way as those of the occupiers.
Already a Commission has been set up to work on new state symbols, for example,
two stars national flag et al, in preparation for the 50th anniversary of La
Republique du Cameroun’s independence on 1st January 2010.
The regime celebrated the 30th independence anniversary on 1st January 1990, and
issued commemorative postage stamps with the map of La Republique du Cameroun at
independence on 1st January 1960, in conformity with uti possedetis juris and the
1964 Cairo African Heads of State’s reaffirmation of the immutability of colonial
boundaries inherited at independence. Citizens of the UN Territory of the
Cameroons do not expect La Republique du Cameroun to behave differently or in a
manner that our threatening youth who are bearing the brunt of annexation, will
consider as “the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
It should also be noted that even if Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons
(SCNC) had joined La Republique du Cameroun and Nigeria by Treaty in application
of Art.102 (1) & (2) of the Charter of the UN that would not have made Southern
and Northern Cameroons an part of La Republique du Cameroun and Nigeria. Southern
and Northern Cameroons would still have had the liberty to break away whenever
they chose to because this treaty would not have been an instrument of annexation.
SCNC are not promising the world a miracle in statecraft. It is a question of, as
President Kwame Nkrumah said, “We prefer self-determination with danger to
servitude in tranquility.” After all, “who well”? This is a matter for the African
Union and the United Nations on whom we call to resolve within their competence,
and in application of their complementary Charters that the belligerent nations
have pledged to uphold.
SOUTHERN CAMEROONS NATIONAL COUNCIL (SCNC) NATIONAL CHAIRMAN HRH CHIEF AYAMBA AND
21 OTHERS ARRESTED
Chief Ayamba Ette Otun, the octogenarian and SCNC National Chairman of the
frontline SCNC was arrested at about 14.00h local time on Monday October 06, 2008
in Mutengene along with 21 others whom he was briefing after his return from a
long official tour of Europe and America when suddenly Mr Awa Augustine the newly
installed SDO for Tiko stumped the private resident with 3 trucks angry looking
and heavily armed soldiers and arrested everyone in the venue. Currently, all
those arrested are being held at the Tiko police station incommunicado. The
information gathered is to the effect that all those arrested will be rushed to
court on Tuesday October 07, 2008 morning hurriedly “tried” and sentenced to long
terms of imprisonment! This should not be taken lightly at all in view of the
dismal track record of the Biya’s regime vis-à-vis the SCNC and the other
nationalist movements of the British Southern Cameroons which la Republique du
Cameroun subversively overrun from 1961.
Other SCNC members arrested with the SCNC National chairman includes; Aloius
Mukube (56) and blind. This visually impaired SCNC member just wanted to touch and
thank the SCNC National for all his efforts irrespective of his age. The only
arrested female 40 years old Mary Bati was severely beaten and striped necked by
the Biya’s military and security agents. Pa Linus Ngu (70), a retired Senior
Divisional office who’s also diabetic and a high blood patient was also arrest.
Since his detention, his health has deteriorated very rapidly and has been refused
medical attention.
Pa Agbormbi Fortu (64) was also arrested. He was also severely tortured during his
arrest. Amongst all those arrested, Mr Sylvester Taku, SCNC Southern Zone
chairman’s situation is very precarious and needs urgent medical attention. He was
brutally tortured and sustained life threatening injuries. He has also been denied
access to a medical doctor as he lies helplessly in a very filthy and unhygienic
police detention facility. The Acting General Secretary, Mr Mathias Arrey Besong,
Organizing & Propaganda Secretary Mr. James Sabum, and Financial Secretary, Mr
Vincent Njokonu were also arrested. It should also be noted that Dr Simon Tantoh
who was arrested about 2 weeks ago, is still in detention, accused for “selling
SCNC newspapers” It is unbelievable that the free and democratic world has
watched this intolerable state of affairs for close to half a century without
compunction People who are fighting for freedom from foreign occupation and
domination are allowed, by those who should rightly show deep concern by calling
the aggressors and oppressors to order and showing them the exit for purposes of
international peace and security, to be exterminated as a price for their being
peace loving.
While the United Nations and the rest of the democratic world are, this year,
celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
they are called upon to reflect on Art.15 of the UDHR that says, inter alia, that
no one shall be deprived of his nationality. La Republique du Cameroun has
ruthlessly deprived the Southern Cameroonian of his nation and nationality.
Southern Cameroonians carry LRC identity cards not as a matter of consent but as a
matter of force majeure. By remaining quiet over this state of deplorable affairs
as the United Nations is doing in the guise that la Republique du Cameroun (LRC)
is one and indivisible and there is peace, the UN is making the same grievous
mistake they made when they got the signal that trouble was in the offing in
Rwanda and did nothing, and that act of gross negligence cost the world a million
slaughtered poor souls! Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General at the time, heavy
heartedly apologised with “deep remorse” for the UN blunder but a million souls
had been wiped out from the surface of the earth.
We do hope Banki Moon has learned that bitter lesson from his predecessor and will
be on his guard not to be led to another sad occasion to apologise when it happens
between LRC and British Southern Cameroons . The Southern Cameroons European
Missions, we would like to draw the attention of the UN and the international
community to the Preamble of the UDHR that says, inter alia,”…Whereas it is
essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to
rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by
the rule of Law.” At this stage serious campaigned is being lunched across
Europe calling on International Human rights organisation, Amnesty international
the international community to put pressure on the Yaoundé regime to immediately
and unconditionally release all detained Southern Cameroonians.
Something should be done soonest. For with no Medical Attention We still wonder
how Tamfor Bless is coping for three days with a broking leg,