CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter describes the background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the
study, research questions, objectives and hypotheses, significance of the study and scope and
limitation of the study, the definition of terms and organization of the study.

1.1Background to the Study

The background to the study focuses on the Anglophone crisis.

The Anglophone area consists of two of the country’s ten regions, the northwest and the
southwest. It covers 16,364sqkm of the country’s total area of 475,442sqkm and has about
5million of Cameroon’s 24million inhabitants.

The Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon started by
common law lawyers and teachers of the two English speaking regions. It later on escalated into
an armed conflict that has precipitated a large Influx of Cameroonian refugees into Nigeria and
many internally displaced persons (IDPs) all over the country.

The effects of the crisis have caused many people to abandon their homes, farms, businesses,
economic activities and offices in those areas hit by the crisis. Others were forced to move
because their houses were either incinerated by the military or by the separatist fighters (Amba).

The crisis has brought a huge effect on the economic sector, the agricultural sector, business
activities and the administrative sector which has led to a general hardship on the people of the
two English speaking regions of the country. As stated above, it all started with the common law
lawyers with a peaceful strike action after presenting their ethical problems to the government
with no solution from the government.

On the 9thof May 2015, about 700 Anglophone lawyers met in Bamenda to address the common
law lawyers’ issues. Among the issues raised was the point that the government was trying to
erase the common law system through a process called harmonization. The transfer of civil law
magistrates to work in the English speaking regions who are not groomed in the common law
system and were not fluent in English language for the people to understand and also the
translation of some basic texts that existed in the French language to English.

This memorandum was copied to the government through the ministry of justice and other
institutions like the senate, parliament and some embassies like the United States and British
High Commissioner.

A year later after a complete silence from the government, the lawyers met again in Buea in
February 2016. The meeting extended the memorandum for another six months, which still did
not get any response from the government.

On October 6, 2016, all the common law lawyers embarked on a strike action. It should be noted
that while the government was silent over the plight of the lawyers, the teachers’ trade union of
the English-speaking regions also tabled a catalogue of problems they were facing. The non-
response to the grievances of both trade unions saw the teachers joined the strike on November
21st 2016.

The strike turned into a crisis because other syndicates like the transporters, bike union and the
civil society joined in and civil disobedience set in like the coffin revolution of Mancho Bibixy
in Bamenda, the ghost towns, the boycott of national events like the 11 of February, 20th of May
and the women’s day celebration and the non-functioning of schools.

The Diaspora started propagating information through the social media into the country. On the
22nd of September 2017, there was a general peace match with peace plants through the two
English speaking regions in anticipation for their independence as propagated by the Diaspora.
During this process, a lot of youths were massacred by the government forces.

Youths who picked up arms claimed they were pushed into an armed resistance by the way
government forces massacred Anglophone youths protesting with peace plants, lawyers
brutalized, students molested in the Universities of Buea and Bamenda, the arrest of the
consortium leaders, placing a ban on all activities of the consortium, the Southern Cameroon
National Council (SCNC) and the internet shutdown for 93days in the two Anglophone regions.
From the start of this armed conflict, life has never been the same. Looting, destruction of public
and private property, killings, road blockades, persistent ghost towns, burnings, kidnappings and
lockdowns have become the order of the day.

It should be recalled that the crisis was triggered by corporate demands made by lawyers and
teachers calling for the translation of the OHADA Uniform Acts into English and the
preservation of the specificity of the Anglo-Saxon judicial and educational systems in the two
regions. Though triggered by the lawyers and teachers, the Anglophone crisis resulted from what
is known as the Anglophone problem in Cameroon.

What is the Government efforts in helping Internally displaced persons in the Southwest region
of Cameroon?

The President of the Republic, H.E. Paul BIYA, has instituted a special plan to assist internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and victims of abuses in the North-West and South-West Regions.

The 18-month Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan was unveiled in Yaounde on

Wednesday 20 June 2018 by the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

Both regions have registered over 74,966 IDPs after lawless individuals hijacked the legitimate
concerns raised by some English-speaking lawyers and teachers with acts of terrorism.

The main objective of the 12.7 billion CFAF humanitarian relief fund is to protect the IDPs,
facilitate the resumption of economic and agricultural activities, and promote togetherness. This
will be achieved through the provision of food and basic needs – healthcare, education, and
housing. (2023 Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon.)

Cameroon is struggling to get humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people who fled
areas of separatist unrest, some of them trapped by the fighting. Meanwhile, authorities’ calls for
separatists to disarm and be pardoned are failing as rehabilitation centers remain empty.(VOA.
24:2019
1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the non-acknowledgement of the Anglophone problem from the government leaders
which has turned into an armed conflict, there exists a discontent by some Anglophones both
young and old, as to how Anglophones are treated.

This discontent presents itself in calls for federation or separation with movements that are
gathering strength which has degenerated to an armed conflict that has led to far reaching
consequences, for instance, over 3000 dead, about 100,000 people as refugees, persistent ghost
towns and lock downs, over 200,000 people internally displaced (IDPs), schools closed down,
kidnappings, beheading and burnings.

The government of Cameroon’s efforts to address the Anglophone problem has been inadequate.
Instead of addressing the root cause of the problem, the Cameroon government strongly believes
in delaying tactics to end the crisis.

The overall research problem addressed in this study is that, despite the difficulties of Cameroon
government to address the Anglophone crisis much has been done for an inclusive dialogue and
the call for a cease fire in the two Anglophone regions though it has not been announced by both
parties which have continued to inflict negative effects.

1.3 Research Questions

From the foregoing, the following research questions will guide the study

1) What is the effect of the Anglophone crisis on south westerners?

2) What is the effect of the crisis on South west region?

3) What have the Cameroon Government done and what are they doing in helping the internally
displaced persons in the Southwest region?

1.4 Objectives of the study

1.4.1 The main objective of the study

The main objective of the study is to examine the extent to which the Anglophone crisis has
affected the people, their living conditions and the economy of the South West region and
Cameroon and to critically appraise the efforts of the Government in helping IDPs in the
Southwest region of Cameroon.

1.4.2 Specific objectives of the study

 To assess the effects of the crisis on internally displaced persons in the Southwest region
 To investigate the effects of the crisis on the communities, that is the towns and villages
of South West region (Fako and Meme).
 To appraise the efforts of the Government in helping Internally displaced persons
affected by the Anglophone crisis.

1.5 Hypothesis Of The Study

Ho. The Anglophone crisis have a negative effects on south westerners

H1: The Anglophone crisis does not have a negative effects on south westerners.

Ho2: The Anglophone crisis have affected Southwest region

H2: The Anglophone crisis have not affected Southwest region

HO3: The Government have done much in helping IDPs in the Southwest region

H3: The Government have not done anything in helping IDPs in the Southwest region

1.6 Significance Of The Study

1.6.1 To The Researcher

This study is significant to the researcher because it is going to broaden the researcher
knowledge on the causes, consequences and manifestation of crisis and thus teach him on how to
better solve minor problems in his career before it aggravate into a big problem.

1.6.2 To Policy Makers.

This study is important to policy makers because it will assess both the strength and weaknesses
of policy makers. This will thus help the policy maker to know where there is lapses in policy
making and suggest on how the lapses can be addressed.
1.6.3 To The Community

This study is significant to the Community in that, it assess the problems faced by community
and the outcome of it is not addressed properly and timely. Thus, this study will help the
community to know the type of actions to take and which not to take.

1.7 Scope And Limitation Of The Study

1.7.1 Scope Of The Study

Time scope .The time frame in which the study is made is between 2016 and 2023. This
study is carried out between the said time frame because the Anglophone crisis started in
October 2016.

Geographical scope. The research was carried in the Southwest region of Cameroon
precisely in the Meme and Fako division of the south west region.

Content scope. The main themes that run through this study are critical appraisal, Efforts of
the Government in helping Internally displaced persons and the effects of the Anglophone crisis.

1.7.2 limitation

While carrying out this research, the researcher had a great difficulties with the gathering of
some vital information. This is because the Anglophone crisis is a crisis that everyone treat with
caution and fear in order to avoid some certain problems. Some people where very scared in
answering questions they were asked by the researcher because they were not sure of how
confidential the researcher will deal with their personal information and details.

Also, the vastness of the south west region of Cameroon posed as an obstacle to the researcher.
The gathering of information in the two selected divisions ( Fako and Meme divisions) was time
and energy constraining

Again, the topic of the study is no joke matter so the researcher was very limited in the type of
questions. The researcher was also limited by the insecurity in the Southwest region. This the
researcher couldn’t assess some certain parts of the Divisions due to the fear for safety

Furthermore, there was a problem of lack of correspondence faced by the researcher. While
carrying out this research especially in villages of the selected divisions, there were just few
people who were ready to give their opinion on the topic treated .while others gave deaf ears to
the questions they were asked, most of the population were taking refuge in the bushes which the
researcher could not access.

1.8 Definition of terms.

Internally displaced persons .According to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement,

internally displaced persons (also known as “IDPs”) are “persons or groups of persons who have
been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular
as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence,
violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an
internationally recognized State border.

Crisis. A time of great disagreement, confusion, or suffering: (Cambridge Academic Content

Dictionary)

Government. : A government is the system or group of people governing an organized

community, generally a state.

Refugee .A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of
persecution, war or violence.

Armed conflict. means a state of war or a conflict which involves armed operations which by
their nature or extent are likely to affect the application of treaties between States parties to the
armed conflict or between a State party to the armed conflict and a third State, regardless of a
formal declaration of war or other declaration by any or all of the parties to the armed conflict.

Incinerate. According to Cambridge English corpus, Incinerate means to burn something

completely.

Consortium. According to (WILL KENTON.26.2020) A consortium is a group made up of two

or more individuals, companies, or governments that work together to achieving a common
objective. 

Memorandum. A short written report prepared specially for a person or group of people that
contains information about a particular matter (Cambridge English Dictionary)
Boycott. to refuse to buy a product or take part in an activity as a way of expressing strong
disapproval:

Diaspora. A diaspora is a large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland who have
since moved out to places all over the world.

OHADA uniform Acts. A revised Uniform Act on commercial companies and economic
interest groups (the “Revised Uniform Act”) was adopted on 30 January 2014 by the OHADA
Council of Ministers. The Revised Uniform Act, which replaces the Uniform Act of 17 April
1997, was published in the OHADA official gazette on 4 February 2014 .

Humanitarian. A person who is involved in or connected with improving people’s lives and
reducing suffering

1.9 Organization of the study.

The organization of the study start from chapter one. This is the introduction part of the study
and it runs through the background to the Study, The statement of the problem, the Research
Question, Research objectives, hypothesis, Scope and limitation of the study, significance of the
study, definition of key terms and the overall organization of the work.

Next is chapter two, which is the literature review and theoretical framework of the study
followed by Chapter three which is the research methodology

Then Chapter four. Here, we talk of the data presentation and analysis .

And finally, we have chapter five which includes the conclusion and recommendations of the
study