The Prime Minister of the country has began a "reconciliatory" tour the the restive anglophone regions of the north and south west regions of the country.
Ordinary citizens, political parties and civil society are unanimous that this outcome will not be different from the first one taken when the crisis erupted. They have good reason for thier persimism.
For starters, the this committee is the thesame that was chased out of the the region when the crisis began. Anglophones believe the era of elites is over and the government needs to be taking orders directly from the masses not with being controled from the capital.
Secondly, the simple fact that the Prime minister came from Yaounde with a fixed agender will not help matters. The Anglophones want dialogue which require that everything should be brought to the table and franc discussions must be held but the utterances of the prime minister in Bamenda is rather making matters worst.
Thirdly, moderate Anglophones are asking for federation but the government is insisting on a decentralized system. The problem here is decentralition provided by the constitution have not been properly iplemented for the past 20 years and for the primister saying "I don't care what you say, there will never be federalism, Cameroon is a decentralized state". That shows he is not there for any kind of dialogue but to impose on the people what has been discused in Yaounde.
Finally, when the UN and other international bodies called for opened and franc dialogue, they categorically stated that the dialogue should adress the root cause of the crisis. The causes can be traced back to the to the Foumban conference that brought the two countries together. While Southern Cameroons settled for a federal state, East Cameroon had a hidden agender of assimilation. That is the root cause of the problem and to openly say federalism will never see the light of day will do nothing but aggravate the sitation. These if anything will only swell seperatists ranks.
The Danger Ahead
Elections in the country are all schedule for next year. With the current crisis, it is doubtable if all the time table will be kept. While the constitution gives the head of stae the powers to postpond municipal and legislative electios, it does not give him the power to postponed the presidential elections which is also scheduled for 2018. The time table for the elections is not provided hence it is at the desrcretion of the prosident However , if things continue this way it is very possible face a precarious situation of electoral hold up and this might ultimately lead to the end of Biya's 35 years old regime.
For starters, the this committee is the thesame that was chased out of the the region when the crisis began. Anglophones believe the era of elites is over and the government needs to be taking orders directly from the masses not with being controled from the capital.
Secondly, the simple fact that the Prime minister came from Yaounde with a fixed agender will not help matters. The Anglophones want dialogue which require that everything should be brought to the table and franc discussions must be held but the utterances of the prime minister in Bamenda is rather making matters worst.
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| Danger Ahead In Cameroon - Why The PM Mission To The Anglophone Regions Is Doomed |
Finally, when the UN and other international bodies called for opened and franc dialogue, they categorically stated that the dialogue should adress the root cause of the crisis. The causes can be traced back to the to the Foumban conference that brought the two countries together. While Southern Cameroons settled for a federal state, East Cameroon had a hidden agender of assimilation. That is the root cause of the problem and to openly say federalism will never see the light of day will do nothing but aggravate the sitation. These if anything will only swell seperatists ranks.
The Danger Ahead
Elections in the country are all schedule for next year. With the current crisis, it is doubtable if all the time table will be kept. While the constitution gives the head of stae the powers to postpond municipal and legislative electios, it does not give him the power to postponed the presidential elections which is also scheduled for 2018. The time table for the elections is not provided hence it is at the desrcretion of the prosident However , if things continue this way it is very possible face a precarious situation of electoral hold up and this might ultimately lead to the end of Biya's 35 years old regime.
