-
2. Horse and Rider
- LANGAA RPCIG
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Chapter Two Horse and Rider In 1958 the Southern Cameroons celebrated with pomp the centenary of the founding of Victoria.1 That year the British Government certified at the UN that compared with Nigeria the Southern Cameroons had not been delayed in political evolution and was expected to achieve in 1960 the objectives set forth in Article 76b of the UN Charter, self-government or independence. There was much excitement in the territory and great expectations regarding its future. The territory was already self-governing and so it was expected that independence as a sovereign state was to be achieved in 1960. In its Resolution 1282 (XIII) of 5 December 1958 the General Assembly took note of the certification by the British Government. Then, as if the devil himself had taken control, things suddenly began to go wrong.2 On 13 March 1959, the Assembly adopted Resolution 1350 (XIII) recommending a plebiscite in the Southern Cameroons to ascertain the wishes of the people concerning their future. Another Assembly decision, resolution 1352 (XIV) of 16 October 1959, ordered that a plebiscite be held ‘between 30 September 1960 and March 1961.’ On 11 February 1961 a limited vote took place. The UN interpreted the result, correctly, as having gone in favour of achieving independence. It also went on to interpret the same result as having gone in favour of the “alternative” of “joining” Cameroun Republic. In reality, as will be shown in chapter seven, that result was a negative vote against Nigeria (because of fear of Ibo domination) rather than a positive vote in favour of “joining” Cameroun Republic.3 On 21 April 1961 the General Assembly voted on the independence of the Southern Cameroons and adopted resolution 1608 (XV) with 50 votes for, two against and nine abstentions. Significantly, and this fact has important legal implications, Cameroun Republic was one of the few States that voted against Resolution 1608. Cameroun Republic’s negative vote meant that: (i) it refused to recognise the independence of the Southern 16 Betrayal of Too Trusting a People Cameroons, a decision taken by the plebiscite and endorsed by the UN, (ii) it rejected the UN decision on the Southern Cameroons “joining” as an independent country, and (iii) it rejected the UN invitation for the finalisation of the arrangements by which the agreed and declared policies of both countries were to be implemented. Moreover, by that negative vote Cameroun Republic continued the international boundary between itself and the Southern Cameroons as unchanged in character, despite appearances to the contrary. This negative vote explains Cameroun Republic’s subsequent systematic delinquent behaviour regarding the Southern Cameroons. By resolution 1608 (XV) of 21 April 1961 the UN General Assembly (i) endorsed the results of the plebiscite that the people of the Southern Cameroons ‘decided to achieve independence by joining the independent Republic of Cameroun’ , (ii) decided that the Trusteeship Agreement concerning the British Cameroons ‘shall be terminated in accordance with Article 76b of the Charter of the United Nations [...] on 1 October 1961, upon [the Southern Cameroons] joining the Republic of Cameroun’ and (iii) invited Britain, the Southern Cameroons and Cameroun Republic ‘to initiate urgent discussions with a view to finalizing before 1 October 1961, the arrangements by which the agreed and declared policies of the parties concerned will be implemented.’4 A constitutional meeting between delegations of the two countries was held in July 1961 in Foumban, a town in Cameroun Republic. The purpose of the meeting was to work out the details of the proposed federal constitution and have it adopted by both sides in time for it to enter into force on 1 October. It was common ground that the draft federal constitution that would be agreed upon by the conference delegates would be submitted to the governments of the two countries and to their respective peoples or parliaments for approval. Since the two countries as yet had no common parliament, the document would have to be endorsed by their respective peoples or parliaments in order to be an “Act of Union” capable of being registered with the UN as a treaty consistent with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations. Mr. Ahidjo, the President of Cameroun Republic chaired the meeting. The meeting lasted a mere five days. Three of of those days were taken up with ceremonial opening and closing long-winded [52.205.218.160] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 04:34 GMT) 17 Horse and Rider speeches and with various diversions in...