Snapshots: An X-ray of Cameroon�s Democracy, Governance and Unification

62. 1st October Frenzy

253 62 1st October Frenzy Sunday, 30 September 2007 October 1, the day Southern Cameroons theoretically gained independence in 1961 by joining East Cameroon to form a federation, is round the corner. Once again, as it has been the case since the birth of Southern Cameroon’s National Council, SCNC, security operatives and the dogs of war of the Francophone-led regime in Yaounde are warming up to brutalise unarmed, harmless Southern Cameroonians who dare to commemorate the event. The sadistic delight with which the forces of repression have often anticipated the October 1 event since 1993 – the year of the Buea All Anglophone Conference – is a clear indication that the regime desperately wants to suppress the truth. Adventurers and warmongers have used the occasion to line their pockets with state funds under the pretext of mounting counter insurgency operations. One wonders how many billions would be deployed the day a real liberation war is launched by a more radical movement that would not share the SCNC slogan of ‘The force of argument’. Somehow, the government’s belligerent attitude towards Southern Cameroons’ aspirations has been aggravated by some local tabloids, which for sensational reasons conjure the image of bloody confrontations in advance of the anniversary. President Biya is on record for having reminded Cameroonians in one of his New Year messages that January 1 marks the date in which a part of the nation (French East Cameroon) gained independence in 1960. No one raised an eyebrow when he made the declaration. So, why then should there be a frenzy of belligerent activities when Southern Cameroonians plan to commemorate a historical event? 254 October 1, 2007 comes against a background of renewed vigour within the ranks of the Diaspora to mobilise international support for Southern Cameroons’ struggle for secession. The indispensable role of the Diaspora cannot be overemphasised, but the prime movers of the movement abroad must guard against exploiting the situation as an enterprise for self-enrichment. Even the most noble of human endeavours have invariably been plagued by self-seeking adventurers who have no scruples feeding fat on the collective misery of a people with a genuine cause. They should be reminded that wherever they find themselves today was only made possible because of the sacrifices made by nationals of their host countries, and it is their duty to, in turn, make sacrifices to make their own fatherland a safe and prosperous haven for Southern Cameroonians and humanity at large. Biya’s Latest Observatory One wonders why President Biya had to airlift an entire village to New York just to announce to the UN General Assembly his latest fancy to set up an observatory for global climate change. He even went further to shamelessly beg for international assistance to make his dream come true. Perhaps, the man should be reminded that in my primary school days, weather observation equipment such as wind vanes, rain gauges, barometers and thermometers were set up and operated even in the remotest primary school without foreign aid. The habit of perpetual begging for foreign aid has eaten so deep into the national psyche that the achievement of the HIPC (World Bank categorization of heavily indebted poor countries) completion point has merely signalled another round of begging and borrowing. Does Mr. Biya need an observatory to realise the main cause of global warming in Cameroon? If he claims not to know the answer then he ought to set up an observatory to monitor the number of logs of raw timber that is carted abroad on a daily basis from our forests. There is supposed to be a law banning the export of raw 255 timber, but that law has been circumvented by a loophole in the legislation that exempts so-called species that are not well known. The wanton rape of our forests by compradors of the regime constitutes a legacy for which Mr. Biya shall never be able to atone even if he were to live a hundred life spans. Who needs another observatory for climate change to realise that the reckless exploitation of natural resources including marine life by unscrupulous Chinese operators of fishing trawlers, and the unchecked dumping of toxic chemical and industrial waste in our waterways and streams are causing irreparable damage on the environment and the health of the citizens? At what price has this regime auctioned the national patrimony for immediate personal gains, and what purpose does...