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48. Cameroon Report 21/03/82: Cameroon’s Position on SADR’S Admission into the O.A.U
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181 48 Cameroon Report 21/03/82: Cameroon’s Position on SADR’S Admission into the O.A.U Introduction: The seven-year old Western Sahara war seems to be spreading from the battlefield to the corridors of the Organisation of African Unity- OAU, following a decision by the organisation’s Secretary-General, Edem Kodjo to admit the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR, of the Western Sahara into the OAU. The decision convulsed the proceedings of the 39th OAU ministerial conference. Morocco, which denies the Polisario Front’s SADR government the right to represent the Western Sahara, walked out of the conference, accompanied by eighteen sympathisers including Cameroon. The Yaounde government has issued a statement on its position on the issue, a position which SamNuvala Fonkem now explains unequivocally: There has been mounting controversy among political analysts and observers over Cameroons declared position on the Western Sahara question. The debate has been lively and heated particularly because of what appears to be a contradiction in the stated principles that underlay Cameroon’s position and the fact that we seldom make public declarations on pertinent issues except those that directly stand as a threat to the political ideology and system we uphold. The official declaration this week on Cameroon’s position on the Western Sahara question bears no contradiction and is quite in line with the mainstream of its conduct in foreign policy. Many observers always fall into the habit of 182 categorising our foreign policy as “moderate” – a label which has now become a euphemism for conservative. The fact is that although our position on the Western Sahara may not appeal to so-called progressive elements, it is however based on fundamental principles and beliefs which go a long way to account for our own political stability and economic growth. Ours is an ideology guided by moderation, caution and guarded optimism. The government has made it clear that we are not opposed to the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, but we insist on the agreed political process for the achievement of these rights. Any attempt to interpret our position as being in favour of monarchism or feudalism would be dangerous postulation since our political system is self evident of what we uphold. It is Cameroon’s conviction that OAU principles and resolutions be respected in order to give the organisation its due respect and importance. Any attempt to disregard or undermine the role of the OAU can only lead to the destruction of African unity which we all agree is vital in our struggle against foreign imperialism and the achievement of a new world order. Granted that Morocco’s refusal to negotiate with the active party concerned in the Western Sahara conflict has not facilitated the search for a peaceful solution, the sporadic admission of the Polisario Front into the OAU has made the situation even worse than ever before particularly as there are strong indications that the OAU is on the verge of collapse. And if the OAU collapses, neither the conservatives nor the progressives would gain anything. Thus it is of crucial importance for both sides to converge their ideas and rescue [44.211.91.23] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 13:07 GMT) 183 the OAU from an undesirable disintegration (since the present crisis appears to be a conflict of generations). The tradition of the OAU must be respected because no matter how far the organisation evolves, it cannot wield the power and influence expected of it without a strong foundation or tradition as it were. The OAU Secretary General, by hastening the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic into the organisation, has instead crystallised differences within the organisation and could severely disrupt the forthcoming OAU summit in Tripoli, in which case his act would have perhaps been heroic, but certainly not diplomatic. The government and people of Cameroon would very much want the people of the Western Sahara to achieve independence, but this should not be done at the expense of African unity. Perhaps we should also add as a word of caution that whatever stand the government takes, care should be taken to ensure that it does not lead to Cameroon’s eventual withdrawal from the OAU as this would not serve the cause of African unity and could be interpreted as a proMoroccan position and by implication a pro-monarchist attitude. Sam- Nuvala Fonkem 184 ...