CI-NEWS

Anglophone crisis: 16 Catholic Bishops write Biya! Urge him to accept Swiss-led dialogue.

2020-02-19

No: 472

Anglophone crisis: 16 Catholic Bishops write Biya! Urge him to accept Swiss-led dialogue.

Pressure is piling on the Cameroon government to engage in open and frank dialogue with Ambazonian separatists to bring an end to the Anglophone crisis which is now in its fourth year. The crisis which morphed into an armed conflict in 2017 has claimed over 3000 lives and displaced over one million persons.

The latest of such calls for resolution of the crisis is coming from Roman Catholic Bishops from different parts of the world.

In a letter to President Paul Biya on Monday, February 17th 2020, 16 Roman Catholic Bishops drawn from different parts of the world urged President Biya to ensure his government’s participation in proposed Swiss-led peace talks aimed at ending the violence in the restive North-West and South-West regions.

Motivated by their concern about the plight of the civilian population, the stability and prosperity of Cameroon, the bishops said they are impartial in their request.

“Violence and atrocities on all sides have forced 656,000 Anglophone Cameroonians from their homes, kept 800,000 children from school (including 400,000 from Catholic schools), caused 50,000 people to flee to Nigeria, destroyed hundreds of villages and resulted in a death toll of at least 2,000” their letter reads.

“Each of these lives,” the bishops added, “is precious, and we mourn their suffering and wish to prevent more loss of life and innocence”.

“There will be no military victory for any side. A lasting solution to Cameroon’s problems must come from a mediated process that includes Anglophone armed-separatist groups and nonviolent civil-society leaders. If all parties treat each other as they wish to be treated, a solution is possible”, they told President Paul Biya.

Following is their letter in its entirety:

His Excellency Paul Biya

President of the Republic of Cameroon

Unity Palace, Etoudi

P.O. Box 100

Yaoundé

Republic of Cameroon

February 17, 2020

Dear President Biya,

We, the undersigned Roman Catholic bishops from across the globe, write to respectfully urge your government to participate in proposed Swiss-led peace talks aimed at ending the violence in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions.

We stress that we are impartial. We are motivated by our concern about the suffering of unarmed civilians, and the stability and prosperity of Cameroon. Violence and atrocities on all sides have forced 656,000 Anglophone Cameroonians from their homes, kept 800,000 children from school (including 400,000 from Catholic schools), caused 50,000 people to flee to Nigeria, destroyed hundreds of villages and resulted in a death toll of at least 2,000. Each of these lives is precious, and we mourn their suffering and wish to prevent more loss of life and innocence.

There will be no military victory for any side. A lasting solution to Cameroon’s problems must come from a mediated process that includes Anglophone armed-separatist groups and nonviolent civil-society leaders. If all parties treat each other as they wish to be treated, a solution is possible.

We applaud the Cameroonian government’s Major National Dialogue several months ago.

However, it did not stop the violence. We believe the proposed Swiss-led talks offer the best path to an appropriate political solution through inclusive negotiations. The success of these talks will be critical in Cameroon’s journey towards ensuring peace and your legacy as an effective leader in a troubled region. It is our sincere hope that all interested stakeholders will join these talks and show a spirit of cooperation, pragmatism, and realism to ensure these negotiations succeed. This is what the people of Cameroon, your sons and daughters, God’s children, expect and deserve.

Only true peace will allow Catholic dioceses, clinics, and schools to once again minister safely tothe blessed congregants and citizens of Anglophone Cameroon.

Yours sincerely,

Bishop Siegfried Jwara, Vicariate Apostolic, Ingwavuma, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Bishop John Keenan, diocese of Paisley, Scotland

Bishop Noel Simard, diocese of Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada

The Most Reverend Charles Hammawa Jalingo, diocese of Tabara State, Nigeria

Bishop Mark Davies, diocese of Shrewsbury, England

Archbishop Peter Loy Chong, archdiocese of Suva, Fiji

Bishop Bart van Roijen, diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador, Canada

Bishop Thomas R Zinkula, diocese of Davenport, Iowa, USA

Bishop Terence Drainey, diocese of Middlesborough, England

Bishop Antonio R Tobias, Emeritus of Novaliches, Philippines

Bishop Albert Thevenot, diocese of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada

Bishop Ray Browne, diocese of Kerry, Ireland

Bishop Jose Cabantan, diocese of Malaybalay, Philippines

Cardinal Soane Patita Mafi, diocese of Tonga, South Pacific

Archbishop Donald Bolen, archdiocese of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan, diocese of Waterford et Lismore, Ireland

cc: His Holiness Pope Francis

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

Anglophone crisis: 16 Catholic Bishops write Biya! Urge him to accept Swiss-led dialogue.