CI-NEWS

Archbishop describes kidnapping by separatist fighters in Cameroon.

2019-07-02

No: 434

Archbishop describes kidnapping by separatist fighters in Cameroon.

Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua says he was abducted by separatist fighters in a locality called Njinikejem while on a trip to preach peace in regions where a separatist war has raged for the past two years.

“The road was blocked,” he said. “I stood there for sometime, some boys came in and said, ‘No, you cannot go, you should go back.’ They gave me the number of a certain general [commander of separatist fighters]. They called and said, ‘Let me talk to him.’ He said, ‘No, you cannot pass, it has been blocked.’ I came down, I removed the barrier and I passed. The boys came, about 5 or 6 of them very aggressively shouting, ‘Who do you think you are,’ mishandled my driver. ‘No, we are taking you to our camp.'”

Esua says he was taken to the bush with four of his companions. He says they were not physically assaulted while in captivity.

The archbishop says he told the hundreds of youths and the man who called himself the general commanding separatist forces in the area that they should stop killing, maiming and abducting people whom they say they are trying to liberate.

“I told them, ‘You are making people to suffer.’ I said we cannot achieve anything good with evil. Thou shall not kill, thou shall not make other people to suffer. People whom you pretend to be fighting for are suffering. I told them a lot about education. Get the schools open,” he said.

Esua says they listened to him, and replied that they were fighting to save their land and people. He says he was asked to leave after more than 13 hours in captivity; he did not say if a ransom was paid for his release.

Previous abductions

It was not the first time clergy have been abducted by the English-speaking separatists, who want to break away from Cameroon’s French-speaking majority.

The Catholic Church says dozens of its nuns and priests have been kidnapped and released. Many believe the church paid to secure their release, an allegation the church denies.

Security analyst Eugene Ongbwa, a consultant with Cameroon’s NGO Ecumenical Service For Peace, says the separatists have not been killing priests because the Catholic Church has preached against abuses by the government, and has called on the central government to listen to the fighters.

When the crisis began, separatist fighters kidnapped and killed missionaries and foreign workers to put pressure on the international community to force the government of Cameroon to grant their requests, Ongbwa said, adding that separatists seem to have dropped that option. The archbishop’s life may have been spared because he has been neutral, though vocal, about the need for the government to listen to the separatists, Ongbwa said.

The Catholic Church says at least nine clergy members have been killed, including American-born Charles Wesco, who died in Bamenda in crossfire with separatist fighters, and Kenyan-born Cosmas Omboto Ondari, who was shot in the southwestern town of Mamfe in a crossfire incident last November.

Ambazonia Interim Gov’t weighs in on kidnapping of Archbishop Esua

Fellow Ambazonians,

I bring you revolutionary greetings.

Following the unfortunate abduction of the Arch Bishop of Bamenda, The Most Reverend Cornelius Fontem Esua, on Tuesday the 25th of June 2019 whilst on a journey from Esu to Bamenda, The Interim Government launched an immediate investigation into the incident. Our immediate findings revealed that a group of unidentified men acting in the area without any authority or connection to our self- defence forces were involved. Upon ascertaining these facts, our self-defence teams were immediately instructed to do everything in their power to get him released.

I’m pleased to announce that this very unfortunate incident has come to an end. The Most Reverend Cornelius Fontem Esua is now safe at home in Bamenda.

I want to bring to your attention a recent statement by the Chairman of the SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi. He pointed to the existence and activity of rogue elements sponsored by La Republique du Cameroun in Ambazonia. The fundamental purpose of this infiltration and illegal activity by our enemy is to illegitimise our struggle in the eyes of the world by carrying out illegal and unlawful activities.

We condemn these illegal and unlawful activities in our country strongly.

We reiterate that it’s our duty to defend ourselves against the brutality of La Republique du Cameroun but your Interim Government condemns all acts of abduction and kidnappings in Ambazonia. All groups and self-defence forces defending life and property in the territory of Ambazonia must guard against any actions that our enemy will exploit to paint us to the outside world in a negative light.

I want to thank our brave self-defence forces for their continuous sacrifices in difficult circumstances. With their determination and God’s Blessings, we shall overcome.

God Bless the Federal Republic of Ambazonia

Short Live The Revolution

Long Live the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

Sincerely,

Milton Taka.

Secretary of State.

Department of Communication & Information Technology.

Interim Government Spokesperson.

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Archbishop describes kidnapping by separatist fighters in Cameroon.