CI-NEWS

Anglophone Crisis: SDF puts Biya in tight corner; says enabling environment before back-to-school,

2019-08-16

No: 441

Anglophone Crisis: SDF puts Biya in tight corner; says enabling environment before back-to-school, holding of elections.

Officials of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) have held the government of President Paul Biya responsible for the deteriorating Anglophone Crisis.

For the first time since the outbreak of the imbroglio in 2016, the party has threatened to withdraw its parliamentarians from the National Assembly.

In a communique signed by the National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi after the SDF National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Douala on August 10, the officials tasked the Biya regime not only to bring the “civil war” to an end, but to also provide a definitive solution that will create an enabling environment for children to return to school.

Participants at the meeting also intimated that the SDF would boycott any elections if the Anglophone armed conflict stays unresolved.

“The SDF shall be obliged to withhold its parliamentarians from attending the November 2019 session. If elections are convened and held under such circumstances, the SDF will not participate and this will tantamount to breaking the country into two,” the release read in part.

While calling on separatist fighters to exercise restraint, the SDF politicians urged senators, parliamentarians, mayors and councilors of the ruling CPDM party from the restive regions not to use the current stalemate to make political gains.

On November 30, 2017, President Paul Biya declared war against those he termed terrorists in the North West and South West regions, whom he said were a threat to the country’s unity.

Two years after the 86 year-old leader waged the war, maiming, rape, torture, kidnappings, mass killings, looting, destruction and torching of schools, hospital, houses and the razing of entire villages, have been the order of the day, the SDF has said.

Following is the press release in its entirety:

Position Statement

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Social Democratic Front meeting in Douala on Saturday 10th of August 2019, chaired by H.E. Ni John Fru Ndi, reminds the national and international communities that the ongoing civil war in the North West and South West regions in Cameroon was declared by the President of the Republic, Mr. Paul Biya, on 30th November 2017 at the Nsimalen Airporton his return from an official trip to Abidjan.

The declaration of war sparked a spiral of violence which has led to disastrous consequences: maiming, rape, torture, kidnapping, mass killings, looting, destruction and torching of schools, hospitals, houses and the razing of entire villages. This has caused thousands of casualties and the displacement of persons, who today, are refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), paradoxically fulfilling the secret assimilation agenda of Anglophones especially the annihilation of the educational and Common Law systems.

It is, therefore, incumbent on Mr Paul Biya not only to bring the civil war to an end, but also provide a definitive solution tthat will create an enabling environment for children to return to school in September 2019 and for elections to take place; failure to which the SDF shall be obliged to withhold its Parliamentarians from attending the November 2019 session. If elections are convened and held under the present circumstances, the SDF will not participate and this will be tantamount to breaking the country into two.

The SDF calls on the CPDM Senators, CPDM Mebers of the National Assembly, CPDM Mayors and CPDM Councillors of the North West and South West Rehions who have exhibited disturbing indifference and support to the oppressive government irrespective of the frustrations and atrocities inflicted on the Anglophone people whom they purport to legitimately represent, to stop using the Anglophone problem for political ends.

While we acknowledge the existence of the Anglophone problem which has unfortunately pushed the Anglophone separatists to take up arms, we urge them to exercise restraint.

The SDF reminds our Francophone brothers that the Anglophone crisis is a national issue which, if not well and urgently addressed, will lead to irretrievable separation of the country.

Finally, the SDF vehemently condemns the irresponsible and incendiary narratives pouring from the Diaspora that further exacerbate the situation.

Signed:

Ni John Fru Ndi.

National Chairman

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Anglophone Crisis: SDF puts Biya in tight corner; says enabling environment before back-to-school,