France fears possible secession of North Cameroon

The French government has expressed worries that inhabitants of the northern regions of Cameroon might seek secession after power leaves President Biya.

According to information we gathered, their fears are based on the marginalization the northerners have been through during Biya’s long-drawn-out stay in power.

The claims of the French government are contained in a report presented in the country’s National Assembly recently by a fact-finding mission on stability and development in Francophone African countries, dispatched by Foreign Affairs Commission of the assembly.

The document, a copy of which the Cameroon Journal obtained, was presented on April 15 by French MPs, Jean-Claude Guibal and Philippe Baumal in their 2014-2015 ordinary session of parliament.

They said of Cameroon, that the political regime is blocked and that President Biya who has been in power for more than 30 years would probably run for the 2018 presidential elections.

They noted that they foresee Biya running for the next presidential elections at the age of 85, because he has not prepared anyone to replace him.

Going by the French members of parliament, the Biya regime is a good example of an unpopular regime and that it is being protested against on a regular basis.

They also noted that Cameroon’s opposition is divided and is losing its credibility, while the ruling CPDM is facing internal clashes of clans built within the party.

Analysts, according to the French MPs, say the ingredients of a future crisis are building up bit by bit in Cameroon as tribalism still exists.

Stressing the fact of the marginalization of the northern regions, they went as far as suggesting that scenarios of long and serious crisis like those witnessed in Ivory Coast and Guinea during power alternation might emerge in Cameroon.

They hold that the marginalization of the northerners is an issue of poor political governance. To France, conflicts in Francophone Africa are caused by poor governance. Its report says Senegal is the only former French colony which has not witnessed a coup d’état, civil war, or external wars like what Cameroon and Chad currently facing with Boko Haram.

They equally pointed out that most of the countries have been ruled by gerontocracies for tens of years – people who got to power under dubious circumstances and have failed to legitimize their stay in power despite the holding of elections in their respective countries.

The report states that 55years after independence, almost all Francophone African countries except Congo and Gabon are still underdeveloped and citizens live under 1.25$ a day.

It also says life expectancy rate in these countries are below 50, except for Gabon; 60. Cameroon and other former French colonies are facing problems of malnutrition and food insecurity, deplorable health care, and poor systems of education. To them, the levels of economic growth in these countries do not guarantee a sustainable solution to the disastrous standards of living as the population of some countries would double in 20 years.

They suggested that France should review areas of support for African countries and allocate more resources to health and education. French MPs, however, blamed the French government for not doing enough to avert conflict in Africa whereas the country is renowned to have a mastery of the continent, thanks to several research institutions focused on African studies.

They enjoined the French government to anticipate and put in place policies that match local realities. They suggested that these policies should span across 15 to 20 years and should be acceptable and efficient for countries involved.