Let us give the Southwest Chiefs a chance

I think the Southwest chiefs should be commended for taking this step, of clearly recognizing and projecting the Anglophone/Southern Cameroons problem. For them to even go the length they have should be embraced and encouraged. What they have said here in public concerning the manipulation and abuse of the terms of reunification they cannot retract.

I believe the criticism against them relating to the choice of words and reference to respect and humility towards the president should not be the focus right now. It is shortsighted and unfair to expect them to speak the language of activist groups like SCNC. If we are wise we will hold them to the truths they have acknowledged about the Anglophone marginalization and the lack of democracy and work respectfully to get them to remain steadfast and go further with time.

Change can and does always come incrementally. I think this is a great step forward and great progress coming from the Southwest chiefs that we all know their political practices. It is counterproductive and a disservice to the efforts of building a collective and united force to focus on the little part of their message that we may see as begging.

We should be strategic and careful. We have always been shortsighted in the ways we approach this struggle. At this time we Need all hands on deck: the good the bad and the ugly. Even God uses the devil sometimes to do his work.

This is no time for the usual blames amongst us. This is a call for us to build a force through unity. We must begin keeping our differences aside. No Southwest Northwest divides talk. Those can wait. No fighting or castigating our own people because they are CPDM or support Paul Biya. We must now put all our different political opinions and affiliations aside and pull together as one to win this battle and eventually the war. This is what we did for the GCE board. The CPDM members and even those in government directly and indirectly were on board and we won.

This is a call to all of us to show our seriousness. We must make sacrifices. We must make financial contributions to make sure the people on the ground do not break down for lack of means to continue. We should not only talk. They need support from the diaspora at this time. We must get organize to encourage them and let them know that we will strongly be behind them if they go all the way and keep the pressure. It is huge successes to have the Southwest chiefs speak the language of Cameroon Anglophone Movement. This is huge and we will have ourselves to blame if we let this moment just pass by or go to waste.

I do understand the sentiments towards the chiefs. Most of us progressive minded Southern Cameroonians who have taken time and interest to be engaged in what the so-called reunification of our two countries has become, I do share your thoughts and sentiments. However, the statements from the Southwest chiefs at this time are relevant and a great gift to all genuine forces engaged in the cause for Southern Cameroons.

Even if they may not mean it, it is still relevant. The support I call for should not be seen as support for the Southwest chiefs but for the general struggle. I do not think they had to make their position jointly with the Northwest fons or any other entity. The fact that they have made it, sets the stage for other Southern Cameroons groups to follow or do same and that will depend on the ability of the engaged groups on the ground to see this as an opportunity to lobby other groups including the Northwest fons, the students etc., to rally towards a united front.

As one of the leaders of CAM, I have a very unique appreciation for this development. SWELA and the Southwest chiefs have been stumbling blocks to the Southern Cameroons cause. They would not even speak out publicly against the ills of reunification.

I remember when we had to disrupt SWELA and the Southwest chiefs meetings where they planned to pass resolutions against the Anglophone cause. I do not also think it is realistic to fault them for addressing their concerns to the president. Doing so is just stating the obvious of what exists in Cameroon. Cameroon does not function by the guidelines or practice of rule of law or constitutionality. The law and constitution of Cameroon is Paul Biya. His desires and wishes are the constitution and law of Cameroon. The parliament does not function for the people, nation or constitution. That body exists at the pleasure of Paul Biya and they only do what he tells them to do.

I am very certain that if we take advantage of this from the Southwest chiefs and work hard to get other groups onboard, keeping up the pressure, other groups will follow and it will be a matter of time for us to see a joint statement from the Northwest fons and the Southwest chiefs. With this the Anglophone parliamentarians may follow. We have to play our part and our part here is for us to think strategically and delay our usual instant gratification of blaming, a practice that keeps dividing us. We did this during the GCE board battle.

There are many of us here and on other fora who are ready to effectively engage. We should direct these talks towards the action gear and come up with the best and acceptable strategy for the way forward. We cannot just continue talking and writing in a vacuum. It is time we effectively show that we are more than just talking when it comes to genuine change to liberate our people and country. Time to restore the genuine reunification contract through a return to federalism.