The palpable signs of what has always been considered by some as an Anglophone problem well before the strike movements of 2016 which particularly captured the attention of the entire Cameroonian nation, have always been predictable. To those who had the courage to say that there is a problem, others responded by saying no, to avoid “an agitation of the people”, while knowing that it is a reality which according to them, must be minimized, so that it does not gain momentum. Indeed, as long as the real demands remained in the shadow of a boring resilience, there wasn't much to worry about. The extremists, until now little known to the general public despite actions which already reflected secessionist wishes, began to express their discontent in the most disastrous ways possible, just after the peaceful initiative of lawyers and teachers, who have always been in favour of peace, and who only wanted their working conditions to be improved. 

The peaceful manifestation of a discontent, was only the tree that hides the forest. Secessionists and separatists took advantage of this opportunity, to bring back the causes of the problem between October 1, 1961, and May 20, 1972. The sudden emergence of violent movements following the peaceful demands suggested that the perpetrators were only waiting for a spark to sow chaos, the disastrous consequences of which, particularly during the first three years following what the government preferred to call "socio-political crisis", were very trying for the Cameroonian people because they were added to others just as sickening, in the Far North region.

Secessionists and separatists took advantage of this opportunity, to bring back the causes of the problem between October 1, 1961, and May 20, 1972. Image: aljazeera.com

The country finds itself in 2016 between a war against an anti-European and American terrorist movement, and what the highest authorities of the State preferred to call "socio-political crisis" to avoid the term "war", which apparently, was in very bad taste because it must be said that, even if a good part of those who took up arms no longer considered themselves Cameroonians, for the Cameroonian State on the other hand, they are Cameroonians against whom we should not go to war. Furthermore, whether in the Far North of the country or in predominantly English-speaking areas, violent movements attract not only those who are ready to do anything to achieve their goals, but also those who feel they have nothing else to do apart from embarking on a perilous expedition which justifies the establishment of a national disarmament and reintegration program. Indeed, even if we find ourselves in a situation of legitimate force which requires defending the interests of the republic, we must also find ways to end the crisis, because on the other hand, these are still Cameroonians whose legitimate choice to take up arms deserves special attention. They have demands which revolve around a main complaint, which is more of a political nature, and which also requires serious consultations, which however do not justify killings or better still terrorist acts just like in the Far North of the country.

Whether in the Far North of the country or in predominantly English-speaking areas, violent movements attract not only those who are ready to do anything to achieve their goals, but also those who feel they have nothing else to do apart from embarking on a perilous expedition. Image : cc barada-nikto/commons.wikimedia.org

In November 2018, the national committee for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants of the anti-European and American terrorist movement, and those of secessionist movements at the base of “the socio-political crisis” of the North-West and South-West was established. The seriousness of the situation required, as today, urgent calming measures. Indeed, the choice to join a terrorist organization and another secessionist or “separatist” one for others, does not always mean that the person who makes this choice, wants to see the country remain in chaos. Cameroonians and English speakers in particular have serious problems which require adequate and immediate solutions. But for this solution to be implemented, those who have chosen to join the opposing camps must first lay down their arms. A necessary condition to start from scratch, and contribute to the return of a threatened peace, the restoration of which requires long-term efforts which involve disarmament and demobilization, which are only the consequences of a free choice to lay down weapons, and get out of armed gangs. The call to lay down arms has been launched, and those who have judged it wise to respond to it or who aspire to it, will also contribute to the return of a peace which also needs responses of this kind, to manifest itself more, in a set of unpacified geographical spaces, where ghost town persist, despite the declarations aimed at minimizing the real state of a situation in order to attack the alarmist tones which only translate for some, the reality of the facts which apparently do not please others. However, Cameroonians have the right to know what is happening in their country, as well as the real and constant evolution of the situation.

Reintegration is not only necessary at the level of ex-combatants. Even those who have not taken up arms, and who have chosen to preserve their life elsewhere, are also obliged to reintegrate socially. Image: cc Yvonne Youmbi/commonswikimedia.org

No one can say that they are not concerned by the war in the Far North of the country and what has today even become a war against terrorist movements in the North-West and South-West regions. When the government speaks of “regions économiquement sinistrées”, this means that it is the security and economy of the entire Territory which is negatively impacted by these two wars. The impact of a war on one or more parts of the Territory impacts the entire Territory. This is not just about the Far North, North West and South West regions. There is a war to be financed which has a significant cost which has an impact on growth. The soldiers who die are not only nationals of these regions, nor are the bereaved families. To this we must add external, and especially internal, migrations. In the case of the crises in the North-West and South-West regions, several sections of the populations, particularly from rural areas, have migrated particularly towards the Littoral and Central regions where they live in difficult conditions despite the resilience they demonstrate. Indeed, being disoriented overnight requires additional efforts which do not always guarantee a life similar to the one we had before. Reintegration is not only necessary at the level of ex-combatants. Even those who have not taken up arms, and who have chosen to preserve their lives elsewhere, are also obliged to reintegrate socially.

For ex-combatants, the government has put forward as a means of reintegration the promotion of “small trades” in the fields of agriculture, IT and carpentry among others. Initiatives in line with the need for reform of educational programs focused much more on theory than practice. Even if it is not the acquisition of qualifications which will guarantee a fulfilling life, the acquisition of know-how gives the opportunity to undertake and obtain employment more easily.

In February 2021, residents of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration centres in Buea had notably demanded allowances to meet their daily needs, as well as better living conditions, among other things. These are demands which reflect a social malaise that a good majority of young Cameroonians claim, in a country where according to the fifth Cameroonian household survey and published in 2022 by the national statistics institute, around 4 out of 10 people are poor. Note that the World Bank assesses poverty in the world on two internationally recognized thresholds, namely those who live on less than one (1) and two (2) dollars per day. On a population estimated at that time at nearly twenty-seven million, 10.1 million lived on less than two dollars a day. That is to say 813 CFA F/day or 24.724 CFA F/month. Note that according to this fifth survey, the well-being indicator in 2022 stood on average at 1,363 CFA francs per person per day, and the poverty threshold as defined in this fifth survey, “is the well-being indicator below which it is impossible to afford the minimum necessary on a daily basis; that is to say, obtaining a nutritionally adequate diet and meeting basic non-food needs; i.e. 24.724 CFA F/month, and 813 CFA F/day. This means that living conditions are difficult, and the longer the conflict lasts, the more difficult it will be to remedy this situation which will require Cameroonians to throw down their arms, so that we can harmoniously resolve the demands of a minority, which reflect those of a good majority.

We must therefore tackle the problem at the root. The accumulation of frustrations and feelings of marginalization, motivated by the prevailing precariousness among others, have led several Cameroonians to take up arms against their country, who cannot wage war on himself. Declaring war on a terrorist organization does not mean declaring war on young Cameroonians who have chosen to join the opposing camp for economic, social and political reasons. Fighting secessionist movements means being in a state of legitimate force, while putting in place measures aimed at getting certain young Cameroonians to reconsider their choice to join enemy camps, by throwing down their weapons to start from scratch, even if the fact that their choice is understandable. It is in fact by acting in this way that we give young people reasons to hope in an environment where conditions are certainly not easy, but where efforts are still being made to remedy the situation, perhaps not completely, but continuously, by setting priorities in the short, medium and long term.

The young Cameroonian who takes up arms against his country is an example of illorientation. It is the case of young people whose feeling of despair is used by terrorist organizations and other secessionist movements to sow chaos. Cameroonians must no longer kill each other because there are individuals who have decided to achieve their sulphurous objectives at all costs; that is to say, until death, and by killing many people as possible from the opposite side.  

The priority of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration is a salutary solution in a set of contexts where the fundamental rights of children are violated, and where many young people are forced to take up arms because they no longer have other prospects for the future; hence the holding of the workshop organized from November 8 to 10, 2023, in order to find, in common agreement with the World Immigration Organization (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Organization (UNICEF), concrete solutions to end the crisis in the long term, particularly for these young people who have chosen to join the ranks of terrorists in the Far North of the country. A peace offer that still stands, 6 years and 6 month after the creation of the national committee for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (CNDDR) in November 2018.

Despite the fact that peace remains precarious, the Cameroonian State is still concerned about getting several young people to throw down their arms. Image: thenewhumanitarian.org

Despite the fact that peace remains precarious, the Cameroonian State is still concerned about getting several young people to throw down their arms. Indeed, the plurality of themes addressed during the highly contested and necessary national dialogue (September 30 – October 4, 2019), made it possible to have an approximate idea of ​​the quantity of Cameroonians' problems. Among the eight major themes relating to the reality of the problems of Cameroonians for several decades, and the numerous recommendations, is the theme of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants. It is not a question of showing trophies, but acting for the return of peace in a country which needs all Cameroonians because it must be said, if the number of people enlisted in terrorist and extremist movements of the Far North, the North-West and South-West of the country continues to decrease, it is thanks in particular to the popularization of this call for peace relayed in all regions of Cameroon and particularly in that 3 regions by Cameroonians who made the choice to put their lives in danger for a national cause. And the results obtained so far, still show that the process of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration produce very good results, even if we expected better in this three regions. Indeed, even if there is a slight improvement in the regional capitals, this is not the case in all remote areas where the minorities who have chosen to stay remain in daily precarious peace which does not encourage a return, especially when we know that even in the regional capitals, some people continue to scrupulously respect the days of ghost towns in the case of the North-West and South-West regions.

English|French

Legitimate claims and tribalism

Education of consciences and prevention of aggressive, desperate and immodest acts in places of learning

Quality school infrastructure assurance of production of good human capital despite the different standings

Social decadence, one of the consequences of choosing success by all sulphurous means possible: what solutions?

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