Farmer/Grazier Conflict Erupts Again

By Peterkins Manyong In Wum

The Menchum Farmer/Grazer problem, which escalated recently, obliging the setting up of a commission by Northwest Governor, Koumpa Issa, has taken a more bloody and confrontational dimension.This time, the population, championed by youths, is reported to have formed militant groups that beat up and inflict injuries on grazers.

In retaliation, the grazers, most of them also youths, are said to have armed themselves with knives and other lethal weapons ready for self-defence.

The Post gathered in Wum that less than two weeks ago, an Aku youth called Ibrahim Nyako, was beaten to unconsciousness by the population after he reportedly threw some charms believed to be lethal on a farmer.

Buh Sule, SDF District Chairman for Wum, told The Post that Nyako went to a piece of grazing land which he had bought only to find somebody else cultivating it. He was the more embarrassed that the "intruder" was the kid brother of the same person from whom he bought the land. Some rude exchanges took place and soon degenerated into a confrontation; the 'intruder' "emerged second best" in the conflict.

Finding that on his own he could not defeat the grazer, the youthful farmer returned home and soon went back accompanied by a crowd who got the grazer thoroughly beaten. Since then the conflict has degenerated with militant (extremist) groups attacking each other at the slightest provocation.

SDO Laments

The situation is very much to the discomfort of Alexander Njoya Menchum SDO who told The Post that the commission set up by Koumpa was supposed to meet within the last few days but did not do so, because most of its members failed to turn up.

The SDO, who said Wum Central DO headed the commission, condemned the confrontation saying this was far from the logical step towards resolving the conflict.
He was, however, pleased to note that between March 29 and April 7, the separation of farmlands from grazing lands had taken place. He was optimistic that the Governor's commission would eventually find a solution to the problem.

The SDO refuted allegations that a large contingent of gendarmes was soon to be dispatched to Wum to maintain order in the face of the ongoing violence

Environment Scribe Optimistic

Patrick Akwa Kum, the newly appointed Secretary General in the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection has the same optimism about the commission. He is for the idea of cohabitation between farmers and grazers.

According to him, given that the land area cannot be increased, farmers should try to improve on farming methods, while the grazers should improve on their pastures for better animal production.

Fidelis Nji, Charles Njikwe and Richard Wallang, two other elites of Menchum whom The Post spoke with, supported the idea of demarcating land, which the Governor's commission is doing, as a means of solving the farmer/grazer problem.

Some villagers The Post spoke with frowned at the excesses of the administration, which is assessing the damage caused with a view to compensating the victims.

They said as much as FCFA 30.000 is demanded from those who suffered destruction of their property during the conflicts, whereas the amount they will be compensated is sometimes less than FCFA 10.000.

Comments

[tumnde]

As an Agroeconomics student, i appreciate the effort of the Mediators trying to bring such conflicts to an end. Considering Case`s theory to Internalisation of Externalities. Such conflicts in Cameroon or in Africa in general shows that the parties involved cannot best internalize their negative externalitives with the level of education they might have. In this case a mediator should be present to help the parties seek solutions to their problems. In Cameroon we still have poor executive systems to protect property rights, which hamper investments in the Country. Mediators should avoid taking sides with parties involved and not consider the problem a personal one. This leads sometimes to bribery and corruption making the whole situation worse. Solutions like stationary animal husbandary should be introduced and the Grazer should be prepared to compensate the Cultiver or vis versa, depending to whom to property right goes. If the Grazer needs more land, he has to compensate the Cultiver and vis versa. they would have been in the best position to solve their problem according to Case, provided the have good education and information how to go about internalising their negative Externalities. Danke

[Njei Moses Timah]

I can remember that as a child living in Wum some 35 years ago, this farmer/grazier conflict existed and led to a loss of lives. That a solution to the problem has not been found to date is an indictment of the various administrators that have governed Menchum Division. The government should be very careful as this conflict is not only economic but has social and religious undertones. Majority of the graziers are Akus and Bororos that are predominantly Muslims in contrast with the farmers that are Aghems who are predominantly Christians/animists. This is an issue that needs to be handled by administrators of proven intergrity. Clear and fair demarcation of the land is the most sensible thing to do.
Njei M.T
www.njeitimah-outlook.com