Text of President Biya's End of Year Address

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?" - Paul Biya 

Fellow Cameroonians,

My dear compatriots,

The year 2006, I believe, has been a good year for Cameroon.

We achieved two of our major objectives.

Indeed, we reached an equitable agreement with Nigeria on the implementation of the ruling of the International Court of Justice concerning our territorial dispute.

In addition, the IMF and the World Bank acknowledged that our efforts qualified us for the attainment of the completion point of the HIPC Initiative.

In so doing, we created essential conditions for pursuing our development effort and our crusade against poverty, by obtaining guarantees for external security without which progress would be uncertain and by securing the support of the IMF and the World Bank and, through these institutions, that of the international financial community.

Objectively, this to me is a very encouraging outcome.

Let us, together, examine our performance sector by sector, and prospects for the years ahead.

For obvious reasons, we had to give priority to the economy.

First of all, it was necessary to rehabilitate our public finances. To a large extent, this was achieved. It was also necessary to embark on a number of structural reforms and to improve our governance. Some of these measures have been achieved and others are ongoing.

Such are the efforts that enabled us to reach the completion point.  On that occasion, I took the opportunity to draw lessons before you. I underscored that this was a new step towards reviving growth, which is the only way of creating job opportunities and curbing unemployment in a sustainable manner.  And, in general, to ensure the expansion of our economy.

On several occasions, I indicated what should be the main thrusts of government action to achieve these goals. Permit me to recall them briefly.

Our most urgent challenge should be to increase our energy supply in order to meet the increasing needs of the population and the demand of enterprises.

At the same time, we need to develop our basic infrastructure such as roads, railways, port facilities, telephone networks, the Internet, etc. which are indispensable for the advent of our new economy.

In the same vein, our strategic choices should give pride of place, as much as possible, to the processing of our raw materials in order to add value to our exports.

Such an approach should be beneficial, especially for trade within CEMAC, which should, by all means, be stimulated in the interest of regional integration.

Lastly, we will need to improve the business climate by providing economic operators with adequate legal security, fair taxation and better guarantees for investments. Building confidence between the State and the private sector, which could bring about genuine partnership, would be a key factor of growth.

Our enterprises, and especially SMEs and SMIs which represent a considerable part of our economic fabric, are facing enormous difficulties in financing their activities. Our farmers, who make up a significant proportion of our active population, are experiencing similar problems. And what about the thousands and thousands of humble people who only need seed money to start a small business? Solutions tailored to these different categories should be sought from appropriate financial establishments, without ruling out the use of micro-credit, which is thriving in some parts of the world.

Over the past few months, various actions have been undertaken in these major areas in a bid to lift our economy to a higher height, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Concerning energy, this entails tapping our water and gas resources. There is an urgent need to embark on the construction of new dams and power plants.

As a matter of fact, this additional energy is indispensable for the implementation of our major industrial projects, including increasing our aluminium production, creating a shipbuilding pole, developing a chemical and petrochemical industry, reorganizing the cotton and textile sector, exploiting our mineral ores such as bauxite, iron and cobalt, and of course, without leaving out the plantain conversion programme. Make no mistake; it is indeed a genuine transformation of our industry which may change the face of things in Cameroon.

While focusing on these major projects, we must bear in mind that the goal of economic development remains social progress.

There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in the education and health sectors. Without going into details, I want to recall that new schools have been built and that thousands of teachers have been recruited. This boosted success in schools. Similarly, strong actions undertaken to control tuberculosis and malaria and to halt the spread of AIDS, which were facilitated by improved health coverage, yielded irrefutable results.

Efforts were also made to improve access by the population to drinking water, electricity and housing in urban areas.

I am well aware that these efforts are far from adequate. But this is just the beginning. Indeed, substantial funds from debt cancellation will be primarily allocated to social infrastructure. This should lead to a marked improvement in the living conditions of Cameroonians. I have instructed the government to include this among its priorities.

This covers many aspects of daily life. First, there is the purchasing power, which undoubtedly depends on the level of remuneration. Many households are facing great difficulties in coping with the various family expenses. Where illness or unemployment sets in, the situation becomes dramatic.

Renewed growth, which is imminent, should give us greater leverage to reconsider the issue. Likewise, a more sustained economic activity is likely to positively impact on joblessness by providing new employment opportunities, which the State is striving to foster with its own resources and through the professionalization of education.

By controlling the prices of basic commodities and services, the State is also seeking to forestall unwarranted and speculative price hikes. Measures were recently taken to that end. Others are under consideration.

Improving living conditions also means security in every sense of the word. Organized banditry in our towns and highway robbery in rural areas are still a permanent cause for concern to our people, and more so to our public authorities. Despite the unquestionable achievements of our forces of law and order, the threat looms. We are therefore going to intensify our fight against this scourge by providing additional resources once again and inflicting exemplary punishment on culprits. Furthermore, if the citizenry rallies round the forces of law and order, we can confidently envisage the sustainable eradication of the phenomenon of insecurity.

Our roads are also unsafe. Due to carelessness and recklessness of some drivers and the poor state of vehicles, our roads claim several lives every year.  We cannot afford to continue that way.

As I stated earlier on, the Greentree Agreement concluded with Nigeria has removed an obstacle to our development. I will address this issue on another occasion. The same applies, I believe, to our internal stability. Our institutions are being complemented gradually and are functioning in an exemplary manner. Decentralization is forging ahead and Cameroonians will soon be able to participate more directly in the management of public affairs. The consolidation of the rule of law is being pursued with the adoption of a new Criminal Procedure Code and the restructuring of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms. With a few exceptions, political party activities are being conducted smoothly and freely.

Believe me, this is an exceptional situation. It is quite a rare privilege in our continent. We should, I think, give it due recognition. A few months to major elections, it is vital for each and every one of us, irrespective of our convictions, to maintain this atmosphere of tolerance and dialogue. The Government, for its part, will ensure that the polls are conducted in a calm and transparent manner. That is precisely the intended objective, for the upcoming elections, of the new independent body, known as “Elections Cameroon”, in charge of organizing and supervising elections in our country.

To me, this brief assessment is, on the whole, positive. This is reflected by figures and confirmed by international financial institutions. Should we be satisfied with this?  Without hesitation, my answer is no.  As long as a part of our population is impoverished, equal opportunity is not guaranteed to all citizens, the future of our youth is uncertain, we will not have accomplished our task.

Hence, one question arises. How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?

We are aware of some of the reasons.

The first stems from inertia in some sectors of our administration. I have often denounced this ill, but it must be admitted that it is still there.

The second is due to corruption, fraud and smuggling which put personal interest before the general interest. Severe punishment has been meted out to curb the scourge, yet, it is still lurking in the dark. We will uncover it.

Lastly, it is unacceptable that funds made available to us under debt cancellation or financial cooperation with our partners are unused or under-used. Such negligence or incompetence is unforgivable, considering that the bulk of these funds is earmarked for the social sectors, notably public health and education.

We must therefore continue to rub salt in the wounds.

I am not pessimistic though, and I am going to tell you why.

Some forty years ago, when we gained independence, the level of development of a number of South-East Asian countries was comparable to ours.

By dint of hard work, progress in education and patriotism, these countries, now known as emerging countries, have rolled back poverty and are about to catch up with the most advanced countries.

While we cannot have the same pretension in the short- or medium-term, nothing prevents us from drawing from their experience. Besides, our foreign partners encourage us to do so. I was able to ascertain this during my recent visits to Europe and Asia. Likewise, the numerous visits by investors who wish to partner with us in their projects are concrete proof of the interest they have in our country. 

Of course, it is our duty to play our own part. This will entail essentially building confidence between the government and our private, national and foreign partners so as to enable them to make long-term commitments. We know the ingredients: honouring commitments, administrative and judicial security, mutual benefits, guarantee of investments and elimination of corruption. 

Fellow Cameroonians,

My dear compatriots,

That is therefore where we stand.

It is incumbent on us to move forward to achieve our common lofty goal.

The government has a road map, which it must implement scrupulously and resolutely.

As it has always done, when the interest of the country is at stake, the National Assembly will support government’s efforts.

Those who sustain our economy, namely people in business, managers of SMEs/SMIs, craftsmen, traders and, of course, farmers, all have a vital role to play.

As for the vast majority of our fellow citizens, irrespective of the occupational or social category to which they belong, workers, retirees, women and the youth, I urge them once more to mobilize so that Cameroon should win this battle in which the very future of our country is at stake. A future of peace, liberty and prosperity.

My dear compatriots,

It is now time for me to extend to each and every one of you my most sincere wishes of health and happiness for the New Year.

Happy New Year 2007!

Long live Cameroon!   

Comments

[pandaks]

Who really is in charge of Cameroon? The speech/questions/comments sounded like a conversation between 2 clueless villagers asking of the government. Did you hear that: "How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?"
Imagine the CEO of a company asking such a question after almost 25years; even after a year-he will be slaughtered by management and shareholders. Did he forget he was the president/headstate and chief accountable officer?
Here is a Coach who has never delivered, infact knows nothing about the game and blames the players yearly whenever they slip to lower ranks.
I was watching CRTV, the journalists and a multitude of guests praised him for such a great speech with good intensions. According to George Ewane, reporter from the presidency; the president is disappointed with the patriotism demonstrated by Cameroonians. He (the president) seems to be the only one that loves the country. Pleeeeeese!!!

[pandaks]

Well, I forgot to wish a happy new year to all including the Cameroon post crew.

However, to the Post, next time when you put such a piece on your blog, put a caution there. "Warning-The material below may not be suitable for the consumption by all" You may experience Nausea, Vomiting or Diarrhea

[DaDiceman]

In the southern city of Najaf, hundreds of Shiites stepped outside and began firing guns in the air in joyous celebration. "Saddam executed seven of my relatives," said Muhammad Hussein Kamil, 45, a laborer. "It is the end for any dictator, and he will be an example to every dictator in the world."
© 2006 The Washington Post Company

[Kumbaboy]

Keep criticism constructive and realistic. Saddam was an Arab beast and a fool. Saddam murdered many, including launching a needless war against Iran over a border dispute. Over 1 million souls perished.

Paul Biya, a benevolent strongman, would have sued Iran, used Iraq's oil wealth to benefit his ethnic group, bought every new airplane from Boeing, acquired chateaux in every part of Europe and give Cameroun a first world per capita consumption of champagne. In fact, he would move the Presidency to Southern France and rule from there! No one will ever see him. And of course, every village will have a secondary school. Paul Biya has no interest in roads because the Presidential Monarch travels mostly by air!

[Akoson]

A fool at 40, they say will be a fool forever. This guy's in his seventies...someone just wrote the speech for him to read to Cameroonians.

His speech contains nothing for any sanguine Cameroonian to write home about. They spent their time preparing nonsense for FOOLS to listen to and read. What a waste! He'd better sit quiet. Well he'd thought that going on air and saying a simple "bonne annee"...wud be stupid. He concluded his stupidity by presenting that thrash Cameroonians all know. Methinks he just wanted to immitate other presidents who were on that same day giving their own end of year speeches around the globe.

By the way, Oh what were they expecting? Salary increments? to go about drinking beer?

I hear some remote controled journalists who formed a panel to access his speech said "il parle?" Yes he spoke...but what did he say??

Here this clown: "...I am well aware that these efforts are far from adequate. But this is just the beginning..."

The beginning in your 25th year as president? The beginning indeed!

Goodluck Mr. president of La Republique.

The SON!

[anyenty]

You can call me a neo-colonialist or what ever,but nstrongly believe that the position of President of Cameroon should be advertised;candidates should be shortlisted and an interview conducted.As you will probably agree with me, Mraul Biya will not even be shortlisted for the interview! The man does not know his onions.We should bev asking him those questions!! Mr. President,did you provide an enabling environment for this country to develop as the Asians did? Is it not your policy of tribalism and being toloierant of corruption that has ensured that we remain on the same spot?I am glad you have accepted your mediocrity oin national TV.Unfcortunately,there is none brave enough to tell upfront.Can someone tell the king he has no clothes on?

[muna_sawa]

Am sure most of the times Biya forgets his President of cameroon.How can a President be asking questions he´s soppossed to be answering.Anyway i cant blame him since he spends most of his time out of the country not leaving the day to day runing of the country to other pple?
And i beleive subconsiously since Mr Biya has never won any presidential election since 1990 he knows he´s not the president of cameroon.
i´ll not even waist time commenting on want the choir members called CRTV jourlist were singen.

[Witchman Caesar]

There is one thing we should learn.First let's look at the number of Years that Biya has been the President.All these years let's analyze the little progress that has been made in Cameroon.

Even Bill Clinton in the United States who was one of the best American Presidents in terms of Economic Improvements, had to leave Power to someone else.Anybody who clings to power has ulterior motives.There are many other people who can rule Cameroon.That position is not meant for only one person.Give chances for other people to be able to come and bring new ideas.

Count the number of Presidents in the U.S. and other Developed Countries.New presidents have come in and brought in new ideas.Look at even Nigeria.Obasanjo is going to leave power for someone else to rule.He is not the only one to rule Nigeria.And guess what, someone even better might come in with better ideas and that's how the country grows.

The message from President Paul Biya is like a song.The song is sang every end of year.We want a young dynamic person as the president of Cameroon, who will be able to speed up development and progress in all sectors.

There is more and more to write.Unless we as Cameroonians stand up and say enough is enough from the dictator, we shall always remain in Bondage.

Look at the mess that took place in the University of Buea.The minister just seats in his office and sends his own list of qualified and unqualified candidates.These are just the things that distort the progress of our country.

Look that the system in Cameroon.There is no pressure in the Country.Ministers embezzle money and they are still promoted.The president is unaccounted for.The finace from SONARA was not even part of the Cameroon Budget.Where was all this money going to.

The worse part of it is that Malaysia and Cameroon used to be in the same economic level when Biya came to power.But look at Malaysia right now.It's a developed country and Cameroon is still lavishing in Poverty.

All we need in Cameroon is a fresh start, new president, new parliamentary system (not the Rubber Stamp Parliament that we have right now).Look at the Douala international airport.Sometimes when it rains the airport is leaking.It's just a big disgrace to the Country and a painful reality.Look at Mutengene Kumba road.Its just a mess.There are endless things to mention.

My message is that Biya should leave and let someone else who can get the job done be nominated.

[samleyin]

Organise baditory and executive robbery like that you have introduced in the state where you and your block headed wife chose to swindle state fund at your own discretion and select a hand full of those you have fallen out with to pay the price. Educational achievement indeed by 'betilising' and 'ewondolising' all state exams, send your dullard scouts to peforate with bullet holes, the bodies of courageous students that chose to stand in the way of fraud and stupidity, of a front that should be decided by competence rather than origing. political achievements by manipulations and changing the name of ONEL to ELECAM. Tell me mr president how an election cordinated by MINATD could be independent in a rational mind. u see how stupid you are?

Biya the ass hole, it is high time you learn some lesson from Saddam's doom. To you, your wife, the bastard kids as well as your kids, I say £@$%& you all to the deepest depth. I wish you the worst of the new year and may this come soonest so that you live to feel the wrath of discrimination. Stupid president.

[Innovative group]

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?"

What a brilliant question asked by the head of state Paul Biya, in his end of year speech. A speech pregnant with lots of rational thoughts but yet a source of mixed feelings for the ordinary Cameroonian
What puzzles me is how he and his advisers succeed in unveiling and coining out such good words to flatter Cameroonians.

After more than 2 decades as the president of the republic, who does he expect to answer this question?????????

[Ma Mary]

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?" - Paul Biya

Come on, Paul! You must have "human resources" who are dunces.

[Tekum Mbeng]

Ma Mary,

The answer to Paul Biya's question is simple.

....because Cameroon is ruled by a lazy clique more in POWER than in OFFICE. How many cabinet meetings did the President attend last year? Answer = 1 or less.

When a Beti Minister of Higher Education (Fame Ndongo) parades intellectual dishonesty on a national platform by striking down the top talent who pass a tough exam to medical school, replacing them with those who failed or did not bother to write the exam, then we have a recipe for failure.

When the President himself lacks the political wisdom to reform the weak Francophone system of education and bring it to line with international standards then we have a crisis in a generation.

When the 1st Francophone student can only manage the 600th position in a competitive exam with Anglophone students and nobody is looking at the basic causes then 4/5th of Cameroon's youth is being failed by an inept regime.

[Watesih]

"How come our country,which is endowed by nature and the climate,which has acknowledged human resources,and which enjoys peace and stability,is yet to achieve its economic take off?"
Answer!
1. Nature and Climate..> Old plantations,no farm to market roads,farmers not subsidised, Produce sold at give away prices,no dams constructed despite enough rain,dusty roads that bring illnesses.
2. Acknowledged Human Resources...> a country governed by intellectual theorists instead of practical economists,waste talents by sheltering them under the Cpdm banner,kill innovation ,and competition through favouritism in all aspects of life, no incentives to keep the work force in place and motivated,killing students,the future leaders of the country.
3. Peace and Stability....> Very provocative government.All elections defruaded,citizens live under an endless state of emergency through Commandement Operationel,Police harrass peaceful citizens on daily basis,the salaries of Civil servants slashed three fold,numerous and endless taxes,unable to punish those who swindle the sweat of others,insecurity and banditary in cities,
can`t provide the cheapest of drugs in hospitals.
My President ,want more?

[Innovative group]

It is rather unfortunate that after 25 years as the president of Cameroon Mr Paul Biya is still asking this type of Questions.What I don´t understand is who is the right person to answer these questions.It is now clear that the president is not fit to lead the Country especially as he openly reminded the youths that they dont have future in their own country.It is a pity and shame to all those who parade the corridors of power that after 45 of independence Cameroon is still to arrive the take off stage.
I will end here by reminding all those who are using the resouces of Cameoon for their selfish and personal agrandisement that they will one day pay either naturally or by popular justice.

[Cheboy]

No need commenting. someone should look at his end of year speech for 2005 and compare with this one of 2006. See what he intended to achieve in 2006 and read from his recent speech what he instead achieved in 2006. Then you will see that Biya has just no program.

It is the same style he has adopted. There is no need to spend time and comment on the things he has been repeating every year because we gave the same comments last year. Just save this speech and we shall compare it with his next speech (end of 2007) and you will definitely comfirm that the man has no agenda.

we need a dynamic and non-colonial leadership in Cameroon!

[DaDiceman]

Kumbaboy, with all due respect to you, there are some of our fellow citizens in Southern Cameroon who might wince at your description of Paul as "benevolent". Those who have had relatives or friends shot at, killed and maimed by Paul's thugs, called the Cameroun army, in the various protests over the years in Southern Cameroon, might not share your benign view of Paul. Those who have had friends or relatives incarcerated for their political views might not see much difference between Paul and Saddam. A dictator is a dictator is a dictator. Some come wrapped in sheep's clothing, like Paul, but it doesn't change who he is. You are giving the old fool much more credit than he deserves.

[espoir]

mr.biya has said it,they must go ahead and do it.i strongly believe that the man might be willing to do something in his last days.as the brother said above cameroonians must be able to see some changes in 2008 as stipulated by the president.lets see an enviroment that attracts investment,lets see improvement in the countries infrastructure,lets see a decrease in unemployment and much more as he stipulates in their said "road map"to decrease poverty and creat a better cameroon for all.auditing of state affairs for the year would speck for itself.because it seems like monsieur le president is confident this time aroound after his govt has reached the HIPC completion target layed down by the world bank and the bakassi agreement.so lets wait and see.peace

[Neba Funiba]

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?" - Paul Biya

Why is Biya asking this question but to the whole nation? On the average, 80 percent of all administrators/managers at all levels are from his Beti clan so he should direct this question to them. Since he came to power, all of the powerful ministries (defense, finance, labor, higher education, foreign affairs, etc.) have been run by betis, 80 percent of all directors within ministries are from beti, look at the list of those who have embezzled public funds (ondo ndong, belinga, melingui, etienne ntsama, titus edzoa, etc) they are betis—they are the ones who have swindled the country’s funds. Biya is asking a question whose answers are known by his cronies. Look at the list of the embezzlers and you will see that in some cases there are zero Anglophones involved so does biya want Anglophones to provide answers to the question as to where the country's funds have gone? What ever happened to the other 8 presidential candidates (beside biya and fru ndi) who received campaign money to run for president in 2004? When will they and the so-called opposition parties render a scathing indictment of this speech and the sociopolitical and economic malaise that is wracking the country? Does biya want Anglophones to provide asnwers as to why customs duty from Ekok has not been used to turn Ekok into a modern and vibrant city when no Anglophone is on that military helicopter which lands at Ekok once every week to pick up custom duty? Mr. Biya, tell Anglophones what they have gained from your administration since 1982. Do not ask the question the other way round because that is "blind logic"

[Watesih]

Tita espior,
You are right to say we should wait ,and see.We have been waiting for 24 years,and your Comrade Paul Biya has just told us that this is just the beginning,after realising that we are lagging behind the Asian countries which had been on the same point of departure with us.Imagine a country that is winning all trophies of all the ills in the world still preparing to take the starting line!Tita the President can`t be confident because his government reached the completion point.This government has reached many completion points in its history ,but nothing came out from all these.All the agreements,all the credits signed ,and debts cancelled for 24 years are not different from the completion point in anyway.Your President tells us that funds made available to us under the debt cancellation are unused or under-used,and says this is unacceptable.This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable.
Through out the year there`s money that is unused,but the President waits for the end of year to tell citizens that it is unacceptable for them to be blind to such a huge sum of money.How patriotic therefore is this President? Is he not the one telling us that Asian countries rolled back poverty because of patriotism? If there`s money that is unused,and you live with rats like Ondo Ndong,what would they do? Of course they will put it into use for you!Why does he say the money is unused? Did Ondo Ndong not enumerate the way he dished out this unused money from the Presidency,to his colleagues?

[DaDiceman]

Watesih wrote:

".....This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable..."

I know this is off the topic being discussed. But the above statement is totally uncalled for. Whatever a woman wears does not give anyone the right to touch her without her consent, nevermind rape her.

Come on guys, we owe it to ourselves to keep the debate on this forum at a higher level than the metaphorical gutter talk.

As a colonised people, there are very few ways Southern Cameroonians can truly demonstrate we hold ourselves to relatively high standards...this forum is one of them. Dragging debate here into the gutter does a disservice to us all, and gives our enemies all the ammunition they need to say we are no different from those we blame for our woes.

[Danny Boy]

Such drivel! In a civilised and mature democracy, the opposition would make mince-meat of this man. Surely this is an open goal for the likes of Fru Ndi and others who aspire to rule us one day. Their advisers should read some of the constructive comments on this forum and make good of.
Biya should be rediculed on every opposition platform. Just as the mantra "power to the people" captured the imagination of many, the opposition in response to his asinine question should tell him " because you failed to deliver, Mr. President."
I suggest the opposition should print T-shirts bearing this logo and destribute to party members to wear at rallies. That way they will be making their point without fear of arrest for abusing this fantastic kleptocrat!

[vally England]

Man,Stalin Dictator Paul Biya,is really sick.Read his questions,how does he expect cameroon to move on when he does not seem to understand basic management/development strategy.
The man have failed cameroonians,he appoints idiots as ministers,supervised them and dispite their failures still nominates them.Why then all the hype?

Truly,the man has shown that we need to organised a coup d'tat quickly.The longer the fool stays as president,we are finished as a nation.
So how can we organised a coup to kick the fool from Etoudi?
Diasporans,if you are shipping any thing to cameroon include your personal 1000 round AK47,hide it under the car,dismantle the doors and put it inside,boxes load them with your catriges.His corrupt customs officials are busy looking for bribes,believed me, they don't care checking.
If 5000 cameroonians each have Ak47,the job is done.The army that comes to kill student will disappear in the numbers.

This sound a difficult job but easy if well organised.We have to do all to kick Paul Biya from Etoudi,the man is useless,not worth the pains.Some must sacrifice for others.
More to folow soon.
Vally England.

[bthegirl]

"Les grandes ambitions" indeed. I have always associated this much parodied phrase with this human waste of a President. Now he admits to his dismal failure towards such lofty heights. Can somebody please tell him it is time to go?
Where is the opposition? Such an admission of abject failure is enough for a crucifixion in an advanced democracy! Where is our Judas, oh lord?

[abacha]

my diagnosis, mr biya must be suffering from some kind of pyschological disorder.unless ironically he is making a cofession to the cameroonians on how he has proven unfit in handling the affairs of the state.i would say hearing this kind of speech from a university of sorbonne graduate and someone with 25 year leadership expirence leaves me with nothing but pains and tears on what the future of cameroon looks like. truely it might be the land that no tongue can tell! and we shall truely never be able to pay our dues.

[Lilian]

Watesih wrote:

".....This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable..."

The current critique of the president's latest gibberish is a vibrant and entertaining exchange. However, to veer off and make a comparison of this sort is ludicrous and uncalled for. Blaming a rape victim by claiming she allowed herself to be raped is pernicious to rape victims every where. It exposes the latent sexist attitudes that prevail in sections of Cameroonian society and simultaneously reminds us of the ways in which existing stereotypes of women within patriarchal society continue to permeate public discourse regardless of the threshold of discussion. This is a country where not so long ago, trouser clad women were bared from entering government buildings. You wear skirts, and you are literally told you are asking to be gang raped??? Goodness me! When will men resist the urge to impose their expectations of women and assumptions of respectable femininity on womankind? The myth that seductively dressed women invite rape is the commonest device by which a defensive society can deny the prevalence and effects of rape. Rape is rape and can NEVER be justified.

[Watesih]

Dadiceman,
I know you are still unnerved by the spanking you got from Tita Morfaw the past days,and you are surely looking forward to another showdown to catchup,but there you are mistaken.By picking a metaphor about a rape victim( and not the act of rape)we want to show the eerie feelings we have when Biya starts happing about money that is there ,and says its unacceptable that it is not used.Sir,English is difficult and always take time offf to ruminate all the contours before diving into some fruitless argument.
My emphasis is on somebody who courts catastrophy ,i mean somebody who does something stupid ,but when assaulted,starts telling her aggressors that it is unacceptable.We are not advertising the dress women have to wear,neither are we in any debate whether women should be raped depending on the clothes they wear.You go to the extent of saying this is off topic,as if this were the main thrust of my argument.
What is my main idea in my writeup above,of
course the fact that Biya is escapist ,just as a rape victim will be escapist.My main idea is not rape,it was just an allusion,to show the magnitude of Biya`s gymnastics.
Mr Moral instructor,if it were even a debate about what women wear ,and the repercussions on society,you would still have run out of ideas just as you ran out of ideas the other day about whether a leader`s public life is related to his private life.
This because you say "WHATEVER WOMEN WEAR" does not give anyone the right to touch them.From the moral pedestal you`ve always want to place yourself on this forum,you should have known that "WHATEVER A WOMAN WEARS" is directly linked to the decency of the public.If you are half naked ,you wouldn`t go to have communion,and if you are half naked and frequent places where you have the Mike Tysons of the world,you will soon come face to face with your foolhardy.

Lilian,
There are these many names coming up.Some are the same people who impersonate with different names,but that not withstanding lets forget about the President`s speech and take on this one.Rape is rape,and either the victim or the rapist have something wrong with their mind.We are not going to justify rape ,on whether the rapist is a man or a woman,but what leads to this act.By jumping out to defend seductively dressed women only puts a question mark on our morality.Why do those who like dressing this way always change their dresses when they go to church,but when they go to hotspots they come out half-naked? Nobody bars people from dressing seductively,but when they go to places where their dressing can appeal to some sick minds,they will be raped.We cannot pretend to be moralists ,but the increasing rape cases come as a result of the fact that we pretend to be too open minded and continue to preach over exposure.If we want to protect seductively dressed women,then we should also protect those with sick minds.And how can this be done? By asking those who dress seductively to better appreciate the meaning of their dress pattern ,and keep to the right places.

[DaDiceman]

Watesih, I wish I had the intelligence to understand what you are rambling on about, but I don't. Apologies for being on the lower end of the IQ scale. However, I am sure your rant has a point, and the more intelligent members of this forum will get the point you are desperately trying to get across.

I still beg to differ with you regarding your opinions about what women wear as some sort of an "invitation" to be raped. But then again, it is not a crime to hold Neanderthal values....that is, provided you don't act on them! Stay blessed, brother.

[Riccardo]

Patriots,

Long overdue changes are coming!

May God bless the people of Cameroon!
May God bless a strong united Republic of Cameroon!

Riccardo
CAADIM

[espoir]

people mr.watersih is right to say that seductively dressed women are inviting rape.but the problem near is not if girls shouldnt have the freedom to express their feminity or feel confortable in their wears.the problem are those sick men who cant controll their animalistic tendencies towards sex and go ahead making the wrong choices.the truth is that cowards will always go about to do acts of rapes no matter the dressing code of women and gentlemen will always be gentle men no matter how revealled a ladies body is.gentlemen go for consentual sex.peace people.

[rexon]

The University Of Buea Students’ Strike:
Some Lessons From The Fallout

Injustice begets strike.
Strike is an instantaneous and effective way of calling injustice to order or neutralising it. It is rebellious because injustice carries ingredients of aggression .As a flash back; it was, thanks to the Sasse College students’ strike of 1958 that the quality of students’ food was improved and the incidence of stomach trouble and other related ailments on campus considerably reduced. So, strike works!
The boycotting of lectures and staying away from normal university activities as the students of UB did in November 2006 in protest to Yaounde’s provocative and fraudulent imposition of extraneous candidates on the School of Medicine is a typical example of a positive attempt to neutralise injustice. And coming as it did, at the peak of the nation’s widely publicised war on corruption, it should be admitted that by the strike, the students were fighting a significant battle against the endemic corruption that has bereft our educational and professional institutions of the excellence they once enjoyed. Against this background the students’ strike was right and proper and they deserve not only mere applause but standing ovation! Otherwise, the ongoing war on corruption is either meaningless or a wholesale deceit .Any resistance or revolt with the objective to overturn injustice is justified. But by exploiting the inability of an evidently sickly, frail, and temporarily imbalanced Vice-Chancellor to come to grips with the gravity of their crime that left at least two dead, the perpetrators craftily thrust the blame on the helpless VC and thereby wriggled themselves off the hook.
To the alibi the culprits tried to establish ,Prof Fame Ndongo ,the Higher Education Minister, added accusatory and derogatory statements, lies and ridicule to make Lambi look like a buffoon. He stated “…Informé de cette situation contraire a la décision ministerielle organisant le concours ,le Ministre de l′Enseignement Supérieur a immediatement ordonné le respect des textes reglementaires (publication des admissibilités par le president du jury et pris en compte des équilibres sociologigues, garants de l′integration et de la stabilité nationale)et a declaré nulle et de nul effet la liste signée illicitement par le Vice-Chancellor qui a du restes, reconnu publiquement sa faute devant les enseignants,les étudiants et les medias.( La Revelation No 092 du jeudi, de decembre 2006, p.2)
The fact that Prof .Fame Ndongo is now claiming to be an apostle of regional balance in the apportionment of public goods, when ,as one of the anointed power brokers of the regime he knows,deep-down he is only propounding a theory,is simple proof that he has been caught pants down, in his own wrongdoing.
By appealing to regional balance which their inordinate greed proscribes, the Minister has opened a can of worms .Why would the Minister regularise an act of irregularity by yet a grotesque act of irregularity? His regulatory text ordered the short-listing of the 72 top successful candidates in the written examination for orals .The Vice-Chancellor short-listed 127, a grievous offence one would say, and according to the enraged Minister, nearly all Anglophones. Then the learned Professor regularised the situation by increasing the already out of proportion number of 127 to153,81 candidates or nearly 120% in excess of his initial prescription of 72.In the process ,he increased the Anglophone quota he had bitterly criticised jeopardized regional balance! Sounds bizarre! And looks like Fame Ndongo is in a deal?
The students’ strike and its fatal consequences might have caught the Minister off-balance and an offhand defense was mandatory to appease the university community, the population, and the international community. At that decisive moment the offhand argument of regional balance sounded so plausible and convincing but little did the Professor know that this was only on the surface .The regional balance argument is hollow for the following reasons;
1) Since the thrust is on the apportionment of public goods between Anglophones and Francophones, the Minister should have cited the law he was relying on that gives the formula for the apportionment of public tangible and intangible goods between Anglophones and Francophones that Prof. Lambi violated. In the absence of such a law, the apportionment of places and other goods between Anglophones and Francophones depended on the whims of the learned Professors, and for one of them to turn around and accuse the other for using his sounds like “the pot calling the kettle black.”
2) Cameroonians and the rest of the world only came to know about Fame Ndongo’s regional balance fantasy when the irate students went on strike to denounce the Hon. Minister’s regional balance list of 26 candidates, a list they interpreted as being the product of corruption in high places.
If any such thing as regional balance existed, Prof.Lambi would have had no excuse for failing to apply the rules or principles laid down in that regard.Unfortunately, it would appear that Prof.Lambi was not the magician type Prof. Fame Ndongo thought him to be to be able to know the secret agenda of the Hon. Minister of Higher Education.
3) Professor Fame Ndongo was enraged because the 127 were nearly all Anglophones .According to him this was a mockery of regional balance. Then on his extraneous list of 26 that set the University ablaze, he reinforced the Anglophone component, thereby leaving the message that his scathing criticism of Anglophone preponderance on Lambi’s list and the whole idea of regional balance was a farce! So, is the Professor up to some mischief?.
4) Two medical schools where opened, one in Buea, the other in Douala. Why would Fame Ndongo be showing such keen interest only in regional balance statistics of Anglophone and Francophone intake in Buea and not in Douala? Curiously the intake at the Douala Medical school is 83 of which only 6 names ”…resembled names from the Anglophone provinces.”{Eden No 138 Wednesday, 27 December, 2006,P.2}. Suppose that the 6 are Southern Cameroonians, people of Southwest and Northwest origin,would this be the reginal balance of Prof. Fame Ndongo when it should be 17 following the country’s population distribution?
5) And talking generally about Prof. Fame Ndongo’s myth of regional balance of tangible and intangible goods between Anglophones and Francophones, you have two official languages, French and English, where French is constitutionally declared authentic and English counterfeit.How can you reject a people’s language and accept the people?Can legal tender and counterfeit compete for anything or even circulate freely?And in this Jewish -Gentile- like situation or master-slave relationProf. Fame Ndongo dares talk of reginal balance?
In light of the preceding exposé the regional balance argument is an invention and therefore cannot possibly be the reason for his imposition of 26 students on the University of Buea. The rumour that is floating through the country that 52 (fifty two) million FCFA changed hands prior to the imposition of the 26 obscured candidates seems to carry some credence. Bosco TCHOUBET for instance,questions:” Sur un tout autre plan qu′est-ce qu′on a foutre avec 153 candidats admissibles pour 60 places seulement? Si ce n′est pour les besoins de tripatouillage, qu′est-ce qui justifie une telle disparité? N′est-ce pas un Moyen de créer du gombo pour les organisateurs des concours? ” (La Révélation, No 092 du jeudi 06 decembre 2006, P.3). The “Gombo” referred to in the quotation above seems to strongly suggest that the 52(fifty two) million FCFA story, can not out rightly be dismissed.
And concerning this game of “give a dog a bad name to hang it,” of which Prof. Fame Ndongo is a master player, the respected Directeur de Publication of the French weekly newspaper Révélation, Bosco TCHOUBET, indignantly questions, inter alia,”…pourquoi Fame Ndongo sacrifie-t-il toujours ses collaborateurs chaque fois qu′il est en difficulté? Quel est le tort de Cornelius Lambi dans ce qui se passe a Buea? Est-ce lui qui a introduit la liste additive? C′est de commun accord avec le president du jury que la liste de 127 candidats admissibles a été afficheé? Pourquoi veut-on a present le sacrifier? Aller jusqu′ a le qualifier de member SCNC.est-ce de cette manniére qu’il faut traiter un collaborateur? Pourquoi du coté du Ministère de l′enseingnement supèrieur est-on prêt a tuer pour se maintenir aux affaires? Meme lorsqu′on a commis de gaffes?”(Op.Cit., p.3) A suicidal gaffe it indeed was!
A cross section of the media carries a similar story, a story that amounts to a bill of indictment. But because “l′impossible n′est pas Camerounais,”as Cameroonians are often reminded from above, the Hon.learned Professor Fame Ndongo has been issued a clean bill of health as can be clearly seen in the humiliation and sacking of Vice-Chancellor Cornelius Lambi. That is the reginal balance,that a crime is commited by people of one region and those of another are punished!
Apart from the lesson on dishonesty, corruption and treachery in high places by those we rate as people of some virtue, the most interesting and perceptive lesson is the introduction (albeit timidly) of the debate on the illegality and illegitimacy of the union between part of the former British Cameroons(Southern Cameroons) and the former French Cameroun(La Rep. du Cameroun).The appeal to regional balance between Anglophones and Francophones which Prof.Fame Ndongo had invented and was pursuing at UB Medical School and in the process left at least two dead and scores wounded,is surely an introduction to that debate .If the Anglophones and Francophones who are distinctive in every respect, confined themselves to their separate geographical circumscription, there would have been no basis whatsoever for Fame Ndongo to be pursuing regional balance in Buea from Yaounde that led to the crazy shooting of our people to death. We are asking, and the world is asking, how did a once self-governing and powerful people find themselves underdog, and all they had as a people with a destiny, destroyed or carried away including guns that Fame Ndongo’s people are now bringing back to kill our kith and kin with impunity? What happened to our legislature, our government, judiciary, Police Force and the rest of our state paraphernalia?
Yes we need to review the contract that brought us where we are. Is there any contract at all?
Regional balance without basis is escapism and will never resolve the problem of sending troops from Yaounde or Douala and other parts of La Republique to kill people indiscriminately in Buea, Bamenda, Victoria, Ndu, Ndop, Mamfe, Nkambe, and other parts of Southern Cameroons in the mythical name of regional balance. It is unimaginable how a thing can have a beginning without having an end.
The carrying out of smear campaigns against Prof Lambi, calling him SCNC and making some other disparaging remarks about the SCNC as Prof.Fame Ndongo is doing ,is again escapism that does not and can never resolve the basic question of how a once self-governed and powerful people became powerless and completely dispossessed of all they ever had as a nation. .Prof.Fame Ndongo knows that the aim and purpose of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) and its sister organisations is to address that basic question, which is being addressed here at home, and at the international political arena. The continuous pretense that all is well because Prof.Fame Ndongo’s people and government, are armed to the teeth with weapons of intimidation and mass destruction which they are unceasingly and indiscriminately experimenting on our peace loving people and getting away with it, is a crime against humanity and a great cause for concern.
Since the Hon. Professor Fame Ndongo this time around has by his regional balance theory, willy-nilly, introduced the debate, we invite him and his government to remain open, and provide a climate of peace and congeniality for the ignorant masses to be educated on the sour relationship between Southern Cameroons and La Republique du Cameroun (Anglophones and Francophones).The SCNC should not be seen as a taboo. After all, on this basic question of illegality the SCNC and the government of La Republique have clashed at the United Nations High Council for Human Rights (UNHCHR) in Geneva and are clashing before the African Commission On Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) in Banjul, The Gambia. Is there anytimg to hide? Therefore pretending that all is well by using threats and death to suppress the SCNC in an attempt to forestall the debate is hypocrisy. This dog-eat-dog approach to the problem is unhealthy and dangerous
Denying the people the truth is not being accountable to the people who have put you where you are and to whom you have pledged to be accountable. It is a crime against those people, a crime against humanity.
We look forward to a change of heart in 2007, a year that as one of the elected Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly of the United Nations,La Republique du Cameroun is expected to uphold and promote the Charter of The United Nations and its Resolutions.

to be continued.

[rexon]

New Year Food for Thought for you all:

Vincent N. Feko
Civil Society Senior Citizen

[Reader]

The Etoudi loser has decided to join the POST online insightful commentators, by repeating questions commentators here have repeatedly asked him, yet he hasn't even got a clue to an answer. He should understand that the answers to those questions are found in the commentaries we've been posting here. All he has to do is to go over the postnewsline's archives and re-read with understanding and if there is a problem with comprehension, he should write back. Mr. President, one question you forgot to ask was why a lot of presidential authority have changed hands several times in the countries of Europe and Asia that you have visited but that of Cameroon hasn't changed for over two decades? and you've lived in those countries more than you've lived in Cameroon and when you saw those countries evolving, what were your thoughts?

[Quarant]

I have copied and saved this speech. We will review it at the end of 2007 in this same forum and ofcourse evaluate it together. We should also have in mind that this is an "election year". Dear readers, together we must try and make things change in Cameroon - the nonsense is too much. Couarage!!!

[nahjela]

This Biya guy must be crazy. His speech is just plain ludicrous. Stupid man!

[Account Deleted]

Hello everyone,

Please read PICAM’s recent press release (PICAM’s Reaction to President Paul Biya’s 2006 End of Year Address to the Nation) on the President’s New Year speech. You can view the press release by clicking on the appropriate link from PICAM’s website (www.picam.org) or by typing http://www.picam.org/DEV/devpicamreactsbiya06.htm into your web browser.

Your can leave your comment at Cameroon Connection (PICAM’s web blog) on this issue rephrased for debate as (President Paul Biya’s End of Year Address: Was 2006 Really a Good Year for Cameroon?). You can get to Cameroon Connections by clicking on the appropriate link from PICAM’s website or by typing http://www.picam.org/cameroonconnection into your web browser.

PICAM appreciate your debate on issues of concern to the country. Thanks in advance for informing others about our activities.

Sincerely,

PICAM.

[rexon]

Southern Cameroonians who want to rely on anything la republique are just day-dreaming. From their President, to their parliament, to their parliamentarians, their elections, their government, Their ideas, etc. We are just daydreaming when we rely on any creation of theirs.

Reviewing a worthless speech by an unquestionable psychopath and drug-fuelled person is time wrongly spent. La Republique’s madness has been proven time and again even in their own assessment of their own vision, mission and objectives. These madness has been exposed more close to the end of the last year as they even went as far as claiming to have spent billions on bribing people, journalist, governments, etc to write or say good things about their failed republic and corrupt government. Then they openly shot some of our brothers who were fighting corruption at high places, and claimed they were invoking a theory only known by them and their ilk, when they cannot pass a public, computerised and competitive examination into UB’s medical school. When you review keenly their actions, you’ll find a grotesque creative compliance, discretionary and selective tendencies detrimental to the progress of every poor and helpless southern Cameroonian not connected to people in high places.

I urge all of you who seem to misunderstand the ideals of the SCNC and its sister organisations to review your position and see it as a fresh voice that offers any realistic politics of hope. Many might think that we cannot offer anything new, but we have proven among the international community, that our challenge on the colonial antics of la republique du Cameroun are genuine and realistic leading to a worldwide and broader appeal. What remains to be seen is whether Southern Cameroonians will greet our present memoir with a new-style acceptance.

Their killing of our brothers in Buea and Ndu provided a blueprint for love of our beloved SCNC and its sisters organisations including SCYL, SCAPO, etc.

[rexon]

We welcome you all to our fight for Independence, freedom and justice through our one and only SCNC.

[pandaks]

Any Economists in the house??
How did we really get to the point where we are celebrating attaining the HIPC completion point? Less than 24 years ago we were well on the path of being the model country in Africa. How did it all happen that H.E. now wants praises (and getting motions of support) for reaching the completion point?

I can draw some analogy here: About 5yrs ago, I read that a volunteer firefighter in Maryland (USA) put a few houses on fire. People will then call the fire dept and he will jump onto the fire truck, looked all busy and put out the fire. He got several awards. Well investigations uncovered him and he confessed, and was diagnosed with psychosis. He is still psychiatric home today.
Is H.E. not worst than the fire fighter; he has set ablaze so many homes in Cameroon and still getting awards and praises from some people including journalists?

[Ottou]

Despite the peace and stability, we still can not take off economically.
Mr. Biya does not know that he has to quite for our economy to take off

[jordan]

Infact dear brothers and sisters i am happy that he stayed alive to see what happened to his friend saddam a few day ago. I can only advise you at this to take calm cos when a man holds something that belongs to a small child up he put it down for tha child when his hand starts paining. Saddam thought he was a rock and even if he was rock a subjected to forces of nature like weathering, erosion, atritoin and abrssion that bring them down. One day Paul will be talked of as the former president of cameroon and one day we cameroonians will sit back to enjoy the blessings our fatherland. PEACEMAN.

[vally England]

Pandak,
Paul Biya is a fool,that's why cameroon can never be better under him.

25 years ago before Ahidjo handed power to this fool,cameroon had just 3 billion US dollar of foreign/domestic debt,these are borrowings from multilateral institutions e.g.IMf/london& paris clubs,world bank and from states.
Cameroon had 13US billion dollars in reserves,these are gold broillion,hard cash,and other state investments.Cameroon was doing fine financially and ecnomically.

Paul Biya, in under ten years of assuming the presidency squandered these reserves,he openly stole,and distributed cash to his Ewondo brothers and some ministers/generals.The reserves that were in state coperations all vanished,CAM BANK,PMO,CDC,SOCAPALM,ALUCAM,SONEL,SENEC etc etc,some in foreign banks and IMF/world bank.He then declared that we are facing economic crisis.
On exhausting our reserves, the fool started borrowing,instead of investing to yeild return,he was using it to keep himself in power.He borrowed to the tune of 16 billion US dollars in under 10years.Now facing bankruptcy,since sales from gross domestic product can't match the servicing of his 16 billion debt and other state expenses,the fool then had to run to the world bank/IMF pleading.
The IMf/World bank had to come up with new strategy,known as HIPC(high indebted poor countries)What is this?These are countries with high proportion of debt relative to gross domestic product/others.The money these countries make, cannot pay interest on their debt and provide excess to run their economies.
The world bank/IMF decided to create some stringent measures,(fight corruption,democratise,transperent public finance mangement, etc etc)
If a country meet all the conditions,she will be exempted from serving her debts and some will be cancelled.
Paul Biya and his gangs corrupted their into meeting those conditions.An account was created at BEAC into which debt serving monies,debt cancelled monies, are being paid which Biya and his ministers must used with closed supervision on specific projects(modern slavery).
That is the basis of his happiness.

Hope this brief explanation do.
Vally England.

[rexon]

Vally of england,

Truly and with no bias, i cannot comprehend what you are trying to say, despite the fact that you seem to think you are writing in plain simple english. Try to be clearer next time.

[tayong]

Happy New Year to All:

Biya's New Year Song,No Comment!Sick and tired .

Criticism is good and easy too but action might be just be for the brave and courageous.Paul Biya has been singing the same songs to us for 24 years and we've vomited venom while others cursed for 24years.What else? Mind bubbling and daunting!

Nothing so far makes Biya tremble. Cameroonians asked for a Sovereign National Conference, he blindfooled them with "Large debat" and the noises subsided. Cameroonians asked for a free and fair elections , he bribed them with ONEL and they shut up.
Then came the consitutional demands for the Presidential power to be slashed, Biya silenced all by giving them a mock consitution in which he abrogated to himself a 14 years mandate (and who says not renewable?)

Then Mr Fru Ndi came with his matches and demonstration for a free and independent electoral comission, Biya has just delivered to him another Fame Ndongo-baked ELECAM and the noise is over.(Remember Biya calculatively invited Mr Fru to the star building to append his signature to ELECAM!)

Gentlemen , can we start thinking of some concerted action against this seemingly critique proof Monarch? Again be reminded that Mr Biya has only one soft Spot to the best of my knowledge. The only time I saw this regime tremble on its knees was in mid-90s a certain Kadem(if I remember the name well) brought charges against Biya at International Criminal Court for Crimes against humanity.

Paul Biya ...(President)
General Mpay..(Affaire de 9 diparu à Depanda)
Oben Ashu....( The North West Massacre)
Eyeye Zinga..( Consecutive UB Killings)
Chief Mukete..(Extra juducial Killings,thugs)
Lamido of Ray Bouaba..( same as above)
......................................
Very long list.This was a thorn is Etoudi's flesh. He did everything to buy over this guy. Like someone said,"l'impossible n'est pas Camerounais", the issue eneded like it started.

Guys Im afraid we may just have to shut up with all these noises if no action can be iniated to force this criminal, murderous and seemingly unsumountable monarch to know that Cameroon isn't a nation of idiots with a little bastard ruling over them.

Tayong,sick and tired.

[tayong]

..sorry for the errors. no time to read over. simply sick and tired of a France-half baked bigot holding 17 million talented minds hostage.

[pandaks]

Vally,
Thank you for the explanation. I thought as much. H.E. Created the HIPC mess and now we have to sing praises to him for the camouflage.

Tayong, I think it is OK to be sick but do not get tired yet. We need your strength, determination and drive to inform Cameroonians of the ills and the Mafia-snow ball effect. When only 30% of the population is informed; the strength of the number will take it to boiling point. At that time no military tank, no Fame Ndongo, Owonas, Inonis etc will take the heat. 10yrs ago if you told Saddam that an ordinary citizen will put a thick rope around his neck, push him, another one taking photographs, a sham burial-he would have laughed his lungs out. Did you see the fear on Saddam's face? Immagine H.E. subjected to only 50% of that. It is coming.....so do not be tired-darkest time is before dawn.

[Lilian]

Watersih,
With views like yours, I wonder whether there is any point even bothering to engage you. Is the woman and what she wears the singular definition of prevailing morality in society? Do men who rape have any sense of decency or a moral obligation in society? Lets agree to disagree and leave it at that. I very much hope there are not many Cameroonian men who share your views.

[Watesih]

Lilian,
I thought this was just a metaphorical allusion to the President`s escapist nature,but it seems some of you are really seeking for notice on this forum.I don`t know what is gnawing your livers.Yesterday another loudmouth was referring to my argument as rant,rambling ,and that i was desperately trying to pass across a message only to contradict himself by begging to differ with my opinions about what women have to wear.How can you beg to engage in debate with gutter talk,and rambling? Lilian arrogance is a luxury,not a policy,and that half-bullying effontery of yours cannever ruffle my feathers. I`m happy you have finally discovered your foolhardy ,and you dare not take on what is above your head.The boring question you ask make you a laughing stock in front of the world;"Do men who rape have any sense of decency or moral obligation in society? You rather ought to ask yourself,"Do women who dress outragiously have a sense of decency and direction?".By the way who told you the sense of decency must necessarily come from the men who rape and not from the women who put on body-baring outfits? You can console yourself on whatever perspective you want to look at this issue,but my taste will never be yours,and i don`t want yours to be mine!

[Fon]

Happy new year to all who are making a contribution to liberate our nation from the fangs of Biya and his crooked cohorts.

I am just back from home and will be making an over view of my experience while in Cameroon later.

[Akoson]

LETS MAKE THIS FORUM A MORE EDUCATIVE ONE!

...I believe that all the forces of arguments that believe in and fight for the liberation of the Southern Cameroons be they the SCNC, SCAPO, SCYL, AMBAZONIA etc, had a weaker following in the past (will still continue in this trend if a stronger mechanism of sensitisation and education is not put as one of its main new year resolutions this 2007) as a result of ignorance on the part of the people they intend to gain support from - I mean the people that constitute the Republic of Southern Cameroons;

...and this ignorance has been and is still been propagated by the Yaounde colonial junta whereby they fail to educate our citizens and theirs of the CORRECT History that brought about this illegal occupation of the territories of the Southern Cameroons in the name of "gaining independence by joining". Gentlemen and ladies, I give you a simple experience I'd with some Southern Cameroonians who are graduates for that matter...they read but didn't read inbetween the lines. Afterall they only read to pass exams and not to know. From the experience I'd, this may be a sweeping statement though, 1 out of about 100 Southern Cameroonians are aware of the mafia that has put us in this present situation. And you'd like to bear with me that most Southern Cameroonian diasporans visit this forum but may not react. A good number of them do not not that what actually transpired in the pre and post colonial periods of the Southern Cameroons;

...I asked a friend, a fellow Southern Cameroonian; "How do you know so much about everything? and the answer was 'By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as well as learn as to anything of which I was ignorant'. Given the fact that my knowledge of Cameroon History is comparable to that of a class six pupil, and SINCERELY coupled with the fact that I wanted to be delivered from this stress of ignorance - I wanted to be stress free of the Southern Cameroons and anti- Southern Cameroons imbroglio. I have studied all the forces of arguments put forward by those who're for and against the Southern Cameroons claim...my opinion'll be really surprising to most of you!

In my next edition I'll bring some research materials from my findings...

...to be continued...
The SON.

[bthegirl]

Hi Watershi, go softly on the girl. Your metaphor struck a raw nerve in her. She is only doing what comes naturally-defending her gender, however out of context and erroneous.
One hopes Ms Lilian will accept your clarifications and rejoin us in our quest for liberty, equlity and fraternity. where did I see this catchy motto? The American war of independence! That is where. Correct me if I am wrong....

[tayong]

Hey! Maybe something worth commenting on instead of the boring tyrant's speech.

This Watesih-DaDiceman-Lilian whahala looks a digression but one that's worth the salt.
Lady and gentlemen, the cooking pot for the goose is the same cooking pot for the Lizard.

Let's assume Watesih meant exactly what he wrote which in my humble opinion is the bitter truth. Without being belligerent and whacky , we all condemn rapists and sexual offenders but howbeit, statistics show that more the 70% of rape victims involved half nude girls wearing the modern sexy dressings of nowadays and at questionable environments.

I think what Watesih is simply saying is this. Im as much as the rapist is comdemned the suducer can't be blame free. I read a book on the history of short shirts and nudity which may shock some of you. The history of short skirts dates back to 1960s when the mini was the defining fashion symbol of "swinging" in London.

When asked why she designed such a dress Mary Quant said ...so that swingers may have a compelling power of seduction. Gentlemen, though we differ in our definition of values , no dignifiable woman will take up a profession as a swinger and as a Southern Cameroonian you wont do that Lilian for sure.

So if Mini or nudity-dressing for certain events means an invitation for the obvious act,the question to be answered is ,invitation to who? Open invitation I guess and any Tom and Dick with a sick mind as Watesih put it can decide to append his name on that open invitation. So can the inviter blame the invitee for participating in a party he was directly or indirectly invited to? Never.

Therefore as you make your bed so must you lie on it, I was told in elementary school.Hope no one is offended but I think thats the bitter truth.
Tayong.

[rexon]

BECAUSE OF FEAR

They came, armed with weapons of death
Illegally marched they across our boarders
Into all nooks and corners of our territory in 1961
They lawlessly came into our homeland
As the Union Jack was brought down for the last time
To end the epoch of four decades and a half
Of the colonization of our native land by Brits
They came with a diabolic plan to annex
And occupy our homeland with a show of military force
By implanting fear in the psyches of our people
And recolonizing our nation.

Embedding fear in the soul of our people,
A lukewarm attitude bred in our morta,l
Our personality for four decades and a half
was controlled by fear, fear and fear
Fearfulness has eliminated our sense of unity that
Brought us out of the barbaric era of the Ibos of Nigeria in 1953
And gave us freedom , democracy and self governance
Years before our present colonizer could get one.

Because of fear, the leadership of West Cameroon kept mute
As Ahidjo Babatura dismantled our young democracy
Hired and fired our political leaders
Scraped our parliament, house of chiefs
Imposed administrators from LRC on us,
Those who understand not our culture, language
Nor our administrative system
To man the affairs of our nation and people

The Yoke Hydro electric power Station they
Demolished, went the with the wind,
Cameroon bank, Tiko sea and airports
Victoria seaport, Bali airport, wada, Mamfe
Creek port, etc were all junked
As our leadership and nationals watched
In the spell of hypnotism of fear
Acquired through of the show of arms
And total brutality on our citizens.

They renamed Victoria, Limbe
A meaningless appellation in the Bakweri language
Just to stop the world bank from funding
The construction of one of the deepest
Sea-ports in West Africa in Victoria city
And started rewriting our historic tie with the UK
Because of fear our people kept deaf-mute

Cultural racism they perpetuated on us
Enemies in the house, Biafra, Anglofool they called us
Because we speak the English language
In parliamentary sessions we are called Nigerians
And asked to go back to their country
Because of fear we accept to live with
those demeaning appellations and abuses

Crude oil from Ndian division they have plundered
for over four decades and a half for their development
Their despoilation of natural resources from our homeland,
Is 70% their Gross Nation Product.
Yet paved roads, clean water, good schools, etc we have not
Because of the fear ingrained in our man through barbarism
We dare not to challenge our colonizers.

West Cameroon marketing Board coined National Produce
Marketing Board that owned 5% share in CDC
And marketed only produce from Southern Cameroons
Was transferred to LRC, mismanaged and trashed
After her coffers were drained to pay salary for Camair workers
And service the debts of ghost companies for our colonizer
With seldom complicity of our kindred
All because of fear and greed

The ancestral land of the Bakweri people
Where CDC has her plantations
They strive to sell before 2008
To deprive the Bakweri People of their land
Which by UNO records the ownership of the
Land and plantation will be handed over to the Bakweris in 2008
Because of fear the Southern Cameroons people did not
Come to support the BLC legal Endeavour


They hunt, shoot and kill our citizens at will
From the innocent kid who was shot in Buea while fetching water
To the recent cold blooded murder of students of University of Buea
Whose only crime was protesting against corruption in admission
To the avalanche injustices and gruesome murders perpetuated on
Our people at the watchful eyes of our elite, chiefs and Fons
Who have been overtaken by fear, bemused and always ready
To give up their subjects who come out against
The abuses the colonizer inflict on citizenry

The intellectual capital we have
Our legal capital to freedom is enormous
Our political capital is great
But engulfed in acquired fear
Our elites, politicians, chiefs and fons
Have been made sheep as they
Sleep walk daily, pretending not to hear, see
Or know what goes on in their fatherland.

Because of fear of loosing grip on our homeland
And her assorted natural resources
Which they have being raping for almost five decades
La Republique Du Cameroun has employed
The divide and rule policy
Engaging us in fighting our kindred
As they loathe our resources to develop the country
While our homeland is destroyed and impoverished.

Fear has created negativity in the soul of our people .
Fear has rejected the Unity of our motherland
To the detriment of our people
Fear has closed down the spirit of Patriotism in our person
Made us cowards in our homeland to the colonizer.
Fear has weaken our quest for freedom and brainwashed us.
Fear has held down our development as a people and nation
Fear has kept us prisoners in our man and homeland
Fear is never sure and will never be sure.

If we are to be free, we have to overcome fear
If we shall be liberated by standing up against
The human right abuses, murders our people suffer daily,
And the cultural racism perpetuated on our people And nation.

[M Nje]

Rexon you are great. Keep up the spirit. The answer to your problem (lack of awareness about the SCNC struggle) lies in EDUCATION.

Akoson said it all. We need to educate not just this generation but the one ahead of us. Akoson, you have my total and unconditional support for such a goal.

Let us brainstorm about it. I have no doubt that any Southern Cameroonian who is informed about our history will take this fight personal. The facts are not just clear, but there are in our favor.

We need ideas on how to achieve such an education mission.

Blessings to all.

[Akoson]

...and M Nje the struggle for Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people. Have you noticed that 9 out of 10 Southern Cameroonians have been deeply eaten up by apathy to fight for the struggle? Know why??? Most of them're ignorant of their rights to exist as a nation, they’re ignorant of the facts that History had been tampered with.

Can you guys imagine a Southern Cameroonian telling me that our territories is too small to be recognized as a country, and that the population cannot suffice to make up an independent nation on its own? These were the words of a graduate of History from Buea. I know many of you out there are asking this same question and saying “yes this is what I’d in mind long ago”. It’s no crime not to know but always try to learn! Well what makes me wonder aloud is that if our “learned” Southern Cameroonians lack basic knowledge how can this knowledge be passed on to those who didn’t go to school and badly need it?

The Southern Cameroons has a surface area of 43,000 sq. km and a current population of about 6 million people. It is thus demographically bigger than at least
60 UN and 18 AU Member States, and spatially bigger than at least 30 UN and 12 AU
Member States. Located in the ‘armpit’ of Africa, it is sandwiched between Nigeria
and Republique du Cameroun like a wedge between West Africa and what in effect still French Equatorial Africa. It has frontiers to the west and north with Nigeria, to
the east with Republique du Cameroun, and to the south with the Equatoria Guinean
Island of Bioko. The borders are well attested by international boundary treaties.

The natural resources of the Southern Cameroons include oil, gas, timber, coffee,
cocoa, tea, bananas, oil palm, rubber, wildlife, fish, medicinal plants, waterfalls and a wide variety of fruit and agricultural produce.

The territory later identified as the Southern Cameroons was originally British from 1858-1887. It was ceded to Germany and subsequently incorporated into the
contiguous German protectorate of Kamerun, which had been acquired earlier in
1884.

...I'll continue from Southern Cameroon's international tutelage in my next edition...

The SON.

[DaDiceman]

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?" - Paul Biya

".....This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable..." - Watesih

In these two seemingly unrelated comments by Paul and Watesih lies the root of Cameroon's problems. I have no doubt that these two individuals truly believe they are talking sense. The fact that their sentiments make them absolutely ridiculous to anyone with a modicum objectivity is completely lost to them. The arrogance of ignorance I call it...a uniquely Cameroonian disease!

[Akpara]

Come on Paullllll!!!!!!!!!!!!, you have disgraced us. you have finally admitted. you have put our anus outside. i don bad.
what a question? from a 25 year in power head of state? i wish only illiterates see and read this speech world wide. A question you are suppose to have an answer to. what a shame. if all what you have enumerated was done some 5 years ago, you could have been ranked among the best leaders in the world. good ideas but where is the implementation. please, it's time. give way and fast.

[Watesih]

Dadiceman,
You lost another battle of wits again ,after tearfully trying to justify last week that a public figure`s private life is not related to his public life.Its normal that you should be inconsolable, because since last week you thought a debate has to do with high sounding words ,but you got it all wrong.In this cacophony that you created for yourself,it was but normal for you to be blind to the fact that my metaphor was not about the whole quotation,"How come our country which is endowed with...." I pick out an aspect of it ,where the president says it is unacceptable that money put at our disposal is unused or underused ,and i said this was being escapist ,just as a rape victim will fall prey to rapist because of her outragious miniskirt in a hotspot,and will turn round to tell them that it is unacceptable for them to behave thus.So why on earth are you making a fool of yourself by showing the world that you did not read between the lines,and did not comprehend my thrust.This is further compounded by the fact that we don`t see you debating about the dressing issue,but you keep playing a little game of hit and run.You first said you were not going to reply to my rambling,later you begged to differ with me,today you say i`m not talking sense without showing how for a moment.On this forum we are not afraid of debate, neither are we afraid of high sounding words.This type of a crying-baby attitude cannot be accepted.Rather than proving me wrong in a debate,you want to prescribe what i have to say ,and when.Nobody does that here.You are now exhibiting that arrogance of ignorance by continuously claiming you are objective ,but not showing how.But all this points to one thing,that you are out for vengeance,but Sir,vengeance is a blind justice.You better copy Tayong,who thinks creating a mountain out of a molehole about this is digression,yet took on the issue and proved his worth.

[DaDiceman]

Watesih, I think it is worthwhile reminding you what I told you earlier, that is: whatever a woman wears, or does not wear, does not give anyone the right to touch her without her consent, nevermind rape her.

Your "metaphor" was wrong. It was insensitive towards women who have been victims of rape. It was patronising towards women in general. It sounded even sexist. You are trying to justify the unjustifiable.

It is to the shame of this forum, and our country in general, that more voices have not been raised to highlight the insensitive nature of your "metaphor".

[Watesih]

The Postnewsline,
Some stories!There`s one idle Muna cry-baby called Dadiceman who ran out of ideas just from the beginning when he tried to engage in a debate that is visibly above his head.Dadiceman,this forum will never run out of ideas.Their silence in this issue shows that first it is a digression.Secondly,
it was not my topic of discussion that day,but a passing allusion.Finally you stumble at the initial stage;"WHATEVER A WOMAN WEARS DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO TOUCH HER WITHOUT HER CONSENT.." .Do people with sick minds need consent first? Hahahahah! You are just as clueless as your master Muna whom you came out to defend last week!

[Fon]

Watesih,
Do you realy expect anything meaningful from someone who does not see anything absurd in Muna´s digrace of the century?

[Akoson]

“...We are thus faced with a situation in which Third World States, themselves the pre beneficiaries of resolution 1514 (XV) guaranteeing the principle of self determination of all peoples, become modern colonizers of less fortunate peoples within their area...” [Judge TO Elias, President of the International Court of Justice (as he then was), in ‘The Role of the ICJ in Africa’, 1 RADIC, 1989,p.8)].

Yesterday we saw the facts to enable us believe that the Southern Cameroons is demographically and spacially competent to exist as a nation on its own. Now before we go into discussing Southern Cameroons's international tutelage, methinks that it would be nice for us to first know or recall some basic knowledge. What is this???...The Southern Cameroons 80 years of British Connection. Make sure that you keep this brief History in mind as we shall use it subsequently!

For the purpose of better comprehension I'd like us to see them in point form (you've got just six points to keep in mind).

1. The territory later identified as the Southern Cameroons was originally British from 1858-1887. It was ceded to Germany and subsequently incorporated into the contiguous German protectorate of Kamerun, which had been acquired earlier in 1884.

2. A 1913 Anglo-German Treaty respecting the settlement of the frontier between the British territory of Nigeria and the German territory of Kamerun from Lake Chad to the sea. That territorially grounded treaty has remained the instrument defining the international boundary between Nigeria and the Southern Cameroons. Moreover, a 1954 British Order in Council (Definition of Boundaries Proclamation) defined the boundary between the Eastern Region of Nigeria and the Southern Cameroons.

3. The same territory that had been ceded in 1887 by Britain to Germany was captured by British forces in September 1914 soon after the outbreak of World War I. It later became known as the British Cameroons, consisting of two separate parts, the Southern Cameroons and the Northern Cameroons.

4. Germany held on to its original Kamerun protectorate until 1916 when Anglo-
French forces captured it. France took possession of the territory and it became known as French Cameroun. In 1916 therefore, Germany ceased to exercise any territorial authority (sovereignty) over Kamerun. The utter defeat of Germany entailed the loss of its colonial territory. Under Articles 118 and 119 of the 1919 Versailles Treaties Germany renounced and relinquished all rights in and title to all its overseas possessions, including her Kamerun territory.

5. An Anglo-French treaty of 1916 (the Milner-Simon Declaration) defined the
international boundary between the British Cameroons and French Cameroun. This territorial delimitation was confirmed by the League of Nations in 1922 when the two territories were separately placed under the Mandates System. The territorial alignment was further confirmed by the Anglo-French Treaty of 9 January 1931, signed by the Governor-General of Nigeria and the Governor of French Cameroun.

6. The Southern Cameroons was thus under British rule from 1858 to 1887, and then from 1915 to 1961, a total period of nearly 80 years. That long British connection left an indelible mark on the territory, bequeathing to it an Anglo-Saxon heritage. The territory’s official language is English. Its educational, legal, administrative, political, governance and institutional culture and value systems are all English-derived.

...coming up next is the Southern Cameroons under international tutelage where we shall see that the The Southern Cameroons was under international tutelage with the status of a class ‘B’ territory, first as a British Mandated Territory of the League of Nations from 1922-1945, and then as a British administered United Nations Trust Territory from 1946 to 1961.

Don't go away!

The SON!

[Akoson]

“...We are thus faced with a situation in which Third World States, themselves the pre beneficiaries of resolution 1514 (XV) guaranteeing the principle of self determination of all peoples, become modern colonizers of less fortunate peoples within their area...” [Judge TO Elias, President of the International Court of Justice (as he then was), in ‘The Role of the ICJ in Africa’, 1 RADIC, 1989,p.8)].

Yesterday we saw the facts to enable us believe that the Southern Cameroons is demographically and spacially competent to exist as a nation on its own. Now before we go into discussing Southern Cameroons's international tutelage, methinks that it would be nice for us to first know or recall some basic knowledge. What is this???...The Southern Cameroons 80 years of British Connection. Make sure that you keep this brief History in mind as we shall use it subsequently!

For the purpose of better comprehension I'd like us to see them in point form (you've got just six points to keep in mind).

1. The territory later identified as the Southern Cameroons was originally British from 1858-1887. It was ceded to Germany and subsequently incorporated into the contiguous German protectorate of Kamerun, which had been acquired earlier in 1884.

2. A 1913 Anglo-German Treaty respecting the settlement of the frontier between the British territory of Nigeria and the German territory of Kamerun from Lake Chad to the sea. That territorially grounded treaty has remained the instrument defining the international boundary between Nigeria and the Southern Cameroons. Moreover, a 1954 British Order in Council (Definition of Boundaries Proclamation) defined the boundary between the Eastern Region of Nigeria and the Southern Cameroons.

3. The same territory that had been ceded in 1887 by Britain to Germany was captured by British forces in September 1914 soon after the outbreak of World War I. It later became known as the British Cameroons, consisting of two separate parts, the Southern Cameroons and the Northern Cameroons.

4. Germany held on to its original Kamerun protectorate until 1916 when Anglo-
French forces captured it. France took possession of the territory and it became known as French Cameroun. In 1916 therefore, Germany ceased to exercise any territorial authority (sovereignty) over Kamerun. The utter defeat of Germany entailed the loss of its colonial territory. Under Articles 118 and 119 of the 1919 Versailles Treaties Germany renounced and relinquished all rights in and title to all its overseas possessions, including her Kamerun territory.

5. An Anglo-French treaty of 1916 (the Milner-Simon Declaration) defined the
international boundary between the British Cameroons and French Cameroun. This territorial delimitation was confirmed by the League of Nations in 1922 when the two territories were separately placed under the Mandates System. The territorial alignment was further confirmed by the Anglo-French Treaty of 9 January 1931, signed by the Governor-General of Nigeria and the Governor of French Cameroun.

6. The Southern Cameroons was thus under British rule from 1858 to 1887, and then from 1915 to 1961, a total period of nearly 80 years. That long British connection left an indelible mark on the territory, bequeathing to it an Anglo-Saxon heritage. The territory’s official language is English. Its educational, legal, administrative, political, governance and institutional culture and value systems are all English-derived.

...coming up next is the Southern Cameroons under international tutelage where we shall see that the The Southern Cameroons was under international tutelage with the status of a class ‘B’ territory, first as a British Mandated Territory of the League of Nations from 1922-1945, and then as a British administered United Nations Trust Territory from 1946 to 1961.

Don't go away!

The SON!

[vito]

The speech:What did any sane person expect?To hear for once that a man bit a dog?

Watesih/dadiceman:there's a thin line between a metaphor and an analogy;and of metaphors there are several types;so please let it be.Dadiceman,if the gentleman says it was a metaphor,then please do accept it as such and stop trying to inverse the orders of the subject and its metaphor.The one is a subject and the other its metaphor.

Akoson:Hi gentleman,good work,but some references would be of great help;this is cyberspace and for your contribution to be taken seriously,it helps to cite references of gold standards.

[bthegirl]

Dadiceman, how is Watesih's metaphor "wrong"? Morally or grammatically? A metaphor is a figure of speech for heaven sake! Watesih is entitled to free speech. Your jumping on this feminist band-wagon, stifles this. Even if he is morally wrong, he has the right to express his ideas without being harangued for.
By the way, may I remind you that many rape cases in the Uk have collapsed because the victims were deemed to have courted these onto themselves. Which reminds me, what would you say about the prostitutes recently murdered in Ipswich, England? Would somebody linking their deaths to the fact that these women compromised their safety by walking the streets at night with reckless abandon, be deemed a sexist and by extension condones the crime?
Certainly not!!!

[rexon]

Akoson,

Well done. More to follow.

[rexon]

More for you from SCYL website:

About The Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL)
THE SCYL is also known as THE YOUTH LEAGUE, also known as THE LEAGUE.

The birth of the SCYL is really the culmination of the Southern Cameroons intellectual consciousness and militancy in the fight for justice for the Southern Cameroons.

The process that went as far back as 1984 was the attempt by La Republique du Cameroun to assimilate one of the last bastions of the Southern Cameroons Nation and its unique educational system.

The ploy by LRC to harmonise the two systems came soon after 1961 and in 1983 the Minister of National Education sought to introduce a new "Group Certificate Cameroon GCE Scheme" for the Southern Cameroons Schools Nationwide. The minister was arrogant enough to assert that the primary aim was to raise the level of the GCE to that of the Baccalaureate (the French equivalent of the GCE Advanced Level) to facilitate the entry into Technical Institutions for Southern Cameroons students. WHAT AN INSULT!

This was met with serious resistance by Southern Cameroons Students, Teachers and Parents who saw their educational system as the last remaining part of their cultural heritage. The project was shelved but not abandoned. The Ministry of National Education of La Republique du Cameroun fell short of honouring its financial obligations to the London GCE Board for Technical support offered through the British Council, part of which was the printing of GCE Certificates, and to the local markers of the GCE Exams. The London GCE Board stopped printing the certificates when LRC was more than 5 years behind its payment. When LRC took over control and assigned its staffs and secretaries to run and type examination questions, Southern Cameroonians said No.

It was at this point that the Teachers Association of Cameroon (TAC) started advocating for the creation of a GCE Board. Parents Teachers Associations grouped to form the Confederation of Anglophone Parents Teachers Association (CAPTAC) with much support coming from the Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM).

The crisis was not limited to the creation of a more effective GCE regime but also an institution that will host the product of a properly managed examination. This is how the Cameroon Anglophone Students Association (CANSA) saw the light of day to join forces with other progressive movement to demand a University in the Southern Cameroons. Most of these students became victims of La Republique du Cameroon.

In 1993, the first batch of the University of Buea was immatriculated not before the Yaounde regime had instituted fees in the University. Though the University of Buea had no Library, Laboratory, Restaurant and even enough lecture halls and despite the over burdenned nature of Southern Cameroons parents in running nursery, primary, secondary and High schools, the occupation regime decided to raise the fees of the University of Buea to 550 thousand francs CFA. Under the leadership of the Students Union, students resisted and stalled the machination. The regime responded with dismissal of the Student Union President - Ebenezer Derek Mbongo Akwanga.., Jr., and dissolving the Students Union. Some students responded with the creation of the Committee of Respected Alternatives that worked underground to presure the administration. And for the first time, another student Lucas Cho Ayaba, led a one man demonstration that Shook the very foundation of the University. He too was sent the Akwanga way.

The SCYL emerged from the rubble of all of these resistant groups as a League that rallies the Southern Cameroons Youth.

The Cameroon Anglophone Students Association (CANSA) was represented by its then Secretary General Ebai George.

The University of Buea Students Union was represented by its expelled President, Akwanga Ebenezer who had been leading student actions from Victoria to Buea and other cities against the raping, killing and torture of students in the then Yaounde University and had also led students in defiance of the teleguided Buea university authorities.

When the Students Union was dissolved Ayaba Cho Lucas and Nwana Benedict founded the Committee of Respective Alternative Voices and represented this organisation in the foundation of the SCYL.

Bah Tangoh Christopher had been one of the most dynamic and consistent activist who was behind the Cameroon Anglophone Movement. He represented the Free West Cameroon Movement.

Emmanuel Nkea, Cornelius Asonganyi Bedefeh and Issa Abdourahim were also present.

After series of meetings including the famous Presbytarian Church Molyko Independence Proclamation gathering dubbed Divine Service, a two day conference at the Garden Park Hotel in Molyko ended with the creation of the Southern Cameroons Youth League on the 28th May 1995.

PURPOSE OF THE SCYL:

The Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL) was created with the unique mission of using all available civilised means including force to bring freedom to the suffering and persecuted people of the Southern Cameroons .

To act as a forum where the voices of the stakeholders in the struggle for freedom and the vision of their country of tomorrow can be properly represented.

SCYL Motto: Total and Unconditional Independence

SCYL Logo Two Chained Hands signifying BONDAGE with a DIVINE SCISSORS to BREAK the CHAINS of Annexation.

SCYL Flag: SCYL Flag is made up of FOUR distinct COLOURS with the following signification:

Black - Signifies the remembrance of the Martyrs of the Struggle.

Green - Signifies the Growth and Maturity of The Youth League in the Southern Cameroons Struggle.
White - Signifies the search for a Permanent Positive Peace (PPP).
Red - Signifies the Ultimate Sacrifice (Freedom At All Cost).

[Fon]

Rexon, Akoson and others,
One main objective that makes us write here is to sensitise and educate the southern Cameroonian public. Unfortunately the number of persons back home who have access to this information is negligible. Very few persons visit the internet, and when they do, there are usually under time pressure that they don´t have time to digest important information like the one above.

My suggestion is that if we want the impact to be felt, we should think of ways that what we write can be printed and circulated as tracks for our people to read. Our people need education.

[tayong]

Fon
Thats exactly my bone of contention with all these internet activism. Akoson and Rexon ,dont get me wrong. Good write-ups and excellent presentations but then,to a seemingly saturated audience.

What way forward? Im my humble opinion we've gone passed critique point and should engage in suggestions and action. Concerted actions and as I said this needs bravery and boldfacedness without which we'll continue to critique till thy thy "kingdom come".

Maybe Im wrong and therefore apologise if so.
Tayong.

[rexon]

Tayong,

Thats true. Apart from relying on criticising this criminal regime, we have to have a concerted effort and realistic actions that can neutralise them. But we cant do this without having a proper base and coordination. We can rally from the SCNC, SCYL, SCAPO, AMBAZONIA and further champion a march that will drive the colonialist out. This are well established organisations with leaders with a vision.

If we join people like Ngorji Njinka, Ayamba, Ebenezer, etc. then we might be one step towards success.

What do you think.

[DaDiceman]

"How come our country, which is well endowed by nature and the climate, which has acknowledged human resources and which enjoys peace and stability, is yet to achieve its economic take-off?" - Paul Biya

If Paul visited this website he will find the answer to his question. As Ma Mary rightly pointed out, the human resources of a country is the answer to Paul's question.

The quality of the human resources a country has, and how it harnesses it, is without doubt the main determinant of economic success. Judging by the Neanderthal mindset which finds ample support in this forum, illustrative of the quality of human resources Cameroon has at its disposal means, it is no surprise we cannot compete economically in the 21st century.

Paul, this statement is indicative of the quality of human resource you have at your disposal:

".....This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable..." - Watesih

If Mr. Biya is expecting economic growth from a generation whose morality and intellect see absolutely nothing wrong with such prehistoric attitudes, "economic take-off" will be a long time coming!

[felix]

The substance of the speech is not important but the timing is.
Is nobody aware of the situation in Cameroon that has stigmatized us for closed to 20years?
How Long have Biya been telling us of Grand Ambition?. Of the fight against corruption where as at same time he keeps promoting corrupt officials. How Long have he been telling the youth to prepare for the future?But today he asked: "What Future"?
The list of social ills perpetuated by his government is Endless. How the government survives is thanks to all Cameroonians who contribute to make it, and to an extend the widows mite from the International Financial Institution IMF and World Bank and France(who had transformed Africa into a Charles Dicken in the World Economic Arena).The social Aberration that infected Cameroon compared to an Aids symptoms should have Kill the Cameroon Government 10years ago but it defy all scientific expectation.
The Question is not what Biya asked but why did he asked it at this moment. I belief Biya is looking for an exit strategy. Trapped by his inability to control the economy and many unanswered questions relating to Human Rights abuse ,Biya is asking himself how can I made a way to retirement?.
1- Shares the Blame with the Cameroon people?
2- Clean out a handful of corrupt officials to prepare for a future election for successor who will be able to cover me up.
3- Do as my predecessor did by handing power to a Foster son or Biological Son.
4- Completely transform the Position of Presidential Monarch into a Full Monarch.
I will not answer for the Lion Man but all we know is that Nothing is impossible in Cameroon and coupled with other options the lion man is left with Two alternatives in just under 4 years ; Continue in power or Step-down.

[bthegirl]

Dadiceman,you are a sore loser. Maybe you are young free and single. The truth of watesih's figure of speech manifests itself in every household here in the "west". I tell my daughter in very clear terms what to expect if she dresses like Britney Spears and goes into the street.She is 18 and by our laws here an adult. Any sane parent would offer their siblings similar advice. Why? watesih's metaphor however distasteful, rings true.
You seem to be living on another planet. Human resources the main determinant of economic progress? Neanderthals? You must be effing stupid. Get a life and maybe your mindset will shift.
Ever wolf-whistled before?

[DaDiceman]

Hey Bthegirl, welcome to the debate!

Just in case you are dyslexic, I am going to repeat what I wrote earlier on this forum: Watesih's "figure of speech" was wrong. It was insensitive towards women who have been victims of rape. It was patronising towards women in general. It sounded even sexist.

Now, if you are expecting insensitive, sexist and misogynistic comments on this forum to go unchallenged, you are in the wrong forum, buddy! You might not like to hear that not all Cameroonians are sexist, patronising Neanderthals, but I am afraid if you keep tuning in here you risk hearing it again and again. Sorry!

Your daughter is lucky to have a father like you who cares for her. Good for you and her! Meanwhile, it is your perogative to tell her, your sister or your mother whether you want them to dress like Mother Teresa or wear a hijab. What you, Watesih and your ilk do not have the right to do is insensitively blame victims of rape for the violation of their person they have suffered.

You mention "the west"! Funny that. I would have thought that from your haughty tone you couldn't live in a society where you cannot dictate to women what they can and cannot wear to meet your exacting standards. Have you managed to hear that women have the same rights as you to dress the way they want to in your so-called "the west"? Or are you in "the west" just for the paycheck?

I know I am stupid. I already apologised to Watesih for not being able to understand his erudition, because of my low IQ. But unlike me, you wouldn't recognise your own stupidity if it slapped you on the face. If you had a life you will not be reading and replying to the rubbish sad bastards like me, with no life, write on this forum. Now stop reading, and go get yourself a life without bothering to reply. There are women out there dressing below your exacting standards....tiger, go stop them!

[Ma Mary]

The lilliputian grandes ambitions of HPIC. Oh for shame!

[Ma Mary]

Common, Watesih and Diceman. Stop flogging minutiae. Watesih, would cost nothing to concede politically incorrect imagery or examples and replacing it with something else less offensive. What else is going on. We must be careful about images, even images carved out of words. They are more powerful than logic.

[bthegirl]

Hi Dadiceman, I see you are rattled, judging from your acerbic riposte. Had you mentioned earlier that you have a low IQ and suffer from STP (slow thought process),we will not be at this juncture. You amuse me. Really. It seems you have not been "au courant" with what is happening in the west lately. Muslim girls do not wear the hijab to French schools and in Britain, similar measures are afoot. These measures are what society wants, not your effing right to wear what pleases you.
As I said earlier, we must not compromise our rights for the sake of being politically correct. At the end of the day, there will still be crimes against humanity that we all abhor. Be it rape, manslaughter or murder. No sane person advocates or condones this.
I rest my peace.

[DaDiceman]

Hi bthegirl, you are dyslexic. Find below the post 4 days ago when I revealed my low IQ. For your benefit and to make life easy for you, i might just higlight that the relevant words are on lines 2-3:

"Watesih, I wish I had the intelligence to understand what you are rambling on about, but I don't. Apologies for being on the lower end of the IQ scale. However, I am sure your rant has a point, and the more intelligent members of this forum will get the point you are desperately trying to get across.
I still beg to differ with you regarding your opinions about what women wear as some sort of an "invitation" to be raped. But then again, it is not a crime to hold Neanderthal values....that is, provided you don't act on them! Stay blessed, brother."
Posted by: DaDiceman | Wednesday, 03 January 2007 at 12:35 AM

I couldn't care less whether you are politically correct or not. Sexist, misogynistic, Neanderthal ideas will not go unchallenged in this forum.

You are entitled to keep your views on rape victims and how women dress to yourself. However, when you go public on this forum with insensitive ignorant comments about victims of rape it will be challenged and treated with the utter contempt that it deserves. The choice is yours.

[nahjela]

I support DaDiceman on this one! Please both parties agree to disagree and leave it at that! Peace

[Watesih]

Ma Mary，
I moved on with this issue two days ago,but it seems this your man Dadiceman still has many more days to sulk.He seems to be out to challenge ideas on this forum,but we are suprised he has been calling on every member of the forum to challenge my views about rape.When ignored he becomes inconsolable.Dadiceman ,you don`t have the moral authority to ask anyone on this forum to keep his ideas to himself.What you should rather do is prove these ideas wrong,rather than resorting to invectives.Let self-pity not carry you to your grave,because you say you are on the lower end of the IQ scale,yet
you think challenging ideas is resorting to name-calling.
I have come back to this ,because i want to make it known that the Watesih you may have in mind,is not the same you will ruffle with your half-bullying effontery.Granted that i was even a madman and digressed into discussing rape ,while others were discussing the President`s speech,will it take that long for you to cooldown about a point you deemed not proper in my write up?
Maybe you are out to settle scores,but i`m here to inform myself,inform others,teach, and learn from others.This i do with an openmind.
Two months ago there was debate here about a pastor that raped a disadvantaged child.We did not see you wail over this ,or pretend to place yourself on a moral pedestal.When you say you would like to treat others with contempt ,it seems as if you have a monopoly of doing this.What is wrong if you challenge my ideas in a civilised way,rather than giving all types of names to them ；rant,neanderthal minset.
Just because you have called on members of the forum to come to your rescue in this debate ,and they all gave a deaf ear should not turn you into a professional mourner.
Continue to belittle yourself,but you shall never prescribe anything to me on this forum.Scroll down ,and see how many people have given the opinion that you got it all wrong.Why not analyse the miniskirt issue to prove them wrong.If i`m sexist,and have prehistoric attitudes as you say,that is my cup of tea,and it is up to you to update my ideas through analysis,not making catcalls for one week,and proving tobe a sore loser when you can`t get it.The irony about you is that you came out to defend Muna here last week ,and when you were pitifully flocked, you are now hanging on to Watesih`s name to hide your shame.You have not yet seen anything!

[DaDiceman]

Watesih,

You are right to tell me: "You have not yet seen anything!" Absolutely, yes, I have not seen anything in your justification of the insensitive comment you made about female victims of rape. This is your position:

".....This is just like a rape victim who having worn a miniskirt to a discotheque on Friday night ends up telling the rapists that it is unacceptable..." - Watesih

Meanwhile, this is my position:

".......Whatever a woman wears does not give anyone the right to touch her without her consent, nevermind rape her..." - Dadiceman

Not much chance of finding common ground between our respective viewpoints, is there?

I would not dare to be some sort of censor/moderator of this forum. The fact that it is a free-for-all is great! Say whatever your opinions are, but be prepared to accept the fact that they might be challenged. Which is what I did when I challenged your insensitive sexist remark. Will I do it all over again if you came up with such a remark? You bet I will!

[YOGOLISTICS]

The head of our state is a dreamer of the century. I am 24 years of age and I hold a 1st degree.My age mates have masters.And all of us were born when Biya started ruling.There are his friend and tribal relations who were working the time we were born or even befoere that.Can he tell how we can think of getting a job when him and hisa catalogue theoricians are still clinging tight to their jobs.It is clear that some of them have children about our age who they have either bought their place at the limited spaces available or have sent them abroad.My dear age mates,lets not cease to continue fighting for what rightfully belongs to us.

[YOGOLISTICS]

Biya is not a serious man

[Forcha]

Cameroonians should stay alert and prepare for war. If we fear war against Biya's government, then we should make a huge cry to the international body especially the United States of America to come pull him out diplomatically. Fellow Southern Cameroonians, we need to separate ourselves from La Republique du Cameroun.

[camers]

I do believe Biya is a devil.

[camers]

Forcha,I believe that war is not an option. Don't forget that only 3% of Cameroonian want Cameroon to be divided. Let's think about federation.

[stomach trouble]

Swallowed Air

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[stomach trouble]

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