Cameroun: The Double Dichotomy and 50th Anniversary

By Vincent N. Feko,Senior Citizen, Human Rights Defender, Group Leader

“Half a century ago, our country’s destiny changed suddenly. On 1 January 1960, our independence was proclaimed. As from tomorrow, we will therefore be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our accession to sovereignty.”( Paul Biya, President of la Republique du Cameroun [LRC], end of year Address, 31st December 2009). The President continues, “The celebrations will naturally culminate in our National Day on the 20th of May.” He adds, “The fiftieth anniversary of independence in 2010 is a prelude to the fiftieth anniversary of Reunification which we will be celebrating in 2011.” This excerpt is the source of the Double Dichotomy.

If your independence was proclaimed on 1 January 1960, and you are celebrating the 50th anniversary of your accession to sovereignty on 1 January 2010, then it means that your Independence Day which is your National Day, is 1 January. This is fact not fiction! As fact, its universality is unquestionable. For the Republic of Cameroun to be celebrating 1st January and 20th May as National Day, is a dichotomy so stunning that it deserves the opening of a new field of investigation in Political Science and International Relations. 

The Republic of Cameroun, which is a former Trust Territory of France, pretends to be in a union or reunion with Southern Cameroons, part of British Cameroons, former British Trust Territory. According to the Republic of Cameroun, this reunion was consummated on the 20th of May 1972, hence the new National Day of 20th May. This is historically inaccurate and universally toxic. Since one was a former UN Trust Territory and independent, and the other still a UN Trust Territory awaiting independence; and the modality of their JOINING, for the Independence-in –waiting to be achieved, was prescribed by the United Nations; the implementation of that prescription was mandatory. Otherwise, anything outside that prescription that failed to usher in the Independence, is null and void, ab initio. The reality on the ground however, is that the UN prescription was subverted with impunity, and the Independence was aborted! The implementation of that prescription would have resulted in the birth of a new United Nations’ christened nation-state known as: The Federal United Kamerun Republic, parented by two independent states, la Republique du Cameroun and Southern Cameroons.

The so called: Federal Republic of Cameroon or United Republic of Cameroon, were Ahmadou AHIDJO’s counterfeit versions, after his invasion and occupation of Southern Cameroons, part of the British Cameroons that Her Britannic Majesty’s Government had not only scandalously described as “expendable,” but without qualms, treated her as such. Ahidjo himself remained so embarrassed by the conduct of the British Government and their collaborators and his own demeanor; that he described the metamorphosis of the Federal Republic of Cameroon to the United Republic of Cameroon, as “Pacific Revolution.” He had obviously anticipated war but the war never came, hence his description of pacific revolution.

As one goes to the genesis of Reunification which Mr Biya zealously wants its 50th anniversary celebrated in 2011, it becomes clear that it is Unification that should have been relevant to the Cameroun situation not Reunification. Mr Biya seems to be turning his bits and pieces of information upside down.

To recap the story, the word Unification comes from the word,“United, “ in the United Republic of Cameroun that Paul Biya inherited from Ahidjo. The word originates from his predecessor’s distortion of the United Nations’: “Federal United Kamerun Republic,” the new country that should have emerged from the Joining of British Southern Cameroons with the Republic of Cameroun. Reunification could have been relevant only if the UN’s anticipated country was: “Federal Reunited Kamerun Republic,” in which case, by Ahidjo’s style and logic; Biya would have inherited: Reunited Republic of Cameroun, from which his so much cherished “Reunification” would have emerged. Since that was not the case, if there was anything worthy of 50th anniversary celebration, reminiscent of the controversial JOINING, it would have been Unification and not Reunification.

And going down memory lane, for instance, for someone whose distaste for Unification/Reunification clearly shows on his face, as proven by his hasty scrapping of the word “united” in the United Republic of Cameroun on his accession to the presidency, would the question not arise whether he still has the moral authority to celebrate the 50th anniversary of what, by his thought, word, and deed, is anathema?

In the absence of Unification/Reunification, what other reason except intimidation, can be given by those running the show, for the mobilization of the population to celebrate la Republique du Cameroun’s 50th Armed Forces Day, in Southern Cameroons (Bamenda), when Southern Cameroons is on the threshold to independence as evidenced by the Rulings of the ABUJA High Court of 5th  March 2002, and the ACHPR(BANJUL) in Communication 266/2003, and not least, Southern Cameroonians’ undaunted resolve and sacrifice?

Comments

[Malong]

Thanks for the clarifications Pa, but how do you expect me to take you serious when you worked in the same LRC you re castigating,(as a customs inspector) made all the wealth, built houses, educate you children, just to turn around chant the secession mantra.
Please, just tell how am to take you serious.
Am not making a mokery of you, just want you to convince me.