THE MARGINALIZING AND OPPRESSION OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS BY THE FRENCH CAMEROON GOVERNMENT
Cameroon was the southern part of the British League of Nations mandate territory known as British Cameroons in West Africa. Following the 1961referendum, which was held in 1961, British Southern Cameroon voted to join French Cameroon and become one nation. The Foumban Conference served as the foundation for the federal constitution to be used in the new ‘Federal Republic of Cameroon’. This federal government was later scrapped by the French Cameroon government and replaced with a unitary constitution, marking the beginning of Anglophone marginalization. The people of Southern Cameroon have been asking for their freedom, but their voices have constantly been silenced. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference. Cameroon is a member of the United Nations, thus giving every Cameroonian the right to freedom of speech. As a Southern Cameroonian, the crisis breaks my heart, as hundreds of children cannot attend school safely, and many Southern Cameroonians have been displaced and are living in terrible conditions. My involvement with SCNC UK underscores the fear experienced by thousands of Southern Cameroonians when speaking out against torture and marginalization by the French Cameroon government. Being an asylum seeker in the UK has restored my right to freedom of opinion and expression, allowing me to speak out against the indiscriminate acts of the French Cameroon government. Furthermore, this is not just a political crisis but also a fight for humanity, as people are being killed and treated like animals simply for advocating the statehood of Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia). I long for the day when I can return to an independent state of Southern Cameroon (Ambazonia)—where Article 19 of the UNDHR is fully implemented, and everyone lives in peace and harmony. Until this becomes a reality, my voice will not be silenced. I will continue to raise awareness and be an advocate for fairness and justice for all the lives lost.
Published by: Leonel Wapenseh NJOKE
