The Southern Cameroons Interim Goverment-in-Exile (IG), like most people of the Southern Cameroons, operates with the absolute believe that the former United Nations Trust Territory of British Southern Cameroons will be liberated from the colonial yoke of France, masquerading as la République du Cameroun.
The IG joins and encourages others in the Southern Cameroons Liberation Movement to begin a reflection on what type of a state the Southern Cameroons will become. A reflection by sons and daughters of the land, based on their connection to that land imposes on all Southern Cameroonians the urgent need to engage in the process.
Dreams are achieved only after their conception in the mind. The future Southern Cameroons state will propser if we, as sons and daughters of the soil, assume a key role in reflecting on and defining our humanity on our terms; and not on those of others in distant suites who bare a historical and moral responsibility in the destruction of our erstwhile state and its institutions that catered for the wellbeing of Southern Cameroonians.
It is in this spirit that we propose to all Southern Cameroonians to read and reflect on this piece by one of our sons of the soil.
By Atemnkeng, Denis
INTRODUCTION
Fellow countrymen, there are many things which assure us that our own state will emerge, sovereign and independent, sooner or later, despite anything La République may do! When we look at human history, we find out that the number of States have never ceased to increase; Montenegro is the latest State to come into being. All of these States come into being from existing States! We also observe that few ever believed that these States would come into being, because their judgment is often based on the fierce resistance to the emergence of new States by existing States and world powers, and the apparent helplessness of those who are seeking freedom! Their judgment always ignores the simple truth that the future of mankind is freedom; that the truth will always triumph, and that when a people are determined to be free, nothing can stop it! When people are closed in the box of their struggles, they become short-sighted, brainwashed and disillusioned. Many of our people are in this situation of darkness and can hardly believe that they will become free tomorrow. Yet, even our parents who were up against the infinitely superior Whiteman managed to free themselves; the British Empire on which the Sun was said never to set does not even exist today on which the sun can rise; the almighty Roman empire exists only in rubbles; and Russia, the superpower, was torn asunder by the first ray of light!
How then can we not be as certain as day will follow night that we shall become independent, from small and inferior La République du Cameroun? Is the intelligence gap that separates the colonial regime in Yaoundé from the people of Southern Cameroons wider than the gap that separated our ignorant African parents from the Whiteman? How then do we make ourselves small, weak and unable to free ourselves? I tell you most certainly: what prolongs our suffering and enslavement in La République is not anything La République is doing but our own ignorance, stupidities, smallness and inability to see the big picture and unite our efforts accordingly. The struggle itself will act as a purifier until we can begin to see our own errors, and then we would be ready to do what it takes to be free, whatever it is!
Fellow countrymen, the laws that determine the rise and fall of States and Empires have not ceased to exist because we are in the 21st Century! Oppressed peoples must lift up their heads and look at the bigger picture to know how things will turn out tomorrow. Victory is ours, and very soon, if we can begin to see this big picture and shape our actions accordingly. Let the intimidations of colonialism not fool us; colonialism lives on intimidation, and collapses when looked at straight into the eyes!
In view of the absolute certainty about our sovereignty, we must right from now begin to lay the foundations of our own country, and not be like a man who wins a huge lottery without knowing what to do with his new fortune. In this regard I once more commend SCAPO for its efforts in producing a blueprint; and urge all those who can to contribute to this endeavour. I have therefore taken some time to reflect on some of these issues. What I have gathered so far in my meditations on this matter is what I here present to you all. Read it, reflect on it; observe life and learn from our woes in La République and come out with your own ideas about how our Sovereign country should be. The more we harmonize our ideas and agree before we take over our own State, the easier everything will be. Let all Southern Cameroons political parties use this material; it is meant to be used. There is no better moment than now to lay a foundation for agreement and the future orderly conduct of our own affairs. It is this maturity that will give the world the assurance that we can run our own affairs and do not need to be tied blindly to the hell we are in now. Let us prepare our home and then leave the neighbor’s home in which we have had nothing but oppression and insanity. Our journey would be much happier. Let these documents be spread as widely as possible, especially within our country, because their purpose is to unify our thoughts.
I send you patriotic greetings.
Download THE_FOUNDATIONS_OF_THE_RESTORED_SOUTHERN_CAMEROONS.doc
