Southern Cameroons Interim Government

The Uncompleted De-colonization Process of the Former Trust Territory of British Cameroons

By Mola Njoh Litumbe

Extracts from British Declassified Documents on the Southern Cameroons

“In particular we must be very careful about independence and temporary sovereignty lest N. Cameroon is likely influenced not to join Nigeria. This I believe is the overriding consideration. So we must be more or less tough with Foncha that joining his Cameroun Republic does not allow sovereignty for a term (sic) of years and then a Federation.”

“Any idea of a prolonged period of continued Trusteeship or of separate independent existence of the Southern Cameroons must be ruled out. This should be made clear at an early date to Foncha.”

“First of all I take it that objections hitherto seen to establishment of a separate Southern Cameroons State remain as strong as ever …. I am therefore assuming in what follows that our policy remains strongly against such a solution.”

“If Southern Cameroons political parties did combine to take action envisaged in paragraph 2 of telegram under reference, this would place us in a very embarrassing position. With support of moderate Afro-Asians and others, we have always argued that separate independence would produce an entirely unviable State. We have supported a unanimous resolution prescribing plebiscite which involves choice between Nigeria and Cameroun Republic.”

“I think it is important that we should not allow this matter to slide, as may happen if we are not sufficiently firm with Foncha – and perhaps also with Field – about the “third question” movement. I believe a firm attitude on this now may save us a great deal of trouble later and I think that H.M.G’s position should be made abundantly clear to Foncha in an effort to scotch tendencies towards the third question.”

“Can one argue that the terms of the question “Do you wish to attain independence by joining the Republic?” allow for an interim period during which the Southern Cameroons will virtually have its own separate and independent existence while the terms of reunification with the Republic are being worked out? The words “by joining the Republic” taken literally appear to rule this out. But it may be that Foncha will seek to argue that if his solution, having been agreed to by Ahidjo, is not opposed by the U.K., the U.N. may be induced to wear it. There would be the better grounds for this if Endeley were prepared also to agree to this interpretation of the question. We do not like all this at all. But we like the alternatives even less. To go for complete independence or to seek to insert a third choice in the plebiscite would create major difficulties.”

“What would worry me is if a sequel to the Southern Cameroons try for independence was the Northern Cameroons went the same way. That would really I think upset our relationship with Nigeria as a whole and for a long time to come, and that is something which we must at all costs avoid. The Southern Cameroons and its inhabitants are undoubtedly expendable in relation to this.”

The Foundations of the Restored Sovereign Southern Cameroons

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.

BEYOND "THE FORCE OF ARGUMENT"

This discussion is addressed particularly to the soldiers of Southern Cameroons, and in general to all of us. The Force of Argument corresponds only to one arm of the international doctrine about the settlement of disputes. It corresponds to the settling of conflicts by peaceful or non-violent means. The other arm of the international doctrine, which for some reason the people of Southern Cameroons have not discussed seriously, is the right to self-defense or the use of force against aggressors. We may say that The Force of Argument is a political weapon, and the Argument of Force or Right to Self-Defense is a military weapon. Every people have a right to avail itself of the two. If you preach the Force of Argument without also preparing for Self-defense, you are looking only at one side of the coin. The adage goes that “if you want peace, prepare for war”. The people of Southern Cameroons seem to be doing themselves the disfavor of believing that there is a coin that has only one side when they say “The Force of Argument and Not the Argument of Force”. The one-sided preaching of the Force of Argument is paralyzing even our own soldiers. By soldiers I mean those who by their own natural disposition, act like the white blood cells in the human body. Obviously, the people of Southern Cameroons must have their own soldiers, for nature never creates an organism without its own mechanism of self-defense. This is an additional proof that it is no sin to wage war in self-defense.

Flushing Paul Biya's Shit

09.13.2005

I have always wondered what a man like Paul Biya, France's Cameroun puppet, who enjoys spending so much of his time in Switzerland and other parts of Europe thinks about after he takes a shit and flushes, confidently knowing that his shit will actually go down. I wonder what he thinks about when he's sure that flipping the switch will turn the lights on in his sumptuous suite in the various European hotels he fancies so much. I say this because the vast majority of people like him, Africans, who inhabit the country he's been the titular president of for over 22 years do not have a toilet to flush, or the confidence that if they flip the switch, the lights will turn on. For many of Biya's countrymen who have these amenities, it is always a gamble when they flush or flip.

France and the Frenchification of the Southern Cameroons

Following events in the Southern Cameroons territory of Bakassi in the month of June, the Minister of Communications of La Republique du Cameroun on June 23, 2005 put out a Press Release that did not sit well with some members of the Camerounese political class. The Press Release said in part: “The Government of Cameroun wishes to inform the national and international opinion that serious incidents occurred in the Bakassi Peninsula on Camerounian territory on 5, 17, 18 and 21 June 2005, following repeated acts of aggression by the Nigerian armed forces on Camerounian  positions. These incidents caused the death of a Camerounian soldier, serious injuries and material damage. This constitutes a flagrant violation of the 10 October 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice, which recognizes the Bakassi Peninsula as Camerounian territory…”

In Response to Mr. Felix Zogo and Radio France Internationale (RFI)

This essay entitled “Response to Mr. Felix Zogo and Radio France Internationale (RFI)” was inspired by an interview (appended below) that Mr. Felix Zogo, Adviser at the Ministry of Communication of La Republique du Cameroun accorded to Mr. Christophe Boisbouvier of RFI on October 17th, 2003.

A good news organization and a good reporter takes time to gather independent information on a story or issue before embarking on interviews with players in the story. They research the facts and the views from both sides and demonstrate this understanding when conducting any interview with any of the players. Only by doing this is the listening public's interest served. Anything less makes a news organization and its reporter a mouthpiece for the propaganda of one side, and risk becoming one of those who Clare Short, the former British International Development Secretary says team up with the French, "to create genocides in Africa." Radio France Internationale aired the interview that follows below on October 17th, 2003 at 0730 GMT. The interviewee was Mr. Felix Zogo, adviser to La Republique du Cameroun's Communications Minister, and the correspondent was Christophe Boisbouvier. The interview demonstrates what a good news organization should not do, and exposes the correspondent as one who no journalism student should aspire to emulate. Mr. Zogo took good advantage of both to put out what no intelligent adviser should tell the public or feed his boss with, knowing that the facts of the story are a matter of public record and not just another King or Queen on the wall of the house of cards called La Republique du Cameroun.

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