MND

Cameroon: Will national dialogue solve the Anglophone crisis?

After 3 years of civil war in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, with more than 3,000 dead, 550,000 displaced people including about 50,000 refugees in neighboring Nigeria, Paul Biya, 87 years old, 37 years as head of state of Cameroon has announced a national dialogue to seek solutions to the Anglophone crisis.

From the beginning of the crisis in 2016, the Cameroonian civil society, politicians and influential people have made a call for inclusive dialogue. The United Nations also called several times for an inclusive dialogue. In 2019, the African Union, the European Union, the United States, Sweden and several other states called on the Cameroonian government to open an inclusive national dialogue to resolve the crisis, which has escalated and caused numerous deaths and displaced people.

During the last 3 years, the Cameroonian government’s strategy has been to arrest and imprison all Anglophone and Francophone leaders demanding the end of the civil war. At the same time, their speeches at the national and international level were to say that there is no Anglophone crisis in Cameroon.

The national dialogue announced on September 10, 2019 by Paul Biya is perceived by the national and international community as a huge step toward ending the Anglophone crisis. However, the dialogue taking place from 30 September to 4 October 2019 is anything but inclusive as desired by all those who called for an inclusive national dialogue.

While all political leaders are still in detention, the people invited to the national dialogue are for the overwhelming majority either member of the Cameroonian government or Paul Biya’s political party, CPDM. Moreover, Cameroonian rulers have invited several Cameroonian anglophones leaders without lifting the international arrest warrant against them. Recalling what happened in 2017, when ongoing discussions between members of the government and anglophones leaders were abruptly interrupted and anglophone leaders deported to Yaoundé central prison, one could hardly believe those arrested and detained for 7 months would attend a national dialogue organized and chaired by the Cameroonian government.

On the other hand, if the first four commissions (i. Bilingualism, Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion, ii. Education System, iii. Judiciary, iv. Decentralization and Local Development) address some of the root causes of the Anglophone crisis, the question is how to implement the resolutions adopted in the following 3 commissions (v. Reconstruction and development of crisis-affected regions, vi. Return of refugees and displaced people, vii) Disarmament, demobilization, reintegration of ex-fighters) without cease fire?

Indeed, during this week of national dialogue, armed separatist groups and Cameroonian security forces continue to kill each other in the North West and South West regions. No cease-fire was planned by the Cameroonian government because they probably believe just proclaiming a dialogue would immediately put an end to the war.

Significant hopes are expected from the national dialogue. By Friday, October 4, 2019, we will definitely know after having read the expected general sessions report.