By Arrey
Obenson; Founder I Am Cameroon
Identifying the root cause of a
conflict and addressing the underlying issues is the most effective way of
resolving a crisis.
The
views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not
necessarily reflect HillTop Voices Bamenda's editorial stance.When one visits a dentist with a toothache it does not suffice to be given painkillers. The dentist identifies the cause of the pain and provides a treatment plan to ensure that pain in the tooth does not come back.
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| Arrey Obenson; Founder I Am Cameroon |
After two years of civil strife
since emergence of the Anglophone Crisis, the government of Cameroon has
attempted to arrest the crisis rather than address the root cause. The
Government efforts have only perpetuated the crisis, leading to more
radicalization of the moderates, loss of life, limbs and property. In an
attempt to crush a peaceful revolution, the government has created an armed
resistance. The government unlike the dentist has been trying to kill the pain
rather identifying the cause of the pain and developing a treatment plan. In
other words, the government of Cameroon has unquestionably failed to find a
solution to the prevailing crisis.
At the risk of being chastised by
the government and by those who demand separation, we the people have a
responsibility to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Cameroon. A
responsibility that has haunted me and many since the beginning of the crisis.
Like many we have shared ideas and urged the government privately and publicly
to find a path to a solution to the crisis. Much my chagrin and that of many
others, the government has not heeded to these calls.
Now we must take our solutions to
the people and urge you the people of Cameroon to demand action from your
government; not half measures, but a clear plan to resolve the crisis.
If there is a want of ideas, which
is doubtful, herewith a clear plan that the government of Cameroon can adopt
today and put this country on a path to resolve the crisis, restore the dignity
of our brothers and sisters and establish peace and prosperity that we all wish
for.
A
Plan for Peace Co-Existence:
The President of the Republic must
address the nation specifically acknowledging the Anglophone Crisis not as a
threat to the nation but as an opportunity to right the wrongs of our past. He
must acknowledge that there are challenges in nation building and identifying
the Anglophone crisis as one of those challenges. He
must demonstrate good faith in addressing this problem by granting amnesty to
and ordering the release of all those arrested, detained and/or sentenced. He
should also create an independent commission in style of the truth and
reconciliation committee in South Africa to establish record of lives lost,
property damaged, and incidents of torture not with a goal to punish the
perpetrators but to hold the nation accountable to a past that must never
repeat itself. The independence of this committee shall be primordial. Finally,
the President must on behalf of the people of Cameroon call for an inclusive
dialogue expressing his willingness to be involved in the said dialogue and
desire to engage all interested parties - these parties must not be the
governing elite but must include the Anglophone civil society fabric.
To create a path for genuine
dialogue the government should call for and fund an All Anglophone Conference
in the like of the All Anglophone Conferences that took place in 1990s. This
conference which must take place in Anglophone region of Cameroon shall be
intended for the Anglophone Cameroonians to lay down the framework of their
demands for constitutional reforms. Participants at this conference shall
include the Anglophone civil society - representatives of Professional
Association, Labor Unions, Non-Governmental Organizations, Political Party
Leaders, Youth Associations, Women Groups, Community Leaders, Chiefs/Fons,
Diaspora Influencers, Anglophone Activists, Past Students Associations,
Freed Detainees, and Returning
Refugee Leaders. Government representatives will be invited as observers to the
Conference and other independent parties like the African Union will be invited
as observers. The outcome of this conference should lead to a referendum to be
held in the English-Speaking provinces of Cameroon to determine what form of
government they will prefer in the union.
The President shall convene a
constitutional reform conference within 60 days of the referendum that must
address the outcome of the referendum and put in place safeguards that will
prevent a crisis like this in future or trigger a specified way of resolving
such a crisis in the future if and/or when it so emerges. Upon the elaboration
of the constitution the people of Cameroon must be granted the opportunity by
way of referendum to adopt the new constitution. There will be an Independent
Constitutional Reform Council that will be appointed by the President tasked
with the elaboration, and implementation of the constitution reforms with a
five-year mandate, that is non-renewable. These Committee shall have equal
representation of Anglophones and Francophones.
The
constitutional reforms must address the following; power sharing structure
between Anglophones and Francophones, the form of state, ( a federation or a
confederation) and must reflect the desire of the people particularly the Anglophones
to be more autonomous. It must address the management of resources between the
States, the separation of states and the dignity of the people.
4. A Government of Transition:
To demonstrate good faith, the
President must take action create an environment that create trust and enhanced
transparency but taking following action:
a. Work with legislature to
suspend all elections until, the new constitution is adopted.
b. Create a Government of
transition that will include the opposition and independent activists to pilot
the reforms and ensure the smooth running of the country through the reforms.
c. Refrain from running for
another term of office at the end of the constitutional reforms which must not
go beyond August 2019.
a.) The reintegration and rehabilitation
of displace citizens.
b.) The engagement with armed groups and buy back of arms in
circulation.
c.) The creation of a vision for a
Cameroon that is united, diversified and yet with respect of the cultural
heritage of the people.
d.) Education and Engagement in the electoral process to include
registrations to vote, establishment of documents for eligibility to vote and a
census. This campaign must be independent serving no other purpose than the
interest of the people.
These are five steps that must be
taken to salvage the union. These steps are necessary to restore the trust of
the Anglophones in the union. The root cause of the Anglophone Crisis is one of
a perceived marginalization and only a demonstration of a strong commitment to
embrace the Anglophones as equal will this conflict be resolved. Equality,
autonomy, economic justic
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