Cameroon: radical Possibilities

CAMEROON

Radical Possibilities

Civil rights activists in Cameroon recently rejected the authority of a military court as they faced charges of terrorism and secession.

They claimed they were citizens of “Ambazonia,” the name of their self-declared republic in English-speaking regions of the mostly Francophone country, Agence France-Presse reported.

The judge, Col. Abega Mbezoa, was not pleased. “That country does not yet exist,” she said, according to the Journal du Cameroun.

The start of the trial marks a new era in a crisis that has rocked the Central African country for more than a year.

As the BBC explained, English-speakers, who comprise 20 percent of the population, went on strike and then formed militias in protest against the rule of 85-year-old President Paul Biya. They claimed the country was not following rules that mandate that English be considered on par with French.

Like many aging African strongmen – think former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe – Biya has done little to accommodate his people’s concerns.

Over the objections of many who suggested he might consider letting someone else run the divided country, he ran for re-election in October and won a seventh term, though the results are in dispute. Violent protests broke out after the election, the Associated Press wrote. In one clash, an American missionary, Charles Trumann Wesco, was killed, apparently in the crossfire between separatists and government troops.

Opponents have questioned Biya’s victory, claiming voter fraud occurred, reported Agence France-Presse. Biya’s government arrested more than 50 opposition activists but later released them.

The government’s crackdown against Anglophone separatists and counterattacks by rebel militias have resulted in hundreds of deaths and displaced more than 400,000 people, UN officials estimate.

Some fear the violence could grow worse and spread.

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy recently warned that elements of the Anglophone insurgency and Francophone security forces could become “radicalized” if their concerns aren’t addressed.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Nagy noted that the Islamic State-affiliated Boko Haram had sprung up in neighboring Nigeria in response to that government’s crackdown on extremism and a breakdown of government services. The insurgent group continuesits campaign of kidnappings, killings and other terrorist acts across several West African countries.

The Confederation of African Football’s decision to rescind its offer to hold the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Cameroon is likely to have a bigger impact on Biya’s reputation than Nagy’s complaints, however. Slow progress on soccer stadiums and the dismal security situation likely factored into the move, opinedGoal.com.

Soccer was probably one of the few institutions that could unite Cameroonians. Despite his wealth of experience, Biya appears to have squandered the opportunity.