WHY LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN AGITATES AHEAD OF THE UNGA 2022 DEBATE.
The 77th General Assembly of the United Nations running from the 13-26 September 2022 is a time of the year that the Republic of Cameroun, a state that has been illegally occupying the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia now for the past 61 years, gets very agitated. Countries, nations and nation-states and their territorial boundaries are established by law, international law. The boundaries of the French republic of Cameroun are therefore established under international law, and frozen at their date of independence, which is the 1st of January 1960. So under international law, French Cameroun’s continuing rule over the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia remains illegal. And the United Nations General Assembly, being the highest legal organ in the world for dispute resolution, and charged with maintaining international law and order, is therefore the rightful arena for the international community to examine Cameroun’s ongoing war of occupation and annexation against the Southern Cameroons for the past five years. The Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, led by HE, Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako has been working assiduously behind the scenes and on the diplomatic front to push the Southern Cameroons war on the agenda of the UNGA 2022 year after year now for the past decade or more.
The ongoing struggle for the Restoration of our Independence did not start in 2016 as some would believe with the lawyers and teacher’s strike. The French Republic of Cameroun, and the Sothern Cameroons being unique products from the partition of German Kamerun after the First World War, and like any other nation-states, are a subject of international law. At the Conference of Versailles, in France where the final treaty ending WW1 were signed, a decision was made to ratify the partition of the Cameroons along the Simo-Milner line of 1916 under the control of both France on the one hand, and the United Kingdom on the other. It must be emphasized that this decision to partition the territories of the defunct German Kamerun was permanent, creating two new distinct territories under international law. After the permanent partition of the territories was ratified at the Versailles Treaty of 1919, and again in 1922 when both territories officially became League of Nations Mandated territories. By permanently dividing the territory into two distinct entities by an instrument of international law, it’s therefore inconceivable that occupier Cameroun will continue to claim sovereignty over the Southern Cameroons, in clear violation of this same law.
For decades, the MOTTO of the Southern Cameroon struggle for Restoration of independence, championed by groups like the SCNC, was… THE FORCE OF ARGUMENT, AND NOT THE ARGUMENT OF FORCE. Being a very peaceful people, Southern Cameroonians always sought a negotiated resolution to the occupation and annexation of their country, and seized the United Nations body and organs for intervention. As far back as 1994, the founding fathers of the Southern Cameroons, Dr. John Ngu Foncha, S.T. Muna, Ambassador Fussong, Mola Njoh Litumbe and many others made a trip to petition the UN Body on the creeping occupation and annexation of the Southern Cameroons by the Republic of Cameroun. The push this year to once more bring the Southern Cameroons issue on the UNGA 2022 agenda is not new, but a continuation of the efforts of our leaders going back as far as 1994. All Southern Cameroonians/Ambazonians worldwide are therefore encouraged to make their voices heard during the ongoing UNGA meeting, and to enlighten, advocate and lobby the governments of their home countries about the ongoing atrocities being perpetrated by the occupying state of Cameroun over innocent civilians.
It must equally be noted that at times like each year when the General Assembly is sitting, the occupying Republic of Cameroun engages in atrocities in an attempt to divert attention, and blame such atrocities on the resistance. This year is no different. After attacking, and burning homes, hospitals and schools while murdering innocent civilians, Cameroun security forces attacked a church yesterday in Nchang, Manyu County of Ambazonia, burned it down, and abducted some Rev. Sisters. The Interim Government of Ambazonia, led by Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, equally condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack on the church premises, and the abduction of the sisters. We equally call the attention of the international community to this recent atrocity perpetuated by the Yaounde regime in an ill-fated attempt to disparage the genuine resistance of our people. We equally call for their immediate and unconditional release, while reminding the Catholic Church that our resistance is against the genocidal occupation of our territory, and not against the church. Meanwhile, we’re calling on all our people to remain calm, and watch out for La Republique agents and sabotuers who are likely to engage in further crimes.
It must also be remembered by the 22nd of September, a very significant day for the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia Restoration struggle, falls within the period when the UNGA meets yearly. On September 22nd, 2017, also known as Takumbeng Day, millions of Ambazonian Men, women, and children of all ages, and from all the 13 Counties and 61 Local Government Areas of Ambazonia came out in a historical event to march, sing, advocate and protest against the continuing occupation and annexation of their country, and for the Restoration of our independence. September 22nd, 2017 is dubbed Takumbeng Day because the protest march was led by our women, who came out in their millions along with the men, men and children to tell the world that enough is enough, that the occupation of their country by Cameroun’s genocidal forces must come to an end. It must also be noted that on this tragic day, Cameroun security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters holding peace plants, killing hundreds and wounding and maiming even more. The brutality was to continue on the 1st of October 2022, as the Restoration of the Independence declaration was being issued by Sisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius, the Ambazonian leader currently imprisoned for life at the Yaounde Central Prison in Kondengui.
It’s therefore not surprising that occupier genocidal state of Cameroun gets increasingly agitated during this period of the year, when they’re being put on the spotlight at the UNGA, the arena at which they must justify, explain and defend their claims on the territory of the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia based under international law. The Republic of Cameroun must understand that de facto occupation of a territory does not mean legal occupation. The state of Israel is in effective occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands now for decades, however none of that control has been recognized under international law or at the United Nations. The Interim Government, led by Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, which is the legitimate representative body of the Ambazonian people, once more calls on all our people, sympathizers and wish wishers across the world to stand with our people during this critical period as we press the United Nations on our right to Self Determination and sovereign statehood. We should also expect occupier Cameroun to continue committing atrocities in our territories in their ill-fated attempt to disparage the resistance movement and the people’s Interim government.
