THE SDF HAS FAILED THE “ANGLOPHONES”
By Dr. Emmanuel Ngwa
SDF protagonists, let me tell you guys what I personally think about these your preconditions for the so-called dialogue announced by President Paul Biya. I must say that it’s all about a quest for political relevance by your party at this time of the “Biyalogue” amidst the ragging Southern Cameroons Independence war.
The expressions in this your Press Release here attached are nothing but what I often described as political jaywalking and jiggery-pokery. You cannot harvest where you didn’t sow. The SDF has not been in any war with the Yaounde regime to be issuing them such preconditions for so-called dialogue.
The Southern Cameroons people at the beginning of the then crisis recognized the SDF as a party that was originally created to advanced their political plight in the Cameroons. That’s why they beckoned on them to save innocent lives by making a radical pulling out all its members in the Cameroun National Assembly. The SDF, unfortunately, grossly mismanaged this opportunity given to them by Southern Cameroonians. This was a clear avenue for the SDF political jobbers to put themselves in the spotlight of this political imbroglio.
As a young Southern Cameroonian, I grew up to learn from my grandmother and my secondary school history teacher that the SDF was created as an Anglophone Pressure group to politically advanced the interest of “Anglophones” (Southern Cameroonians) as a subjugated and recolonized people within the Cameroons political space. Some historical and political pundits even argue that the SDF’s genuine quest became diluted after its charismatic leadership tasted from the Yaoundé political crumbs, coupled with their newfound hobnobbing political romance with the Yaoundé cabal.
Since then, it is common believe among the people that; the famous SDF party which was founded on the alter of Southern Cameroons human sacrifices has, in reality, become a disguised appendage of the imposing CPDM bandwagon – adopting a national semblance and pretending to be lone strong opposition voice in the polity, always barking but never biting. It’s therefore not surprising that the party, over the years, eloquently ignored the genuine efforts of “Anglophone” nationalist movements like the SCNC and others in their unrelenting quest for the preservation of the Southern Cameroons identity.
In 2016, the never again generation of Southern Cameroonians took their destinies into their own hands, rose up against octogenarian tyranny and the recolonization of their ancestral identity. The response from the regime was, of course, brutal, leading to a declaration of war on unarmed people, which has now claimed more than 5000 lives and culminated where we are today – a call for a “Biyalogue”.
History has recorded that the SDF refused to openly stand with the people and even went as far as isolating its own vocal people-driven comrade MP Hon. Wirba. I can say without fear of contradiction that the SDF and its leadership have largely played the role of “bite and blow” in the course of this senseless war – a more dangerous role than that of their CPDM colleagues who are known enemies of the people. If the SDF had listened to the people from the beginning, the bloody regime would have long been on its knees and more innocent lives preserved.
The defiant, determined and seemingly unperturbed dane gun warriors have succeeded in forcing the limping regime into partially acknowledging a problem it has consistently ignored before now and has therefore called for a so-called dialogue. The SDF midpoint, who are not known as one of the warring independence-seeking revolutionary factions are now at the forefront of giving Paul Biya conditions under which such a Biyalogue should hold. Do they intend to write a new chapter in conflict resolution and post-war settlements?
In my little knowledge of negotiations between two warring parties, the talks are often between the two belligerent parties, mediated by a neutral party on a neutral ground. In this 3 years old Southern Cameroons independence war, the world knows of the Cameroun army represented by the State of Cameroun and the Ambazonia Restoration forces represented by the different independence-seeking factions.
From the reactions of Southern Cameroons Independence leaders who are the ones with the guns and the bullets, it is evident that they have all rejected the Biya form of dialogue. How come the SDF is now at the forefront of issuing pre-dialogue conditions to the Yaoundé regime? Is the SDF by this telling us that they also have a rebel faction among the Ambazonia Restoration forces and have thus accepted the Biyalogue? If not, how do they intend to dialogue on behalf of those carrying guns and fighting for total independence when the party is not a known independence movement? Is it an attempt to steal this Biyalogue opportunity and see how to exploit it for their political aggrandizement?
As I wait for poignant answers to these ringing questions, let all those movements, individuals and personalities keying into the Yaoundé form of proposed dialogue be aware that they are on a fruitless mission. This conflict had longed passed their level. The talking stage where mare sweet soft words could bring back normalcy had passed. We are now at the shooting stage and only those who control the guns and the bullets can talk to each other now on an independently mediated negotiations table. Anytime these two agree to talk to each other, the representation of the “middlists” in such negotiations may again be considered by both belligerents.
So for now, SDF, CPDM, Federalists, and Unionists are all observers in this stage.
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