✓The Case of Delphine Echou is one
amongst many that has provoked general out cry and uproar in Bamenda
There has been general out cry and
uproar all over the North West Region, since Cameroon government signed fresh
warrants after teachers in Bamenda who have vacated duty posts in respect to
separatists threats and calls to boycott schools and teaching.
On the motives that most teachers
have left their duty posts, grounded schools in solidarity with secessionists
calls, going about their private businesses and fueling the revolution at the
other end.
This decision according to government
is in follow up of the Minister of secondary education Dr Nalova Lyonga's call early this year asking government to
fish out teachers who have absconded duty posts for fear of separatists attacks.
This according to them will serve as
a repressive and a counter offensive measure to cause many teachers who have
left duty posts to regain their class rooms.
The suspension of most teachers salaries from
the English speaking part of the country hit by the deepening liberation war has
been counter productive and has played no reasonable role to curb or arrest the
situation.
Rather it has caused many disgruntled
teachers to make part with their teaching jobs and to look for safe grounds to
source for a better living in and out of the country.
Against this backdrop fresh warrants
have been signed after principals and teachers who have left duty post for fear
of their lives and that of family members.
The liberation war in Anglophone
Cameroon as we report has taken a different phase where teachers are now
victims of circumstance. Accused of aligning with separatists force on the one
hand and accused by separatist forces on the other hand for killing the
revolution by going to schools and teaching.
It must be noted that grounding
schools for over six years in these English speaking part of the country was
with the intention to close schools, render government ungovernable and cause
government to succumb to secessionist calls by armed groups.
Unfortunately government has stood
their grounds, choosing the military option and intimidation.
The crack down operations intensified
this time has met with general out cry as many of the teachers after are those
who have been kidnapped, raped, their houses burnt and family members killed
all because they are subjected by government to teach in areas infested by
separatists forces.
The case of Madame Delphine Echou a
teacher at GTC Ntaturu who narrowly escaped death with to of his colleagues
killed on the spot (Shelvert and Brian) in school on the 5th of
September 2017 is a glaring example of teachers wanted by government for alleged fueling of the revolution even after
she was kidnapped and tortured to the point of death.
Teaching today in Anglophone Cameroon
it must be noted is regarded as hell and not as a noble profession.
Reacting to the situation of late,
civil society organizations and human rights organizations have taken on it and
are crusading against the crack down and calling for the release of those
abducted in the name of not teaching to be released.
Making worst of the situation, the
military has extended to wanton and out right arrest of family members of the
said teachers thus rendering the whole situation chaotic and full of disorder.
The genesis of all what has muffed up
to this extend, this reporter must emphasize was the teachers and lawyer’s
strike of October 2016 calling on government to review their working situation
and from no where, secessionists came up and hijacked the crisis.
Sad to report, the crisis, better
still war, has become irrevocable and is
growing in propensity daily.
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