My dear compatriots
It is with great difficulty that I am talking to you on this 23 rd November 2016 when the town of Bamenda, capital of the North-West Region, has been the scene for important demonstrations of citizens and civil society meant to be peaceful but alas again with victims to deplore. These events are a consequence of multiple frustrations and a feeling of contempt felt by our compatriots of English speaking areas.
Begun by Lawyers in this region, they are now followed by the entire population including the “Bayamsellam” and teachers’ unions to mention just a few, and have now turned into in a general strike launched Monday, 21st November 2016. All this is the expression of a deep unhappiness that cannot be disregarded after we celebrated, not long ago, the 50th anniversary of the Reunification of the country under regrettable and criticized conditions, not only by the Populations.
The Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CMRM) recognizes the right to peaceful demonstration of our fellow citizens, and has not stopped calling for a national dialogue since its launch in 2012. Moreover, in my speech during our Party meeting held in Bamenda on last 25th June, as well as other speeches before, I indicated that there is an Anglophone problem in Cameroon that has to be resolved politically and peacefully. I would like to reiterate that the CRM once in power will organize a direct and frank dialogue to finally solve this problem between compatriots, brothers and sisters, while respecting our two English and French heritages and the unity of our country.
As usual, faced with the cries of distress of our compatriots , the government answers only with state violence in indifference and contempt for legitimate claims.
The CMR condemns all forms of violence, wherever it comes from, and appeals to the responsibilities of those in charge of the conduct of the country’s affairs today. The resolution of the Anglophone problem, social peace in the two regions directly concerned, as in the rest of the country, will not be obtained through repression or by an intergovernmental seminar whose visible objective is to buy people for the smooth running of an international competition in our country.
The CRM stands beside our anglophone compatriots and all others who suffer in silence and recalls its firm conviction and commitment to dialogue as the way to solve the problems in our country. We express our condolences to families of victims of violence by security forces that increase the suffering of our people and seriously tarnish the image of our country, at the moment when the country is hosting many foreign delegations for a competition that emphasizes peace and concord in sport. The
CRM National President
Maurice KAMTO.
