Vincent Feko

SCNC The Emergency SCNC By Vincent FEKO One of the most popular and powerful political parties in Nigeria in the` 50s was the NCNC, National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, the British Cameroons to be precise. The British Cameroons was an internationally recognized geographical circumscription, with a surface area of 86214sq km, sandwiched, as it were, between Nigeria and the former French Cameroun.When Nigeria attained independence on October 1, 1960, the Cameroons component was dropped and NCNC was renamed the National Council of Nigerian Citizens. Acknowledging, this was in keeping with the international Law maxim of uti possedetis juris that ordains that: the international boundaries or borders of a country become fixed, unchangeable or frozen with effect from its declaration of independence. The principle was reaffirmed by resolution AGH/ Res16 (1) of the OAU (AU) heads of state Cairo Summit of July1964. The Resolution states that colonial boundaries inherited at independence remain “tangible immutable and inviolable.” uti possedetis juris and Res. AGH/ Res.16 (1) did not apply to La Republique du Cameroun any less than they applied to Nigeria when the French Cameroun acceded to independence as La Republique du Cameroun, earlier on 1st January 1960. Both Nigeria and La Republique du Cameroun, as accredited members of the AU have pledged to uphold the Charter of the AU in which is enshrined, like in the charter of the United Nations, the right to self-determination of a people under foreign occupation and domination. Besides, Nigeria could not have let go the British Cameroons that, in the first place was never an integral part of Nigeria, only to turn around 8 months later to acquire part of the territory. That would be like overturning the uti possedetis juris it had law-abidingly respected at independence. It would be comparable to the unwitting acquisition of a Trojan horse. That historical snapshot is intended to prepare the reader’s mind for a better understanding and appreciation of the paper’s title: The Emergent SCNC, and the analysis that follow. Picture: EML Endeley, First PM of Southern Cameroons The pioneer SCNC, the Southern Cameroons National Council, stands for the selfdetermination of the former Southern Cameroons, an integral part of the former British Cameroons. Self-determination, of course, is a later development due to La Republique du Cameroun government’s intransigence for failing to heed to the All Anglophone Conference (AAC) call for constitutional reforms. The proponents of the SCNC, the AAC convenors and their disciples initially stood for a return to the Federation of two-equal- in status Federated states of West Cameroon and East Cameroun, English and French, which president Ahidjo and his successor had successively replaced with the United Republic in 1972 and La Republique du Cameroun in 1984. The AAC convenors and the rest of us, who supported them at the time, were not as sure as we are today, that the Federation for which we nursed so much nostalgia, was a phantom Federation, a colonial construct and a euphemism for La Republique du Cameroun. The emergent SCNC, the Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons Workshop, the brainchild of Prof. Martin Chia Ateh and other frontline proponents among whom are the eminent senior citizen and politician and retird. Chartered Accountant Mola Njoh Litumbe and Dr Amos Gabuir; stands for the self-determination of the former British Cameroons which, pending its independence, according to Prof. Ateh, has reverted to the United Nations (UN) territory of Cameroons with the Secretary General of the UN as the head. While slight differences may exist between the two schools, one intrinsic difference is worthy of note. Whereas the pioneer school wants the restoration of the independence of an integral part, the emergent school wants independence granted to the whole UN territory as independence “by joining” was predicated on a

Federal union that neither legally nor legitimately ever was. Moreover, to ask for independence for the part rather than the whole would seem to be an endorsement of the illegal and criminal partitioning and subsequent disposal of the territory by the British in the most untidy and despicable fashion in living memory. We have now entered the crucial stage of the struggle and there is need now more than ever before, to find a common ground. Fighting in dispersed ranks with incoherent objectives will render us vulnerable to detractors and enemies. Any article of faith that we ever held that has collapsed under careful examination through the mirror of international Law and the Convention on the Law of Treaties should be discarded. For example, the argument that Southern Cameroons achieved independence on the1st October 1961 by joining La Republique du Cameroun has been demolished by International Law and the Convention on the Law of Treaties. To continue to insist on the point regardless of the rebuttal simply because a few of us had, without thorough research held this view, is to mislead our people, send wrong and confusing signals to the international community, and play into the hands of our detractors and enemies who are lying in wait to do their worst. For reasons of vested interest, Great Britain was bent on not letting the British Cameroons achieve independence under Art. 76(b) of the Charter of the United Nations. Not even the diplomatic bullet of a Metternich would have turned the tables. That is as bad as the story is. The Hansard tells it like it is. With the knowledge we have today about what happened to the British Cameroons, in retrospect, was the clamour for dialogue with La Republique du Cameroun the appropriate thing to do? Some might say, yes, the weight of foreign occupation and domination had become intolerable and the struggle for freedom had to start from somewhere. Nevertheless, the illegal and criminal partitioning of our territory and sharing it as spoils (of war) between Nigeria and La Republique du Cameroun, has legally and legitimately returned the territory to the United Nations. The Secretary General of the UN is now the head of the territory. Can any liberation movement in the former British Cameroons still pretend to have the locus standi to engage in any meaningful dialogue with the occupiers, either severally or jointly? If yes, for what product? Moreover, this raises yet another crucial question: Is it thinkable for slaves and slave masters to negotiate for freedom and liberty of the slaves? On the other hand, to put it much milder and palatable: is it normal for a minor and an adult to contract? It is now clear that the question of self-determination of the people of the UN territory of the Cameroons is a matter for the United Nations to resolve. Southern Cameroonians have no quarrel with La Republique du Cameroun. They have a problem with the UN. Any such attempt would amount to “chopping Soya” like our other well-known brothers and sisters. Even if the government of La Republique du Cameroun heeded to the call of the pioneer SCNC for constitutional reforms, in the light of recent research, any Constitution jointly produced by the SCNC and La Republique would have been illegal and unacceptable on at least the following three counts: From the illegal and criminal partitioning of the Cameroons Britain held in trust and ceding a part to Nigeria (1st. June 1961) and the other to La Republique du Cameroun (1st. October 1961), the Cameroons had, in international Law, reverted to a UN territory with the UN having exclusive jurisdiction over the territory, The SCNC has been representing a non-independent territory that is occupied by La Republique du Cameroun, an independent state with vested interest in the destiny of Southern Cameroons. The status of the SCNC has been like that of a minor and that of La Republique an adult. In Law, no valid contract can be made between a minor and an adult and worse still, when the adult is a criminal.

3) Trespassers and property owners do not negotiate. Trespassers are criminals and are to be prosecuted and flushed out. It is unfortunate that the regime continues to behave as if they are oblivious of these issues, by hoodwinking the international community into thinking that La Republique du Cameroun is a one and indivisible entity. Of course, the La Republique du Cameroun that achieved independence on 1st January 1960 and became an accredited member of the United Nations on September 20, 1960, is one and indivisible. No one contests that. What the regime has never told the international community and will never, is how they overturned uti possedetis juris and the 1964 Cairo Summit’s undertaking to bring in Southern Cameroons as an integral part of their one and indivisible Republique All the frantic but futile manoeuvres of the regime to justify their occupation of Southern Cameroons can only provide impeachable evidence of their unwarranted intrusion and balkanization of Southern Cameroons. Various amendments to their Republican Constitution, calling them the Constitution of La Republique Federale du Cameroun (1961), la Constitution de la Republique Unie du Cameroun (1972), and back to La Constitution de la Republique du Cameroun (1996), show that La Republique du Cameroun is a rapacious land shark. The fragmentation of the former British Cameroons and the subtle assimilation of its peoples by the occupying powers to destroy their history, culture and identity are bound to fail. This is because according to the UN Charter and International Law, the territory has become a UN territory, and secondly because its international borders are delimited and therefore immutable and inviolable in much the same way as those of the occupiers. The participation of citizens of the UN territory in the politics of the occupiers is inconsequential because those elections can never compromise the nationality and citizenship of the electorate and the elected. It is common knowledge that political behaviour of people under foreign domination is dictated by force majeure. Moreover, these elections have always been unfair, non-transparent and heavily rigged. The various presidential elections and the most recent legislative and municipal twin elections prove the point. The occupiers themselves regard those elections as a propaganda gimmick. It is an unimpeachable fact that no one in the dominated class can ever be allowed to aspire to the highest office of the land, or to participate in any meaningful decision making process. That would be like bringing the slave to the master’s table or asking “Zeus to share his kingdom with men. The case of La Republique du Cameroun’s 1992 presidential election in which the Southern Cameroonian frontline opposition leader’s landslide victory was overturned, provides a classical example. With the ruling party’s latest fraudulent parliamentary majority, government is once again contemplating on frustrating the SCNC struggle for self-determination by carrying out sweeping constitutional and administrative reforms in disregard of the litigation instituted against the regime at the African Commission on Human and peoples Rights (ACHPR) and the United Nations (UN). Already a Commission has been set up to work on new state symbols, for example, two stars national flag et al, in preparation for the 50th anniversary of La Republique du Cameroun’s independence on 1st January 2010. The regime celebrated the 30th independence anniversary on 1st January 1990, and issued commemorative postage stamps with the map of La Republique du Cameroun at independence on 1st January 1960, in conformity with uti possedetis juris and the

1964 Cairo African Heads of State’s reaffirmation of the immutability of colonial boundaries inherited at independence. Citizens of the UN Territory of the Cameroons do not expect La Republique du Cameroun to behave differently or in a manner that our threatening youth who are bearing the brunt of annexation, will consider as “the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.” It must be emphatically repeated in the ambiguous case of La Republique du Cameroun that the La Republique is a French colonial outpost where, the French have made it abundantly clear that an Anglophone (Southern Camerooninan) cannot be president. That reaffirms Southern Cameroons’non belonging. It should also be noted that even if Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons (SCNC) had joined La Republique du Cameroun and Nigeria by Treaty in application of Art.102 (1) & (2) of the Charter of the UN that would not have made Southern and Northern Cameroons an part of La Republique du Cameroun and Nigeria. Southern and Northern Cameroons would still have had the liberty to break away whenever they chose to because this treaty would not have been an instrument of annexation. SCNC are not promising the world a miracle in statecraft. It is a question of, as President Kwame Nkrumah said, “We prefer self-determination with danger to servitude in tranquility.” After all, “who well”? This is a matter for the African Union and the United Nations on whom we call to resolve within their competence, and in application of their complementary Charters that the belligerent nations have pledged to uphold. SOUTHERN CAMEROONS NATIONAL COUNCIL (SCNC) NATIONAL CHAIRMAN HRH CHIEF AYAMBA AND 21 OTHERS ARRESTED BY PRINCE LAWRENCE AYAMBA After almost 6 months in Europe on a diplomatic offensive where he visited Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK, the SCNC National Chairman HRH Chief Ayamba Ette Otun arrived the Southern Cameroons on Sunday October 6, 2008 via Douala international airport on board a Swissair Flight LX274. At the Douala airport, he was greeted by huge crowds of Southern Cameroonians who had travelled all the way from Mamfe, Kumba, Mutengene, Victoria, Buea, Tiko etc to welcome the SCNC National Chairman. This delegation was lead by Mr Sylvester Taku, SCNC Southern Zone chairman and comprises of some leaders of the SCNC National Executive including the Acting General Secretary, Mr Mathias Arrey Besong, Organizing & Propaganda Secretary Mr. James Sabum, and Financial Secretary, Mr Vincent Njokonu etc.

Chief Ayamba Ette Otun, the octogenarian and SCNC National Chairman of the frontline SCNC was arrested at about 14.00h local time on Monday October 06, 2008 in Mutengene along with 21 others whom he was briefing after his return from a long official tour of Europe and America when suddenly Mr Awa Augustine the newly installed SDO for Tiko stumped the private resident with 3 trucks angry looking and heavily armed soldiers and arrested everyone in the venue. Currently, all those arrested are being held at the Tiko police station incommunicado. The information gathered is to the effect that all those arrested will be rushed to court on Tuesday October 07, 2008 morning hurriedly “tried” and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment! This should not be taken lightly at all in view of the

dismal track record of the Biya’s regime vis-à-vis the SCNC and the other nationalist movements of the British Southern Cameroons which la Republique du Cameroun subversively overrun from 1961. Other SCNC members arrested with the SCNC National chairman includes; Aloius Mukube (56) and blind. This visually impaired SCNC member just wanted to touch and thank the SCNC National for all his efforts irrespective of his age. The only arrested female 40 years old Mary Bati was severely beaten and striped necked by the Biya’s military and security agents. Pa Linus Ngu (70), a retired Senior Divisional office who’s also diabetic and a high blood patient was also arrest. Since his detention, his health has deteriorated very rapidly and has been refused medical attention. Pa Agbormbi Fortu (64) was also arrested. He was also severely tortured during his arrest. Amongst all those arrested, Mr Sylvester Taku, SCNC Southern Zone chairman’s situation is very precarious and needs urgent medical attention. He was brutally tortured and sustained life threatening injuries. He has also been denied access to a medical doctor as he lies helplessly in a very filthy and unhygienic police detention facility. The Acting General Secretary, Mr Mathias Arrey Besong, Organizing & Propaganda Secretary Mr. James Sabum, and Financial Secretary, Mr Vincent Njokonu were also arrested. It should also be noted that Dr Simon Tantoh who was arrested about 2 weeks ago, is still in detention, accused for “selling SCNC newspapers” It is unbelievable that the free and democratic world has watched this intolerable state of affairs for close to half a century without compunction People who are fighting for freedom from foreign occupation and domination are allowed, by those who should rightly show deep concern by calling the aggressors and oppressors to order and showing them the exit for purposes of international peace and security, to be exterminated as a price for their being peace loving. While the United Nations and the rest of the democratic world are, this year, celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they are called upon to reflect on Art.15 of the UDHR that says, inter alia, that no one shall be deprived of his nationality. La Republique du Cameroun has ruthlessly deprived the Southern Cameroonian of his nation and nationality. Southern Cameroonians carry LRC identity cards not as a matter of consent but as a matter of force majeure. By remaining quiet over this state of deplorable affairs as the United Nations is doing in the guise that la Republique du Cameroun (LRC) is one and indivisible and there is peace, the UN is making the same grievous mistake they made when they got the signal that trouble was in the offing in Rwanda and did nothing, and that act of gross negligence cost the world a million slaughtered poor souls! Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General at the time, heavy heartedly apologised with “deep remorse” for the UN blunder but a million souls had been wiped out from the surface of the earth. We do hope Banki Moon has learned that bitter lesson from his predecessor and will be on his guard not to be led to another sad occasion to apologise when it happens between LRC and British Southern Cameroons . The Southern Cameroons European Missions, we would like to draw the attention of the UN and the international community to the Preamble of the UDHR that says, inter alia,”…Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of Law.” At this stage serious campaigned is being lunched across Europe calling on International Human rights organisation, Amnesty international the international community to put pressure on the Yaoundé regime to immediately and unconditionally release all detained Southern Cameroonians. COMPLETE LIST? NAMES AND AGES OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONIAN LEADERS ARRESTED.

These are the Names and ages of the detained S C N C members at the Tiko Police Station since Monday. It should be noted that they have been refused medical attention after serious injuries they got during their arrests. 1) Chief Ayamba Ete Otun 84 2) James Sabum. 64 3 Ngoe Alius Mukube 62 4) Emmanuel Fongoh 62 5) Mary Bati 6) Sylvester Taku 68 7) John Babila 62 Ndikum Linus 70 9) Ndifor Joseph 68 10) Jacob Sama 70 11) Wilson Fokum 60 12) Freeboy Acho Eboa 62 13) Agbor Fothung 81 14) Arrey Mathias 15) Fokum Andrew 16) Tita Nji Christian 62 17) Tintanti Moses 18) Yume Peter Findi 64 19) Stephen Mbah C 20) Laurence Nwellem 21) Mukete Samuel 22) Ofon Jaspa 23) Tamfor Bless. 24) Tambo George Wongunwun Something should be done soonest. For with no Medical Attention We still wonder how Tamfor Bless is coping for three days with a broking leg, Read SCNC petition to UN Secreatary General on the arrest of SCNC leaders.