From: jameskerlindsay
The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon is recognized as one of Africa’s most serious conflicts [00:00:00]. It has resulted in thousands of deaths, displaced hundreds of thousands, and directly impacted millions of lives [00:00:05]. The conflict stems from the legacy of colonialism and decisions made during decolonization [01:05:00]. Since 2017, the violence between English-speaking pro-independence groups and the French-speaking central government has escalated [01:18:00]. Efforts to find a peaceful resolution have been made, but progress remains elusive.
Early Calls for Autonomy and Federalism
The distinct historical and cultural experiences of the Anglophone regions led to early demands for the restoration of their autonomy.
- All Anglophone Conference (1993): Groups from the English-speaking regions convened and issued a declaration calling for the restoration of the 1961 federal constitution [06:08:00].
- International Campaign: Former Prime Minister John Foncha, who initially led the Southern Cameroons into the union, began campaigning internationally for the region’s autonomy [06:14:00].
- Threat of Independence (1994): The Conference reiterated its demands in 1994, insisting that a declaration of independence would follow if their concerns were not met [06:29:00].
Instead of addressing these concerns, the government further centralized power by changing the constitution, effectively erasing the last vestiges of decentralization, and launched a crackdown on what it considered separatism [06:40:00]. This led to significant arrests and sporadic violence [06:52:00]. By 2000, political unrest seemed largely quelled, though pro-independence political activity persisted [06:56:00].
The ‘Major National Dialogue’ of 2019
The current phase of the crisis began in late 2016, ignited by protests against the increased posting of French speakers to schools and courts in the Anglophone regions [07:07:00]. The government’s subsequent crackdown led to rapid escalation into violence as armed groups retaliated [07:15:00].
In 2019, as fighting began to spill into neighboring Francophone areas and civil war loomed, President Paul Biya announced a ‘Major National Dialogue’ [08:39:00].
Anglophone Reaction
Many Anglophone groups largely dismissed this dialogue as a “stage managed propaganda effort” [08:50:00].
The dialogue proposed several measures:
- Granting special status to the two Anglophone regions [08:58:00]
- The election of local governors [09:02:00]
- Reintegration of fighters [09:02:00]
- Restoration of the country’s name to the United Republic of Cameroon [09:06:00]
- Re-launch of major infrastructure projects in the English-speaking regions [09:11:00]
Insufficiency of Proposals
While these proposals indicated some movement towards increased autonomy, they fell significantly short of a restoration of federalism or the full independence that many Anglophones now desired [09:16:00]. Even many international observers deemed the proposals insufficient [09:28:00].
Secret Ceasefire Talks (2020)
As the situation continued to worsen, the government appeared to consider a political settlement in 2020 [09:34:00]. Reports emerged of secret ceasefire talks held in July with prominent jailed pro-independence figures, including Julius AyukTabe, who had been proclaimed the first president of Ambazonia [09:42:00]. AyukTabe had been arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism and secession [09:55:00]. However, the government later denied these reports [09:42:00].
Ongoing Stalemate and Calls for Dialogue
Despite growing international calls for dialogue and pressure from internal opposition groups for a peaceful settlement, there has been no cessation of fighting [10:05:00]. The death toll, displacement, and general impact on millions continue to grow [10:42:00].
The situation is described as tragic because a federal settlement, guaranteeing extensive autonomy to the Anglophone community, was considered an obvious solution that many Anglophones seemed willing to accept [11:30:00]. However, positions have become polarized, with a fundamental mistrust of the central government [11:50:00]. Many within the Anglophone community are now committed to realizing an independent Ambazonia [11:59:00]. Meanwhile, the central government remains determined to hold onto the territory, despite decades of repression and efforts to diminish Anglophone political and cultural autonomy, leading many English-speaking Cameroonians to no longer wish to be part of the state [12:10:00].