The Ambazonia Defense Forces see the Biafra-Ambazonia alliance as a critical outlet to end rising Fulani-led attacks. Cameroon's Separatist Movement Is Going International - Foreign Policy Ambazonia Military Forces General John, who says he commands thousands of rebel soldiers in Ambazonia, poses with his. Cameroon cracks down on Anglophone separatists. 'Desertions from army' [43] Although the government established a Commission to focus on Anglophone grievances and took steps to address issues of language equity in courts and schools, continued distrust and harsh responses to protests prevented significant deescalation. Against a backdrop of bomb blasts, sporadic violence and repressive state measures, Cameroon's Anglophone crisis has entered a new and intensified phase. Across the country, Fulani have been accused of killing thousands of Nigerians amounting to crimes against humanity and genocidal massacres against Christians, according to Gregory Stanton of Genocide Watch. Ambazonia News would "thank God" for saving Africa from the worst of the pandemic but that too is one of the biggest weaknesses of the African continent! White stands for Providence from God, hope and peace. [41] The violence led to additional demonstrations, general strikes (called "lockdowns"), and further crackdowns by the government into early 2017, including the banning of civil society organizations, cutting off phone and internet connections from January to April,[42] and arrests of demonstrators. Business Name: OverReacher Empire Corporation Red disk stands for the Blood and strength of the people. Download the new FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. [4] Over time, the power of the central government, dominated by Francophones, expanded at the expense of the region's autonomy. A county may secede from a state and become a state or join another state based on a referendum that supports it. [31] They have additionally argued that the new constitution was legally invalid since changes to the 1961 Constitution required approval from a majority of members of the Federal Assembly (legislature) and from each of the two constituent states, and that the new constitution was never approved by a majority of West Cameroonian legislators. The pro-Biafran movement, led by Nigerias minority ethnic Igbo community, has deep historical roots. But those ceasefire discussions have been condemned by other separatists in Cameroon and abroad, who argue that Sisiku does not have a mandate to negotiate. Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, estimated at 48 billion barrels, but production and exports have slumped dramatically through years of crisis. Nationalism and protectionism were already on the rise when COVID-19 shut down global supply chains. White flower stands for hope, rebirth and peace. Ultimately, Biafra surrendered to the federal government, but pro-Biafran and anti-government sentiment remained and has hardened in recent years. Others have alleged that some militias have engaged in ransom attacks against civilians to fund their continued activities. We have been very careful in our association with the Biafra movement, because we didnt want to destabilize the region, but we have been cornered, he said from his base in Hong Kong. Ainsi va l'Afrique. Cameroonian President Paul Biya does not want anything. [27], Increasing pressure for autonomy or independence reduced trust and engagement between the government and the Anglophone minority, with the result that by 2017 there was only one Anglophone among 36 ministers with portfolio in the Cameroonian government.[27]. Four stripes represent the Four districts of the county). Jonathan Pershing, formerly the Biden administrations No. The unrest usually comes with devastating impacts largely responsible for the continent's current economic and social retardation. [47] A massive military deployment accompanied by curfews and forced evacuations of entire villages. [35][36], Flag of Kupe-Manenguba. Just over the border, armed separatist groups are fighting to carve out Cameroons English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions into a breakaway state called Ambazonia. Explore the benefits of your FP subscription. [45] The Cameroonian government stated that the declaration had no legal weight[46] and on November 30, 2017, the President of Cameroon signaled a harder line on separatist attacks on police and soldiers. Placing the blame for Cameroon's underdevelopment and poorly implemented public policies on the federal structure and arguing that managing separate governments in a poor country was too expensive, he announced a referendum on a new constitution, which did away with the federal structure in favor of a unitary state and granted more power to the President. The name Ambazonia comes from the Ambas Bay. FPs Winter 2023 print issue brings together 12 experts to help us answer those questions. During this period various independence and federalist factions joined to form the Southern Cameroons National Council, a pressure group which undertook initiatives at the UN, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Commonwealth, and with national embassies to bring attention to the region and Anglophone issues in Cameroon. Understand Africa's tomorrow. .png 300 300; 10 KB. Sheep stands for peace, purity, wisdom and innocence under God.). Blue stands for the ocean and rivers, freedom, justice, perseverance, vigilance. In February 2020, armed Fulani men alongside Cameroonian military personnel attacked Ngarbuh village in the Northwest region and killed 21 civilians, including 13 children. [17] The districts are made up of tribal territories run by Chiefs, Fon etc or villages. Your email address will not be published. [27], Flag of Boyo. Red disk stands for the blood of those who died for the struggle. Red Star stands for the Blood of the people and leadership. The policy represents a fig leaf, not genuine decentralization, and will not resolve a crisis of Biyas own making. n.push = n; Etymology. Among the 10 who were convicted was Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, the leader of the so-called Governing Council of Ambazonia - the name separatists have given to Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and South . As the Egyptian economy falters, Sisi is turning to the Chinese government for support. The flagpole of the State Flag must always be higher than the flagpole of the county flag. There are protected areas like the Korup National Park[62] or the Takamanda National Park. Source link, Your email address will not be published. Allied naval superiority allowed the swift capture of the Cameroonian coast, cutting the Germans off from reinforcement or resupply. [29], Flag of Momo. [23], Flag of Menchum.Symbolism (Red stands for the Blood and strength of the people. Last month, leaders from both movements announced a formal alliance, which could ignite violence and instability in the two countries and across the West and Central African regions where violent extremist organizations affiliated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda are establishing a strong foothold. Despite long years of fighting, the two countries now work together after a negotiated agreement to grant Ethiopia access to the sea; something that underscores that everything always ends up at the negotiating table, regardless of the outcome. A Biafra-Ambazonia weapons exchange will bolster the Anglophone separatist movement, which has suffered in recent months from a severe lack of financial support from the diaspora, perhaps due to waning interest, pervasive human rights abuses carried out by separatist groups against civilians, or major divisions in the diaspora leadership. Britain established Ambas Bay Protectorate in [] Official results claimed 98.2% turnout and 99.99% of votes in favor of the new constitution. Cameroon and gave the new name of the country as Republic of Cameroon without r ecognizing the Ambazonia in the term. Calls for secession are growing and an Anglophone separatist movement in the south-west and north-w. Symbolism (Red stands for the Blood and strength of the people. Boko Haram is an Islamist militant rebel group that has been carrying out brutal attacks on towns in Northern Nigeria since 2011. Strategically located in the Gulf of Guinea at the hinge of Africa, Ambazonia is bordered to the east . The star stands for Leadership and prosperity. [40] Several demonstrations were violently dispersed by security forces, leading to clashes between demonstrators and police in which several people were killed. Midterm Elections). Cameroon Bank, West Cameroon Marketing Board, WADA in Wum, West Cameroon Cooperative Movement. Observers have previously suggested that the Cameroonian government has rerouted U.S.-origin military equipment and U.S.-trained military personnel from the fight against Boko Haram in Cameroons Far North region to the Anglophone conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regionsand in 2019, the U.S. government reduced military spending to Cameroon over human rights abuses. A monthly digest of the top articles read by FP subscribers. In 2016, the Ambazonia movement turned violent when government security forces cracked down on teachers and lawyers protesting the marginalization of Anglophone Cameroonians in a majority Francophone country. ), Flag of the Midland State. FPs Ravi Agrawal sat down with industry leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss how businesses can build resilience amid a turbulent geopolitical era. [44] At least 17 people were killed in protests following the declaration of independence, while fourteen Cameroonian troops were killed in attacks claimed by the Ambazonia Defence Forces. The Nigerian and Cameroonian militaries are well equipped and well trained, as both countries receive military support and training from foreign governments including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom for anti-terrorism efforts. [17] The County-Ministers appoints Prefects or District Officers to county districts (Local Government Area). Olive tree branch stands for Peace and the Hammer stands for Determination of the people). Blue stands for The Bui River and Liberty. Ambazonia, officially the Federal Republic of Ambazonia is a secessionist state of Cameroon, self-proclamed in its English-speaking regions. [21] The United Nations initiated discussions with French Cameroun on the terms of association of Southern Cameroons if the outcome of the plebiscite was in favour of a federation of the two countries. White stands for Hope and peace. In 1858, British missionary Alfred Saker founded a settlement for freed slaves at the bay which was later renamed Victoria. [25], On 21 April 1961, UN resolution 1608 (XV) set 1 October 1961 as the date of independence for the Southern Cameroons. [20] Two reports by English economists, the Phillipson Report in 1959 and the Berrill Report in 1960 both concluded that Southern Cameroons would not be able to continue to finance development and growth as an independent state. This settlement which was later named Victoria (now Limbe, Cameroon) after the then Queen Victoria. When Germany lost her African colonies during the First World War (1914-1918), Cameroon ceased to be a German colony in 1916. Fruit stands for success (fruits of labour). That kind of posture reminds the Africa psyche of the infamous era of slavery. Meanwhile, Cameroonian security forces have funneled weapons to the Mbororo communities that have gone on to attack English-speaking farmers, a CHRDA report notes. Located along the Atlantic Ocean, it shares its borders with the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Blue stands for the Sky, the Ocean and Liberty. [37] At a second All Anglophone Conference held in Bamenda the call for the Cameroon government to accept a return to the two state federation was reiterated with some voices explicitly calling for secession. Ambazonia is located in the west of Cameroon and southeast of Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea. Boris Pistorius, a longtime politician with little foreign policy experience, will host his counterparts later this week to discuss Ukraine. [6] Ambazonian forces have struggled to form a united front, and internecine conflicts have hampered efforts to negotiate with Cameroon or establish control over the various militia groups engaged in the fighting. European traders from several nations visited Ambas Bay beginning with the Portuguese in the 1470s. Teachers and students have been kidnapped and killed and many schools and school materials burned while many children have had no schooling since the crisis began. White flower stands for Innocence, hope and peace. facebookTracking(); The armed insurgency has turned into a guerrilla war, killing thousands of people, displacing nearly . Since 2019, various separatist groups have stolen hundreds of cattle, abducted at least 20 Mbororos and extorted an estimated 10 million Central African Francs ($18,600) in ransom payments, killed an estimated 50 herdsmen, and displaced over 2,500 more Fulani civilians, according to the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA). Anglophones from Southern Cameroons are calling for an independent and sovereign nation they call Ambazonia. The region was later ceded to Germany in 1887. The Tide. Cameroon is a lower-middle-income country with a population of over 25 million ( 2019 ). Tribal leaders have the ability to make laws but must not go against County laws, State Laws or National (Federal) laws. It raises the question: How do companies with large global footprints decide which side to pick? By 1914, the Germans had established control either directly or through local leaders well into the hinterlands of the territory now claimed by Ambazonia, conquering communities such as Nkambe and establishing a garrison fort at Bamenda in 1912. Ambazonia Interim Government, a separatist group in Cameroon, has emphasised that its agitations for a separate country have nothing in common with that of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on [10][11][12] Headed by economist, politicians, businessman and lawyers who are either in exile or in the diaspora, the Anglophone Crisis has prolonged due to the determination of separatists forces and diaspora funding. Logically, I would have expected the UN to give them the option of gaining independence and stand on their own, Henry Baaboh said. The mountains stand for Mount Kupe and Mount Manenguba and the determination to succeed. 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