The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) Delegation to Geneva under the leadership of Chief Ayamba, Ette Otun, the SCNC Chairman to attend the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, happily welcomes you all to this Press Conference, the second in this year 2005. The three man delegation was made up of Chief Ayamba, E.O, Dr. Arnold B. Yongbang and my humble self, Nfor, N. Nfor.

Our Participation at the 61st Session of the UNCHR is thanks to our membership of the UNPO. Indeed the UNPO is effectively playing the dynamic role of a visionary elder brother.

Special thanks also go to the International Federation for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic and Other Minorities (IFPRERLM), a New York based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) enjoying observer status with the UN. While thanking them we look forward to long lasting fruitful relationship.

The quest to defend the dignity of man through securing the enjoyment of his inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms is central to the founding of the United Nations and remains its primordial mission to humanity. Without the respect and defense of human rights the world will know no peace, justice and development.

Though all governments proclaim the respect for human rights, it is a fact of history that governments controlling the monopoly of instruments with which human rights are violated, is the main violator of human rights. The violation of human rights is not only limited within territorial limits of states, in extreme it is carried out in violation of territorial borders, international boundaries and international treaties. While violation of human rights within a given state may provoke civil strife or civil war, conflict between two or more states leads to wars between the states concerned. The consequence of these is the violation of human rights on a wider scale and in greater intensity with long lasting scars.

The Southern Cameroons Delegation went to Geneva with a clear mission and mandate from the people of the Southern Cameroons. As a former United Nations Trust territory, our mission was to awaken the conscience of the United Nations and the world community in general to a sad and painful reality, namely, that a former United Nations trust territory, La Republique du Cameroun, in gross violation of international law and United Nations Resolutions, has annexed, colonized and occupied, the Southern Cameroons, another former United Nations trust territory.

No avenue could have been more appropriate than on the floor of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. Like lightening and thunder, whose message is got after packaging and delivery La Republique du Cameroun on March 30, 2005 sitting opposite from where the stunning message was being delivered to the world in all the languages of the United Nations, was caught pants down as its bloody hands were laid before the United Nations.
Southern Cameroonians sent us with a clear mandate to tell the World Body that La Republique du Cameroun has imposed neo-apartheid in Southern Cameroons and that because it is blacks against blacks, the world is living in total ignorance. And because this an evil against humanity, a threat to world peace, Southern Cameroonians have rejected slavery and are determined to, through peaceful means restore their statehood and sovereign independence, the guarantor of their enjoyment of total freedom and full right to development.

By re-invoking the existence of two Cameroons, namely, La Republique du Cameroun and the Southern Cameroons, we have made it clear that the two are exclusive, with separate treaties, defined international boundaries, distinct personalities and in defense of the universality of the right to self determination, the two Cameroons, born within the international system have equal and inalienable rights to exist as two distinct nations and peoples. It should be remembered that in Africa, there are two Congos and three Guineas, which differing in background, historically, culturally and legally, thanks to their colonial heritage, have maintained their respective distinct personalities. There is therefore no justification why La Republique du Cameroun should reduce Southern Cameroons to its footstool for the mere reason of commonality of name when in reality they are like palm oil and water which can never be mixed to become indistinguishably one.

The salient message here was that La Republique du Cameroun was guilty as charged and that the silence of the United Nations over this criminal act was provocative and could lead to genocide.

La Republique’s Ambassador in an effort to dismiss Southern Cameroons submission and prayers to the international community:

1. On March 31, 2005 in exercise of his “Right of Reply” confirmed that his country, La Republique du Cameroun has criminally annexed and occupied Southern Cameroons, which they have reduced to two provinces of their own territory, La Republique du Cameroun.

2. The Ambassador claims his country, La Republique du Cameroun, annexed the Southern Cameroons with the active complicity of Great Britain and the UN. But he failed to quote by what instrument. The evidence before us shows that neither Britain nor the UN is an agency for annexation and colonialism.

3. In trying to dismiss what Nfor Ngala Nfor said on behalf of the Southern Cameroons, in English, La Republique’s Ambassador, by speaking in French, confirmed the existence of two Cameroons, one Anglo-Saxon and the other Francophone, and that the Francophone territory imbued with expansionist and assimilationist tendencies has annexed and occupied the Anglophone territory, namely, the Southern Cameroons. And to conceal their crimes against humanity, Cameroun has always been presented and is treated within the international community as a French speaking African nation.

4. By attacking Nfor N. Nfor, the Southern Cameroons Spokesperson within the lobby of the UN Conference Centre in a war of words, he did not only throw the decorum of his high office to the dogs, he knew no limits and confirmed how brutally repressive the Yaounde regime has been to keep Southern Cameroonians perpetually subjugated and subservient.

May we, still holding the Olive branch high, take this opportunity to remind La Republique du Cameroun that the right to self-determination in any people has no life span limit. It does not, like a vehicle, depreciate in its value. It only grows and thanks to historical circumstances, it emboldens the subjugated to rise and assert themselves. Southern Cameroonians are no exception. The hour has come and the injustices must be over come. The cry of the hour in every Southern Cameroonian, old or young, male and female is “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”.

To La Republique du Cameroun let it be known that on March 30, 2005, Southern Cameroons after some forty-four years of vegetating in the backwoods of La Republique du Cameroun, re-entered the UN system and made her declaration on the floor of the United Nations. Southern Cameroons did not go to Geneva for sight seeing nor was it a safari adventure and there after descend into the abyss of La Republique du Cameroun dark-woods of perpetual slavery. Southern Cameroons went to the United Nations to, in conformity with the universality and inalienability of the right to self determination of all peoples and nations under foreign occupation, domination and alien rule, to announce its rebirth and pave the way for the assumption of its deserved seat among the sovereign nations of the world. We most remember that this seat was only suspended on the formation of the United Nations sponsored federal union which la Republique du Cameroun buried in her imperialistic quest to forever annex, integrate and assimilate the Southern Cameroons.

Southern Cameroonians of this age in exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination are on board a State Restoration Train (SRT) that has no reverse gear. They are restoring their statehood and independence voted for overwhelmingly in the 4th Committee of the UN by 50 Yes, 2 No with 12 Abstentions on April 19, 1961. Nations that voted “Yes” are UK, USA, USSR, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Libya, Canada, Australia, Ethiopia among others. The SRT destination is the GATE OF FREEDOM. The drive towards this gate is unstoppable. Based on truth and the inalienable right to restore a people to justice, it is guided from above and engineered by an invisible invulnerable force.

As for the doubting Thomases of our resolve, those who have refused to read the hand writing on the wall, let them understand that between 1990 and 2000, some thirty nations have emerged from foreign domination and alien rule into sovereign nations and taken their seats at the United Nations. These were not colonies in the traditional sense of the word. Like Southern Cameroons, these were victims of expansionism by dictatorial regimes. May LRC read the handwriting on the wall and as Syria is honourably withdrawing her occupation forces from Lebanon, withdraw her pro-consuls and occupation forces from the Southern Cameroons.

In addressing the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on April 1, 2005 the United Nations Secretary General, H. E. Kofi Annan, in reaffirming the centrality of the respect for human rights in the United Nations system concluded that global development and security is predicated on the universal respect for human rights. And in this we know that the exercise of the right to self-determination conditions the enjoyment of all other rights and fundamental freedoms.

We salute the vision and commitment of the United Nations Secretary General and call on him to use the mechanisms at his disposal and prevent conflict between the two Cameroons. This is the only means by which a dangerous time bomb, which La Republique du Cameroun is hatching, can be defused before it explodes.

We laud the United Nations Secretary General’s recommendation to reform the Commission on Human Rights and transform it into a standing council, like the Security Council and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), charged with the evaluation of the fulfillment by all states of all human rights obligations. While lauding your effort, we Southern Cameroonians call on the United Nations to lead by example, and in respect of its own Charter and Resolution 1514 restore Southern Cameroons to its independence and sovereign statehood and admit same into membership of the United Nations.

We expect the United Nations and the democratic world to be our ally and supporter for freedom and justice in this hour of need. This is in fulfillment of the mission of the United Nations to rid the world of wars and work for human equality, universal peace, justice and development for all humanity.

We make a special clarion call to the print and audio media to be the true ambassadors and defenders of Southern Cameroons peaceful struggle for FREEDOM and JUSTICE and right to self-determination. Help expose the falsehood and bigotry of la Republique du Cameroun and uphold the right of Southern Cameroonians to restore their statehood. This is the only means by which Southern Cameroonians can have a fresh start, pick up and mend the broken pieces of their lives, shattered dreams ruined by more than four decades of brutal dictatorship of la Republique du Cameroun.

Message of Southern Cameroons pacific struggle is highly applauded and encouraged. But even this must be invigorated. The struggle must be pushed to the forefront in order to effectively attract world attention. It must be focused and purposeful action strategised. To succeed we must be more united and organised. We must make the print and audio media our indispensable ally. All vital forces of the society must be mobilised. The SCNC stretches its arms open to all active forces – the youths, the students, the women, the human rights activists, teachers, lawyers, the journalists, you all have vital roles to play for Southern Cameroons is our collective heritage. Mobilization and organization, which is central in any liberation movement, must be intensified. We must all collectively as a people in bondage sacrifice today and sow the right seed in order to reap bountifully tomorrow and bequeath a rich legacy to our children. Let it be said tomorrow that at the hour of need you stood for the TRUTH and JUSTICE and while standing said a loud “No” to ANNEXATION, ASSIMILATION and FOREIGN RULE.

There are two Cameroons, namely, SOUTHERN CAMEROONS and La Republique du CAMEROUN and Southern Cameroons was never, is not and never will be an integral part of La Republique du Cameroun.

SOUTHERN CAMEROONS WILL BE FREE.

Thanks for your kind attention.