Southern Cameroons National Council. Demonstration at the Council of the European Union: Friday, 16 May 2008.

On Friday, 16 May 2008, the Arc de Triomphe in Brussels, Belgium was the backdrop to an emotive demonstration calling for intervention by the European Union (EU) in the human rights abuses being carried out by the Republic of Cameroon against its own citizens, the people of the Southern Cameroons.

Passers-by stopped in their tracks at the impressive sight of a collection of the Southern Cameroons diaspora from all over Europe, including from as far as Cyprus, wearing their vibrant, traditional headwear and robes, and the sound of a beautiful chorus of African voices singing “Tell me your country if you don’t know Southern Cameroons.” 

Following the singing, Dr. Nfor Ngala Nfor faced the front of the Council of the European Union and made a passionate plea for EU intervention into the crisis in Southern Cameroons. The plea included requests for the following action:

1)        Mediation by the EU in the political conflict and assistance in brokering peace between the two peoples and nations by ending annexation and colonial occupation. 

2)         The release of all SCNC prisoners of conscience by la Republique du Cameroun.

3)       Respect for the rights of Southern Cameroonians to freedom of assembly and expression by la Republique du Cameroun proconsuls 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)                <!--[endif]-->Defence of the rights of the oppressed Southern Cameroonians to autonomy by the EU and all its member nations

The singing was so beautiful and Dr. Nfor’s plea so empassioned that a representative of the Secretary General of the European Council, Marcos Becerro, came down to the street from the Council building to receive a petition prepared by the Southern Cameroons National Council. The petition called for EU intervention and leadership in ending state-sponsored repression and achieving autonomy for the people of Southern Cameroons.

The UNPO flag was displayed proudly throughout the demonstration, which was attended by several representatives of other UNPO Member nations, whose show of solidarity not only lifted the spirits of the Southern Cameroonians, but was a tremendous illustration of how UNPO can be used as a platform for member nations to increase the profile of their individual plights through reminding the world of their collective goal of increased political representation.  

Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC)

The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) is the representative body of the Southern Cameroons, an internationally unrecognized nation of approximately six million inhabitants, bordering Nigeria to the west and north-west, La Republique du Cameroun to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. 

SCNC has been a Member Organization of the UNPO since 2004.

Southern Cameroons 

In a 1961 UN-sanctioned plebiscite, British-colonized Southern Cameroons voted to become a union with French-colonized Cameroun, enjoying autonomous status under a federal system. However, in 1972, the Republique du Cameroun effectively annexed Southern Cameroons by holding another plebiscite that made Cameroon a unitary, rather than a federal state, transferring all power to the central government in Yaounde and dividing Southern Cameroons into two new administrative provinces of this unitary state, effectively disenfranchising Southern Cameroons as a political entity. 

Repression and gross human rights abuses by the central government against the Southern Cameroons have since ensued. The repression includes, but is not limited to, arbitrary detention and execution, economic, cultural and linguistic repression and lack of freedom to assembly and expression.
  

 Marcos Becerro receiving the SCNC Petition from Dr. Nfor Ngala Nfor

Why the European Union? 

The EU has shown leadership in mediating between de facto and sovereign states, including Kosova, the Kurds in Turkey and other minority regions within sovereign states in Europe. Furthermore, the current situation in Southern Cameroons is in part a product of German, British and French colonization in the region. The decolonization process is clearly not complete. It is therefore appropriate that the EU take a lead role in redressing this unjust situation.

 To read the SCNC petition handed to Marcos Becerro, please click here .