As populations drown in blood and tears:

Manyu Chiefs wake up from slumber, condemn killings

Chiefs of Manyu have last week issued a statement condemning killings and other forms of violence in the division orchestrated by ‘Ambazonia forces’ and government soldiers and gendarmes. But commentators were quick to fault the Chiefs for selling after the market; acting too little too late. They said the Chiefs woke up from their long slumber only when irreparable damage had already been done to the division and its people, and after the division now has a stigma that may never be erased.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

Manyu Chiefs ‘swearing Ngbe’ against Ambazonia terrorists

What has happened to Manyu all of a sudden? How could a once vibrant and proud people so suddenly become war-mongers and the laughing stock of Cameroonian society? How come Manyu now finds itself so deep in the abyss of shame and opprobrium? Why must Manyu come to the spotlight only for the wrong reasons? These and many other questions have kept hovering across the mind of this reporter, ever since Manyu started counting its dead, due to repeated gunfire exchanges between ‘Odeshi’-bolstered assailants from I don’t know where, and government soldiers and gendarmes.

                Bad news from Mamfe has been making headlines and animating a vast amount of debates and discussions in Cameroon in the past recent weeks. But it was only last week that the Chiefs of Manyu made a statement on the very hurting and worrisome development, which has left the populations of Manyu completely emasculated, traumatized, naked and evidently confused to say the least.

                Yet, even as the Manyu Chiefs made what many have already described as a feeble resurrection, commentators in Manyu have wasted no time to dismiss the action of the Chiefs as selling after the market; coming too little too late and after much irreparable damage has already been done to the division and its people.

                Some wondered why the Chiefs should issue a declaration instead of take a strong action to stop their subjects involving in or helping the violence.

                Yet others said the outing of the Chiefs only betrays their penchant for double-speak and for serving two masters at a time. Some commentators questioned how the same Manyu Chiefs who swear by Sesekou Ayuk Tabe Julius in private and who came out recently in their numbers to welcome and hail Agbor Balla when he was released from Kondengui and even elevated him to the dignity of Sesekou, should now come out to say they are at variance with the violence caused by what Sesekou and Balla stand for.

                Also, some observers said by condemning only the killing of security forces by separatists and not vice versa, the Chiefs may just be pouring kerosene into what can already be qualified as an inferno. The observers argue that there has been heavy casualties on both sides, and nobody has monopoly of violence or has the legitimate right to do violence or kill his brother.

                “It would have been opportune if the Chiefs had also condemned the killing of civilians by armed security officers. But they did not do this; they only condemned the killing of soldiers,” a commentator remarked.

                He noted also that the Chiefs in their statement failed to chastise the Manyu SDO who recently issued an order asking people to evacuae their villages. They also did not come to the rescue of their son, Gen. Elokobi, who recently came under vigorous attack after a fake news appointed him as commander of forces sent to fight Ambazonia terrorists in Manyu. 

                As for Manyu elite, they are yet to make an official statement in the face of the killings in their division. Many say this complacency of Manyu elite is intriguing.

                When confronted to explain the silence and indifference of Manyu elite, one of the elite, who asked not to be named said the elites cannot be indifferent to the killings in their division. He said the elite are concerting and strategizing on how to deal with the “very embarrassing situation” that has dealt a damaging blow to the good image of Manyu division in Cameroon.

                “We are not indifferent. We will act…You will hear from us sooner than later,” the elite promised.

                It should be noted, and intriguingly so, that Manyu has become the epicenter of  the struggle for independence by Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia from the Republic of Cameroon. At least 10 security officers have been killed in different parts of Manyu, while the number of civilian deaths cannot be immediately ascertained.                                              Sporadic gunfire exchanges have become the order of the day in Manyu, leaving the populations in fear and trauma.       Many have fled to the bushes or to neighboring Nigeria because of fear. Today Manyu children are swimming in their own blood and tears.

                The Anglophone struggle that started over a year ago as protests and grievances by lawyers and teachers, has turned very violent and deadly.

                This is because dialogue between the leaders of the struggle and the government has since crumbled and some of the leaders of the struggle have been arrested while others have fled to exile.

                Many say what could have been trashed around the table through frank, sincere, honest and inclusive dialogue, has been allowed to degenerate into a fratricidal war, with citizens killing one another.

                In the face of the violence and killings, many have called on President Biya to convene frank, inclusive dialogue urgently and include all the matters in issue on the agenda, if only to give peace a chance and ensure a rapid return to normalcy.