Give peace a chance:

K’ba populations denounce ghost towns, march for peace

They staged a popular march across the town last week, carrying placards denouncing ghost towns and calling for the release of detainees and the restoration of internet

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

The populations of the metropolitan town of Kumba have said they will no longer heed calls by the consortium and other secessionist agitators for ghost towns and civil disobedience. Denizens of Kumba barred the route to ghost towns and civil disobedience in a popular rally organized last week in the Meme chief town.

                Organized at the behest of the Kumba government delegate, Victor NgohNkelle, and with the blessings of the new SDO for Meme Ntou’ouNdong Chamberlain and the Meme CPDM political leader, Justice Benjamin MotangaItoe, the rally saw the participation of all the mayors of Kumba 1, 2, and 3, civil society actors, supporters of both government and opposition political parties, and a large, enthusiastic crowd comprising of traders, drivers and other city dwellers.

                The rally culminated in a march that saw the enthusiastic crowd marching and chanting protest songs from the commercial avenue through new quarters to the SDO’s office at up-station.

                The marchers carried placards bearing such messages as “No to Ghost Town in Kumba”, “No to violence and the burning of schools”, “We want our children back to school”, “Bring back our internet”, “Free our brothers in detention” etc.

                Talking to reporters after the popular march, the government delegate who led the march told reporters: “we are saying no to ghost towns, no to violence, no to anything that will disturb the peace in Kumba… We are pleading once again for parents to send their children back to school so that their future should not be bleak.”

                For his part, the CPDM Meme 1 section president, Tabot Lawson, said: “what we are having here today is a non-partisan rally that involves all the stakeholders in the peace and development of Kumba. That is why you can find just everybody participating: CPDM supporters, SDF mayors and militants, civil society actors and in fact all segments of the Kumba population. The solidarity you see here today bears testimony to the fact that the Kumba populations are tired of the strikes and ghost towns; they want a return to normalcy so that they can carry out their usual businesses in peace and tranquility.”

                Welcoming the sweating and chanting populations at his office at up-station, a visibly elated and satisfied Meme SDO and his etat-major, reassured them of his support and that of his collaborators, saying they will do everything to restore peace in the South West economic capital town and throughout the division so that the usual hustle and bustle that is characteristic of K-Town should return. Ntou’ouNdong called on the predominantly business population of Kumba to remain calm, shun ghost towns and to continue with their activities without fear.

                But the march was not only against ghost towns, it was also a clarion call for government to release all those arrested in connection to the festering Anglophone crisis and to restore internet in the SW and NW.

                “It is true that the ghost towns are dealing a serious blow to our business activities, but the shutdown on internet has made things even worse and unbearable. As we are marching against ghost towns so too are we praying the government to listen to our cry and restore internet,” said one of the marchers.

                Another participant said: “It is true we are marching for peace and for a stop to ghost towns. But I can assure you that it will be difficult for us to have real peace when our brothers are languishing in jail in Yaounde and when we cannot communicate with the outside world through the internet.

                According to the outlawed consortium, ghost towns are supposed to be observed throughout the NW and SW every Mondays of the week. Ever since the consortium instituted the ghost towns and civil disobedience, it has been respected with varying success in Kumba and several other towns in Anglophone Cameroon. But it is left to be seen if after the march against ghost towns in Kumba, the call will no longer be respected.