Oppression of West Cameroonians escalates to the disconnection of internet services within the South West and North West Regions.
The West Cameroon Association (WCA) can confirm that the government of La République du Cameroun, in continuation of its deliberate and systemic oppression of the people of West Cameroon for more than 55 years, has instructed service providers to isolate and cut-off the people of West Cameroon from the rest of the world by denying the two English Speaking regions access to internet services since January 18, 2017. Meanwhile, the other French speaking parts of the country are enjoying full access to Internet and related services. These actions by the government of La République du Cameroun are unacceptable and unprecedented, as it is causing severe apprehension amongst the communities as they fear that the worst forms of brutality and violence is about to be unleashed upon them by the military apparatus of the government.
WCA therefore demands that the government should reinstate total and complete access to internet and other basic services in West Cameroon immediately and without further delay. Failure to do that will lead WCA to conclude that the government intends to conceal evidence of impending serious atrocities against the peoples of West Cameroon from the rest of the world.
WCA calls on the international community in general and on human rights organisations in particular, to apply pressure on the government of La Republique du Cameroun to instruct the service providers to reinstate this indispensable tool of communication and business.
Shutting down internet services in West Cameroon by the government, has also resulted in total disruption to money remittance services to the two regions from abroad. This is further evidence that the government intends to continue punishing with impunity the peoples of West Cameroon, as its response to genuine demands of a people who have been systematically and deliberately subjugated for over 55 years.
As acknowledged by UNESCO and the international community, it is through money remittance services that the millions of Diasporans help their unemployed and deprived friends and relatives living in poverty such as is the case in West Cameroon, making life sustainable and contributing to better living conditions for families. It is very clear that the government is ready to go to any lengths to perpetuate and inflict extreme hardship to West Cameroonians to make them suffer.
WCA condemns the arrests and incarcerations of the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and request their immediate and unconditional release. They are – Barrister Dr. Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla, Dr Neba Fontem, Dr. Michael Boyo, Mr. Kah Afumbom, and many other West Cameroonians still languishing in detention for peacefully exercising their civil rights to request their self-determination. WCA totally rejects the government’s characterisation of these individuals as ‘extremists and terrorists’ to fit a false narrative that it is attempting to portray to the world. We challenge the government to order the reinstatement of internet services in West Cameroon so that the world can see the unfounded nature of those allegations.
WCA is a collective of English speaking Cameroonians in Cameroon and the Diaspora whose vision is self-determination for West Cameroon based on the Anglo-Saxon heritage.
Mr S Ndah-Mbi
On behalf of the Secretariat
The Secretariat,
The West Cameroon Association,
Email: secretariat[at]westcamassoc[dot]org
Weblink: http://www.westcamassoc.org/
