Has God Abandoned Cameroon?

*By GODLOVE AMUNGWA

It would be a bold attempt to say most Cameroonians are aware (clearly, or at least vaguely) of what is going on in the English-speaking part of Cameroon since October of last year (even though those of French-speaking origin began showing concern only after a flag was recently burned…as the latter is apparently of more value than a human life).

One out of two things is involved: EITHER GOD DOESN´T EXIST/HAS NEVER EXISTED IN CAMEROON; OR CAMEROONIANS NO LONGER HAVE/HAVE NEVER HAD CONSCIENCES. What is wrong with “Cameroonians”?

• People are killed, brutalized, raped, property looted in the chaos on one side of the Mungo and those on the other side ignore what is going on, since they are not the ones suffering directly.
• Internet is cut off on one side of the Mungo, and those on the other side care less and don’t utter a word, since they are not affected by the internet cut. Yet they will preach “oneness”.
• “Security forces” are brought out to brutalize and intimidate those on one side of the Mungo from leaving their homes; while at the same time, the same “security forces” are brought out to protect those on the other side who are parading the streets in the name of unity march.
• The government spokesperson during an interview on live television says no one has been killed by the forces of law and order in the Anglophone zone in relation to the recent crisis, when it is a secret to nobody that many lives have been lost. The same person at the start of an interview says there is no Anglophone crisis!!! Wow! So, from October of last year, the Head of State’s remarks on the issue; messages from international entities; Ghost Towns; etc have all been on a non-existent issue? When the truth is known by everybody, and those to give statistics are instead those lying openly, could one really say God exists again in Cameroon? Will such people present the true picture of the situation in the country to international institutions if they are not honest with their own people who already know the truth?
• People are killed and maimed in the Anglophone zone and those termed “brothers” in the other part of Cameroon remain silent. They instead congratulate the forces of order for a job well done by killing. When a flag is burnt, that is when the “brothers” on the other side get angry. Conclusion? The flag (a piece of coloured cloth) is theoretically and practically more important than human life. GOD, ARE YOU STILL IN CAMEROON, OR HAVE YOU PACKED YOUR BAGS AND GONE?
• Dialogue is begun in a bid to look for solutions plaguing the affected party, and since those in power are omnipotent, they must dictate, as the word “dialogue” in the Cameroonian dictionary has nothing to do with an equal exchange: The stronger has to impose on the other!
• People are killed and others unjustly jailed for voicing their opinions. Many jailed under inhuman and inhumane conditions. Others arrested for no reason. Others still, whose whereabouts are not known and might never, be known.
• Network providers condone with the violence by shutting down internet services at the order of the government just because their operating licences and financial adventures are more important than human life.
• MINPOST “officially refutes” information circulating that internet will be shut down; yet the same internet is shut down shortly after. WHO IS FOOLING WHO? MAYBE GOD IS DEAD!
• Government authorities do not utter a word of condemnation of the violence, since their positions and service advantages are more important than human life.
• People sit on live TV and promote hate speech against “brothers” with and in all impunity and no one finds anything wrong with that! No condemnation from the authorities who run the country.
• Most (luckily not all) media outlets in the country no longer present “complete” news. The national media houses present news favouring the government. When those on strike out of frustration and anger from police brutality destroy property, the national radio and television are first on the scene. But when the forces of law and order kill, brutalize and maim those they are supposed to protect, the national radio and television appear inexistent as they do not report any such thing. When few independent media houses in the likes of Equinox present news as it appears, without favouring any side, those in power issue threats. Journalists put their lives on the line to present the true picture on the ground, yet cameras and media apparatus are seized and destroyed by the powerful in a bid to hide the “real truth” and no one finds anything wrong with that?
• With a lot at stake, the head of the country makes no public appearance to address the situation. By the way, the head is not even physically present in the country in question, so let us leave that part of the story for another time.
• Investigations are always opened, but authentic results never known…or conflicting results made public. Exemples? Eseka train accident ; death of Bishop Benoit Balla.
• Journalists are attacked by the powerful for speaking out. Examples? The CNPS money squandering; Equinox journalist reporting on military barbarity in Ekona; etc.
• Just because one is the nephew of the neighbour of a government official, s/he takes liberty in making others’ lives a living hell. Because one is in the army they take liberty in looting, brutalizing and raping with and in all impunity and no word of condemnation from the “brothers” on the other side.
• The government negotiates with terrorists (Boko Haram) to the point of pouring in huge sums of money for the release of hostages, but is unable to negotiate with those referred to as “brothers”.
• “Brothers” are treated as, and called terrorists, just for speaking! They have not killed. Questioning the form of the State is a diploma to being termed a terrorist. In the meantime, young men and women in the army are putting their lives on the line in the Northern part of the country fighting off the “real” terrorists(Boko Haram) but no one condemns BH anymore…by the way, they do not qualify to be called terrorists since they are not “brothers”. Anyway, to be called a terrorist and treated as one, all one has to do is openly ask questions on the form of the State!
• People die in the northern part from BH bomb attacks, but the other part of the country cares less. As far as BH remains “up there”, let those up there die…it is not our business. It will be our business only if BH succeeds in reaching. Yet they are termed “brothers”.
• The heads are quick in sending messages to, and condoling with their counterparts in other countries undergoing tough situations, but are unable to make public statements to their own “people” when calamities strike their very own country.

Whatever the case, the recent post on the non-verified Facebook page of the Head of State shows there is some hope in the rebirth of consciences. The change from threats and warnings of last year’s end of year speech to an apparent pacific call to constructive dialogue is a sign of improvement and recognition of the presence of a problem and the uselessness of threats instead of addressing the problem.

However, speeches are worthless without concrete action. Words do not build a house! A call to constructive dialogue should be corroborated with actions in that regard, rather than a call to dialogue in words, while maltreating, killing and arresting people on the ground…a thing which instead worsens the situation. So instead of carrying out propaganda via the national radio and television, and via SMS to the phones of all mobile numbers in the country, humility should take the pride of place so that authentic dialogue takes place. People are still being arrested/abducted and killed in spite of calls for dialogue and the unconditional release of those jailed. In fact, the arrests/abductions are even worse than before!

WHO IS FOOLING WHO?

Before being quick to condemn and promote hate speech, one should bear in mind that there was no violence from the grieving people at the start. So, if after about 10 months the same people who weren’t violent are angrier than before and gradually getting violent, then the golden question to be asked is “why?”! If people are bold enough to brave the streets after curfews, threats, killings, arrests and heavy military presence, then anyone who still has a conscience will know that there is something huge at stake. It goes a long way to prove that the era of the efficacy of the iron fist is over, and that we are in the XXI century with an entirely different mentality. We should thus pray and work together for peaceful unity or peaceful separation…leaving threats and intimidation behind. “Brothers” should be the voice of justice for their suffering “brothers”; if that is not the case, then they are in reality not “brothers”. Those who have carried out atrocities should be brought to justice, whether or not they are in the army. Those arrested for expressing themselves on the form of the state (which is not a crime) should be unconditionally released.

Finally, we have to pray that God reignites the consciences of each and every person living in the place know as Cameroon. All believers should pray, and for those who do not believe in the existence of a deity (non-believers) or cannot pray, do send good wishes.

May the Good Lord bless and protect us all. May He guide the leaders on both sides to a peaceful and constructive dialogue on the form of the State, in addition to other issues.

Let us love one another, whether or not we share the same beliefs, systems, etc…working together for a better Africa and a better world…AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE GOD WILL RETURN TO CAMEROON, AND CONSCIENCES WILL BECOME CONSCIOUS.

NB: THOSE ENCOURAGING/CARRYING OUT/ORDERING KILLINGS SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT EVERYONE DIES SOMEDAY. TODAY WE ARE HERE AND TOMORROW WE ARE GONE. LET SOME PEOPLE NOT GET DRUNK OF POWER AND BEHAVE AS THOUGH THEY WERE AND ARE THE AUTHORS OF LIFE, CALLING HUMANS “DOGS” AND THREATENING FELLOW HUMANBEINGS, TREATING SOME AS SUB-CREATURES.

(If what has been written is false, I stand to be corrected. If what has been written is not false, then those concerned should revisit their consciences, instead of finding a way to threaten and or kill the author and the publisher(s) of this post!) as they always do. Those concerned could and should kill the author and publishers of this post if they themselves will never ever die…kill and make sure you live forever!

Peace!!!