Colonial Trio France , UK and Germany have continued to remain mute in 5years of Dirty independence War in the former colonial territory known as Southern Cameroons.
All three Central European governments of France, UK and Germany, directly implicated in the chaotic colonial land demarcation and independence of its former colonial territory of Southern Cameroon on October 1st 1961 continue to remain mute, 5 years after a dirty war broke out between government forces and so called Ambazonia separatist groups in Cameroon – central Africa.
Several heavily armed groups clamouring for the restoration of the independence of Southern Cameroons emerged in the fall of 2016 after Cameroon government ordered security forces to clamp down heavily on civil protest organised by lawyers and teachers demanding for equal judiciary, linguistic and educational rights in the only two English speaking regions of North West and South West.
The deteriorating war of independence war is in its 5th year, continues to escalate towards a humanitarian disaster, ravaging life and properties to the brink in the former contested Anglo-German French colony.
On October 1st 2021, separatist groups in Cameroon who share the same independence date ( 1st October 1961) as Nigeria (1st October 1960) claim they have established strategic, tactical and operational links with Nigeria based Eastern Security Network (ESN) , an armed group known to have links to the separatist group in Eastern Nigeria – Independence People of Biafra ( IPOB).
The self proclaimed Ambazonia separatist forces of the faction known as Ambazonia Defence Forces ( ADF) has circulated an unverified video displaying some of its fighters marching in combatant style celebration of 1st October 2021- in commemoration of the 60th Independence of the former British Southern Cameroon.
The narrator claims that ADF separatist Forces operating in the south west region have seized control of a huge territory from the government of Cameroon where they freely operate. The faction equally claims to share both strategic, tactical and operational links with the Eastern security network ( ESN) in neighbouring Nigeria.
The Ambazonia separatist movement clamouring for the restoration of independence of former British trust territory of Southern Cameroons from The Republic of Cameroon share a historical independence date ( 1st Oct 1961) with NIGERIA (1st Oct 1960) but with one year apart.
Local and national efforts to stop the war and restore peace and order in the two regions have proven abortive due to its technical, structural and stakeholder inclusivity deficiencies. Left unresolved, there is a real risk that the escalating conflict in Cameroon could significantly spill over across porous borders impacting on Nigeria stability in the south with growing mirror threats posed by the ESN of IPOB separatist.
Such separatist threats in the South are compounded by instability in the Cameroon-Nigeria borderline in the Northern part with Boko Haram and So-called Islamic state of West Africa province keeping both nations on war alert.
With Nigeria and Cameroon sharing a common colonial master, the silent determination of the United Kingdom , France and Germany speaks volumes of how relatively small and easy to manage conflicts are ignored to grow into monster wars years later.
David otto
Security expert
Lives in UK
