Skip to main content




ODDS & EMPITESS OF PEACE CARAVAN RUMINATE: STAKEHOLDERS BACKOUT, TAKE ILL, FEARS, PROXIMITY OF FEB ELECTIONS

 BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM

caravan members chew cud at planning meeting

The initiative dubbed “peace caravan of the major national dialogue” aims to promote peace and present final proposals of the Grand National Dialogue to the layman. This is however the latest of Biya’s programmes facing wide criticisms. Following launching of the peace caravan of the major national dialogue in both English speaking regions of Cameroon on 16th November, the weight of opposition is domineering. It appears even activists craving for peace understand the lacklustre of the programme, given the absence of concrete and fathomable moves accompanying it.

 Resistance on the caravan is not soothing  though trusted religious clerics are at the helm. Antagonism has been rife before, during and after launching on November 16th in the Northwest by His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi and in the Southwest by His Lordship Andrew Fuanya Nkea. What perspirations?


CARAVAN PROVOKES QUERIES

A catalogue of why and what evoked; why is the caravan coming before results of the major national dialogue? Why put the cart before the horse? What is the urgency of the caravan when little or no preparation for this has been done? Why not release all prisoners arrested in connection with the crisis before the peace caravan?.

Just at the launching in Bamenda; when the list of those to lead the caravan in various divisions of the North West region was presented, the caravan leader for Momo division Honourable Enkwe Francis said six out of ten people to carry the caravan to Momo have indicated ill health against the move. The First Deputy Mayor of Nwa Council Jinkwen Martha Fonwi complained of road blocks by secessionists against the caravan.  The leader of the UDP Party El Hadj Lawan Bako was disgruntled because the proposal that the country be renamed, United republic of Cameroon, so as to suit "our two cultural heritage and stamp out marginalisation" did not feature in the final proposal that has already been handed to the head of states. Like him, the member of parliament for Menchum South Constituency Honourable Wallang Richard Ebua  is worried that the plea to revamp the slumping  Wum Area Development Authority WADA does not appear in the dialogue proposals even though it was part of the dialogue.

The mayor of Wum Council Dighambong Anthony said he is disappointed that the persons to carry out the peace caravan feature people who do not reside in the division and others who had fled the division on reasons of crises.

The archbishop of Bamenda His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua expressed worry on a peace caravan by the government of Biya in the face of continuous violence in the northwest region perpetrated by the same government.


 COMMOTION ENSUES AFTER LAUNCHING

In a planning meeting prior to the kick off of the caravan, most of those involved in the  caravan revealed that they have received threats from secessionists if they venture carrying out the programme.

Like many others who have resigned from the caravan, Senator Kemende Henry member of the caravan is known to have resigned from the national dialogue sensitization team. He is said to have faced death threats by ambazonia activists. The SDF law maker is known to also withdraw because he was not consulted before being added on the list of those to undertake the caravan and did not take part in the dialogue.

Public opininon has also cast aspersions, questioning why Bishop Andrew Fuania Nkea and Cardinal Tumi have accepted to engage in a post dialogue caravan when nothing concrete has yielded from a National Dialogue that took place in the country two months ago. They are accusing the clerics of having been coaxed to do a peace caravan.

PROXIMITY OF CARAVAN TO FEBRUARAY 9th ELECTIONS

The national dialogue sensitization caravan taking place in November is coming a couple of days after Cameroon president Paul Biya announced municipal and parliamentary elections for February 9th 2020. The proximity of the two events makes a suspicion of political gains given that politicians or aspirants involved in the caravan may steal the forum to secure reputation for the upcoming municipal and legislative elections in Cameroon scheduled for February 9 2020.

All eyes are fixed on the process and outcome of the widely criticised caravan.







   

Comments

Post a Comment

Editor's Picks

MENCHUM EMMISSARIES READY FOR PEACE CARAVAN BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM Mr Akwa Patrick and team members are zealously looking forward to a peace mission in Menchum Division come November 19th 2019. This is in consonance with the move to promote peace and love and to explain recommendations of the major national dialogue to people in various divisions of the Northwest and Southwest regions. The chairman of the Peace Caravan for the Northwest region His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi launched a Caravan for Peace at the MINEPAT Conference Hall Bamenda on November 16th where it was disclosed that an eleven man team led by Mr Akwa Patrick would lead the caravan in Menchum. The eleven are Mr Akwa Patrick Hon Wallang Richard Mr Ndigabong Anthony Hon. Ndong Larry Hills Harouna Oumarou Fungsen Patricia Mbei Sen Agha Martin Kelly Victorine Cham EtienneBama Mr Sangnabidop Phanuel Chief Onku Moses All eleven delegates dispatched for the peace caravan in Menchum Divi...
Post a Comment
Read more
BAMENDA II MAYOR BONDS WITH TRADITIONAL HEADS TO DELIVER DEVELOPEMENT By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Chenwi Peter, Mayor of Bamenda II Municipality and his collaborators held a meeting with quarter heads January 27 in Bamenda with the main agenda to bond with traditional rulers in order to ease project execution and development. Both parties agreed to work hand in glove in order to realise project delivery. Stakeholders of Bamenda II Council are hopeful that lacing with traditional heads would write new lines in developing the jurisdiction.    Mayor Chenwi Peter “We have realised that we have a lot of security challenges in the Northwest region as a whole and my municipality and with a lot of projects that the head of states has previewed for this region and my municipality, we need to come together to dialogue to pave a way forward for us to realise this projects so we thought it very necessary that with the law of decentralisation we should involve everybody. The quarter heads are...
Post a Comment
Read more
PALLIUM EMBLEMATIZES PAPAL AUTHORITY IN BAMENDA By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Photo: pallium The unity between Pope Francis and the Archdiocese of Bamenda is now perceptible. The pallium on the shoulders of His Grace Andrew Fuanya Nkea is an emblem of papal union and authority.  Photo: Nkea in kneeling posture, Parolin sitted as he imposes pallium The Archbishop received the pallium from Pietro Cardial Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican on January 31, 2021 during a Eucharistic celebration at the St Joseph Piazza Bamenda, Cameroon.  The ceremony brought together administrative, traditional and religious dignitaries among them the president of the National Episcopal Conference His Lordship Abraham Kome and the Minister of States, Secretary General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngo, plus hundreds of Christians, priests and religious.  Catholic teachings note that among the liturgical insignia of the Supreme Pontiff, one of the most evocative is the pallium made of whi...
Post a Comment
Read more