By David Atangana
Detained Anglophone activist, Abdul Karim Ali, has called on the U.S. Government to prioritize the right to life and seek an end to the violence in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon.
Abdul Karim finds it surprising that the U.S. Government is advocating for human rights, including the right to education, but is not pressuring Cameroonian authorities to seek an end to the eight-year armed conflict.
Karim made the remarks after the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé issued a statement encouraging school resumption but did not address the ongoing killings and destruction in the Anglophone regions.
Separatists have largely been blamed for the disruption of schools since 2016.
In a two-page letter from Kondengui Maximum Prison in Yaoundé, Karim emphasized that Southern Cameroon’s leadership is not opposed to children’s right to education, as widely claimed.
Instead, he urged the U.S. to play a more active role in defending the right to life.
“While all human rights are essential and interconnected, the most fundamental one is the right to life,” Karim wrote.
“Without the right to life, other rights like freedom of speech, education, or equality become meaningless.”
He stressed that the right to life includes protection from arbitrary killings, access to basic needs, and freedom from torture or cruel treatment.
He questioned the possibility of guaranteeing these values amidst what he described as “brutal military occupation.”
On the topic of school resumption, Karim clarified, “The people of Southern Cameroons and their leaders have not denied their children the right to education.
“Southern Cameroonians recognize human rights, including the right to education and, ultimately, the right to life.”
The activist called on the U.S. Government to take action if it cares about human rights and morality.
He also urged the U.S. to facilitate diplomatic efforts, dialogue, and negotiations to resolve the conflict and address the grievances of the Anglophone population.
Karim reminded the U.S. that the Cameroonian Government has previously committed to two peace processes, both supported by the U.S., but has since backed out of those efforts.
Peace initiatives in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions have made little progress due to the hardline stance of both separatist movements and the government.
