Ambazonia separatist activist, Ndong Emmanuel, popularly known as Capo Daniel, says he will no longer use violence to fight for a separate state in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions.
He says the group he leads has settled for a non-violent approach to fighting for the rights of self-determination of the English-speaking people of Cameroon.
Capo Daniel is a former spokesperson of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), an armed wing of the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC), which is one of the Separatist groups in the North West and South West regions.
He founded the Ambazonia People’s Rights Advocacy platform immediately after resigning as ADF spokesman last year.
In a communiqué published on May 4, 2024, Capo announced what he calls cessation of hostilities against the State of Cameroon.
“The Peoples Rights Advocacy Platform announces that, after a cabinet session, its members have unanimously adopted a resolution to end all hostilities against the Cameroon state in regard to the Ambazonia conflict.” a statement signed by Capo Daniel said.
“We have resolved to choose the nonviolent approach to our fight for the right of self-determination of the English-speaking people in Cameroon (Ambazonian).
“We call on all our forces to stop all hostilities and hold their weapons for self defense purposes until a negotiated settlement with the Cameroon government is achieved,” he added.
However, MMI could not independently confirm whether the armed militias he reportedly controls on the ground will also cease their operations.
The controversial Separatist leader noted that the use of arms has failed to achieve independence despite the rise of armed groups in the two Regions.
“The peak of the rise of armed groups in our territory has come and gone without us taking advantage due to our divisive dynamics to coordinate a decisive push-away of the Cameroon military presence,” he added.
Apart from a failed military campaign, Capo said the struggle has also failed at the diplomatic front, and there are no hopes for international recognition.
“We have also not been able to translate international sympathy to our subjugation into recognition of the Ambazonia independence declaration, and there are no longer any chances of Ambazonia independence recognition,” he said.
Stating that the population has rejected extremist groups, he said the cries of the people who are negatively affected by the armed struggle should be heeded.
“We must listen to our population and end the war for a negotiated settlement,” he stated, adding that, “Our population has rejected extreme groups and some of our soldiers have performed protest matches to reject the emerging extreme nationalism amongst us.”
Other Separatists groups have not reacted to the latest outing of Capo Daniel.
However, sympathisers of the independence struggle have called it a ‘joke’ referring to Capo Daniel as “a nobody in the armed struggle.”
“How do you call an end to a war when you do not have forces.Which of the forces is he controlling to give such an announcement,” said a Separatist sympathiser waving off Capo Daniel’s declaration.
It should be noted that the Government of Cameroon has shun any proposal to have direct talks with the Separatists.
It is not known if Capo Daniel’s declaration is an act of surrender to have his way into collaborating with the Government.
Many diaspora-based Ambazonia activists who made similar declarations in the past ended up joining hands with the government against the separatist movement. Among them are Success Nkongho, Nsoh Foncha Nkem, and Nick Santos.
