Has the North West- South West Peace movement for the cessation of violence died a natural death?
The question on whether the North West South West Peace movement for the cessation of violence has died a natural death has been begging for answers among Cameroonians for six months now.
Created in Yaounde on Saturday January 23, 2019 , the movement barely announced it presence and action plan before going comatose, with members unwilling to publicly comment on its how-far.
The North West South West Peace movement for the cessation of violence was the brain child of a group of Cameroonians from the restive regions who placed their integrity to task with the mission to push for and the crisis bedevilling their land, especially violence which they believed is the blockage to all initiatives to end the crisis. It was even reported that the Prime Minister, Dion Ngute was the unofficial force behind the creation of the group which came barely two weeks after he replaced Philemon Yang as Head of Government in Cameroon.
Sitting in Yaounde on Saturday January 23th, 2019 former MP and Traditional ruler, Chief Norbert Nangiya Mbile, current MP, Honourable Francis Enwe Abi, renowned medic, Dr. Nick Ngwanyam MD and Barrister Henry Ngale Monono released a communique announcing the mission of the new group. The promised amongst other things to restore dialogue between State and non-state actors, to ensure calm and serenity return to the troubled North West and south West regions and that kids are guaranteed safety and security to return to school.
But today, it is now surrounded by a lot of unanswered questions.
Though the group was also comprised of academics, civil society activists, civil servants, journalists and politicians, the known front line members were never seen on the field of action before the natural death of the movement.
Mimi Mefo info contacted some of the front line members who declined to publicly comment on the whereabouts of the movement, but one of the who spoke on condition of anonymity said “the crisis in the North West and South West regions has gone far beyond the powers of the movement.”
What happened to the enthusiasm displayed by the movement at the time of creation???
Has it suddenly died a natural death as popular opinion holds? The North West South West Peace movement for the cessation of violence, apart from interviews granted by some of its members and the online question and answer strategy used by its secretary general, was not seen in any field consultative move to negotiate an end to violence in the conflict hit regions.
The “Peace” initiative for the cessation of violence, like the Anglophone General Conference of Christian Cardinal, the Bilingualism Commission, the disarmament committee, the two commissions created late 2016 when the Anglophone crisis escalated, have arguably not been felt in the North West and south West as the gun battles, killings have remained rife in the regions, as the violent Yaounde regime continue to block all peaceful moves.
Over 2000 people have died and atleast 4 million people in need according to the United Nations.
As the saying goes, only a political will from the Biya regime can take the people to the dialogue table and resolve the conflict as peace commissions have proven to be a failure. But when?
Mimi Mefo Info
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