Social Democratic Front condemns Government’s inaction in resolving Anglophone Crisis

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Social Democratic Front Party (SDF) in a recent outing, condemns the government’s perceived failure to address and bring an end to the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.

The condemnation was a key outcome of the NEC meeting held on December 2 in Yaoundé.

This marked the first NEC meeting chaired by Hon. Joshua Osih since assuming the role of National Chairman of the party.

The meeting aimed to deliberate on various issues pertinent to the party on both national and international fronts.

On the national stage, the NEC deplored what it characterized as the government’s “inability and apparent unwillingness” to implement effective and urgent policies to quell the violence in the North West and South West Regions.

The executive committee strongly condemned the continued barbaric acts carried out by separatist groups against the populations of the North West and South West regions, noting an alarming escalation of such acts into neighbouring regions.

Separatist fighters from the North West have orchestrated several attacks on villages and towns in the West Region lately.

The most recent shootout happened on November 21 in Bamenyam, a town bordering the North West, where separatists killed nine people, and injured and kidnapped others.

The recent attacks have further compounded the ongoing crisis that has caused more than 6,000 deaths since 2016, with hundreds of thousands displaced.

The SDF’s condemnation adds to the mounting voices urging comprehensive and meaningful efforts to achieve lasting peace in Cameroon.

This is not the first time the party has reminded the government of the need to quickly resolve the crisis.

Similar calls from national stakeholders and the international community have been futile to ensure peace.

Call For Action Against Famine

The NEC also urged the government to take immediate action to address the impending issue of famine in the Far North regions, which is a result of a significant decline in cereal production due to pests.

According to the United Nations, 11% of Cameroonians faced acute food insecurity this year, representing 3 million people.

This is particularly true in the North West and South West Regions and in the Far North Region, which are ravaged by armed conflicts.

The situation is even worse in the Far North, where adverse weather conditions and drought have made farming almost impossible.

In other resolutions, the NEC criticised the government for reportedly failing to control inflation in Cameroon this year.

They highlighted that inflation had reached a record level of 7.8% in September 2023 and peaked at 10.2% in the Eastern region, adversely affecting households’ ability to meet their essential needs.

In a bold move, the NEC’s resolutions also condemned what they described as the “maintenance of an advanced form of state capture and anarchy,” citing the government’s inability to ensure the rule of law.

This reported anarchy is marked by high levels of criminality in major cities in the country as well as corruption in government.

Mimi Mefo Info