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determines the affairs of eachman and of each people,
haspreserved me long enough tohave the opportunity of
pleadingbefore the Cameroon Nation forthe correction of the
wrongswhich have been done, over thepast three decades and
more,against an unsuspecting and
trusting people that I, acting ingood faith and as aCameroonian
patriot, led intowhat I was assured would be aunion of equal
partners, butwhich has since turned out to bean arrangement for
theannexation, subjugation anddomination of one of the prtnersby
the other...
I responded to the invitation
of the President of the Republicto attend this Committee in
theconfident expectation that thedeliberations of the
Committeewould offer us the opportunity tocorrect the wrongs which
I havereferred above. For nearly twoyears, the people of
SouthernCameroons whom I led into theunion with La Republique
du
Cameroun have,through the All
AnglophoneConference-
AAC (nowthe
Southern Cameroons People'sConference-SCPC) carefullystudied,
responsibly formulated,and respectfully submitted togovernment,
substantialconstitutional proposals. Theseproposals are aimed at
ensuringa better governance of the entireunited Cameroon, while
also
putting an end to theannexation, subjugation anddomination of
one of our twoterritories by the other, thusrestoring the spirit
and intent ofthe union of 1961...
In any event, in the proposalsthat have been submitted beforeus,
I do not see any provisionsat all which go in the direction
ofmaking even a token attempt to
respond to the grievances of theSouthern
CameroonianPeople...
Mr. Chairman,
In the final analysis, thepeople of Southern Cameroonsnever
participated in theelaboration and adoption of thesupposed federal
constitution of1961 which was adopted by the
National Assembly of LaRepublique du Cameroun onSeptember 1,
1961, that is tosay, one month before the birthof the federal
Republic ofCameroon. These same peoplenever participated in drawing
up
the unitary constitution of 1972which was imposed upon themin a
nationwide referendum.
Bearing this in mind, I hadhoped that the presentconstitutional
reform processwould provide the people ofSouthern Cameroons the
opportunity, for the first timesince independence of
ourrespective territories and thereunification of our fatherland,
tocontribute effectively to theelaboration and adoption of atruly
Cameroonian constitutionwhich responds to theiraspirations as
well...
I feel distressed that theconstitutional proposals put
before this committee do notoffer the opportunity for us, as
anation, to address our minds to,and resolve, the genuine
andlegitimate grievances of theSouthern Cameroonian peoplein
particular and theCameroonian people in general.
I feel all the more distressedthat this should be happeningunder
the chairmanship of a son
of Southern Cameroons whom, Ibelieve, is as sensitive as anyone
of us to the injustices whichhis People and their Territoryhave
suffered in more than threedecades. Today, he has beendesignated to
preside over the
The Cameroons Reunification Revisited
THE JOHN NGU FONCHA DECLARATION OF DECEMBER 15, 1994
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completion of the process ofannexation of that People andthat
Territory.
For this, he shall tomorrowstand accused by his People, asI
stand accused today. However,whereas in 1961 the bitter
experiences of SouthernCameroons lay in the future thatwe could
not predict, in 1994 wehave behind us thirty-threeyears worth of
theseexperiences, with the prospectof more to come unlesssomething
is done now. In thelight of these experiences, wehave no reason in
1994 torepeat the mistakes of 1961.
Mr. Prime Minister,
I would like, through you toexpress my gratitude to thePresident
of the Republic forhaving invited me to thisCommittee. I assure him
of my
readiness at all times tocollaborate with him and withyour
government to provide asuitable constitution for our dear,complex
and diversified countrywhich I have contributedhowever modestly, to
build.
In the light of this foregoing,and pending the creation by
government of
a more appropriate forum for abroad-based debate on
theconstitution, I have no otheroption now than to withdraw atthis
point from the deliberationsof the present
consultativeCommittee.
Thank you for your kindattention.
HON. DR. JOHN NGU FONCHA
ARCHITECT OF THE UNIFICATION
OF CAMEROON
EX VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
CAMEROON
The Cameroons Reunification Revisited
THE JOHN NGU FONCHA DECLARATION OF DECEMBER 15, 1994
