In the wake of the events that led to the final publication of the result of Government’s Investigation of the Ngarbuh massacre, France has been so instrumental that every good eye can see glaringly. Since the armed conflict started in Anglophone Cameroon late 2016, many have been killed by both state and non-state groups. Scores had been massacred in Pinyin, Bole, Batibo, Ekona, Bakundu just to name but these, with more than 250 villages burnt. Many of these atrocious acts had gone unnoticed. But on a certain Saturday Feb 8th, 2020, when something happened in France.
A man Called Abdoulaye Thiam aka Calibri Calibrio, a member of the Brigard Anti-Sardinard,BAS, took one on one with French President, Emmanuel Macron.
The French -Senegalese activist whose mother hails from Cameroon was captured on a video online holding President Macron to task over the atrocities in the Anglophone Cameroon. His shouting of Mr. Macron’s name in the midst of a huge presidential security could be likened to that of the Biblical Zaccheus recorded in the Gospel of Luke 19 verse one through 7. The President’s responds were that he will call president Biya “Next week” to mount pressure on him to end the crisis. Sunday March 14th, Elysée’s Macron called Unity Palace’s Biya in a chat that was described as very fruitful and a way forward for a resolute end to the ravaging “Senseless” war in the country.
Activated by these, Supporters of the Ruling CPDM party stormed the streets of the capital Yaoundé with anti- France placards, then later in Douala and the North of the country accusing France of undermining their leader and equally warning their former colonial master to steer clear of Cameroon’s territorial integrity.
One would have thought that in the spite of continuous embarrassment meted on the “Big” French Empire by some power Lilliputians like Cameroon’s minister of Communications /Government Spokesman comparatively, walls were going to fall on Cameroon diplomatically but that wasn’t the case. France maintained a deaf calm and rather promised to help financially with some billions in reconstructing these Cameroonian regions plagued by the war.
Not long, an investigation commission was created by Biya, to probe into the Ngarbuh massacre. Then, a reconstruction Commission appointed with Leaders being Tasong Paul of the Southwest and Njong Donatus of the Northwest Regions. Within this while, what had been preoccupying is the Coronavirus and how to appropriately put it under check. Although many heads of state had addressed their people giving them hope in this perilous era, President Biya had been mute. In fact, the head of state was even rumored dead for more than a month. CRM’s Political party Leader, Maurice Kamto, had even asked that Biya’s constitutional heir had taken overpower immediately. However, this didn’t bother the healthy President Biya.
Few days later, April 16th, French Ambassador, Christophe Guihou who was one last Foreign Official to visit Mr. Biya in March before Biya went “Underground”, reappear on Unity Palace to meet the latter on a diplomatic mission. It was another rare moment Cameroonians were able to see their president after a while though he didn’t address them still. Atleast, this thanks to France. However, it was made to be understood that what was highly discussed at the presidential audience was the Covid_19 Pandemic, which France in top 5 hit countries in Europe could help Cameroon (with not up to 15 dead cases), in beating the virus.
It is also true that, both men discussed issues related to the crisis and also believed that the French diplomat came over to hand some “Marching orders” from his Boss to the leader of one of his oversea territories, Afterall President Biya had been to France after the Major National Dialogue of late 2019 to “render an Account” to Macron on what transpired during the dialogue. April 21st, the Ngarbuh investigation results were released with the same Government that had denied being responsible accepting that her military is responsible for the massacre of 14th February. The Communique from Minister of state, Secretary General at the presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, also promised to severely punish these military commanders for their crimes.
The chronology of these events needs no soothsayer to be able to ascertain the role and impact of France in this whole process. The successive French regimes before the suppose Independence of Cameroon and Africa as a whole, had often had a firm grip on their colonies. French interest is still being felt in her 15 African colonies and it targets particularly raw materials and trade in these African Nations rich in resources. This has left these countries poorest on earth and their leaders are often under surveillance to comply, else, face the wrath of the Powerful France, needless mentioning some names like Muamar Khaddaffi of Libya and Laurent Gbagbo of Cote D ’Ivoire.
Though a good move to have the commission’s finding, swiftest and the only so far in Cameroon, many still think French foreign influence is a redundant dishonesty that will keep her “Former” colonies in a continuous circus. But how Genuine is this influence given the loopholes and unanswered questions on the result pertaining to the kind of punishment and who dishes them out to the perpetuators of this macabre acts and Crimes Against Humanity?
