More than 45 press releases have so far been made public ever since Biya announced that he will provide laptop computers to all university students in Cameroon.  The nation has seen updates on the laptop program coming from various ministerial departments including rectors and divisional officers. Recently, it was the anti Anglophone Minister of Higher Education, Fame Ndongo who addressed the public on the situation of the 500 thousand laptops promised to students of the eight state universities and private higher institutions by the President of the Republic.

In a release signed on Wednesday the 12^th of April 2017, Fame Ndongo stated that to be eligible for the offer, students have to meet a certain criteria. The communiqué did not reveal the special barometer.  Fame Ndongo pointed out that nine computer network centers shall be created and interconnected. According to the Francophone Beti Ewondo Minister, this will facilitate the production of a biometric list of students including those in all the 215 recognized private higher institutions in the country.

It is more than a year since Biya spoke of the laptops and thousands of students have already graduated and left the country. Fame Ndongo is now saying that to be eligible, students must be registered for the 2016/2017 academic year.  He also added that a biometric list including students’ ID cards shall be presented at the Ministry of Higher Education for appropriate verification by a competent authority at the ministry.

Jacque Fame Ndongo, (to use his three names) assured students that distribution of the laptops will begin four months after the conditions have been fulfilled. It seems the Biya Laptop Scheme requires a different matriculation day in all the universities in Cameroon. President Paul Biya, it should be recalled, promised five hundred thousand computers to students in his 2016 Youth Day address to the nation. The consignment has been estimated at FCFA 75 billion. Cameroon Concord News is aware Biya and his Francophone regime does not have the money.

By Sonne Peter

Joseph Antoine BELL, the former Francophone footballer maintains that Southern Cameroonians are not marginalized in Cameroon. He recently opined that people from the North West and South West are not under-represented in everything that is done in Cameroon.

Bell said in French that “Quand on dit que les Anglophones sont marginalisés il faudrait qu’on nous dise en quoi” When we say that Anglophones are marginalized, we should be told in what way.

 In this April edition of the AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE, we are asking our readers to react to what the legendary footballer made of the Southern Cameroon crisis.

The first act of revolutionary violence, that comes easily to mind, is the destruction of the God-thought- sinful-world with a 40 day down pour of a killer rain. That is if we can neatly by-pass all individual acts of punishment from the curse of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the water destruction of the world. Noah in this case, like it would be through-out God’s interaction with man, was the chosen one asked to build an ark of specific dimensions, where he would secure what existed before the flood for posterity. This in effect became the genesis of mass-destruction of what God himself has created. The appearance of the rainbow in the sky remains a living testimony of this act, although its promises of “never again”, would stand inconsequential at the moment for the purpose of the present analysis. The act was committed and destruction through violence, to march human disobedience and immorality against God was recorded.

Biblical Examples

During the period of Jewish bondage in the land of Pharaoh, a time came when God wanted his chosen children of Israel out of Egypt. The choice this time fell on Moses, a man whose childhood had been secured under very mysterious circumstances and who was at the time on exile for a violent act he committed that was by all means, but in words, condemned by God. Moses was to negotiate first peacefully the exit of the children of Israel and when he expressed his skepticism on this, God promised to teach Pharaoh a lesson should he prove headstrong to peaceful negotiations. When peaceful dialogue and consultations didn’t work, God resolved to the use of violence and force. The methods ranged from epidemics to outright killings.

During the 40 years in the wilderness, God used violence to get the liberated Jews to obey Him. The old hands including Moses, perished before they could get to the Promised Land. Getting to the promise land, they had to use violence prescribed by God. Violently through the hands of God, Sodom and Gomorrah were wiped off the surface of the earth for their sins and pervasions. Not even Abraham’s mediation could save them. All along the old testament of the bible, we come across instances of violence by God to solve one problem or another. Moses crowned it all when he prescribed an eye for an eye and teeth for tat. Holy wars were fought violently with the direct participation of God to free his so-called chosen race (or was it tribe) from bondage or impurity.

A new social order with greater spiritual inclination was promised and given. Then entered Jesus Christ, a spiritually molded child who would have cost his virgin mother her marriage to her carpenter lover and her life according to the Jewish culture. This is typical with God: to violate the norms of some societies in order to get His point across, that salvation is only through absolute obedience to Him but in such examples as the virgin birth, little consideration is given to possibilities of human initiations or skepticism of such divine acts that only go further to widen the spiritual gap between humanity and God. According to the doctrine of the new social order, this child of the virgin birth was to carry all alone on his head the burden of all the sins of humanity. To this he was to pay with his life. Before death could occur, Jesus had used both violent and non-violent approaches in his spiritual revolutionary mission. Instances of his non-violent approach can be mainly noted in his vast differences of application of the scriptures with the scribes and Pharisees, his teachings to the multitudes eg the Beatitudes, sermon on the mount, the 70x 7 forgiveness principles, the turning of the other check etc. But it must be noted that it was not in every situation that Jesus Christ practiced non-violence. For example: Jesus violently destroyed a herd of innocent pigs when he was angry with the demons he had cast from a possessed person. Jesus violently beat people out of the temple when they were doing their commerce in the house of God. Jesus violently turned his friends into pigs when their mother lied to him. The killing of Ananias and Saphira over the sale of their land was another instant of Christ-like violence. Not only did Jesus use physical violence, he also used psychological violence; like his answer when he was told his mother and brothers were looking for him. Even his death brought a lot of violence. As soon as he gave up the ghost, the grave were the dead were buried, opened and there was a terrifying storm all over. There is no instant in the bible where Jesus, not God for that matter, advised the soldiers to leave or not to join the army because they use violent methods in solving problems. The supposed Biblical condemnation of the use of violence in seeking liberation and justice, needs a serious reviewing by those who have out rightly condemned the approach thus far on the basis of scriptural interpretations.

The modern acceptable approach to revolutionary struggles and the seeking of justice has been non-violence. The question we must ask here is, non-violence acceptable by whom and to what end? The bitter fact is, it is not the church nor any genuine moral organization that accepts and preaches the non-violent approach because the church and these bodies if true to themselves, should be in the frontline of these struggles. It is sadly the perpetrators of violence and injustice that accept and promote their non-violent struggles are not threats to these political demagogues and moral lepers who know in themselves that the way they have structured things, they would find themselves presenting a balance sheet to whoever confronts them non-violently.

THE EXAMPLES OF GHANDI, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR AND MANDELA

We can quickly name some of the world’s recognized great names of the doctrine of non-violence. Gandhi comes to mind, the one from whom Martin Luther King Jr. gathered his much needed inspiration. Gandhi believed so much in nonviolence that he always had to physically risk his own life through periods of wet and dry hunger strikes when there was apparent violence. But Gandhi’s case should be viewed with care because even though the Indians had internal religious problems and that of the untouchables, they had a common problem of independence from the British who were arrogantly flying their union jack with impunity over local Indian territory. Of course, the undisputable happened in Indian immediately independence was achieved. The center that nonviolence pretended to hold together gave way to what was more realistic and natural. The man of nonviolence was violently taken out of the scene. Practically things took the place of theoretical things.

Martin Luther King Jr. who was brought to the scene through an invitation to address a black rally, also benefited from the deplorable American racial problems of his time. Martin was successful in rallying the blacks but he was not successful in controlling violence on both sides. In all earnest, if people like King recorded degrees of recognition, credit must be given to controversial black leaders like Malcolm X, who neither preached violence nor denounced it but stated the rights of the blacks to defend themselves against aggressions and attacks from the whites. The existence of people like Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey etc. placed the white racists in the unfortunate position of choosing between two evils and their choice fell on Martin, whose approach was less of a threat to them. Of course and again, violence took them out into immortality.

Mandela can preach nonviolence today but what had given him and the A.N.C. much impact is his more than two decades refusal to sell his birthright by renouncing violence to the devil Botha. If Mandela is today Mandela and ANC, it is thanks to the violent struggle Oliver Tambo put up in exile while Nelson was in jail. Even Gandhi would accept that whatever approach is adopted for any struggle for liberation and justice would depend to a large extend on the moral structure of its society and the state of it governance. Nonviolent approach must not be viewed as the lone universally approach and violence should not be seen as a shun option that must be universally unacceptable. Just as it has always been the case, all disciples of nonviolence have always ended up victims of violence.

Tracing the supporters of nonviolence gives the clear picture of human hypocrisy. The Americans and their western friends would tell you of their support for nonviolence. This is as far as their interest is not threatened. If the camp of nonviolence is a camp that would morally disturb their imperialist exploitation of the area, they would arm the violent side to destroy the nonviolent crusaders. If a violent approach is used to disturb their interests, the pretentious nonviolent supporters would match violence with violence. So the moral custodians of nonviolence, as long as their interests are at stake, would use violence against nonviolence and violence against violence. To these guys, the African crusaders for justice and total independence must limit their means of success by appeasing the dubious western capitalists with an ill supported doctrine of nonviolence. Bhutulezi, the leader of the Zulu Inkatha was always hailed by the white racists minority government of South Africa and the capitalist racist western world for his socalled nonviolent constructive engagement in solving the long degrading racist problem country, while at the same time the racist white world armed him to brutally murder militants of other black anti-racist movements.

These same apostles of nonviolence, finance and arm brutal dictators in Africa and third world countries to ruthlessly massacre innocent armless citizens and turn around to tell African revolutionaries to use endless dialogue and consultations to be permitted to bury even their dead, victims of cold blooded violence from the flag bearers of nonviolence.

By Christmas Atem Ebini

The Francophone Minister for Secondary Education, Jean Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe has again extended registration deadline for the General Certificate of Education Examinations, GCE to April 15, 2017. This is the fourth time the Biya member of government is authorizing an extension.

Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe known in Southern Cameroons as “the Clown,” made public his decision on Thursday March 30, 2017in Yaoundé. The minister added that the extension shall benefit only students in Buea and Bamenda centers who have not registered.

The Ministerial order comes some 10 days after the 3rd deadline expired on March 20, 2017. Ngale Bibehe also gave a two weeks period of grace for the GCE examination. Correspondingly, the examination will hold two week after the initial date.

Confirming that he was indeed a clown, the Francophone minister stated in his press release that Anglophone students should take advantage of this two weeks Easter holiday break and enroll in holiday classes to catch up with time lost.  A leading figure of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has rubbished the extension stating that schools and universities in Southern Cameroons will remained closed till both French and West Cameroon will open dialogue in the presence of a third party.

By Sama Ernest with files from CIN

The Buea University campus is still completely dead after calls from the National Union of Higher Education Teachers demanding students to return to school. A certain Dr. Abangma who had moonlighted with the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium made the appeal after a senior aide to President Biya promised him the post of Rector of the university.

In a scantily attended press conference at Chariot Hotel in Buea, the leadership of the University Teachers Trade Union stated that they had moved for the respect of decisions reached at the ad hoc committee which included the release of teachers arrested.

The National Union of Higher Education Teachers issued an empty political statement that those detained in connection with the Anglophone crisis that began in November 2016 should be also be released and noted that internet connection should be restored to the North West and South West. Also, the Union revealed that there would be some major adjustments on the academic calendar to allow students to catch up with the courses.

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium has maintained its position that there shall be no dialogue with the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime until all those arrested since 2016 including were released. The Consortium has also made it abundantly clear that those that have been killed must be accounted for and the troops behind the action brought to justice. The Consortium has also sounded a note of caution that there will be severe consequences if anyone dares to counter the Southern Cameroons revolution. Schools and all higher education establishments in Southern Cameroons will remained closed.

By Sama Ernest

Senior security agents from the nation’s capital Yaoundé, have reportedly pressured members of the National Union of Higher Education Teachers Trade Union, SYNES to announced that the body has called off the strike action initiated last November 21, 2016 in the two state universities.

The CPDM-La Republique move came on Monday March 20, 2017 in a fake press release that was made public at Chariot Hotel in Buea. Journalists sponsored by the Biya regime were made to report on some pronouncements by the President of the University of Buea chapter, Prof, Arrey Abangma.

Prof. Arrey Abangma, heard murmuring privately over the shabby treatment given to his kinsman, Lord Justice Ayah Paul Abine was quoted as saying that the suspension was due to what he termed good faith by the vicious Beti Ewondo government who according to him has been implementing resolutions of the meeting which held in Bamenda last January.

Abangma was promised the post of Rector of the University of Buea and compelled to opine that “The conference today is to declare the suspension of the strike; we are calling on all students and lecturers to come to school on Monday for classes. We are also appealing to the Government to release some students and Lecturers arrested.”

The calling off of this strike action by SYNES members comes weeks after they had vowed that the strike must continue. Police stormed the residence of the President Arrey Abangma and made away his son.

By Rita Akana in Buea

In a statement on the use of internet and cellphone services in Africa published on Tuesday, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation noted that there has been a significant progress in almost all countries in Africa. The African foundation which shares the belief that governance and leadership lie at the heart of any tangible and shared improvement in the quality of life of African citizens however said it was concerned about the prolonged internet blockade in the North the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.

The Foundation that follows with attention the development of internet and mobile services on the African continent said such blockades have potential devastating consequences for economy, education and health, and prevent citizens to access news and to engage socially. “We hope that the government of Cameroon, and others will share our concern and facilitate the access of internet and mobile phone services to all its citizens,” Mo Ibrahim urged in the statement.

The Mo Ibrahim statement coincided with the Prime Minister’s visit to the North West region in an attempt to negotiate the resumption of classes. At a stakeholders’ meeting in Bamenda on Monday, North Westerners told PM Yang that schools will only re-open if detained strike leaders are released, internet restored and the region demilitarized.

One of the speakers at the meeting, Hon Wilfred Fusi Naamukong told the PM and his entourage that the state hasn’t yet given a statement to apologize for the massive killings orchestrated by armed government troops on unarmed civilians carrying out peaceful protests. “Our detainees because of these grievances that the president himself has acknowledged should be freed and our internet restored,” the people’s representative told the government envoys as an obligation for school resumption in the region.

In response, the Head of Government urged the population of his native region not to sacrifice the education of their children for whatever grievances. “The greatest empowerment you can ever have is education. Don’t give it away for anything even if you are angry and you don’t eat. Even if you cannot go out to see your friends and drink a beer, do not sacrifice on education; that’s a wrong place to go. It is an embarrassment to the international scene,” the Prime Minister said calling on parents in the region to accompany their kids to school latest Tuesday March 7. However, the plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears as schools are yet to resume in the region.

Cameroun Info Net

The Registrar of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board, CGCE , Dr Humphrey Ekema Monono has revealed that he receives death threats everyday from anonymous persons who send messages threatening to kill him if he goes ahead to organize the 2017 session of the GCE.

The Registrar made the declaration in Buea as the Board held an extra ordinary Council session to take a decision on the prevailing situation in Southern Cameroons. Cameroun Info.Net reported that the board has recorded the lowest registration ever for the 2017 GCE session.  Humphrey Monono also revealed that though the board is independent, it is under the tutelage of the Ministry of Secondary Education. He pointed out that he is expected to take instructions from his hierarchy, hence cannot unilaterally suspend the writing of the exams.

During the meeting which took place at the head quarters of the board, members of the council gave the Registrar authorization to extend the registration deadline to March 20; 2017 to get many more candidates into the 2017 session. Mr. Monono hinted that some 70,000 students have registered as of February but some sources say it is below 40,000.

Members also called on parents, students and other education stakeholders to effectively take their children back to school on Tuesday March 7, 2017. They equally called on Education Secretaries of both Lay private and Confessional schools to disseminate the information, calling back students to their various schools by the said date.

Cameroun Info.Net

The Chairman of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board, Prof Peter Alange ABETY has expressed worries over the quality of certificates to be awarded to students if something is not done and done in a hurry to bring to an end the current crisis that has rocked Southern Cameroons.  Peter Abety, a former Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic and a pro CPDM comedian who would not agree that an Anglophone problem exist in Cameroon was addressing stakeholders in the education sector in Buea during the extra ordinary Council Session of the GCE Board last Friday March 3, 2017.

The GCE Board Chairman said if activities in schools continue to be paralyzed with no effective classes, then the Board will not set questions that cover the entire syllable on the calendar hence what the students will learn cannot be used to proof that they had a full school year. Prof. Peter Alange ABETY said certificates will in this case be less credible especially on the international scene mindful of the fact that students have been home for several months.

Abety seen here with the late Guardian Newspaper reporter, Sylvanus Ezieh used the Buea forum to urge parents to send their children to school.  In an attempt to shift the blame from the Biya Francophone government, the GCE Board chairman said that Lay private and Confessional schools have the key to an effective back to school, if they jointly sign a letter inviting parents to do so. Religious leaders and representative of the Catholic, Protestant and Islamic academic establishments all observed that their doors were wide open for students to come back to school.

Present during the conclave were representatives from NWR and SWR Teachers and Parents Association, Directors from the Ministry of Secondary Education, a Representative from the Presidency, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Finance, trade Union leaders among others. It is vital to include in this report that Peter Abaty was a prominent CPDM figure when corruption reign within the admission process into the Higher Teachers Training College, Ecole Normale.

By Rita Akana with files from CIN