STATEMENT ON THE MUYUKA MURDER OF BIH FLORENCE

The beheading of fellow Cameroonian BIH Florence in the town of Muyuka has been making the rounds of social media recently. The images are terrifying. This unspeakable execution is to be condemned unconditionally with the strongest possible energy. Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies such cruelty.

This new execution shows that this NOSO war - which could have been avoided - has just taken a new turn as the executioners have operated with their faces uncovered. Serious and impartial investigations must be set in motion to find all the perpetrators and true sponsors of this heinous crime.

Beyond the human emotion triggered by this intolerable barbarity in the collective memory, we must face the fact that all the collective indignation and compassions, as well as all the peripheral debates surrounding this tragedy, will not be enough to resolve the basic problem, which is the return to peace in our two regions of the north-west and south-west. As soon as this crisis erupted, the acts of horror coming from various actors and nauseous road bandits were foreseeable because some were already calling for secession. The Yaounde regime did not understand this when the germs of atrocities were already looming on the horizon. And that is regrettable. The loss of human life and the collateral damage is immeasurable.

The Yaoundé regime must definitively understand that a return to calm cannot be decreed. At the current stage of the crisis, the return to peace must be a sincere effort. Only the final settlement of the historic dispute and the return to federalism - which could possibly be extended to other regions of the country on the basis of the current contours - will allow a peaceful, irreversible and definitive settlement of this conflict. All the emotions recorded so far will have no effect on this crisis as long as this historic dispute has not been settled.

Regardless of the type of war, the protagonists always end up sitting around a negotiating table. After more than three and a half years, the ruling power has failed to bring peace to these two regions. The secessionists persist in staying in their original position. These are facts. Since the two main protagonists in the various forms of violence remain in their respective positions, there is no shame in the fact that other actors are involved in the resolution of this conflict. All the actors of certain influence inside the country as well as the international community must put sufficient pressure on the Cameroonian government and the "Ambazonian" secessionists to find a negotiated solution to this crisis. Provided that peace returns to these two regions in the north-west and south-west. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is better than peace.

In conclusion, entire generations, who will undoubtedly make the Cameroon of tomorrow, are looking at the various protagonists in this crisis. These innocent and powerless compatriots are certainly watching with indignation everything that is happening right now before their eyes. They are the living witnesses to it and will pass on their testimonies in the smallest details to the next generations. Some of them will obviously be in business tomorrow. The men will pass and Cameroon will remain. It is to be feared that when they get back to business, they will become ruthless towards those who have kept this dirty war going that could have been avoided. To ensure that this does not happen in the future, in addition to an urgently needed ceasefire, a genuine inclusive national dialogue is needed in which truth and reconciliation will triumph. For a new beginning for Cameroon.

Hon. Jean Michel NINTCHEU
Member of Parliament.

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