The Diaspora IG says…

🎤🎤🎤💙🤍💙🎤🎤🎤💙🤍💙
THE AMBAZONIAN PEOPLE’S COMMUNICATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

THAT
The quest from the overwhelming majority of Ambazonians is for total independence and statehood restoration.

THAT
This overwhelming majority is structured under a worldwide community mobilization body with the People’s legitimate elected representatives of the 13 counties and the 61 LGAs of the Federal Republicof Ambazonia (FRA).

THAT
This overwhelming majority pays allegiance to the community based Interim Government of the FRA whose leadership is constitutionally delegated to Dr Samuel Ikome Sako.

THAT
Mr Ayuk Tabe , imprisoned or free, has NO MANDATE to speak for the Ambazonian people. He was impeached by the Restoration Council , the highest legislative institution of our revolutionary body.

THAT
Dr Samuel Ikome Sako endorsed self defence as a legitimate tool for our people to defend themselves from the genocidal war declared upon them by President Paul Biya of La Republic du Cameroun (LRC).

THAT
The Ambazonia Restoration Forces (ARFs) who are community freedom fighters align under all the 61 LGAs that are pillar extensions of the Interim Government headed by H. E. Dr Samuel Ikome Sako as President and CIC, constitute the largest if not the sole functional self-defence organ in the whole territory of Ambazonia.

THAT
No prisoner nor LRC selected interlocutors nor coalition without the mandate of Ambazonians will negotiate the terms of our independence, talk less of calling for ceasefire because we never declared war.

THAT
The Ambazonian plight for sovereignty is an international problem and requires mediation on an internationally mediated platform. The Swiss led mediation is the only internationally endorsed platform for mediation at this moment and the Ambazonia Coalition Team (ACT) represents the independentist’s platform with the overwhelming majority of the Ambazonian citizens worldwide.

THAT
We are cautioning the international institutions and international media houses not to fall prey to any deceitful or manipulative attempts from LRC to allocate and impose the people’s mandate on their cronies or enablers nor derail the jurisdiction of our plight to an internal problem because that will never bring a lasting “peace through justice” solution to the conflict.

THAT
No backdoor communication should be held between any Ambazonian citizens and the enemy- LRC. Defaulters will be VOMITED, publicly SHAMED and PROSECUTED when we get to Buea.

THAT
The UNSHAKABLE resolve of this generation of indigenes from Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia, is nothing short from statehood restoration and that we will employ all resources at their disposal through the ongoing Ambazonia War Draft (AWARD), to fully resist any imposed manipulation from LRC or LRC enabling cronies of federalist or unionist or international conspiring institutions or countries.

THAT
The international institutions (UN, AU, EU…), the international media houses (CNN, BBC, VOA, Al Jazeera, RFI….), international humanitarian and human rights organizations (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, International Federation of the Red Cross, …), LRC and its allies or cronies or enablers, are ALL advised or cautioned to consider reliable and representative is the aspirations of the Ambazonian People; or contact or relate with the following mandated institutions representing the will, aspiration and desire of the Ambazonian people, hence institutions that have the mandate of the overwhelming majority of the Ambazonian People, for reliable information on positions or policies related to the Ambazonian quest for Independence and statehood restoration:
-The Ambazonia IG’s spokesman Sec. Chris Anu
-The Ambazonian Secretary Of State (SOS) for Defence Bishop John Egyawan
-The Ambazonia National Security Council (ANSC) spokesman Comrade Langmi Nestor
-The Ambazonia Restoration Forces (ARF) spokespersons Gabonaise and Masterplanner

THAT
The facts and positions expressed in this document are endorsed by a Constituent General Assembly in the presence of the representatives of all tiers of the Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia and will be reiterated to the international community by US, by the grassroot leadership of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia and by our Pro-IG Activists.

Independence is ours. We must, we are and we will continue to be resilient until we achieve our goal.

Penn Terrence says…

♦️♦️Prisoners do not negotiate, Sisiku AyukTabe says♦️♦️

By Penn Terence One Of Those Who attended the talks.Read on

The words being widely spewed on the social space are “Negotiations” and “Dialogue”. This is done with the intent of poisoning the social space and the minds of every Ambazonian with the fact that “Prisoners do not negotiate for Free men”

I can assure this noble house that neither of that is taking place between President Sisiku AyukTabe and the Government of La Republique du Cameroun. Our president has made it abundantly clear that Prisoners do not not negotiate because they will do that from a point of weakness. Again, he has made it clear that no one person alone can negotiate over Ambazonia. It will take a cream of our finest experts cut across the board or chosen by every leader in the quest for the complete independence of Ambazonia to negotiate for Ambazonia when the time comes and that time isn’t now. What is happening now should have happened long ago when they were brought in from Nigeria.

However the case, the Government of Cameroun has only initiated pretalks on the way forward. President Sisiku AyukTabe had put certain conditions to be met by Paul Biya and his country before any negotiation (be it the Swiss Talks, the American or the UN led mediation etc) can begin. These conditions can be presented by just anyone who has the people he is fighting for at heart and not the president himself.

Before any negotiation can begin, the president has asked for four things to be done by Cameroun as a show of good faith;

1- The demilitarization of Southern Cameroons and the immediate call for a cease fire ( After all, it was Paul Biya who declared war on our people and he will be the one to call a cease fire to that war)

2- The release of everyone locked up because of the Ambazonian war of independence. Everyone must be accounted for.

3- The granting of a general amnesty to every Ambazonian around the world to come home and consult with love ones and leadership on the possible way forward without any fear of police harrassment

4-After the first three conditions MUST have been met as a show of good faith, then will both parties set the time line and place for negotiations to be done in the presence of a third party and on a neutral space.

The Government of La Republique du Cameroun only met with him and his team to address these conditions set by Sisiku AyukTabe (on behalf of all Ambazonians) who is aware that it is his duty NEVER to fail the people who look up to him. Positive strides are being made and he will update all Ambazonians when the time comes. For now, it is imperative for us all to give him the blessings that he needs. To whom much is given so much more is expected and President Sisiku AyukTabe is aware of that.

@SenatorPenn
–‐————–‐
My response to the above!

If that is the stance of Julius AyukTabe, I would say he is perfectly correct: Prisoners do not negotiate.

1) This debunks some of his supporters who argue that Ayuktabe and his team in prison have the right to negotiate.

2) the conditions given by Sisiku for any potential negotiation are perfectly reasonable. I have been against all-inclusive dialogue/negotiation and negotiations without pre-conditions. That is why I have always challenged the Swiss-led talks and Tibor Nagy who kept insisting that there should be an all-inclusive dialogue without any pre-conditions. Where in the world have you seen negotiations at such levels in such cases without pre-conditions? So, Julius is right in his argument.

If you say what happened in Geneva was not negotiation but pee-talks, then I have this to say. l agree that it was not the negotiation. And if you call it pre-talks, that is not the way pre-talks are conducted.

3) The PREPARATION of pre-talks or pre-negotiations are conducted internally and not externally.

4) The leadership has to identify two groups of people. One for pre-negotiation and another group that constitutes our actual negotiators.

5) Only the selected pre-negotiators would be going for all pre-talks meetings. You don’t have to take the entire leadership movements to Geneva, Paris, Yaounde, Washington DC or New York for senseless meetings known as “pre-talks” or ‘capacity building’.

5) Our negotiators only step in after the terms agreed by our pre-negotiators and at the actual negotiation.

The leaderships of our struggle have my proposal which is in more details.

I am not a fan of any of the leaders. I am a fan of the struggle.

CF
04/07/2020

Justice Ayah Paul Abine says:

Ayah Paul Abine says:

July 4, 2020

TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED

May we emphasize just again that Southern Cameroonians, like every other people, comprise those on the territory and those abroad. Even as those bearing the brunt of the present hostilities are essentially those on the territory, the FOREIGN component has been laying claim to some exclusive rights with an absolutely HOLLOW foundation!

It is important for the foreign legions to understand that the PEOPLE of Southern Cameroons have not given them any MANDATE just as they have not given any mandate to anyone on the territory. It seems safe, then, to hold that neither component should seek to lord it over the other! Nor should any segment either way seek the exclusion of some others without any legal right, much less, legitimacy

It would be recalled that the Swiss Adventure last year, 2019, had not even begun when some Southern Cameroonians abroad started holding themselves out as the exclusive representatives of Southern Cameroonians. They, of course, failed woefully to ground their HOLLOW claim. It is hoped that they themselves did realize that the CONSORTIUM of teachers and lawyers was based on the territory just like the ordinary men, the women, the youth and even infants who marched with PEACE branches in 2017.

It cannot be otherwise even today as those persons on the territory have lost their lives and livelihood even as those abroad are enjoying their lives to the fullest in foreign sanctuaries. Those on the territory continue to face death and loss of shelter even today. Those who fled are languishing in refugee camps; in the forests/bushes; and in precarious abodes east of the Mungo. Thousands of their children have lost their rights to education for four years running in contrast with the children of those abroad.

WHY WOULD THOSE SUFFERING LESS THINK THEY ARE MORE ENTITLED?

Nfor N. Nfor says…

MY DEAR LEADERS,
MY DEAR COMPATRIOTS,

A SOLEMN PATRIOTIC CALL FOR A WIN-WIN FOR AMBAZONIA

This Solemn Patriotic Call coming to you today has been on my heart for quite some time. Not postponed! But the more l have tried to push it off, the more my patriotic conscience haunts me like a good dog aggressively goes after a game in the interest of the master.

My Message to the Berlin Conference organised by the IG in April 2019 gave a clarion call for regular Consultation between the leadership in detention and leadership outside to serve the national interest. It called for selfless leadership that gathers and unifies the citizens for national sovereign redemption. It went further to warn us all that any contradiction or conflict between the two will create chaos, be costly and like was with the Israelites, delay our legitimate and legal Sovereign Restoration drive.
Not ready to give up, since June 2019 when we found ourselves saddled with two IGs l have ceaselessly, in national interest, come to you appealing for Unity of Purpose, Collaboration, and work in synergy to fast track our liberation and Restoration of our National Sovereign Statehood.

As Restorationists we have one common enemy, the foreign aggressor, la Republique du Cameroun who should never be taken for granted. Why? La Republique du Cameroun bad faith beginning with Ahidjou is legendary. Mr Biya has only taken it to greater heights.
As a people defending our inherent identity and politico- legal rights with a common agenda, we may differ in methods of approach, but putting the national interest against self and or group interest, differences in methods of approach should not divide us, let alone turn us into enemies.

To lead is an opportunity to serve the common good. It is not a birth right. And Southern Cameroons( Ambazonia) is a leading democracy in West Africa. And as a democracy emphasis is on servant leadership not on boss leadership. And as a servant leader it is the interest of the people who are supreme that counts and not that of the leader. As visionary as the leader may be, to carry the people with him and execute projects in common interest, there is what l call the 3Ls of political leadership, thus he must Listen to the people, Learn from the people in order to Lead them to be masters of their destiny. In a liberation struggle, the nationalistic clarion call is all hands on the plough. The leader is the unifier, filling and blocking any cracks which can give advantage to the enemy, spies and agents to exploit. My people, the Wimbum say the Fon has a thousand eyes. The thousand eyes are the people who are his eyes and ears. At this stage what is non negotiable and expected from any person claiming to be a leader, at whatever level is inclusion of opinions and actions and not exclusion claiming some divine rights. No! Not this Restorationist struggle brought to this level by the SCNC, SCAPO and AmbRep. The SCNC Mission Statement as enshrined in its Constitution, makes galvanisation of all Southern Cameroonians, irrespective of tribe, gender, social status mandatory. And all legal victories at home and abroad have been in the name and on behalf of the Southern Cameroonians. But today l hear some people talk of Southern Cameroons and the people as if some personal property in their wallets. No! Never shall that be.

As Restorationists, there should be no holy cows among us. There should be no holier thou spirit. Every interest should be protected and every positive act and faithful contribution that can take the struggle forward, even if just by one step and action that inspires, encourages and spurs the people to do one positive thing should be applauded. The right question should be, what has he said or done? And never who has said or done that? Go for the positive message and as a patriot analyse and see what good could be made of. Don’t go for the person or messenger.

As Restorationists facing the vicious enemy, the foreign aggressor who has diabolically imposed neo-apartheid rule on us, there is no room for high ground standing. There is no white horse for some few to ride at the detriment of the many, who brow beaten should swallow your dictates without questioning. No! We should all as servant leaders in humble spirit under the leadership of the Most High by whose infinite wisdom, this land was ordained our eternal heritage, serve the nation for our collective good.

Kindly listen to and meditate on this anecdote.
In the beginning of time man in his effort to understand God’s declaration that His wisdom is in all creation, studied the ants and was amazed at how they collaborate and organize labour especially in the building of their complex chambers, namely, the Anthill. He then decided to test the goats.
He starved two that were pregnant for some time. Convinced that they were sufficiently hungry, he got the two tied on ends of one rope, one facing the south and other the north. Further to the north and south he placed grass, salt and water. For each to reach its own bowl of delicious food, it required more than the normal energy to pull the other. Each pulled and pulled without success. They got tired and exhausted.
After resting a while the goat facing the north, screamed,
“Wait a minute! I have a bright idea!”
“What is the idea?” Asked the one facing the south.
“Let us collaborate and save our energy. We are pregnant and badly need food. This man is a devil. He wants us to drag ourselves to death without even eating food. Our death with our babies will mean the extinction of the goat kingdom. Let us prove to him that we are wiser than he thinks.”
“I agree with you. How do we do it? I am ready.”
” No more dragging. Let us move together to my own bowl, finish eating and move to your own in the south and eat together. That’s what l mean by collaboration. This is to prove to this wicked man that we are not fools and he cannot trick us to drag ourselves to death.”
The two then moved happily to the bowl to the north and south and ate to their satisfaction.

Two things have happened recently in the struggle which if dead to greed and grand standing and well handled we will certainly fast track the legitimate and legal quest for the Restoration. These are the War Draft, and the approach for possible negotiations to end the genocidal war annexationist la Republique du Cameroun declared on Ambazonia on Nov. 30, 2017. The war was declared on Ambazonia and not on an individual or group. The purpose is to declare Southern Cameroons(Ambazonia), which they have failed to francophonise or assimilate in 58 years a conquered territory of la Republique du Cameroun and consolidate the ” one and indivisible Cameroun Republique.” Thanks to the Restoration Forces that have rubbished the Biya evil agenda and made Ambazonia a hard knot to crack. In exceptional patriotism, like Spartans of the Greek Empire, they are the true heroes and heroins of the Restoration struggle. They deserve our maximum collective support and not politicking and meaningless claims of control of this or that.
Nota Bene: the real political thermometer that will bring down the international forces that matter to mount meaningful pressure on Yaounde for the genuine Talks, is the proven invincibility of the RFs and not the diaspora loose talk and empty propaganda, claims and counter claims which paint us negatively.

There is one Ambazonia and one people groaning and being decapitated by neo- apartheid rule. We started well when liberation movements formed SCACUF and developed into an Interim Government (IG) with a defined mission of fast tracking the Restoration drive and taking over Buea, our national capital. As the devil tempted Adam and Eve and they lost their source of spiritual relationship with the Creator, the IG fell from glory and the people are saddled with two rival IGs. These two rival IGs instead of inspiring and building confidence are sapping energy away and opening cracks for the enemy to infiltrate and cause more harm.
Consequently any project instead of being objectively examined on its merit or demerits or what good it can offer and help flush out the enemy sooner than later, it is seen from the perspective of who is behind it or who has launched it. In this spirit each IG sees itself as the legitimate spokesman and or representative of the people. It is now Mr Clean and Mr dirty. There is politicking and the struggle is badly politicized at the detriment of the common man being slaughtered on daily bases like diseased cows, the refugees, the IDPs, and our RFs who are doing a fantastic job with very little, to call.
How does fund raising to improve and equip the RF, assist the refugees and IDPs become an evil simply because of the faces behind it? How does getting involved in exploring prospects for the necessary dialogue, negotiations, or talks to end the genocidal war become an act of sell out simply because of the persons involved? Why should we descend so low into the abyss of treachery where it is either “I or nothing?” “My way or the high way”? Whose interest are we the leaders serving?

I have meditatively read Sisiku AyukTabe’s short message on their contact with la Republique du Cameroun authorities. This was a diplomatic issue. I have equally meditatively examined Dr Sako Samuel’s reaction to Sisiku’s very brief report. Additionally l have listened and reflected on Chris Anu’s audio which castigates the contact. In Chris Anu’s outing he raises a fundamental question which should not be ignored or under looked. He asks, and he has a right to, why Mr Tassang Wilfred and Pa Nfor N. Nfor were not included on the team that met la Republique du Cameroun team? If these two were included would the contact have then been legitimate and acceptable?
However the purpose of bringing this point is to correct an impression. Mr Tassang was one of the four from the Nera 10 to go. But like the first time he declined to go. This he told me himself. And l will be very surprised if Mr Chris Anu or Dr. Sako are unaware of this fact.
Secondly, it was not a meeting for all the Nera 10, but a delegation of four. A delegation cannot be made up of all in the group.
Thirdly from the brief report, it is absolutely wrong and misleading to say that the delegation went for talks or negotiations with la Republique du Cameroun. Negotiations or talks take place in an environment or venue where all the contending parties are present and presided over by a neutral personality with an endorsed mandate to implement the resolutions agreed upon. The venue and the umpire must be agreed by the contending parties. There most also be observers with a mandate to ensure that the talks succeed. And Talks or Negotiations are declared to be successful if and only if the adopted resolutions are respected by the contending parties and implemented.
While not being a judge but a humble patriot of the struggle that l have been, permit me, in national interest state that what has started;
was not negotiations or talks. It is an exploration or consultation between the two contending parties for eventual meeting before a mediator who shall umpire the talks.
Let it be taken as a point of fact that such discrete and sometimes low key exploratory contacts are normal. There were many such contacts with great Nelson Mandela while in prison in South Africa.
That we may not paint ourselves to the international community which we urgently need, as amateurs, let it be known that diplomatic matters are not for propaganda. There are always top secrets. Even the Holy Book states this fact. We must learn and learn fast.
On the other hand are our people wrong to raise eye brows and ask questions? Absolutely not. It is their inherent right to and even to be suspicious. Why?
Bad faith is la Republique du Cameroun’s trade mark. Remember the Banjul Ruling which called for Constructive Dialogue under the Good Offices of the African Commission within 180 days. This was approved in 2009 by the AU Summit, the highest organ of the Continental Body. Mr Biya may just be testing the waters and the negativism amplifying the division and divisionism within our ranks is dangerous signals for our public image.

National sovereignty is not a personal or group interest matter. Matter of destiny belongs to the people. Whoever is speaking for the people should defend their sovereign will. When he is questioned he should in humility give the people the correct answer and listen to their point of view.

The social media should be used to project us as a united people with a mission to take our rightful place within the confluence of free humanity. No divisiveness. No blackmail and backstabbing. No more surrogacy to please an individual or group against the other. No more negativism. All united in legitimate and legal defense of ONE Nation, ONE People, ONE Destiny!

Now balancing the War Draft issue and the diplomatic contact as positive acts in national interest which should not only be applauded but above all handled with maximum care as the way forward to sovereign national Restoration. Why?
1) It is a fact of human history that every international conflict, whether it results into a war of foreign aggression or not, ends up on a negotiation table. As far as the Southern Cameroons(Ambazonia) political conflict with la Republique du Cameroun is concerned, it can only be resolved permanently by UN intervention as happened in Namibia, Eritrea, East Timor, among others. The document submitted to the UNGS last year on behalf of the people, speaks for it self. Any person on diplomatic offensive should dutifully hold that. Just as the War Draft money does not belong to the person God blessed with the idea, this document belongs to the people. All of us have heard of the American Dream which binds all US citizens and leaders. In a nation like in a national struggle, policies, strategies, symbols are referred to with reverence as OUR, not mine or his.
As stated in the submission to the UNSG the Southern Cameroons(Ambazonia) shall be represented by one delegation made up of experts in different fields not just few people. And to pick the right people shall not be left to an individual, worse of all someone behind bars or in the diaspora. With UN intervention there shall be a UN Peace Keeping Force which creating a conducive environment, we shall be free to meet in our Homeland and deliberate as a free people and choose the delegates to the Talks with la Republique du Cameroun umpired by the UN.

Moving Forward From Here.
As a patriotic Restorationists what should be your attitude from here on?
We have all made our mistakes. For a cleansing we should all admit we have individually and collectively sinned against our Fatherland. Having seen where we have gone wrong, we must change and declare “Never Again Will l Be involved or promote acts and statements that Forster Division and Divisionism. This declaration is between you and your God, the Creator who gave us this land our eternal heritage on planet earth.

We must be determined to bury the ugly past and with zeal, faith and determination under the watchful Lord move forward to victory. As a check list before you say a thing, write or do anything, ask yourself;

How does what l want to speak, or do advance and fast track the struggle for the Restoration of the sovereign Statehood of Southern Cameroons(Ambazonia)?
How does what l want say or do convince others and doubting Thomases that l am acting selflessly and that l put the supreme interest of Ambazonia above mine?
How does what l want to say or do, assure my audience that in a national liberation struggle there is no fence for fence sitters, you are either with the people against the enemy or with the enemy against the people? And be mindful of the fact that traitors have their reward both here and the here after.
How does what l want to say, write or do assure my audience that we are not citizens of la Republique du Cameroun and that the drive for national sovereignty is legitimate and anchored on international law thus achievable!
How does what l want to say, write or do inspire people, serve as confidence building and unite the people for a house divided from within can’t over power an invader?
How does what l say, write or do give the international community, which we urgently need, a positive image and win friends for the Restoration drive?
Thank you.

NFOR, N. NFOR
National Chairman (SCNC),
Member of the Nera10,
Prison Principal, Kondengui, Yaounde
04/07/2020

Denis Akemnkeng says…

THE NEGOTIATIONS HELD BY AYUK TABE & CO WITH LRC ON 2 JULY 2020
By Denis Atemnkeng
If LRC is willing to start talking, then it is a welcome development.

But knowing LRC only too well, it is important for Ambazonia not to rush to any conclusions, but to find out what exactly LRC wants to talk about.

It is reported that the subject of the discussion was about a ceasefire, although there was mention of more talks in a neutral country without further details.

If LRC wants to talk not just about a ceasefire but the whole war, then this is a development that Ambazonia should formally welcome as a positive step in the right direction, and remind LRC that war was never necessary in the first place and that the only solution is to meet on the negotiation table.

Those LRC has picked and chosen to talk to know two things: (1) if the talks are about a ceasefire, they of course know that only those who control the fire on the ground can talk about causing it to cease. Ceasefires are not negotiated by those who have no army and no boots on the ground! (2) If the talks are much more than just on a ceasefire, they also know that they cannot represent the 8 million Ambazonians and that no one has chosen them to represent Ambazonia. They have been chosen solely by the enemy and they must humble themselves to admit that that does not qualify them as Ambazonian delegates to any talks.

LRC cannot cross the boundary and pick and choose those to negotiate with on the Ambazonian side. All those posing as facilitators to any talks must know this.

Ambazonia must have the freedom to choose its own delegates to any genuine talks.

The psychology of those held in prison, under maximum detention conditions and possibly brainwashed and subjected to unknown pressures must always be taken into account in these matters. That those who are in prison are under enormous pressures and unknown influences, no one can doubt that. They are naturally soft targets for manipulation and control.

If LRC picks and chooses those to talk to, you can guess who it will choose and why it will do so. If you were the one picking, who will you pick? Will you pick those who are adamant about Ambazonia independence? Will you pick those you cannot manipulate and control? Will you pick those who will give you any headaches on the negotiation table?

And this may perhaps be confirmed by the very fact that Pa Ngala Nfor and Wilfred Tassang have never been among those being invited for discussions! And very, very strangely, those being invited have never insisted that they be part of the discussions! Well, we may not know all the details.

LRC is fully aware of who control soldiers on the ground in Ambazonia; they are fully aware of who gives orders for lockdowns; there is nothing to teach them about the state of affairs in Ambazonia. So why have they decided to pick and choose who to speak to? Is it just one more strategy to cause division among Ambazonians? Can they seriously talk about a ceasefire to those they know control no soldiers on the ground? Your guess is as good as my own.

Our Brothers in prison and those invited to the negotiations ought to know better than anyone else that their circumstances do not permit them to freely represent the eight million Ambazonians bearing the brunt of the war. Their current circumstances do not allow it!

Those being invited ought, out of this realization, to say to LRC: “We are not competent to negotiate on behalf of eight million Ambazonians. We have not been chosen by them to talk on their behalf. We control no troops on the ground. It is for Ambazonia to find its own formula on who will represent it in the talks.”

That they have not yet done so, is probably the psychological condition of incarceration that we have mentioned above. All of them ought to see right away that Ambazonia has not chosen them to speak on their behalf in any talks and especially that they don’t control any fire on GZ. And the God of Ambazonia forbid that they start committing themselves or Ambazonia on any count!

For every negotiation with LRC, the same rule must apply: that Ambazonia will find a formula for representation but not that any individual or individuals will arrogate the right to speak on behalf of the people without their authority to do so.

On the Ambazonian side, these talks are not an occasion for egos to flare up.

This is not an occasion to celebrate that one side has won over the other because a foreign enemy-country has decided to talk to one side and not the other; the enemy or any foreign country must never be the one to choose Ambazonian leaders for its people. We have all said it time and again: Ambazonia must speak for itself! No foreign country will decide the fate of Ambazonia any longer!

This is not an occasion either for self-positioning and jostling. Small egos are hard to control in these circumstances, but Ambazonians who can see beyond themselves should help put things right. We may rightly say that this is an occasion for reconciliation on the Ambazonian side.

This is an occasion to place Ambazonian sovereign independence first; this is an occasion for Ambazonian unity; this an occasion to find a formula for one Ambazonia voice; this is an occasion to avoid all antagonism and politicking; this is an occasion to say to your brother: “We all wanted these talks. Now they are here, what do we do?” Every leader worthy of the name must guard his tongue now and put his ego under control. Words cause war, and create all kinds of disharmony. At this point, we need harmony and mutual understanding for the benefit of Ambazonia, not any attempt by anyone to claim a victory that is not yet in sight.

We are obliged to talk to each other now for the best interest of Ambazonia. Remember what happened in 1961 between Endeley and Foncha? Do you want to sell Ambazonia a second time because of personality clashes? Do you want to miss this opportunity again because of our internal divisions? NO. We do not want to prolong the enslavement and suffering of Ambazonia and its people.

Ambazonians have said it over and over again: they do not care who takes them to Buea. They want to reach Buea. Every Ambazonian in their little corner is doing whatever they can to see freedom. Politicians should not delay their arrival in Buea because they are fighting to claim that they and they alone took Ambazonia to Buea. No. We Ambazonians reject that kind of politics.

Again, the leaders must be reminded: when we reach Buea, the people will choose their leaders by democratic processes. No one should be under the illusion that they will be the ones to be in power when we get to Buea or that they will start another war to get to power.

Sensible leadership calls for Ambazonia to officially welcome the talks, in no abusive or sarcastic terms, but genuinely; to tell LRC that fighting was never welcomed and it could never be the solution. The leadership should tell LRC that history teaches us that only injustice causes war and that once justice and restitution are done, LRC and Ambazonia will be the best of neighbours. Justice and restitution are the only way to have peace between the two neighbours.

We should not indulge in any daydreaming that LRC has finally accepted that this is not an internal matter. By repeatedly asserting that this is an internal matter, LRC thereby denies flat that there was ever any union! A conflict between two parties to a purported union cannot be the internal affair of one of them. But so claims LRC! So we must be on our guard, all the time! Our soldiers must be in heightened alert, even while the talks are going on. It is only on the negotiation table that we will finally know what LRC wants to talk about!

Whether these current talks continue or not, Ambazonia should now work out the formula for representation in any future talks and have it ready. Whichever talks are going to hold and where, Ambazonia should seriously think of the formula for one Ambazonia voice.

Even those who have opposed certain talks and said all kinds of things will want to be part of those talks if after all they happen. Always remember that the fate of Ambazonia concerns all of us, ALL, even those who are willing to kill their fellow Ambazonians because of common disagreements. Let the victory be our common victory, not that of Mr. Y because Mr. X was against the talks. This is NOT the moment to appear in dispersed ranks but to be one solid bloc.

Has the Ambazonian formula for representation towards any future talks been worked out? Let us not be caught unawares. We should do that now! All stakeholders should be included, and let them be the ones to decline to be in the team. When that formula is found, we must have our own discussions before meeting the other side. Make no mistake: this can only be a coalition of the willing.

This is the moment when genuine leaders will distinguish themselves by how clearly they put Ambazonia first; how they bring their egos under control and rally all stakeholders around our common destiny, despite everything that has been said and done in the past.

Forward Ambazonia, backward never.
Long live Ambazonia, short live the struggle.

Pa Tassang says…

Negotiating from Prison: not Another Foumban, not Another Nera *Deacon TASSANG Wilfred* Prison Principale Kondengui

Yaoundé, 04/07/2020

It might seem I write a little too much, but I’d rather write even more than to wait and answer questions from my people as to why I did not communicate when I could. The matter at hand is of paramount importance and nobody who has an opinion should stay mute. “If I had known” will not be excuse enough after things have gone awry.

The outing by my brothers on Thursday, July 02 2020 was not the first, but the second, and for the second time, I refused to go. Is it because I am a sadist, comfortable with prison? No. Is it because I don’t want to facilitate the resolution of the crisis in homeland? No. The solution to the enslavement of our people is why I am in prison and nothing which can be done to solve this problem should be undermined. Negotiating in chains however, is not even an option to be considered, and I have refused to be party to any such acts of deliberate and willful buffoonery. I am sorry for sounding this way, but those who are doing this can in no way be compared to Foncha; these are PhDs, lawyers etc. Is it possible that these brothers don’t know what they are doing? Not with all their learning and all the quotations that they themselves make references to often. For this reason, and because they have told me several times that Mandela negotiated from prison, I want to quote that Mandela on this subject matter, and he said; “Prisoners don’t negotiate….”

On the 16/04/2020, at about dinner time, 5pm, a fellow inmate walked up to me with a piece of paper in hand and said three of my Nera brothers and I were summoned to appear before the Military Prosecutor”. My answer without a second thought was that I was unwell and will not leave the prison. When these people come for us, it is a squad of the dreaded BIR that comes. When I refused, I knew that I could be forced out even by my straps, at gun point. True, I was unwell, but if I were not, would I have gone? This question, my brother, Julius, asked me a few weeks after their outing. My answer to him was a firm “no. I won’t have.” Why?

You all remember how many times you have wanted to know from me if we were discussing with the authorities in Yaoundé and how many times I had replied in the negative. However, I had been expecting that they would come to talk with us since in SED, (especially after it became clear that our abduction achieved the exact opposite of what Yaoundé expected; general escalation) but they didn’t come until now. It is because I was expecting them that I had also taken a stance on what to do when they came. I am perhaps a foolish man, but that is my position. It was, according to me, SCACUF, the Consortium, bad for Balla and Fontem to negotiate from prison; will it now be good for me to go against the grain of my own virtues? If indeed I did wrong in opposing Balla et al from negotiating from prison, I would change. But it was not wrong. It will never be a good thing for captives to negotiate their freedom or freedom for free people, no matter how brave they are. And do I look like a weakling?

A few weeks after that April meeting, I was summoned again to the office of the Superintendent in charge. It is not unusual here, and as an inmate, you answer running. When I reached there, I was ushered to the assistant’s office where some of my brothers were already seated, those who went for the meeting of the 16th. With them was a young man whose names I will withhold. The meeting was about following up on the discussions of the April 16 meeting. Out of decency, I held my peace until the meeting ended. The next day though, in a tripartite meeting with Pa Nfor and AyukTabe, I warned my brother never to ambush me again. If he wanted me to attend any such meetings, then I must be informed a day prior. I let him know, Pa Nfor witnessing, (Pa can deny this if he wishes) that he should not consider my sitting through that charade as endorsement of whatever he was doing.

On Wednesday, July 01, 2020, I received another summons from the Superintendent in charge, and I quickly dashed out. Guess who I met standing outside; this same young man mentioned above. I instantly worked myself into a rage, but by God’s grace, I was able to observe restrain and listen to him. He started talking right out there on the verandah before the Superintendent came to usher us into his office. The young man who calls me Pa and AyukTabe, Uncle, told me he was sent by Tibor Nagy, and that he, Tibor Nagy, was asking that we negotiate with Yaoundé. Thank God for grace. I told him Secretary Nagy should say that to the IG out there, and this fellow despitefully asked me “which IG?” I almost flipped. The young man persisted and even “threatened” to give me his Nagy’s contact. Imagine that! I was telling him I won’t be part of any charade when my brothers, Eyambe and AyukTabe walked in. I restated it very firmly, letting it be known that I am not part of this drama and that I did not in anyway encourage it. I stormed out fuming and almost collided with the Superintendent who was stepping in. I told him I was done and rushed away.

I am conscious of my humanity (possibility of weakness) and will not allow this to influence what I do from this prison. My body aches from the discomfort of my prison duplexed bunk. I yearn to see my family too, even if homeland is not yet restored. I left my little daughter who would not eat if daddy were not by her. She wants to eat daddy’s stew again. More than anyone else, I want to see this war come to an end. I want to be free to talk to my people without inhibitions. Oh how I want to come out of here! Even with all these yearnings, I can’t afford to “make erreur”, especially as it became clear in that first meeting with the young man, that his main concern was getting his Uncle freed. He wept when stating this; “Uncle what are you doing here?” Well, don’t we all want our freedom? I will be first to step out of these walls when the gates fall apart, make no error about that, and this, I have told my brother, Julius.

Today, one of the lawyers I hitherto admired, (Barr. Ayuketang) on account of his rugged courage and tenacity, wrote an endorsement of AyukTabe’s outings in chains, and I quote Art.6 of his release; he holds that the invitation of AyukTabe by Yaoundé means “That Sisiku AyukTabe is recognised as the legitimate leader and face of the Ambazonian struggle for independence.” Nothing can be more preposterous, and disgraceful to the black robe and white wig. It is basic knowledge that whoever the enemy has preference for in matters like this should be considered the “weak link” and should be kept aside going forward. That Yaoundé runs away from those who give orders on the ground to talk to harmless, but desperate people in chains should tell even AyukTabe that he has been identified as the weak link. What does one do in search a situation? In civilised cultures, anybody in AyukTabe’s position will back off. Worse, can you imagine that the British Premier will linger for a day at 10 Downing if he had his cabinet kidnapped by the enemy even if he were not guilty of negligence? How do we acquire these huge certificates and not acquire culture and good manners? How do we lay claim to so much knowledge and yet not know that we are all so limited? Is not humility a hallmark of a genuine intellectual? Or, is there a noose hanging over somebody’s head?

Now, for more clarity, I want us to consider the list of those who were chosen by the enemy to attend the meetings, especially that of Wednesday the 2nd; Mancho Bibixy, Penn Terrence, Rev. Fritz Takang aka Bush Hunter, Ngome, all from Central Prison. Are not these gentlemen, particularly Mancho, and Rev. Takang, certified for having turned their backs on the struggle for homeland restoration? Haven’t they written letters of apology to the La Republique government, begging to be given back their liberty? Is this not a clear sign that Yaoundé is treating this matter as their internal affair? Another national dialogue? The Adhoc Committee negotiations with teachers was even better because we, the union leaders, determined those who came to sit with us to face the government. Is it really true that the belligerent country can determine those it negotiates with from the country it is at war with? No. Except of course that they are in chains and or, are spoilers, or worse still, that, as is the case, Yaoundé wants to use the said willing collaborators to create confusion and stall progress on negotiations.

Let us for one moment imagine that we were superhumans, and that by some magic, the people trusted us, prisoners; and that all the things that happened did not happen; let us assume for a moment that AyukTabe did not press his “reset button,” and that there were no clouds hanging over the Nera Hotel kidnappings, and that we are in perfect unity. If AyukTabe were truly the President, and had to go for negotiations or pre-whatever in Yaoundé, would he not choose those to go with him? How does it even happen that the president will go for any such thing? Will he not commission a team that will come back to report to him? In the circumstances, (and even if I now am truly worried about Chairman Nfor) is there a possibility that any such delegation will not have Pa Nfor amongst? “More importantly, in this delicate matter bothering on the (International) Law, seeing that these are inmates, shouldn’t AyukTabe have insisted on taking his counsel or counsels along, the same to speak for him before and after the event?
Let me state here categorically, and if Pa wants, let him disown me again, that he, Pa Nfor was kept totally in the dark. When AyukTabe called me and Pa Nfor weeks after the April 16 nocturnal outing, he, AyukTabe stated that the report he was giving then had not been given even to Pa Nfor. Was he therefore doing me a great favour, or was he despising the old man publicly? When they went out on the evening of July 02, Pa Nfor came to have a word with me and I asked to know if he was aware that a delegation had left the prison for “negotiations”? As true as it was raining at that hour, Pa said he was not aware. AyukTabe did not even tell him that his nephew came the previous day with a message from a certain Tibor Nagy. So who does AyukTabe talk to? Who does he consult? Who does he give account to? Are you overwhelmed? I am much more so. And how come that we are seeing only the names of prisoner negotiators? Why is the list of the government party kept a secret? Who does it benefit that the government party is kept top secret? Is it because, as French media are relaying, a certain Prof. Maurice Kamto, the legal wizard from La Republique, was sitting in with his brothers, those who are committing genocide in Ambazonia? Or is it because the other party was made up of soldiers? Is La Republique now run by a military junta? Why is no one saying publicly that an agreement was reached for La Republique to pull away its troops to barracks only, contrary to what the struggle has asked as confidence building measures viz that the occupying country should simply pull away its troops from the territory? So the #Ngarbuh and #Nyen garrisons will still be there? Is this not giving in too much. How could it be otherwise when prisoners are dragged to talks? As a syndicate leader, I can tell you that whenever the term “negotiations” is mentioned, what comes to mind first is “giving and taking.” Therefore, one must not walk into any negotiations from a position of weakness. Did my brothers sit at the table from a position of strength? Answer? No. The aggrieved party must raise the stakes extremely very high at the beginning of all discussions. Was this so on the 2nd? Answer? No. At the very first request for concession, the prisoners gave in. Isn’t that normal under the circumstances?

When I look back, and when I consider my generation, I come to the conclusion that we have no reason whatsoever to judge Foncha and Muna; these were over-anxious, humble primary school teachers, probably overwhelmed by recent electoral victory over Endeley. History has it that prior to Foumban, Dr. Endeley did request that they sit down and prepare for the negotiations and to go together, but nay, Foncha will have none of this. He had won elections and by this, was “qualified” to represent the Southern Cameroons. Right? Did winning elections confer on Foncha the required wisdom and skills needed to negotiate with La Republique and France? Certainly not. All it gave him was the mandate to organise and coordinate. I remember in the DIA in Nigeria, President AyukTabe prided himself of his new status; he too had been arrested and detained, he said. What would Akwanga now say? He asked. So, and probably, this imprisonment thing is a new feather, a badge of honour as it were, and better qualifies him to lead. If imprisonment as a sacrifice, qualifies one to negotiate, shall we not also think that those who have paid the supreme sacrifice of death should be exhumed and brought to negotiate on account of the price they have paid and the highest expertise acquired by dying for the cause? Or is it that abduction at Nera Hotel qualifies one as an expert negotiator much more? As for me, I don’t need Mandela to tell me that “Prisoners don’t negotiate”, and that only free men should, for I know indeed that, only free men, suffering no inhibitions, should negotiate for freedom.

While it is true that pressure is really high on Yaoundé to report to the table of dialogue, I think that Yaoundé is not yet fully repentant. Are not their atrocities on the increase? Their present nightmare is the ongoing War Draft. In initiating this charade, Yaoundé certainly thinks that it will dampen the zeal to draft seeing that the matter is being “handled already.” Shame on childish pranks!

In 2020, we cannot afford to accommodate another Foncha even if they come with a thousand PhDs and glide in the most colourful “professoral” robes. Anxiety or treachery veiled in smart uncoached declarations cannot be tolerated anymore. Those Ambazonia is called to deal with today are nolonger “our brothers;” they are “our enemies.” Another Foncha shall not rise. Another Foumban shall not take place. The yet to start negotiations shall not be abducted.

It is no secret that when Yaoundé got us kidnapped, the ransom they wanted or want in exchange for our freedom is the homeland. It is no secret that when its court sentenced us without trial to life jail, the intention was to cause us to become weak and desperate, so that we may danse Bikutsi from their xylophones even when this is played on the wrong key. I will not danse this dance. I refuse to be weak; I refuse to be desperate. My children are better off without a father than have a name that haunts them for generations. I will not be anathema and my generations will not be.

This struggle shall not last.

God bless Ambazonia.