English, Language Of The Oppressed in Anglophone Cameroon
Cameroon Africa Anglophone
The Anglophone Problem is increasingly dominating the political agenda of Cameroon. Cameroon is a literally linguistically and legally divided African country; here lies the root of the Anglophone or English-speaking problem.
English is the language of the oppressed in Cameroon because Cameroon is dominated by the French language.
The Anglophone or English-speaking problem.
Cameroon Anglophone problem, what is it?
The Anglophone Problem is increasingly dominating
the political agenda of Cameroon but, the Anglophone problem, what is it? In 2016
and 2017 protests by English-speaking Cameroonians, who have complained of
marginalization in the largely French-speaking country are growing in number.
Between the majority French-speaking regions and
minority English-speaking regions, it has come to the fore in recent months,
with widespread protests, an internet blackout and several deaths. Eight of the
10 regions in Cameroon are French speaking and use a legal system based on
French law. The remaining two regions, Northwest and Southwest are English-speaking
regions where the courts use British common law.
According to the country’s constitution, both
English and French are official languages and hold the same status. But the
majority of government, business and administration is executed in French. Cameroon’s
President Paul Biya in power since 1982 rarely speaks English in public and
residents of the English-speaking regions have long complained of political and
economic marginalization.
The Law Protests
Lawyers in Bamenda, the capital of Northwest
region of Cameroon, took to the streets in November 2016 to protest against the
alleged imposition of French courts in the Anglophone region. Teachers also
called sit-in protests in Northwest and Southwest regions. Cameroon has two parallel schooling systems one English-speaking, one French speaking and the English-speaking teachers have complained that French speakers with poor English skills were being hired in English-speaking schools.
In December 2016, four people were reportedly
killed when security forces used live bullets and tear gas to disperse an
alleged protest in Bamenda, around 100 people were arrested during the
demonstrations, which saw clashes with security forces. The protesters were
reportedly demanding the release of people arrested on suspicion of setting
fire to a French speaking school.
Teachers Boycott
Southern Cameroonian English-speaking teachers boycotted
the General Certificate Examinations (GCE), boycotts are known as ghost towns
in Cameroon. The GCE is regarded as a political, during June examinations it
was reported security was present at the eight testing centers with some men in
uniform seen patrolling campuses with guns. Registration of
students and pupils for the new 2017/2018 academic year in Southern Cameroons
has remained very slow as the protest enters its 11th month.
Teacher exams are not the only issue with the government.
Cameroon’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued a statement on
January 16, 2017 warning social media users that they could face “criminal
penalties” should they be found to be involved in “issuing or spreading false
news” on social media. Authorities also sent text messages to Cameroonians,
warning of two-year prison sentences for those found to be publishing
information “that you can’t prove” on social media.
Human Rights Violations
Human rights organizations have been critical of
the Cameroonian government’s response to the protests. Following the January 17
arrest of two leading figures in the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society
Consortium, a leading English-speaking group Amnesty International accused the
government of “inflaming an already tense situation” and attempting to “muzzle
dissent.”
“This worrying pattern of arbitrary arrests,
detention and harassment of civil society members is entirely at odds with the
international human rights law and standards that Cameroon has committed to
uphold,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Central Africa researcher at the NGO.
In January 2017, it was reported President Paul
BIYA requested the release of all Southern Cameroon detainee protesters however
most remain incarcerated in undisclosed locations, many believe the prisoners
are held right under the noses of high-ranking Cameroonian military officials.
August 2017 a disturbing video was released of arrested protesters held in pitch-black
cells with little food or water.
