Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of theCameroons | |||||||||||
1916–1961 | |||||||||||
The Southern Cameroons now constitute theSouthwest RegionandNorthwest Region. | |||||||||||
Capital | Buea | ||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||
• 1987 | 42,710 km2(16,490 sq mi) | ||||||||||
Population | |||||||||||
• 1987 | 2,100,000 | ||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
1916 | |||||||||||
• Federated withFrench Cameroons | 1 October 1961 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Today part of | Cameroon |
TheSouthern Cameroonswas the southern part of theBritishLeague of Nations mandateterritory of theBritish CameroonsinWest Africa.Since 1961, it has been part of the Republic ofCameroon,where it makes up theNorthwest RegionandSouthwest Region.Since 1994, pressure groups in the territory claim there was no legal document (treaty of union) in accordance to UNGA RES 1608(XV) paragraph 5, and are seeking to restore statehood and independence from the Republic. They renamed the British Southern Cameroons asAmbazonia(fromAmbas Bay).
History
[edit]League of Nations mandate
[edit]Following theTreaty of Versailles,the German territory ofKamerunwas divided on June 28, 1919, between a French and a BritishLeague of Nations Mandate,the French, who had previously administered the whole occupied territory, getting the larger. The French mandate was known as Cameroun. The British mandate comprised two adjacent territories, Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. They were administered from, but not joined to, the British territory ofNigeriathrough the BritishResident(although some incumbents had the rank ofDistrict Officer,Senior Resident or Deputy Resident) with headquarters inBuea.
Applying the principle ofindirect rule,the British allowed native authorities to administer populations according to their own traditions. These also collected taxes, which were then paid over to the British. The British devoted themselves to trade and to exploiting mining resources of the territory. South Cameroons students, includingEmmanuel Mbela Lifafa Endeley,created the Cameroons Youth League (CYL) on 27 March 1940, to oppose what they saw as the exploitation of their country.
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Delegates to the Bamenda conference on the future constitution of Southern Cameroons in front of the Bamenda social centre in May 1956.
Trust territory
[edit]When theLeague of Nationsceased to exist in 1946, most of the mandate territories were reclassified asUN trust territories,henceforth administered through theUN Trusteeship Council.The object of trusteeship was to prepare the lands for eventual independence. The United Nations approved the Trusteeship Agreements for British Cameroons to be governed by Britain on 6 December 1946.
Southern Cameroons was divided in 1949 into two provinces: Bamenda (capitalBamenda,hence also thus named) and Southern (capitalBuea). Yet the residential type of administration was continued with a single British Resident at Buea, but in 1949 Edward John Gibbons was appointedSpecial Resident,and on 1 October 1954, when political power shifted to the elected government, succeeded himself as first of only twocommissioners.
Following the Ibadan General Conference of 1950, a new constitution for Nigeria devolved more power to the regions. In the subsequent election thirteen Southern Cameroonian representatives were elected to theEastern NigerianHouse of Assembly inEnugu.In 1953, however, the Southern Cameroons representatives, unhappy with the domineering attitude of Nigerian politicians and lack of unity among the ethnic groups in the Eastern Region, declared a "benevolent neutrality" and withdrew from the assembly. At a conference inLondonfrom 30 July to 22 August 1953, the Southern Cameroons delegation asked for a separate region of its own. The British agreed, and Southern Cameroons became an autonomous region with its capital still at Buea. Elections were held in 1954 and the parliament met on 1 October 1954, withE.M.L. Endeleyas Premier. As Cameroun and Nigeria prepared for Independence, South Cameroons nationalists debated whether their best interests lay with union with Cameroun, union with Nigeria or total independence. Endeley was defeated in elections on 1 February 1959 byJohn Ngu Foncha.
Referendums were held in1959and1961in the Cameroons to determine union with Nigeria or Cameroun. In 1961, Northern Cameroons voted for union with Nigeria and Southern Cameroons for union with (the formerly French) Cameroun.
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Augustine N. Jua's cabinet, 1965.
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Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucesterand his spousePrincess Alice, Duchess of Gloucesterin Buea, 1959.
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Map of the Southern Cameroons consisting of 4 Divisins (1930): Victoria, Kumba, Mamfe and Bamenda.[2]
Ambazonian independence movement
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Flag_of_the_Federal_Republic_of_Southern_Cameroons.svg/220px-Flag_of_the_Federal_Republic_of_Southern_Cameroons.svg.png)
Southern Cameroons became part of Cameroon on 1 October 1961. Foncha served as Prime Minister of West Cameroun and vice-president of the Federal Republic of Cameroun. However, the English-speaking peoples of the Southern Cameroons (now West Cameroun) did not believe that they were fairly treated by the French-speaking government of the country. Following a referendum on 20 May 1972, a new constitution was adopted in Cameroun which replaced thefederalstate with aunitary state.Southern Cameroons lost its autonomous status and became the Northwest Province and Southwest Province of the Republic of Cameroun. The Southern Cameroonians felt further marginalised. Groups such as the Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM) demanded greater autonomy, or independence, for the provinces.[citation needed]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/AKAONE.png/220px-AKAONE.png)
Pro-independence groups claim that UN Resolution 1608 21 April 1961, which required the UK, the Government of the Southern Cameroons and Republic of Cameroun to engage in talks with a view to agreeing measures for union of the two countries, was not implemented, and that the Government of the United Kingdom was negligent in terminating its trusteeship without ensuring that proper arrangements were made. They say that the adoption of a federal constitution by Cameroun on 1 September 1961 constitutedannexationof the Southern Cameroons.
Representatives of Anglophone groups convened the first All Anglophone Conference (AAC1) in Buea from 2 April to 3 April 1993. The conference issued the "Buea Declaration", which called for constitutional amendments to restore the 1961 federation. This was followed by the second All Anglophone Conference (AAC2) inBamendain 1994. This conference issued the "Bamenda Declaration", which stated that if the federal state was not restored within a reasonable time, Southern Cameroons would declare its independence. The AAC was renamed the Southern Cameroons Peoples Conference (SCPC), and later the Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation (SCAPO), with theSouthern Cameroons National Council(SCNC) as the executive governing body. Younger activists formed the Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL) in Buea on 28 May 1995. The SCNC sent a delegation, led by John Foncha, to the United Nations, which was received on 1 June 1995 and presented a petition against the 'annexation' of the Southern Cameroons by French Cameroun. This was followed by a signature referendum the same year, which the organisers claim produced a 99% vote in favour of independence with 315,000 people voting.[4]
Armed members of the SCNC took over the Buea radio station in Southwest Province on the night of 30 December 1999 and in the early hours of 31 December broadcast a tape of aproclamation of independenceread by Judge Ebong Frederick Alobwede.
Amnesty Internationalhas accused the Cameroun authorities of human right violations against Southern Cameroons activists.
Southern Cameroons, since then renamed to Ambazonia, is a member of theUnrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization(UNPO) since 2005 and a charter member of the Organization of Emerging African States (OEAS).
Ambazonia County | ||||||||
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County | Capital | Area (km2)[5] | ||||||
Fako | Victoria | 2,093 | ||||||
Meme | Kumba | 3,105 | ||||||
Ndian | Mundemba | 6,626 | ||||||
Kupe-Manengouba | Bangem | 3,404 | ||||||
Lebialem | Menji | 617 | ||||||
Manyu | Mamfe | 9,565 | ||||||
Momo | Mbengwi | 1,792 | ||||||
Mezam | Bamenda | 1,745 | ||||||
Ngo-Ketundjia | Ndop | 1,126 | ||||||
Builand | Kumbo | 2,297 | ||||||
Boyo | Fundong | 1,592 | ||||||
Menchum | Wum | 4,469 | ||||||
Mantungia | Nkambe | 4,279 |
State | Capital | Area (km2) | Population (2015)[6][7] |
---|---|---|---|
Equatoria (Atlantic) | Kumba | 15,228 | 2,618,138 |
Midland | Widikum | 13,719 | 2,454,795 |
Savannah | Kumbo | 13,763 | 2,733,032 |
F.R.A. | Buea | 42, 710 | 7,805,965 |
Complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights
[edit]On 9 January 2003, the SCNC and SCAPO filed a complaint with theAfrican Commission on Human and Peoples' Rightsagainst the Republic of Cameroun.[8]Among other allegations, the complainants alleged that the Republic of Cameroun is illegally occupying the territory of Southern Cameroons. The Complainants alleged that the Republic of Cameroon has violated Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(1), 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17(1), 19, 20, 21, 22, 23(1), 24 of the African Charter.[9]The SCNC and SCAPO ultimately seek the independence of the territory of Southern Cameroons.[10]In a decision reached at its 45th Ordinary Session on May 27, 2009,[11]the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights found that the Republic of Cameroun has violated Articles 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7(1), 10, 11, 19 and 26 the Charter. The Human Rights Commission determined that Articles 12, 13, 17(1), 20, 21, 22, 23(1) and 24 have not been violated.
The Human Rights Commission further recognized that under the African Charter and broad international law, Southern Cameroons meets the definition of a "people" under international law "because they manifest numerous characteristics and affinities, which include a common history, linguistic tradition, territorial connection, and political outlook". The Human Rights Commission declared itself incompetentrationae temporis,to rule on allegations that occurred prior to 18 December 1989, date on which the African Charter came into force for the Respondent State (Republic of Cameroun). Hence, the Human Rights Commission declared itself incompetent to rule on the complainants' allegations with respect to events that occurred from the 1961 United Nations plebiscite to 1972 when the Federal and Union Constitutions were adopted to form the United Republic of Cameroon during which the Complainants claim the Respondent State (Republic of Cameroun) "...established its colonial rule there, complete with its structures, and its administrative, military and police personnel, applying a system and operating in a language alien to the Southern Cameroon." The Human Rights Commission stated, however, that, if the Complainants can establish that any violation committed before 18 December 1989 continued thereafter, then the Commission shall have competence to examine it.
The Human Rights Commission addressed the question, whether the people of Southern Cameroons are entitled to the right toself-determinationcontextualizing the question by dealing, not with the 1961 UN Plebiscite, or the 1972 Unification, but rather the events of 1993 and 1994 on the constitutional demands vis-à-vis the claim for the right to self-determination of the Southern Cameroonian people. The Human Rights Commission stated that to invoke Self Determination as prescribed by Article 20 the African Charter, the Complainant must satisfy the Commission that the two conditions under Article 20(2), namely oppression and domination have been met. Based on events that occurred after December 18, 1989, the Human Rights Commission noted that the Complainants have not demonstrated if these conditions have been met to warrant invoking the right to self-determination. The Human Rights Commission also noted that in their submission, the Respondent State (Republic of Cameroun) implicitly accepted that self-determination may be exercisable by the Complainants on condition that they establish cases of massive violations of human rights or denial of participation in public affairs.
The Human Rights Commission noted that autonomy within a sovereign state is acceptable, in the context of self-government, confederacy, or federation while preserving the territorial integrity of a State party, can be exercised under the African Charter.
The Human Rights Commission recommended that the Respondent State (Republic of Cameroun) should among other things enter into constructive dialogue with the Complainants, and in particular SCNC and SCAPO, to resolve the constitutional issues, as well as grievances.
Leadership
[edit]No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Election | Term of office | Political party | President | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
Premier of British Southern Cameroons | ||||||||
1 | ![]() |
E. M. L. Endeley (1916–1988) |
1957 | 1 October1954 | 1 February1959 | 4 years, 153 days | KNC | |
2 | ![]() |
John Ngu Foncha (1916–1999) |
1959 | 1959 | 1 October1961 | 2 years, 212 days | KNDP | |
Prime Minister of West Cameroon (Federal Republic of Cameroon)[12] | ||||||||
1 | ![]() |
John Ngu Foncha (1916–1999) |
1964 | 1 October1961 | 13 May1965 | 3 years, 224 days | KNDP | Ahidjo |
2 | ![]() |
Augustine Ngom Jua (1929–1977) |
— | 13 May1965 | 1 September1966 | 2 years, 243 days | KNDP | |
(2) | 1 September1966 | 11 January1968 | UNC | |||||
3 | ![]() |
Salomon Tandeng Muna (1912–2002) |
1970 | 11 January1968 | 2 June1972 | 4 years, 143 days | UNC |
Bakassi Peninsula
[edit]Following theInternational Court of Justiceruling of 10 October 2002 that sovereignty over theBakassi peninsularested with Cameroon, SCAPO claimed that Bakassi was, in fact, part of the territory of Southern Cameroons. In 2002, SCAPO took the Nigerian government to the Federal High Court inAbujato require it to take a case before the International Court of Justice to establish the right of the people of the Southern Cameroons to self-determination. The court ruled in their favour on 5 March 2002. On 14 August 2006, Nigeria handed over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon. SCAPO responded by proclaiming the independence of the Republic of Ambazonia, to include the territory of Bakassi.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"West Cameroon Constitution".
- ^"West Kamerun Map".11 May 2022.
- ^"States".AmbazoniaGov.
- ^Southern Cameroons Peoples Organisation websiteArchived2007-09-27 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Departments of Cameroon".Statoids, obtained from Institut national de la statistique (Cameroun) - Annuaire statistique du Cameroun 2004.RetrievedApril 6,2009.
- ^"Population of Ambazonia".
- ^"Interim Constitution of the SCA-IG"(PDF).
- ^registered as Communication n° 266/2003 Re: Kevin Ngwane Ngumne and Co., acting on their behalf and on behalf of SCNC/SCAPO and the Southern Cameroons versus the State of Cameroon
- ^"African [Banjul] Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, adopted June 27, 1981, OAU Doc. CAB/LEG/67/3 rev. 5, 21 I.L.M. 58 (1982), entered into force Oct. 21, 1986: [excerpts]..".umn.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 10 November 2015.Retrieved8 November2015.
- ^"Southern Cameroons: The Banjul Communiqué".Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.2005-05-23.Retrieved2009-04-27.
- ^"THE BANJUL VERDICT".Google Docs.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2012.Retrieved8 November2015.
- ^"Index E"(PDF).jstor.org.JSTOR45193813.
- ^Administrator."Government of Ambazonia"(PDF).ambazonia.org.Archived(PDF)from the original on 5 March 2016.Retrieved8 November2015.
Sources and external links
[edit]- SCNC official websiteArchived2019-12-16 at theWayback Machine
- WorldStatesmen - Cameroon
- States and territories established in 1916
- States and territories disestablished in 1961
- Southern Cameroons
- Former British protectorates
- History of Ambazonia
- League of Nations mandates
- United Nations trust territories
- British Cameroon
- Former British colonies and protectorates in Africa
- Members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
- 1922 establishments in Africa
- 1961 disestablishments in Africa
- English-speaking countries and territories