Misplaced Pages

#180819

23-673: The KNDP was formed in 1955 by John Ngu Foncha . The party initially sought a close relationship with the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon of Cameroun and in the early days contained a number of UPC members who had fled persecution in the French zone. However whilst Foncha supported autonomy for the South this was rejected by the UPC who wanted full reunification. The KNDP ended their relationship with

46-427: A Cameroonian politician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Southern Cameroons National Council The Southern Cameroons National Council ( SCNC ) is a political organisation seeking the independence of the former anglophone Southern Cameroons from the predominantly francophone Republic of Cameroon (République du Cameroun) and achieving the unification with neighbouring Nigeria . It

69-739: A faction formally declared the Republic of Ambazonia and a military wing known as the Southern Cameroon Peoples Organization (SCAPO) begun activity. In 2007, this group claimed responsibility for an attack on the Cameroonian military in Bakassi . International recognition remained limited although the group became part of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in 2006. In 2009,

92-638: A result, multiple international offices and branches of the SCNC have opened and engaged in political activities. In 2001, a group of exile-SCNC-members founded a so-called "South Cameroon's Embassy" in the German town of Frankfurt . The group boycotted the 2002 municipal elections in Cameroon and the 2004 presidential election . The government has continued with "arbitrary and unlawful" detention of members, often with mass arrests at peaceful gatherings. In 2006,

115-401: A return to autonomy. The Southern Cameroons National Council was the elected body in charge of organising SCPC efforts with the initial chairman being Sam Ekontang Elad. In 1995, the SCNC rose to political prominence with a host of efforts to push for secession of the anglophone Southern Cameroons from the country of Cameroon. The government of Cameroon was finishing its application to join

138-568: A shutdown of SCNC activities and Fossung taking a low profile. In response to this, in April 1998 a small faction elected Esoka Ndoki Mukete, a high-ranking member of the Social Democratic Front , as the new chair of the SCNC. The decision was opposed by Fossung and the powerful SCNC-North America and the result was paralysis of the organisation. The divisive council remained over much of 1998 and early 1999 until October 1999 when

161-443: Is a non-violent organisation with the motto "The force of argument, not the argument of force." Because the SCNC advocates secession from Cameroon, it has been declared an illegal organisation by the government of Paul Biya . Security forces regularly interrupt SCNC meetings, arresting members and typically detaining them for several days before release. After achieving independence in the 1960s, Cameroon took territorial control over

184-625: The African Union (AU), with support from Muammar Gaddafi , began considering efforts regarding the SCNC call for independence. However, in late 2009, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights rejected the SCNC's petition and slowed the efforts by the group in the AU. The 2012 Amnesty International Report on Cameroon found that the security forces continue to disrupt SCNC activities. In February 2011, Chief Ayamba Ette Otun

207-636: The Commonwealth of Nations and the SCNC organised a number of publicity activities to oppose this inclusion. In August 1995, the SCNC petitioned the UN to intervene and mediate between them and the government of Cameroon warning that a lack of intervention would create "another Somalia". In October 1995, the SCNC publicised a plan schedule of work for an eventual declaration of independence. These political activities resulted in significant disruption by police and security forces. In 1996, Chair Elad resigned and

230-845: The All Anglophone Conference formed pushing for a return to the autonomy provided to the Southern Cameroons under the federal system. In 1994, the Bamenda Declaration of large members of the AAC decided to work toward secession rather than autonomy. This resulted the next year in the creation of the Southern Cameroon People's Conference (SCPC) formed as an umbrella organisation bringing together student, trade organisations, and political organisations committed to independence, rather than

253-698: The Federal Republic of Cameroon . He held the latter title until 1970. In 1994, he led a delegation of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) to the United Nations to request its backing of the movement's drive for greater autonomy in Cameroon's two English-speaking provinces . His grandson is Jean-Christian Foncha. He died in Bamenda on 10 April 1999 at the age of 82. This article about

SECTION 10

#1732773151181

276-826: The KNDP in a weaker position, particularly with regards to the UC which was the only effective party in the East. However before long KNDP dominance became as complete when both the CPNC and the CUC were absorbed by the KNDP. Finally the two dominant parties merged into one, the Cameroonian National Union , in 1966 and almost immediately this group became the sole party in a unitary state. In 1990 Victorin Hameni Bieleu mooted

299-598: The KNDP in what became known as West Cameroon and the Cameroon Union (UC) in East Cameroon established their respective hegemonies. However whilst Ahmadou Ahidjo and the UC enjoyed full control in the East, the KNDP initially did not enjoy the same levels of endorsement, their 78% of the vote in 1964 parliamentary elections some way behind the 98% won by the UC. Foncha was forced to relinquish his position as Prime Minister of West Cameroon in 1965 when he

322-701: The UPC in 1957 and the Francophone party were banned in the British territory. The party also split from the Kamerun National Congress (of which Foncha had previously been a member) and the two parties became bitter rivals over the KNC's support for incorporation into Nigeria . The KNDP's stance proved the most popular and they won the legislative elections in 1959, forcing the KNU into opposition. As

345-420: The area of formerly British-administered Southern Cameroons and adopted a federal structure giving some autonomy to the former British area as the federated state of West Cameroon . In 1972 President Ahmdou Ahidjo through a fraudulent referendum terminated the federal system, in favour of a unitary state. When Biya came to power in 1982, he continued centralising power and created a single-party state. In 1993,

368-530: The governing party they supported a united independent Cameroon but one organised along federal lines and this was endorsed by a referendum in 1961. As a result E. M. L. Endeley 's Cameroon People's National Convention (CPNC), which supported the Nigeria, emerged as the main source of opposition to KNDP hegemony, with attempts by the KNDP to absorb the party floundering due to personality clashes. Following independence, democracy largely receded in Cameroon as

391-407: The government found multiple members guilty in the 1997 trial. Although the faction led by Fossung opposed a unilateral declaration of independence, the faction led by Mukete became more assertive. While Mukete was officially travelling abroad, a small group took over Radio Buea and proclaimed the establishment of Southern Cameroons as an independent and legal political force. Mukete's role in the SCNC

414-472: The possibility of re-establishing the KNDP and contacted Foncha with a view to securing his support. However this did not prove forthcoming and so the plans were shelved in favour of Bieleu forming his own party the Union of Democratic Forces of Cameroon. John Ngu Foncha John Ngu Foncha (21 June 1916 – 10 April 1999) was a Cameroonian politician, who served as 5th Prime Minister of Cameroon . Foncha

437-480: Was arrested while travelling through the country. He was released soon afterwards without charge. In October 2011, a meeting in Buea was disrupted and 50 members were arrested and released without charge days later. In June 2014, longtime SCNC Chairman Chief Ayamba Ette Otun died aged 91; the current Chairman is Dr. Peter Forchu Chesami . On 31 March 2019, the SCNC and several Ambazonian movements agreed to create

460-573: Was born in Bamenda . He founded the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) in 1955 and became Premier of the British Cameroons on 1 February 1959. He held that position until 1 October 1961, when the region, renamed West Cameroon , merged into a federation with Francophone Cameroon. From 1 October 1961 to 13 May 1965, Foncha concurrently served as 5th Prime Minister of Cameroon and Vice-President of

483-511: Was elected Vice-President to Ahidjo on a joint ticket as the Constitution of Cameroon stated that both offices could not be held simultaneously. As a consequence Augustine Ngom Jua was chosen as the new prime minister, although not before a round of bitter in-fighting which saw Solomon Tandeng Muna , who had been an important figure in the foundation of the KNDP, split away to form his own Cameroon United Congress (CUC). Initially this put

SECTION 20

#1732773151181

506-424: Was reduced and multiple members, including the leadership were arrested. In 2000, the SCNC resolved the leadership dispute by electing Frederick Ebong Alobwede the new chairman and considered him the first President of the Southern Cameroons. Repression of the group increased significantly in 2001 when the organisation was declared illegal and clashes with police at a demonstration resulted in multiple deaths. As

529-399: Was replaced by Henry Fossung. Activities were routinely disrupted by police and plans for independence were scuttled consistently. March 1997 produced the arrest of 200 supporters for a supposed attack on security forces in Bamenda . In the trials for the 200, Amnesty International and the SCNC found substantive evidence of admissions through torture and force. The raid and trial resulted in

#180819