Cameroonian President Paul Biya marks 40 years in power Few images remain of Ahmadou Ahidjo, the man who brought Cameroon into independence in 1960 following claims that the current regime headed by Paul Biya has made all efforts to erase any visual or . So the YES vote for union with La Republique du Cameroun was not legally binding. The most important UN Resolutions on the Southern Cameroons in chronological order are: * Resolution 338 XI banning public corporal punishment within the territory: from this resolution, the popular 25 lashes were henceforth given as punishment inside a house, no more in the public view. The brutal conflict unfolded in Cameroon, which on January 1 marks its 60th anniversary of independence the first of 17 African countries that became free from their colonial masters in 1960. Independence Day Observances Showing: Independence Day in Cameroon has not been observed since 2017. Expert Answers: French Cameroon achieved independence on January 1, 1960 as La Rpublique du Cameroun. He says the best option for Cameroon is a federal state, a concept the government rejects in favor of decentralization. "France would never allow a Paul Biya monument to be dedicated in the country. The option . 2. The territory it claims are the western, Anglophone regions of Cameroon, the former Southern Cameroons which in 1961 voted to become independence from the United Kingdom and federate with the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon, which had gained its own independence the year before. Presidential mandates limited to two. Vox pop: When Will The Southwest And Northwest Regions Be Linked By Road? By contrast, a referendum is a vote to authorize to take a decision to do something: the two procedures are not substitutive. There two kinds of federation: aggregative and segregative. The statue's head disappeared in April of this year. On 10 April 1960, presidential elections took place: the president was elected by the Deputes at the National Assembly. La Republique du Cameroun has been brandishing its de facto bilingual condominium at home but at the same time brandishing itself as a monolingual francophone unitary state at the international level. Since the conflict with Boko Haram escalated in the far north of the country, the use of torture against detainees (many arrested simply for failing to show ID) has been happening right under the noses of high-ranking Cameroonian military officials, and perhaps also in the presence of US military personnel. In 1984, the young President of the Republic, Paul Biya, decided by decree to rename the country the Republic of Cameroon. As I must speak the truth, we cajoled, lured and enticed the Anglophones by our way of welcoming them; we were given so many things to prepare for the conference with all these things at our disposal, we lured the Anglophones. The 1961 plebiscite was a vote on a projected legal union whose legal treaty was due to be worked out as prescribed by Resolution 1608. vii. The delegation of the Southern Cameroons left Tiko by a twin engine plane on the same 16 July 1961 and landed at Koutaba; as soon as it landed, the delegation left for Foumban by road where they arrived in the afternoon in the midst of an immense and enthusiastic crowd. That German colony comprised the current territory of La Republique du Cameroun and the British Cameroons; but the territory of German Kamerun has gone through a number of changes of its original boundaries over time. He has been repeatedly sentenced and jailed for damaging statues that, in his view, contradict all that independence stands for. "Most of those areas have been secured by our security forces," Tchoffo said. English-speaking Cameroonians celebrated what they call the 2nd anniversary of their independence day on Oct. 1, 2019. In addition, the Southern Cameroons was jointly administered with the Eastern Region of Nigeria within the international legal framework of UNGA Resolution 224 111 on the Administrative Union between adjacent territories under the same Administering Authority. Schools and most businesses are open. The First Specific International Status of the Southern Cameroons within International Boundaries. CMD / 3639 / 03 9 January 1931). 8. Cameroon has had only two presidents since independence and while opposition parties were legalized in 1990 only one party has ever governed. 1) The way to Independence for the Southern Cameroons is in the hands of the UN. Section 4 The international legal existence of the Southern Cameroons from its annexation on 1st October 1961 to the expected independence. Unless I am wrong, France had responsibility for only one part of Cameroon; yet today French development aid in Cameroon is used to fund projects in the entire country including the Anglophone regions. C, 37. On July 4, 1776, 13 colonies in North America decided to proclaim a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain. The peoples of the Southern Cameroons, in their daily life, accept all acts of constitutional law, civil law, criminal law, and administrative law imposed on them by La Republique du Cameroun as Actes of bienseance, that means, Acts which one does not like, but toterates them in order to survive. A constitution was approved in a referendum on February 21, 1960. -While waiting for the setting up of new institutions, the functions of the federal president and federal vice-president shall be performed by the president of la republique du Cameroun and the prime minister of the Southern Cameroons. Double nationality. In 1960, Cameroon became an independent country, and the history of Cameroonian cinema started in 1962. Under the supervision of the League of Nations. National Day in Cameroon in 2023 | Office Holidays After Cameroon's security forces' heavy-handed response - including using live ammunition on demonstrators - rebel movements arose calling for the independence of Anglophone Cameroon . The argument has no legal basis because the Southern Cameroons had utis possedetis juris international legal status publicly recognised. But then Prime Minister Ahmadou Ahidjo saw independence as the country's primary goal. Today, the Englishman is rebelling," said Nfor. La Republique du Cameroun has been arguing that the Southern Cameroons has no utis possedetis juris on 1st October 1961; that the Southern Cameroons was an empty piece of land that La Republique du Cameroun annexed to civilise and develop. According to Namasso Mbile, Foncha, feeling guilty for having deprived his colleagues of the opportunity to study the draft at the All Party Conference in Bamenda, adapted a low profile throughout the working session. The central government in Yaounde is trying to defuse the tension through measures like decentralization and the recognition of a special status for the English-speaking regions. La Republique du Cameroun cannot legally claim the territory of the Southern Cameroons; La Republique du Cameroun has been claiming it as part of German Kamerun. Mr. (2022 est.) The military governor of Morocco, General Lyanty, bitterly opposed the German request. According to the French ambassador to Cameroon, Christophe Guilhou, relations between the two countries are positive. Nigeria was scheduled for independence later that same year, which raised question of what to do with the British territory. Many decades on, those who witnessed the violence recall events that shaped countless lives in the central African country yet remain unchronicled today. The much publicised tranquillity and serenity and the paradisaical locality of Foumban was all fake. First to arrive was the delegation of La republique du Cameroun du premier janvier 1960, headed by Ahmadou Ahidjo: it comprised Charles Assale (premier minister), Charles Okala (minister des affaires etrangeres), Josue Tetang (Secretaire dEtat a lInformation), Christian Tobie Kuoh (Secretaire general du minister des Affaires etrangeres), the Guinea-Conakry-born Cheick Kekou Sissoko (chef du Secretariat particulierdAhmadou Ahidjo). What remains consistent is that it is alleged that those detained were taken by Nigerias intelligence agency, though the Department of State Services denies having them in custody. Survivors tell of France's 'dirty war' in Cameroon independence Everyone seemed to know someone arrested, or threatened with arrest. As manager of international peace, the League of Nations put all the territories of German colonies captured during the war under a system of Mandatory Administration to mandated powers. The two imperialist powers divided Cameroon into separate spheres of influence that were later formalised by the League of Nations: the forerunner to the UN. Germanys colonies were redivided after the first world war, not the second, as was originally stated. Going home over the Christmas holidays three years ago, we were constantly reminded to carry our ID cards. So while waiting for the politicians to come in for business, the prefet and the sous-prefet had to resolve the tedious problem of accommodation, feeding and transport of delegates as well as the animation of Foumban during the six days of the conference; decent houses hosting functionaries were requested; big farmers likeLaurent Guerpillon, Andre Blanc, Trolier et Charles Ock Dopher were solicited and contributed by putting at our disposal either a vehicle or a beautiful house; this local contribution was meagre compared to the huge means that were sent from Yaounde. On 20 September 1960, by UNGA Resolution 1476 XIV La Republique du Cameroun was granted UN membership. A federal assembly made up of a national assembly and a senate. The French-speaking populations who were joined to German Kamerun soon tabled two complaints: first, that war was never fought in the areas they inhabited as it was in the German-speaking area; that they did not yet speak German well; secondly, that they were not colonized by the Germans; that they willingly collaborated with the French troops against German troops. If there had been a referendum, all of Cameroon would have returned.". "I think Cameroon should consider [a] federal state with the Anglophones on one part and French speakers on the other. Cameroon - Wikipedia By contrast, a referendum is a vote to authorize to take a decision to do something: the two procedures are not substitutive. As the war progressed, Alfred MILNER and Henri SIMON signed an agreement to confirm the line in 1917: the agreement became known as the SIMON MILNER AGREEMENT which shared the German colony of KAMERUN into two sectors for Britain in the West and for France in the East. "France has always been and will always be on Cameroon's side, because Cameroon is an important economic partner in Central Africa. Deaths and detentions as Cameroon cracks down on anglophone activists, UK must take lead on injustice in Cameroon | Letters, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. After the debate, it can be ratified, meaning that it is good. In 1960 France granted its colony independence. From the forefront institutions and key players, several faces stand out. Survivors tell of France's 'dirty war' in Cameroon independence On 6 August 1961, the National Assembly amended the constitution of 4 March 1960 by 88 YES votes, zero NO votes, and 6 abstentions. High quality Cameroon Independence-inspired gifts and merchandise. The brutal conflict unfolded in Cameroon, which on January 1 marked its 60th anniversary of independence - the first of 17 African countries that became free from their colonial masters in 1960. They urged Ahidjo to allow the country to be divided in two before the referendum. Lack of democracy in the domain of elections; iv. Cameroon Independence Stock Photos and Images - Alamy On 20 September 1960, by UNGA Resolution 1476 XIV La Republique du Cameroun was granted UN membership. At 4.30pm, Ahidjo took the floor to address the plenary session; he swiftly and rudely gave answers to the demands of the Southern Cameroons delegation for amendments to the draft constitution. On social media, they say no talks can start until Biya withdraws troops from English-speaking regions of Cameroon as a sign he has accepted their independence. The All Party Conference that held in Bamenda a month earlier had been the occasion to screen and debate the Ahidjo draft constitution. A Constitutional referendum was held on 12 February 1960. The BBCs coverage eschews these details altogether. Endeley, leader of the opposition who had threatened to raise one hundred thousand men to break away and join Nigeria during the plebiscite campaigns, had already forgotten about that threat. It was immediately attached to the former French Cameroon, while the British northern part was annexed to. Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est. 7. 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