Des maquisards aux ambaboys: Dette impayée des francophones envers les anglophones

Abstract

The establishment of the German colonial administration in Cameroon from 1884 to 1914 has multiple socio-political, cultural and economic consequences. The conquest, division and administration of this territory by the French and the British after the First World War intensified the injustices created by the German administration. A nationalist party, Union des populations du Cameroun [UPC], was created in 1948. It promised to improve the status of life and called for unification and independence. The French colonial administration muzzled its militants or supporters and banned it in 1955. Forced underground, its leaders retreated to British Cameroons where they coordinated an armed uprising until 1971. This region also gave asylum to many people from the region under the French administration. Undaunted by injustices similar to those experienced by East Cameroon under French administration since 1972 and frustrated by the refusal of the dialogue on the structure of the state and the lack of social justice, part of the population of the English-speaking regions have rebelled and are fighting for independence using methods similar to those of the UPC. In response, the Cameroonian state has deployed methods of repression similar to those used by the French forces against the 1950–1971 UPC’s guerilla. People in these areas are also looking for shelter and assistance. These needs remind us of the duty and debt of Francophones towards Anglophone populations. While I contend that after 3 years of intensive fighting, I do not see an engaged response from the francophone side, I intend to clearly identify some similarities between the two conflicts as well as point out deep-seated facts for the continuation of the UPC dream.