Legal Protection of Linguistic Minority under Discrimination: The Case of Anglophone Cameroon

Abstract

The minority English-speaking population in Cameroon, where French is the majority language, has a number of political, economic, and social complaints that collectively make up the "Anglophone problem." These grievances are described using the terms discrimination, marginalization, and second-class citizenship. The right to speak English in Cameroon must always be upheld as a fundamental right. To protect the rights of minorities, Cameroon has established a number of laws. Since Cameroon and many other countries have ratified a number of human rights instruments, it is the state's duty to safeguard all the rights guaranteed by these instruments, including those of minorities. As demonstrated by the current crisis, another escalation in that cycle, there are several political systemic deficiencies that need to be closed if Cameroon is to grow as a single nation. Greater localized control over political and financial resources might be necessary to achieve this. In order to better serve the needs of citizens, existing institutions and leadership structures must become more accommodating.