There is something we have to recognize. The Biya regime and the custodians of the system are the worst criminals to the Cameroonian soul. They are thieves, liars, killers, sadists, election riggers, discriminators, maniacs and what not. But one thing about it all is that they know how to do those negative acts. They are negative perfectionists.
But then, what about us? We, who oppose, resist, reject and are trying to sweep them out of power. Do we know how to do our job? Do we have the resilience to confront them as they do in maintaining the status quo and the benefits they derive from it? Only a scrupulous survivor can defeat an unscrupulous survivor which is Biya, his regime and the French-imposed system in
Some of us became involved in the struggle from its infant days, worked in the SDF at different levels, gave in everything without anticipating anything material in return. By 1994, the party was acutely sick; by 1998/1999 it was a chronic malady; and in 2002, it was terminally ill. A clique was responsible, and those who believed in the revolutionary objectives of the struggle--- the union nationalists who considered the purpose of the struggle to be far above their personal interests or considerations, had come to realize that Fru Ndi and his clique in the SDF had become an impediment to changing the system just like Bello Bouba, Ndam Njoya etc had become earlier. They too had become compromised by the negative values of the system. The Fru-Ndi led clique needed the Biya regime to thrive. And the SDF is almost dead because of them. They too betrayed the struggle. I am proud I quit the SDF in July 2002. It was like a process of self-redemption or like accepting that a church or clergy too had become corrupt and had also become an obstacle to change. It was a painful but necessary thing to do after more than a decade in the struggle and paying a heavy price for it. Thousands of other Cameroonians did the same--- especially the union-nationalists with the revolutionary streak. The best brains of the party and chief ideologue also quit the SDF in 2002.
I must say from my profound observation that we of the post-independence generations still have a lot of work do, based on our thought formulations. Nevertheless, I am happy to add that we have taken the first step in that direction. Many of those commenting in our various fora are now talking of changing the system, unlike the pre-independence so-called opposition leaders who were talking of changing the Biya regime. That is a positive development. Fru Ndi-led SDF, Njoya-led CDU, Bouba-led NUDP etc failed because they were incapable of rising up to the challenge of confronting the depth of the Cameroonian malady(the short comings of the system)and of coming up with an alternative direction and values to lead Cameroonians to the change and a desirable society.
Changing the system calls for fundamental changes in ourselves. This requires rejecting all the wrong values of the system, even if it means doing so to our own detriment (economic, social and political). Such a rejection requires identifying our enemies, who in reality are those who are sustaining the system. That could be us, people in our families, personalities in our tribes or ethnic groups that we look up to, revered figures in a movement or political party that we support or even an idea that we are benefiting from. Besides the mental ability to identify the enemies, we also need the ability to identify the true friends of the people. I say so because during the third phase of the Cameroonian struggle (1990-2002) more effort was made to hunt and betray the true friends of the people (the union nationalists and revolutionaries) by the cliques in the leaderships of the so-called opposition parties, than was made to confront the system and the Biya regime. And unless the true friends of the people--- the union nationalists and revolutionaries lead the struggle, it becomes difficult, if not impossible to imagine that change can ever take place in
As a matter of fact, Ndam Njoya, Bello Bouba and Fru Ndi were all members of the system or establishment before presenting themselves in 1990 as people of the opposition when they realized that the struggling masses were clamoring for change and the system could be brought down. So, it should not boggle the mind of the insightful and informed that these three made peace with the system and now represent different shades of the system or establishment that Cameroonians have been trying to change for over six decades. In the new phase of the struggle to found the "NEW CAMEROON" that would be free, democratic, progressive, just, dynamic, cultured, humane, they and their beneficiaries are irrelevant and act only as detractors working to derail change and maintain the French-imposed system that is leading Cameroon into the abyss.
Janvier Tchouteu Tuesday, 15 February 2005
Changing of the Guards?
ReplyDeleteDoes Cameroon need people from a specific time frame, or people with a dynamic political agenda that places the interest of the nation at heart rather than self interest? I think if you look carefully at those whom have stepped forward as leaders of opposition political parties, you will conclude that there is a paucity of leadership in the country.Cameroonians know too well that they have been dealt a rough hand when leadership is concern.They don't need to be told how bad the situation is. No opposition leader has made an effeort in telling them what he/she would do to address the ills of the nation. If parliament could pass a law ammending the constitution to allow the president endless seven year terms of office, would you say no CPDM politician in the country is capable of standing up and telling his party, "gentlemen, ladies, this is wrong?" Do we have just one on record who opposed the motion? Opposition leaders are no different. Since the SDF came into limelight, it has put forward the same candidate for president. They have never thought or experimented with change. If they love power that much, what makes them think Paul Biya is any different? They refused to form a coalition to fight Biya, and continue to believe they could defeat him singularly. What have they done to their personas to all of a sudden think they can lure the voting majority to change? Democracy is nothing but a game of numbers. If you have the numbers, you win. If you don't, find out how you could broaden your following. You do that by marketing yourself positively. We Cameroonians love life a lot. That is why a loaf of bread and a bottle of beer is good enough to keep us quiet. Take away alcohol, food and sex and you will have a war in your hands.