Anglophone Cameroon Prelates declare their position on school resumptions come 2019/2020 academic year

By Jude Abanseka

The bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province in the two restive Anglophone regions in Cameroon have admonished all stakeholders of education to work for effective school resumption in the coming school year.

Schools in the crisis hit Anglophone regions have been grounded for the past three years and the bishops thought it were time education stopped being used as a means to push through the quest for independence by the activists concerned. The stakeholders include: The “Amba Boys”, the parents and the teachers, the government and the military and the Anglophone diaspora.

“We cannot take children hostage, compromise their future and use them for political exploits” the letter reads.

Bishops of the Bamenda Episcopal conference

The bishops’ statement came at the end of their 67th ordinary meeting in Bamenda which reflected on various issues affecting the pastoral life of the church in these regions.

The church leaders in the Anglophone regions reminded the warring parties in the conflict of the right of children to education saying “all men of whatever race, condition or age, in virtue of their dignity as human persons, have the inalienable right to education” (Gravissimum Educationis).

These bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province in the open letter expressed worries the situation may get worst as a permanent solution to the crisis is still far fetch. All sectors in the two English speaking regions of the Cameroon especially education have been paralyzed since 2016, after a strike action of lawyers and teachers that later turned violent. In the words of the bishops: “There is no guarantee that there will be an acceptable solution to all parties in the near future that will enable everyone to accept that schools should resume”.

The violent conflict resulted in the growth of several armed separatists’ movements all demanding independence for “Ambazonia” the name of a virtual state that constitutes the two Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

The armed separatist’s fighters also known as “Amba boys” have been involved in violent confrontations with the military, leading to the deaths of thousands of civilians, hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons and thousands have taken up refuge in neighbouring countries. Schools have been burnt down while parents and teachers who try to brave the school boycott, are threatened or even abducted, tortured and asked to pay a ransom before they are released.

The Anglophone bishops also appealed to the “Amba boys” not to disturb parents who want to send their children to school, teachers who are ready to teach, and the children themselves. In effect, they should shun all acts of violence in general.

Parents have been living in total fear. This is why many choose not to send their children to school for their security is not guaranteed. The bishops therefore equally appealed “to all parents to endeavour to bring their children to school and also defend them and their institutions where and when necessary against anyone who tries to disturb their children’s education” the bishops’ message urged them.

The open letter admonishes the government to caution the military in its actions to protect the citizens. It asks “the government to exercise more vigilance over its military and at the same time we implore the military to stay as far away from schools as possible” the message continued. The prelates called on the military to respect human lives, especially that of children.

The bishops advised the Anglophone diaspora that has been fuelling the actions of the “Amba boys” to review its strategy on the struggle which should not include children not going to school.

“We also call on our brothers and sisters abroad not to be influencing and encouraging in any way the “Amba boys” to disturb the attendance of schools” the bishops added.

The Church leaders also reminded the people of God that in good times or in bad times, they will continue to evangelize and they will never stop preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.