Cameron countries conflict - Part.1

Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis has its roots in the colonial period. Following World War I, the former German colony of Kamerun was divided between Britain and France. While the French-administered region became modern-day Cameroon, the British-controlled areas were governed as part of Nigeria. In 1961, after a UN-sponsored plebiscite, the southern British Cameroons opted to join French Cameroon, forming a federal republic meant to preserve the distinct legal, educational, and linguistic identities of the Anglophone regions. However, over the following decades, the federal system was dismantled, centralizing power in Yaoundé and marginalizing the Anglophone minority politically and economically.

Tensions escalated in late 2016 when Anglophone lawyers and teachers protested against the imposition of French-speaking judges and teachers in their regions. The government's forceful response, including arrests and internet shutdowns, intensified grievances. By 2017, the crisis evolved into a full-blown separatist movement, with some groups declaring the independence of a new state called "Ambazonia." Armed groups emerged, clashing with Cameroonian security forces and committing abuses, including kidnappings and killings. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands and led to widespread violence, school closures, and humanitarian crises, especially in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

As of today, the Anglophone Crisis remains unresolved. While large-scale battles have subsided in some areas, sporadic violence and insecurity persist. Armed separatist groups still control parts of the Anglophone regions, enforcing school boycotts and attacking government forces, while the military maintains a heavy presence. Efforts at dialogue, including a national dialogue convened by the government in 2019, have had limited impact due to a lack of trust and the exclusion of key separatist leaders. International organizations continue to call for meaningful negotiations and humanitarian aid, but a sustainable resolution remains elusive, with civilians bearing the brunt of the ongoing instability.