SUMMARY Cameroon is generally considered a peaceful and stable nation in comparison to her neighbours. However, closer scrutiny exposes a high record of intra-ethnic conflicts and inter-ethnic wars which manifests as political, economic, environmental conflicts, battles over natural resources between farmers and graziers, as well as land, boundary and territorial clashes between villages. While the international community continues to erroneously appreciate the general picture, these recurrent tribal wars and conflicts are taking a devastating tool on the lives of human beings relegated to the margins of existence. The North West Region is a hot bed for most of these conflicts and wars and several studies show that political warlords use conflicts as means of fanning flames of division for personal political ambition. In July 2016, the Ngoketunjia Young Elites (NGOYE) and the Kencholia International Foundation (KIF), in partnership with the Center for Disaster and Emergency Management Studies at St. Lawrence University Ngoketunjia commissioned this report on the on-going chieftaincy crisis in Bangola. Shocked by the degrading situation of displaced families, the arbitrary arrests of young people, and the abuse of human rights by forces of the Rapid Intervention Unit (BIR) as well as the apparent lack of humanitarian and medical assistance at any level, these organizations requested an urgent comprehensive report which could be used as a blueprint for intervention and assistance. Bangolan is one of the 13 Villages that make up the Ngoketunjia Division (Ndop plains) of the North West Region of Cameroon. It is located in the Babessi Subdivision and has a population of about 20.000 people. In February 2016, the people of Bangolan witnessed a distressing turn of events as several families lose their homes, their property, their family members, and friends in the midst of a chieftaincy crisis. The psycho-social and economic impacts are profound as the people continue to wonder how they got into this and how soon the government is going to take definitive steps to put an end to the crisis. It is important to note that the crisis is affecting other areas surrounding Bangolan and has the potential of inspiring similar conflicts and crises in other villages in Ngoketunjia. The Bangolan Chieftaincy crisis which attracted public attention in February with the dethronement of Fon Chafah and the enthronement of Fon Salim is an on-going conflict which has had severe consequences on the life of the community and the neighboring villages. In a little less than 6 months, the crisis has transformed the peaceful and loving village of Bangolan into a chaotic scene with thousands of affected people. Most Bangolan people are still processing the shock of witnessing the on-going destruction and devastation of homes, neighborhoods and personal property. The response of the administration has been limited to the deployment of forces of law and order who have been accused of perpetrating varied forms of human rights abuse. There has been little or no humanitarian assistance and thousands of children, women, and elderly affected by the crises have been abandoned to fend for themselves in the midst of tight security and a disrupted social order. Although Bangolan is in serious need for assistance in emergency shelter, healthcare, food security and public/personal safety, there has been little or no response from the government, non-governmental, religious or cultural organizations. The purpose of this report is to provide comprehensive information on the crisis and its effects on the people of Bangolan. It provides an overview of the crises, and analyzes its possible causes based on information collected from interviews, news media reports, eyewitness accounts, and official Memos. It also examines the effects of the crisis on the Bangolan Community and makes recommendations on what steps need to be taken immediately to provide assistance to the affected villagers while preventing such crisis in future. It ends with a financial assessment of the destruction caused by the crisis on individuals and the community. Consequent on the fact that the crisis is still on-going and requires careful consideration of facts, every attempt has been made to avoid any form of bias. The report draws information from multiple media sources, interviews, eyewitness accounts and data collected by NGOYE Team on the field. These sources were carefully screened for possible biases, and in most instances only verifiable facts have been used. Oscar C. Labang, Ph.D. St. Lawrence University, Ngoketunjia Read Complete Report Here PDF Send comments, questions and feedback to bangolancrisis@yahoo.com
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Literature, Language and Cultural Nationalism in Cameroon/Africa
August 25 - 26 2016 University of Bamenda and St Lawrence University North West Region, Cameroon "There is no great literature without nationality, no great nationality without literature." (Yeats, 1989: 30) Although Academy Professor Joep Leerssen has argued that “cultural nationalism needs to be studied on a supranational comparative basis rather than country-by-country, concentrating on the exchange and transfer of ideas and activities”, the approach adopted for this conference is a country-based one with open prospects for continental comparative approaches. The cultural diversity, linguistic asymmetry, and ideological discrepancy between Anglophone and Francophone Cameroon and between the different Regions of the country provide sufficient grounds for investigating what Leerssen refers to as “the exchange and transfer of ideas and activities”. We also encourage supranational studies on cultural nationalism. The statement above by W. B. Yeats, one of Ireland's greatest cultural nationalists, summarizes the contribution that literature, language and other art forms offer in the process of nation building. Unlike Rene Renan’s nation that has an “undivided inheritance” (Renan, 80), the Cameroon nation has a divided inheritance held together by “a rich heritage of memories” (Renan, 80) of a once unified people torn by the savagery of western imperialism, and remade in the image of the colonizer. The linguistic, literary, cultural and ethnic diversity of Cameroon makes it a unique template for the analysis and the examination of the concept of cultural nationalism. This is because the concept deals with the feeling of cultural identity and pride that people have in a society typified by ethnic diversity, but with shared cultural beliefs and language. If Cameroon must yield to “global forces which transcend the boundaries of nation-states” (Anthony D. Smith 1998: 1), and become a true emergent nation with distinct cultural values, it must use all the formal institutions political, educational, economic, and mass media to promote the cultural expressions of the nation as well as to nurture other forms of cultural expression. In this regard, literature, language and other art forms must be recognized as inevitable factors in the promotion of a distinct cultural character for the nation. Linguists have proudly taken up the task of promoting National Languages to the point where these languages have gradually become part of the nationally shared value in schools. Others have given Languages of Wider Communication like Pidgin English a vibrant and relevant position on the language-scape of Cameroon. Because of the culture of vilification of creative artists by the duplicity of political elites, it has been somewhat difficult for writers and artists to perform the sacred duty of safeguarding national values, promoting a shared heritage, and preserving the memory of the nation. Even literature which is considered subversive can be interpreted in terms of the contribution it makes toward the promotion of a culture of moral dignity; its preservation of the collective memory; and its exposure of the cultural values of the nation. By critiquing the excesses of the regimes, such works make invaluable contributions as they call the attention of the political system to the neglect of values, customs and cultures that hold the nation together as a community with shared systems. When a nation rejects or pushes its writers to the margins of society, the nation irrevocably denies itself the possibilities of receiving feedback about the state of the nation. Cameroon Literature, Language and other art forms have significations that are way beyond their aesthetics; they are sources of national identity and pride for the people. Within the context of a truly emergent Cameroonian nation, this conference seeks create a context for scholars to discuss the meaning and importance of cultural nationalism within the context of Cameroon and Africa. The conference will provide a forum for dialogue on the role of literature, language and other art forms in the propagation of shared ideals, values and norms which include but are not limited to political ideologies, historical myths/realities, recognition and celebration of holidays, unique and shared cuisine, specific and common attires, shared language and literary heritage. Other areas of interest include: the role of the media in cultural nationalism, technology and national identity. We invite scholars and researchers to submit proposals for 20 minutes presentations and 1-hour plenary sessions. Abstracts of 250 word (in Microsoft Word format, Times New Roman, Font Size 12) that examine Cameroon and African literature, languages, education, music, film etc. and other areas of interest in the light of cultural nationalism should be submitted to conference@cella-cameroon.org on or before July 30, 2016. Major Conference Activities Opening ceremony Keynote Address(es) KITAL Lecture Plenary and Parallel sessions Closing ceremony Registration Fee Research Scholars/Academicians (Cameroon): 20.000frs Research Students (Cameroon): 10.000frs Research Scholars/Academicians (International): $ 100.00 Research Students (International): $ 50.00 • Registration fee includes logistics, breakfast, complimentary lunch, and refreshment • Registration fee does not include accommodation. However, we are working on possibilities of reduced cost accommodation. |