The members of the Socialist International meeting in Council at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City on 11-12 July 2017 follow with great concern the political, economic and social crisis that has virtually paralysed Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions where lawyers have stopped going to court and schools have remained closed for almost a year.
The crisis is the result of decades of systematic neglect and marginalisation of the minority English- speaking population by President Biya’s Government. SI cannot be indifferent to the situation in Cameroon which if left unresolved could threaten the peace and stability of the Central African sub- region.
Accordingly, the SI urges President Biya to follow the recommendations made by our member party, the Social Democratic Front, as well as the UN Special Envoy for Central Africa when he visited Cameroon early this year to release all detainees arrested in connection with this crisis and reopen dialogue with the leaders of the English-speaking population as a crucial first step to begin the process of healing an increasingly divided nation.
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