Endorsement of the Global Campaign for Peace & Justice in Cameroon Ceasefire Effort
The conflict in the Southern Cameroons is escalating on a daily basis. In the last three years, more than 3,500 people have been killed; 1,000,000 internally displaced, and over 60,000 seeking refuge in neighboring Nigeria and other countries. Ten of thousands more people have been wounded and/or arrested, while over 13,000 others cannot be accounted for. As the conflict rages on, the Southern Cameroons’ economy is being completely destroyed. There is virtually no productive activity from the largely agrarian community, with approximately 1.9 million facing severe hunger. The Cameroon De-velopment Corporation (CDC), the service economy, and the once sprawling Silicon Mountain have all disappeared. It is estimated that less than 25% of health centers remain functional in the Southern Cameroons. This decreased capacity is more poignant given the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cameroon has one of the highest infection rates for COVID-19 within Africa and the highest in Central Africa.
The world cannot allow this pandemic to compound with the terrible human cost of the fighting thus far. Therefore, in endorsing the Global Campaign for Peace & Justice in Cameroon and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres‘ call for a ceasefire, the Coalition for Dialogue and Negotiation believes an effective ceasefire can only be achieved if negotiated. This ceasefire must be for the purpose of allowing humanitarian aid for the purpose of containing and controlling the virus in the conflict-affected communities in the Southern Cameroons. The world must act to limit the undue suffering and death this virus brings not only to the armless population, particularly to children and women. International community, notably the United States, Russia, China, the UK and France must refocus attention towards a negotiated political solution for true, lasting peace. The Coalition for Dialogue and Negotiation is a U.S. based organization of professionals with ties or origins in the Southern Cameroons. The Coalition believes in the protection of human rights and negotiation as the single most reliable form of engaging warring parties for sustained peace in the Southern Cameroons. The Coalition is engaged in pursuing peace in the Southern Cameroons through evidence-based approaches for lasting peace.
Sincerely,
Rick Ferreira
Executive Director
A coalition of individuals and organizations to end the war in Cameroon and ensure a durable peace
7614 Green Willow Court, Hyattsville MD| [email protected] | https://coalitionfdn.org |Tel: 202 203 8939
