-Ushers in New Approach
to Parliamentary deliberations
The last Ordinary Session of the National
Assembly in Yaounde and the tumultuous circumstances in which it was enshrouded
beginning with a mysterious night fire and eventually ending dramatically with
a walk out by ruling CPDM MPs in adamant refusal to discuss the Anglophone
crises occasioned the chanting calls of MPs of the Social Democratic Front. As
the hall emptied itself, SDF MPs resorted to putting across their messages
through animated chanting and dancing.
The quintessence of their chants was simply the calling of attention to the need
for a solution to the Anglophone Problem. This ushers in a new atmosphere of
Parliamentarians actually representing the people who voted them and presenting
plain truths.
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| Chanting SDF MPs in Parliament |
This eye opener created an opportunity for
Cameroonians to see how Members of Parliament otherwise referred to as “the
people’s representatives” practically ran out of session because SDF MPs
proposed the discussion of a “taboo” subject. Erstwhile SDF MP Emmanuel Yoyo
has described it as a decision by SDF MPs to put an end to the tendency to run
away from truth and to reinstate a pro-people approach in Parliamentary
deliberations. This he says has come as a booster to the image of the party
which many incorrectly thought was being pushed to the background by unfolding
events on the socio-political landscape.
Footage on the drama in Parliament and reports
on CRTV have sparked off debate on social media on the handling of truth in
Cameroon. This has seen known media personalities like Charles Ndi Chia, Kristian
Ngah Christian, Asong Ndifor, Simon Lyonga, George Ngide among many others
chipping in on what truth that guides the media should be. According to George Ngide “truth
is not a universal notion. People have their TRUTHS, media houses too. That's
why western media can easily and without a blink call Mugabe "dictator"
and the Pan African media refer to him as "Africa's Hero" against
neo-colonialism. Both may be truths, but truths depending on where you stand.
That's where editorial policy steps in.”
Asong Ndifor chips in countering that “There are no two "truths", just taking sides…All
editorial policies are guided by TRUTH and telling two sides of the story
otherwise news becomes propaganda.” Meantime Charles Ndi Chia Publisher of The Rambler Newspaper boldly states; “In
journalism truth must have cast iron propensities. Truth must be sacrosanct,
not situational or relative. Anything else amounts to playing the convenient
chameleon.”
While the Anglophone problem
rages on, there has been an intensification of Police controls and the checking
of National ID cards of travelers in the two English Speaking Regions of the
country. Travelers are obliged to come down from their cars and eye witness
accounts indicate that even pregnant women are treated in a similar manner. Parts
of the town of Bamenda specifically around Sisia in Nkwen have reportedly been
besieged by uniformed men who barge into homes in the wee hours of the morning
to cart away unsuspecting people who are not in possession of National
Identification cards. At press time, attempts to reach the Divisional Officer
for Bamenda III in whose jurisdiction this part of town falls failed.
Despite this disruption of
Parliamentary Session and the refusal to discuss the Anglophone Crises by a
dominantly CPDM Parliament not all CPDM MPs are okay with this stance. CPDM MPs
from the North West and South West Regions and a cross section of them from
French speaking Cameroon belief in discussions to resolve these crises.
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