Sunday 6 January 2019

Cameroon Peoples Party NEW YEAR ADDRESS TO THE NATION




Fellow Cameroonians, 

On this first day of the year, the Cameroon People’s Party wishes you an engaging and powerful 2019.  

This is the year to step into, to embrace and to exercise our power as a people. We must do so individually, we must do so collectively, we must do so as a nation to define and design a different future for ourselves. 
2018 was both devastating and galvanizing for our country. 

We were devasted: 

To know for sure, what many had already drawn attention to. Members of our army, in our name were committing atrocities in the Extreme North even as they fought Boko Haram.  The cold-blooded murders carried out in Achigachiya and Zelevet including that of women and their children, recorded live on video, remain etched on our national conscience.

To discover the degree of atrocities committed in the North West and South West regions, by our army, in our name.  Villages burnt, random killings, hundreds of arrests and a permanent state of intimidation of the population. Atrocities so numerous and at such scale that our minds struggle to comprehend and our hearts remain shattered in a thousand different ways.

To realize that those who were pushed to take up arms, due to the Biya Regime’s violent responses to their non-violent demands for Anglophone rights; have themselves become oppressors.  Kidnapping, extortion, summary executions have also become their modus operandi. The population attacked on both sides by two forces whose declared missions are to protect it. 

To understand that our electoral system has been entirely hijacked by the Biya Regime and that it is not an instrument for democracy, but rather one that ensures the reign of the ruling party and its oppression over Cameroonians. 

To become cognizant of the depth and degree of thievery and corruption which our collective resources as a people are subject to, even in the face of international stakes such as the organization of the African Cup of Nations. 

To realize that with regard to all of the above from crimes of theft to those of murder, there is total and complete impunity for the perpetrators. Only we, the people, pay the price. 

Indeed, Cameroonians were devastated in 2018. 
However, we were also galvanized. 

Galvanized as groups stood up to demand justice for the internally displaced, the refugees and the general population of the North West and South West. 

Galvanized by those who dared to stand up, speak out and take action to demand change for our country.

 Galvanized as crowds came out to demonstrate clearly during the presidential election that what Cameroonians want is change, change and unquestionably change. Our future must go in a completely different direction from our past. 

Galvanized as we mobilized together across the country and across the globe to demand freedom for those arrested in the election aftermath.  We caught a glimpse, a hint, of the power that is ours. 

Fellow Cameroonians, 

We are faced with extremely urgent challenges for our country. 

Putting an end to the violence in the North West and South West, but also the Extreme North, North, Adamawa and Eastern regions of our country. 

Beginning the dialogue to redefine our identity as a country and ensure that every single Cameroonian has equal rights and equal access to the resources of our nation. 

Building a vision for the future of our country which ensures, justice, peace and access to opportunities for every Cameroonian and in every corner of Cameroon. 

Beginning the reform of our institutions so that we can put an end to the hemorrhaging of our resources and institute the rules and regulations that will enable us as a nation to select leaders that implement our vision of society and are accountable to us for their actions. 

With every passing twenty-four hours during which these fundamental challenges are not addressed, Cameroonians die. Cameroonians continue to be deprived of their physical freedom as they sit in jail for crimes they did not commit.  Cameroonians lose their livelihoods, their homes and their dignity. 

With every passing twenty-four hours during which these fundamental challenges are not addressed, we slip deeper into a civil war that will be difficult to reverse. We lose more and more of our dignity and humanity as a people.  We stand increasingly in danger of losing our country entirely. 

On this 1st of January 2019, certain truths are evident. 

1 These challenges cannot be addressed by the Biya Regime and we cannot address them as long as the regime is in power. We must bring its reign to an end. 

2 We are the ones we are waiting for. No one else has the responsibility or the capacity to change the course of our future as a nation. It is up to us. 

3 The longer we wait and hesitate to commit and take action, the more complex and difficult the challenges become.  We are on a countdown. Winning it means taking action now. 

At the Cameroon People’s Party, we have committed ourselves as a party and we have joined others in the platform of Stand Up For Cameroon to doing everything within our power to bring an end to the Biya Regime and to initiate Political Transition for our country. We commit to do so using strategies and tactics of non-violence. 

Our message to you on this first day of 2019 is step into your power and join us. 

Step into your power and take a personal commitment to do what you need to do daily, weekly, monthly and until we achieve our goals together. 

Step into your power and face the fear of speaking and acting openly against oppression and for Political Transition.  We either act or we will perish.  We have buried thousands as we hesitate. For our life and theirs, let us act. 

Step into your power and join others. Join Stand Up For Cameroon and/or join the CPP. It is individual commitment and collective action that will move our country forward. 

Step into your power and act without violence and without hesitation.  The power is in non-violence, as it is the future we wish to build. 

Our message to you on this January 1, 2019 is step into your power and act. NOW!

Kah Walla
National President

Edev Newspaper: edevnewspaper@gmail.com/ Tel: +237696896001/ +237678401408

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