“Why are we being
stopped again, and this time by armed soldiers?” we asked, this time a bit
nervous. We were told by our host, Father Ghenghan Mbinkar, not to worry, this
is routine here.
Our small
delegation, led by the Very Rev. Patrick Posey, Director for the Pontifical
Mission Societies of the Arlington Diocese, and consisting of Father Ghenghan
Mbinkar of St. James Parish, and myself visited this west-African country last
June to witness the work of the Catholic missions there. What we found
surprised us.
We certainly
encountered countless works of dedication and sacrifice, as well as the
prolific support provided by our diocese to these needy people of God. But we
also found roadblocks and checkpoints, closed and in some cases burned schools,
and a fearful and intimidated populace.
In a nutshell, the
problem relates to the pre-independence history of Cameroon, when the country
was formed from French-speaking and English colonies. Over the years, the
Anglophone area has become marginalized by the Francophone-led establishment,
which dominates the government, education and legal systems. The Anglophone
regions account for just under 20 percent of the Cameroon’s 23 million people. These
regions are pressing for more autonomy, if not complete secession.
Most of our visit
was within these Anglophone regions. “Where are all the people?” was another of
our frequent questions. Father Mbinkar explained: “[T]his is a Ghost-Town day. The
people of the town are on strike and close down all activities. They usually do
this once a week.” Since the beginning of the strike in November 2016, all
schools in the Anglophone regions, including the Catholic schools, have not
been operational.
Last month, the
Catholic bishops made a brave decision: reopen the Catholic schools! Father
Mbinkar, who tracks developments while studying here in the United States, told
me: “[T]he parents want to send their children to school but they fear for the
safety of the children. Even in areas which are ‘supposed’ to be guarded by the
forces of law and order, some destructions have still taken place so it is not
clear who the culprits really are. On September 22 the Anglophone people came
out to demonstrate peacefully, and 7 people were brutally murdered by the
security forces. Yesterday, October 1, the anniversary of the official
reunification of the Anglophone and Francophone parts of Cameroon, the
Anglophone people were once more in the streets, in defiance of all
administrative authorities, to symbolically declare their independence. This
again left more than seven dead at the hands of the military. So much
uncertainty looms over the state of the country. Now some schools are closed
again.”
Indeed, more arms
are becoming involved. Besides the loss of
lives that has been recorded so far, a number of schools, including Sacred
Heart College Mankon, have been partially or completely burnt down. The
terrible irony in this horrific event is obvious: with a literacy rate over 90 percent,
Cameroon is a country that treasures education and yet it is the schools which
suffer. Clearly, your prayers are needed to bring this growing conflict to a
just and peaceful end.
Mele is a volunteer for the Pontifical
Mission Societies of the Arlington Diocese.
