The Southern Cameroon’s Government, led by Ikome Sako has made an outing, rejecting a recent order from other Ambazonia separatist groups that had called for the repainting of taxis in the crisis-affected Northwest and Southwest to blue or white colours.
According to the Sako-led team, the said order only puts drivers and civilians who use public transport means in harm’s way. In their press statement, they stated that the order is intended “to make our taxis easy targets” for Cameroon government forces.
The controversial order came from the Ayaba Cho-led Ambazonia Defence Forces, ADF. The ADF leadership had instructed that starting next month, July 1, all taxis in the crisis regions must be repainted to either blue or white. This has drawn a lot of talk about the dangers of carrying out such orders, given that it will put drivers and even passengers using taxis in a very precarious situation.
The order, if implemented, will put drivers in a very tight spot, because they will have ADF and other groups to contend with, if they fail to paint their vehicles. On the other hand, if they heed the order and repaint their taxis to the said colours, they will have Cameroon government forces to contend with, and may likely be treated as separatist targets or accomplices. Either way, it will be a losing battle for the drivers and the passengers who will be caught in the fracas.
The Sako-led Southern Cameroons government argues that the focus of the various Southern Cameroon’s groups, movements and fighting groups should be on the Government of Cameroon and its soldiers, and not civilians who are also victims. To the Sako team, anyone carrying out such orders will be making things tough for the struggle and easy for the impacted people to turn against the movement for independence.
The Southern Cameroons government said it has notified its own team on the ground to put to order any person or group carrying out such orders which put the lives of civilians at risk.
After thanking the drivers for the services they offer, the Sako team in its statement signed by Martin Mungwa PhD, said “The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to the freedom and security of our people. Together, we will overcome these challenges and continue our journey towards completely liberating our homeland. Once achieved, we can enforce measures that protect our institutions and project emblems and colours safely in the context of freedom as a proud nation”.
Quit Notices To Cameroon Government Officials and Stakeholders
On its part, the Sako team had earlier released what it called ‘quit notices’ to all government officials and associates. The team had said the said personnel, including Governors, Divisional and Subdivisional officers, security and defence forces as well as ELECAM representatives referred to as colonial agents must leave the said regions.
In the statement, the team also requested that all “Southern Cameroonians” holding elective positions in Cameroon must also resign.
