By Pang Joseph, Thursday, March 23, 2017
Cameroon Journal, Bamenda – North West CPDM leadership appears to be coming to terms with the shaky socio-political climate in the Anglophone regions of the country. This is evidenced in the modification on its anniversary programme to be celebrated tomorrow, Friday, March 24.
At a recent regional planning committee meeting chaired by PM Yang Philemon, it was agreed that the anniversary celebrations in the North West be toned down in acknowledgement of the socio-political crisis currently plaguing the region. CPDM party bigwigs of the region admitted that it will not be safe for their members to come out in pump and fanfare like in previous years. In this light, celebrations in Bamenda have been strictly restricted to Bamenda Congress Hall, the party’s head office in the North West. The usual parade at the Commercial Avenue has been called off for fear of violent confrontation with the public.
The event planners also decided that instead of outdoor events, celebrations be held equally indoors in other towns and villages that are not very volatile at the moment. In places considered to be hotspots areas, there will be no celebrations at all. Members were advised to stay away from particular neighborhoods like Cow Street and Atuakom neighborhoods in the city of Bamenda.
The party is taking such precautions after the 8 December 2016 incident where PM Yang and the party’s scribe, Jean Kuete and a host of militants were barricaded from leaving Ayaba Hotel by protesters. The bloody protest led to the death of many with others arrested and whisked off to Yaoundé. It is the deadliest confrontation between protesters and security officers since the strike started.
In the build-up to tomorrow’s party anniversary, text messages have been circulating in both the South West and North West Regions from activists declaring severe ghost town and warning people of serious consequences should they join the CPDM in celebrations on Friday.
Coincidentally, the CPDM was born on March 2, 1985 in Bamenda. In a country where alternative voices are strangled, such a meeting, had it been that of an opposition party, would have been banned by gov’t on security grounds just like the SDF meeting two weeks ago in Douala was banned by administrative authorities.
However, until the ruling CPDM opens up real dialogue with all stake holders in the current crisis for lasting peace, it may never as before find freedom in organizing public gatherings as the case has been in the past. At least, not in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.