From: M.Titahmboh@lut.ac.uk (Mana TitahMboh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Re: CAMEROON: Bill Clinton's "coup d'etat"?????????
Date: 8 Jan 93 16:30:20 GMT
Distribution: soc.culture.african
Organization: Loughborough University

In article <BIEM.93Jan8120806@hsun21.atr-hr.atr.co.jp>, biem@atr-hr.atr.co.jp
(Alain Biem) writes:
|> In article <Jan.7.15.44.48.1993.12579@occlusal.rutgers.edu>
|> shemlon@occlusal.rutgers.edu (Shiyghan Shemlon) writes:
|> 
|> 
|>    > > respected readers with creditable information. However, I would like
|> to asks
|>    > > some questions, and of course, try to comment on some of his
|> assertions. I 
|>    > > have no sympathy for, and am far from being an unconditional supporter
|> of 
|>    > > either Biya or Ahijo's government. For your information, my cousin (he
|> is my
|>    > > brother in our tradition) has been in political asylum for more than
|>    > > 30 years.
|>    > 
|>    > You are right brother. As I have often said (and the example of your
|>    > cousin sums it all), no Cameroonian in their right mind should be
|>    > proud of Ahidjo, Biya or any of their henchmen. These guys devastated
|>    > the country with bad leadership and brought us to our present
|> predicament.
|> 
|>      I agree with you, brothers...but, the fact is those guys have
|> build the today's Cameroon which is believed to be a good a example of
|> development in Africa (Of course, it could have been better...). They
|> are already part of Cameroon' history, whether we like it or not! 
|> 
|>  

Who regards Cameroon as a good example of development in africa? Either they ari
mistaken or africa has an even longer way to go than I thought. And that is a
new way of "agreeing", is it?
The fact of the matter is that Cameroon is [was?] a potentially illustrious
economy in the region, if no in africa as a whole, but ALL of the
"administrations" she has had since "independence" have done nothing but pillage
and rob her.  While those gentlemen are decidedly part of the country's history
you must agree that part can only be remembered as  an example of what could go
wrong, rather than a source of pride!

|>   
|>    > > Now, here is how I view Cameroon's situation:
|>    > > 
|>    > > Whoever becomes Cameroon's President at this time will be more likely
|> to
|>    > > continue the old-fashioned policy, if that person is a member of the
|> actual
|>    > > government team, or has served in any of Ahijo's administration. It
|>    > > is possible that some members of the actual administration are very
|>    > > good people, who could bring concrete democratic changes in
|>    > > Cameroon. But with those who served in Ahijo's administration, I
|>    > > doubt. Cameroon certainly needs someone who will 
|>    > > bring new ideas, put in place a new team, devoted to changes.
|>    > 
|>    > I AGREE 100% with you brother.
|>    > 
|>        I AGREE 100% with you brothers.
|>   

True.

|>    > 
|>    > . Refusing to recognize our differences is blind and
|>    > naive nationalism that will hardly succeed. 
|> 
|>     I may be stupid, but I don't undersatand what you call here
|> differences ? the fact that two Cameroonians speak different FOREIGN
|> languages make them so differents ? Do you think a native Bassa from Edea
|> and
|> a native Bassa from the south-west will have different customs
|> because one speaks french and the other english ? We don't need to put
|> an ARTIFICIAL difference above our native-language-based differences..

I'm in no position to reassure you that you are not stupid -or that you are- bu(
the fact is these differences, whether you think they should matter or not - and
I am not saying they should- do exist and seem to matter to quite a large
majority of the population! Thats why they can't be wished away. I aggree we
should strive to make them [differences] matter less.


|> 
|>    > 
|>    > I agree with you that Federalism has its draw backs. However a well
|>    > crafted federal system like that of the US brings about transperence,
|>    > accountability and responsible Gov't. My idea is, in looking for a
|>    > solution to our present stalemate, we should explore all possible
|>    > structures, even federalism, as long as it eliminates the abuse of
|>    > power and the corruption that our current structure breeds.
|>    > 
|>  
|>     In the case of Cameroon, I think Federalism is very likely to
|> destroy UNITY which is already very weak...An option might be a
|> decentralization giving much more power to departements with the
|> establishemnt of a chambers in the parliament which will represent
|> cameroon ethinacal diversity...   
|> 
|>  Alain BIEM

Thats a half-way house [or a quarter-way house], if I understant you, and must
confess I don't. 
What that country really needs, whether its federal or not, is accountability.
This concept has been alien for far too long and my view is that this is the
primary cause of the country's woes. With or wothout federalism, I view
accountabilty as the first requirement for any society to begin to call itself
democratic.

I would also like to have a better explanation, Alain, of how you think
federalism would destroy UNITY, especially what you view as UNITY and what it
has blessed the country with. I'd also appreciate a better explanation of the
decentralisation touched on above.

Mana
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african