Archbishop Andrew Nkea has expressed serious reservations about the possibility of implementing the recommendations from the Pope's recent visit to Cameroon, emphasizing that special interests, present on both sides of the Anglophone conflict, could actively prevent a swift resolution to the crisis.
According to the Archbishop, some actors are profiting from the current situation and have no interest in seeing the crisis end. "There are individuals on both sides... who do not want to see the Anglophone crisis end, because they derive significant benefits from it," he stated, targeting government circles and separatist groups. This observation highlights the complexity of the conflict, where political and economic stakes overlap with identity claims and historical grievances.
Andrew Nkea believes that these divergent interests constitute a major obstacle to any concrete progress towards peace. He anticipates considerable challenges in implementing the papal recommendations, particularly from those who benefit from the prolongation of the crisis. His words underscore the difficulty of translating dialogue initiatives into meaningful action on the ground, in the face of forces that seem to favor the continuation of the conflict.
The Anglophone crisis, which began in 2016, has already caused more than 6,000 deaths and forced over one million people to flee their homes. It originates from claims related to the marginalization of Cameroon's Anglophone minority, which represents about 20% of the population, compared to the Francophone majority. Strikes by lawyers and teachers were then repressed by the government, leading to an escalation of violence and separatist claims.
Despite calls for reconciliation and dialogue initiatives, the influence of special interests continues to weigh on the dynamics of resolving the crisis. Archbishop Nkea's statement highlights the need to consider these factors in order to achieve lasting peace in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
Archbishop Nkea has clearly stated that "war and force will never solve this crisis".
