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We cannot so soon forget President Ahidjo's rumbling voice "J'ai decidé …" when in May 1972 he unilaterally completed the annexation and occupation of the state of Southern Cameroons.

With the stroke of the pen he reduced Southern Cameroons to two provinces of la Republique du Cameroun, brought Southern Cameroons under Napoleonic constitutionalism and by Presidential decree appointed two francophone proconsuls to lord it over a people nurtured under constitutional parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms.

By violating the international boundary established by colonial treaties, the foundation of modern African nation states, Yaounde declared itself an expansionist and aggressor state with Southern Cameroons being the first victim.  But we know annexation and acquisition of foreign territory by use or threat of force; the UN has declared illegal, a crime against humanity and threat to world peace.

It is for this reason we have solemnly been observing May 20 as DAY OF NATIONAL MOURNING in Southern Cameroons and by all Southern Cameroonians wherever they may be on this planet earth.

-           On May 20th the final nail was put on the coffin of annexation and la Republique du Cameroun posted its colonial proconsuls and brutal forces to occupy our land.

-           By Presidential decree the democratically elected government (Prime Minister and Cabinet, House of Assembly, and House of Chiefs) Civil Service, the Police Force, among others, were all abolished.

-           All Southern Cameroons state institutions - political, economic, judicial and cultural - were either nationalized and headquarters transferred to la Republique du Cameroun territory or simply closed.

As no slave celebrates the day on which he was captured and made a slave, no nation and no people celebrate the day they were annexed and dehumanized.

No people willfully surrender to annexation, foreign domination and alien rule.  The brutality with which we are ruled, the frequent extra-judicial executions and the blood of our youths that regularly stain our dusty roads, the mass poverty which Southern Cameroonians suffer, the mass unemployment our youths are subjected to, the barbaric plunder of our natural resources, the total neglect of our towns, which yesterday were booming commercial centers, among others, are a regular reminder that Yaounde treats Southern Cameroonians as a conquered people, an endangered specie. 

It is for the reason that no people surrender to foreign domination and alien rule that the SCNC was formed to restore the statehood and sovereign independence of Southern Cameroons. Sovereign independence is sacred to a nation as life is to a human being.

No people control and shape their destiny and no people under brutal foreign occupation and alien rule progress.  Southern Cameroons is grossly underdeveloped and Southern Cameroonians generally poorer than citizens of la Republique du Cameroun because Southern Cameroons has become the farm and gold mine of la Republique du Cameroun to be exploited for the exclusive benefit of its foreign masters.

Our struggle for freedom, justice, equality through sovereign independence is backed by history, international law and legitimacy.  We are wining.  Victory is on our side.  Let us unite, mobilize, remain consistently vigilant and stand firm on our inalienable right to SELF-DETERMINATION, FREEDOM and INDEPENDENCE.

The right to self-determination is unstoppable.  Southern Cameroonians should be encouraged and inspired by positive developments in the Saharawi Republic (Western Sahara), Kosovo and most recently in Scotland, which is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  The first two fought wars but seeing that the wars were not leading them to their ultimate goal they stopped the wars and embarked upon aggressive diplomacy for mediation and dialogue.  This peaceful approach is yielding positive results.

To doubting Thomases and agents of la Republique du Cameroun who want to bring genocide on our people, destablise Nigeria and West Africa in general that is still bleeding from wars, we assure you the SCNC non-violent struggle for Southern Cameroons freedom and independence is firmly on the rail and sailing to victory.  We are members of the UNPO that preaches non-violence and right to self-determination of all nations and peoples.  We have attended and addressed the UN Human Rights Council, In our case in the African Court of Justice, we have already won la Republique du Cameroun on the crucial stage of Admissibility.  The international community is becoming more and more aware of the annexation and occupation of Southern Cameroons by la Republique du Cameroun and the pacific struggle of the SCNC for Southern Cameroons freedom and independence.

In the year 2006 Southern Cameroonian people suffered many atrocities in the hand of the occupier of our land.  We equally succeeded in internationalizing the struggle for freedom.  Aggressive diplomatic offensive was intensified.  The echoes of our positive efforts were registered when on January 20, 2007 the National Vice Chairman and ten others, were arbitrarily arrested, tortured and illegally detained for some two months without a charge. The pressure from the international community leading to their release on bail was remarkable.

We thank all who raised their voices in defense of the right to self-determination.  We call on the UN, all democratic nations and organizations and human rights organizations to act now to avoid any war of liberation between the two former UN Trust territories. La Republique du Cameroun wants to provoke a war to prolong its colonial occupation of our land and naked pillage of our resources.

While congratulating all SCNC Units, home and Diaspora, and all Southern Cameroonians and friends in general for their support, I call on all of you to double your effort to expedite victory.

On this Solemn Day of National Mourning, Non-violence should remain your watchword.  In solemnity 20th May should be spent in somber reflection and prayers for the Lord to hasten our restoration.  At 12 noon prompt all Southern Cameroonians dressed in black should in humility before the Lord rise for a minute of silence in memory of all Southern Cameroonians - the UB Students, Ndu Tea Estate workers and those before murdered in cold blood by the bullets of la Republique and all Southern Cameroons nationalists who are watching us from the great beyond.

Southern Cameroons will be FREE.  Support the legitimate struggle and be counted with the heroes.