Do Not Let Dialogue Die!

When participants at the ongoing discussions on the problems posed by the Anglophone Teachers’ Trade Unions came out of their conclave last January 13 after a marathon eight- hour session smiling from jaw to jaw, little could Cameroonians believe that something was going to come into the fray to cause some face wriggling so soon.

Although virtually no information filtered out of the talks that went into the wee hours of the discussions, the mood was very suggestive of a new-found modus Vivendi indicating the discovery of common ground that was going to inexorably lead to the resumption of classes in the two Anglophone regions of the country yesterday. That did not happen; but hope continued to be kept alive when it was understood that discussions were to resume tomorrow Wednesday. Good news indeed that dialogue is still very much alive! But this dialogue seems threatened with the resurgence of “Ghost Towns” ordered by the Teachers’ Trade Unions and which was in force in the two regions yesterday.

In a message published on the social media and which Cameroon tribune accessed, the teachers were complaining of a breach of confidence of sorts in what they referred to as the “shooting of unarmed citizens” in Bamenda barely after the discussions had been adjourned to resume on Wednesday. The dialogue is obviously not in jeopardy, but instances and decisions as the one imposing “ghost towns” are ominous warnings that just anything can come to wreck the fragile peace under which the talks are holding. It is therefore necessary for all the parties to exercise the necessary restraint, especially when addressing issues under discussion to the general public and to see to it that nothing that can question sincerity on the part of the negotiating sides is done or promoted.

In two recent outings, the President of the Republic has recommended dialogue and even gone to the point of suggesting the putting into place of a structure that can help to promote the desire of living together. The guarantor of the Constitution would also want to see Cameroonians wash their dirty linen at home because the persistence of any stalemate only throws opprobrium on Cameroon’s well established reputation not only as a successful and envied bilingual nation, but also as a successful experiment in inter-cultural and multi-ethnic living. Should such gains be thrown overboard because of uncompromising negotiators who must have their way at all cost?

Without being privy to what is happening within the conclave, there is evidenc...