The New Deal Government: Military Regime In Disguise

Scholars have defined a military government as one which is generally any government that is administrated by military forces, whether this government is legal or not under the laws of the jurisdiction at issue, and whether this government is formed by natives or by an occupying power. A civilian dictatorship is a form of government different from military dictatorship and monarchies where the ruling dictator does not derive their power from the military. Among civilian dictatorships, dominant-party dictatorships tend to outlast personality dictatorships. These two instances can be applied to Cameroon.

Events in Cameroon since the re launch of multiparty politics in 1990 have proven beyond all reasonable doubts that Cameroon is ruled by a group of military oriented leaders wearing civilian clothes.  The New Deal government has always crushed any uprising among the population a majority being peacefully orchestrated.

The very military who have been recruited, trained to protect civilians have turned against them, sold their consciences. The military of Cameroon was used to kill at least six civilians according to government sources during the launch of SDF party in 1990, within this period several other persons were killed in disputed elections. Security forces have been used by the regime to suppress striking peaceful population who are just expressing themselves either demanding for political changes, social or economic. In 2005-2006 police fired live bullets killing striking students in the University of Buea, in February 2008 during the hunger strike, overzealous police killed over 100 in some big towns in Cameroon.

Recently Gendarmes, Army and Police forces descended on inhabitants on Bamenda using tear gas on them, they intimidated lawyers in the north west region, seized the wigs and gowns of lawyers in Buea, brutalized peaceful protesters.

Political party leaders have times without number been arrested in their quest for better working and living conditions. Police storm private premises of political parties, tear their dresses, vandalize their building, use tear gas and water cannons and go free.

It is only a military minister in sheep clothing that will scorn at lawyers for marching, ridicule president of Cameroon Bar Association and that of General Assembly and nothing happens, it is only a military minister who will defy boss to say that Anglophones are just being nuisance and crying for nothing.

The worst case is when authorities especially in Universities invite policemen on campus to intervene in a peaceful , an academic milieu where policemen can only intervene and not use force when there are acts of vandalism. In Cameroon today every situation is solved by force, by fist, by water cannon, by tear gas, by arrest and Etoudi says nothing.
The country is now ruled in an undeclared state of emergency.

In Buea Police have been stationed in all corners of the town, two after every 100meters.
A country where the ruler has spent 34 years in power can only be described as a military regime where the rule of the law is for the most powerful, alpha and Omega. Where striking population is killed and corrupt officials are promoted.

Aime Cesaire’s book La Tragedie du Roi Christophe explains all what can happen to a civilian regime when it is totally transformed into a military rule.

Prince Nfor Hanson NCHANJI