From peaceful protests to armed insurgency: the anglophone crisis turns a decade

The anglophone crisis in Cameroon has reached a critical turning point after ten years of conflict. What began as a wave of demonstrations by lawyers and teachers in October 2016 rapidly escalated into a full-blown separatist insurgency. Yet, what started as a fight for justice has spiraled into a web of predation, leaving civilians in the North-West and South-West regions to bear the brunt of the devastation.

A decade of deception: how separatists hijacked the people’s cause

Cyrille Atonfack Guemo, a high-ranking official in Cameroon’s Ministry of Defense, has delivered a scathing indictment of the armed separatist groups. His analysis reveals a calculated strategy behind the apparent spontaneity of the 2016 uprising. Behind the rhetoric of liberation, he argues, lies a meticulously planned operation to establish control over civilian populations. This transformation from peaceful protest to organized insurrection required years of preparation, including the establishment of support networks, recruitment, indoctrination, and the acquisition of weapons.

The illusion of emancipation

The separatist narrative claims to champion the rights of anglophone Cameroonians, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. How can a movement claim to free a people while systematically denying them access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities? The destruction of schools, health facilities, and marketplaces has left communities displaced, impoverished, and vulnerable. Families forced into exile struggle to survive, their once-prosperous lives reduced to dependency in foreign camps. Women and girls face unimaginable hardships, subjected to violence and exploitation in the name of a cause that no longer serves them.

Predation disguised as patriotism

The separatist leaders, many of whom now live abroad in luxury, continue to exploit the crisis for personal gain. Their rhetoric of liberation rings hollow when set against the backdrop of their lavish lifestyles—private schooling for their children, safety in foreign countries, and the accumulation of wealth. Meanwhile, the populations they claim to represent are trapped in a cycle of violence, poverty, and despair. This hypocrisy is stark: the so-called liberators have become predators, ruling over lawless territories while their people suffer.

The writing on the wall: an end to the facade of separatism

The time for accountability has arrived. The Cameroonian government’s resilience in the face of this crisis has been unwavering, and the true intentions of the separatist leaders can no longer be disguised. Their actions speak louder than their words—predation, not patriotism, has defined their decade-long campaign. As the conflict approaches its eleventh year, one truth emerges: the separatist movement is not a struggle for freedom, but an enterprise of exploitation.

A call to vigilance and unity

The fight against separatism must remain rooted in patriotism and a commitment to national unity. Cameroon’s future depends on rejecting the false promises of those who seek power at the expense of their people. Vigilance is essential—against the seductive narratives of liberation that mask greed, and against the divisive tactics that threaten to tear the nation apart. The path forward requires strength, wisdom, and an unwavering dedication to the Cameroonian people.

By Boureima Amadou — Journalist