Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said ; “Change does not roll on the wheels of inevitability but through continuous struggle…” The United States Embassy in Cameroon named after Rosa Parks well known as the mother of the Civil Rights continues to challenge us till date about our Anglophone and Francophone union. As we remember and celebrate the life and works of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr, we Cameroon Diaspora for Freedom and Change through out the world, which includes; Africa, Europe, Asia and North America are very humble to be part of the events that mark this day. But most importantly, we are truly inspired by the ideals and spirit of the Civil Rights Movement.
Yet, we question the character of black Africans towards black Africans in terms of the dream of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Concomitantly we also question the character of both Anglophones and Francophones towards each other in our Cameroon society. We have learned so much about him and the famous non-violent Civil Rights Movement for change in America in 1964. Although the non-violent movement ended violently, we are forever very grateful to all the people who lost their lives on this earth struggling for equality of all people under the rule of law.
The continuous struggle for change in our societies, Cameroon being no exception must be non-violent. Meanwhile, those who resist change on the wheels of power must not act with violence either. We, black Africans within the United States are the first people who ought to demonstrate gratitude to the Civil Rights Movement and the people who led it. This day is very significant to us Cameroonians because the US Embassy in Cameroon is named after Rosa Parks. As a matter of fact she is now believed to be the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, which captured the empathy of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr and the movement, which he led and died for.
Many of us have been inspired by the life of both Rosa Parks and Rev Martin Luther King Jr and wondered over the years why black people and not White people are instead the ones torturing, enslaving and dehumanizing us black Africans in spite of the outcome of Civil Rights Movement? Some of the most heinous crimes on black people in Cameroon is inflicted upon them by black Africans. All these are mind boggling to us. We have come to the painful realization that we still live in segregated tribes and communities in our societies at home and abroad. Right here in the Diaspora black African Cameroonians persecuted and harass Cameroonians who have immersed themselves into the dream of Rev Dr Martin Luther with the hope to export it to Africa . One must wonder what is wrong with us black people who cannot appreciate the sacrifices of other black people for us? There are some French Cameroonians who still believe that English Cameroonians cannot become President of Cameroon because they are in the minority! By the same token we have some English Cameroonians who are very bitter and angry because of the systematic injustice of the CPDM regime either perpetuated or condoned by both former French and English Cameroonians elite. We cannot doubt the “Berlin Walls” of injustice erected by CNU and CPDM since 50 years ago, which has enriched them and their generations forever. While all these is happening the same black people who have escaped to America are benefiting from the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement and simultaneously at the forefront of abusing their own fellow black people back in Cameroon. Worst still the apartheid of the French government against us black Cameroonians is wide open like a hole leading into a cave of continuous enslavement of people of a particular class or origin. The time has come for black Africans to honor, value and respect the life of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Movement. The minority CPDM elite and government who perpetuate a system of injustice against us must stop killing or assassinating innocent Cameroonians struggling for change. We believe that there are lessons to be learned from Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s Day. We, Cameroonians join the rest of the world to wonder, was it worth it to spill human blood under the circumstance? We can learn that a non-violent cause leads to change. We can also learn that a violence reaction in retaliation from the statusquo makes them look bad in history because it was unecessary to hurt armless people. So long as human beings struggling for any type of justice are armed only with their conscience, heart, soul, truth and courage to stand up for the human dignity of one another, those with power must not harass, arbitrary arrest and imprison them. It is against the natural law. How did Rosa Parks become a lightening Rod? Donald T. Philipps observed that “During Martin’s second year in Montgomery , an incident occurred on a city bus that effectively ignited the American civil rights movement. On December 1, 1995,Mrs Rosa Parks, forty-two-year old tailor’s assistant, was commanded by a bus driver to give up her seat to a White male passenger who had just boarded.Mrs.Parks simply said, “No”. She knew she was breaking the law, but she nevertheless refused to move. In response, the driver stopped the bus, called the police, and had her arrested. I don’t really know why I wouldn’t move”, she later commented. “ There was no plot or plan at all. I was just tired. My feet hurt” Consequently, on this day of January 17th, 2010, we Cameroon Diaspora for Change reiterate our call for the CPDM regime and government to immediately release all political prisoners of conscience. We are sick and tired of a government that has no respect for human lives and liberties. The harassment and arbitrary imprisonment of people because they identify with a different shed of political opinion or political party is a gross violation of the Constitution of Cameroon. If they are prisoners of conscience, which means people championing the civil rights of Cameroonians; the right to belong to any political party of their choice, the right to register and vote, the right to be treated with respect and dignity; the right to be treated equal under law, then the CPDM cannot organize any Presidential Elections in the midst of these disturbing violations. Democracy can only function under the rule of law and abundant evidence shows that the CPDM Party is a lawless regime. We are very sad that our own fellow black people are hurting us. We, Cameroon Diaspora for freedom and change must seek to become agents of change through continuous struggle of commitment, dedication and participation (involvement). We are up and against people within the Statuquo who believe that they must resist change while we are insisting that the time for change is now. We insist because change is a natural phenomenon meanwhile resistance to change is part of that human nature, which is selfish and greedy. The only reason why some Cameroonians live among free people and resist change is because they are ignorant of the Civil Rights Movement. It was neither a movement to tear people apart nor to divide and conquer. This day is about the beloved community interconnected through building bridges between White and Black people as well as between Africa, Europe, Asia and North America. This day inspires us to strengthen the bridges that connect Francophone with Anglophone Cameroon (French and English Cameroon); that we must consolidate the bond of interconnectedness through our diverse cultures and tribes in Cameroon and Africa.
This day reminds us that we have always been one nation with many tribes under one God where the struggle for liberty and justice is of God. Our hope for a new Cameroon is grounded in our faith in God and love for all people. Every generation ought to know when to hand over political power when their time is up. The CPDM regime has run their cause. As a nation if we fail to question how we came about to be then we cannot pass on the mantle of leadership to the next generation because of fear. The CPDM regime could be stuck with power because of fear of the unknown. FREECCAM'A is antidote to fear. We have come at the right time in history as shock- absorbers to necessitate a peaceful transition. We believe that in order to have the opportunity to lead we must acknowledge the present civilization but denounce the inherent dehumanization of our fellow citizens. They should have deserved the same inalienable and sacred rights that the minority CPDM oppressive class system has benefited from for decades. FREECCAM'A are delighted to work with all of you because it is not only a worthy cause as it is also a sacred calling because of the human condition of pain and suffering, exploitation of powerless people, unemployment and homelessness, and other forms of injustices against innocent people. While a minority of CPDM elite live lavishly by manipulating the majority through Machiavellian politics, we must strive for a new civil society to close the wide gab between the weak and strong, rich and poor, powerful and powerless, older and younger generation, affluent and substandard communities by making sure that all people are treated with dignity under the Constitution of Cameroon and International laws, and Treaties. We, Cameroon Diaspora for freedom and Change insist that it is unacceptable for CPDM officials and government not to respect article 66 of the Constitution, which calls for them to declare their assets. This is a serious crime of swindling through torture, which must be seen as a serious crime against the people. We believe that the International Community is fully aware of this crime of swindlers and we hope that they will not tolerate any government that defies commonsense and reason in exchange with brute force. The CPDM regime must refrain from stubborn resistance to change and embrace the changing times as well safeguard and preserve civilization and leave behind an environment where there is continuity and not chaos, war and fear. We believe like Late Senators Paul Wellstone and Ted Kennedy that politics is about working with people to improve their lives and not to manipulate and exploit their lives. The Late Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota observed in his Book, “The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda” that; “ I asked students to take a piece of paper and write down the first words that came to mind when I mentioned the word politics to them. Their comments were devastating: fake, phony, corrupt, promises never kept, big money, et cetera. Rarely was there a positive comment. I said to students, No politics is not about money or power games, or winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about improvement of people’s lives, lessening human suffering, advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and in the world” Stubborn resistance to change by the CPDM regime is not the answer to the abuse of power. It is more than 40 years today since the Civil Rights Movement was born. It is unthinkable that any African does not understand that people should not be judged by their tribe, region or class except by their God given abilities to serve their country, society and communities.
FREECCAM'A will continue to advocate for a social justice economic policy to create jobs and empower people to pursue their dreams. Employment opportunities and job creation must be one of the major responsibilities of any government that is accountable to the civil society.
Will Cameroonians and Africans be defeated by fear or be empowered by their faith and at least by the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement? We, call upon the CPDM to obey the Constitution. Obedience to the rights of all Cameroonians to be protected by the Constitution is a moral obligation in this moment in history. Long Live the Civil Rights Movement Long Live the Dream of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Long Live the Beloved Community Long live Black and Whites in America Long Live French and English Cameroonians God Bless us all. Thank you all for Reading . Passs it on | 
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