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| His Grace, Samuel KLEDA, Archbishop of Douala President of NECC |
1.
Meeting in Yaoundé on 7th August 2018, we, the members of the Standing
Committee of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, once more note with
regret that violence and abuse are increasing and persisting in the North West
and South West Regions of our country. Fighting between the security forces and
the secessionists, strewn in several armed groups, has become a daily event. All
this is happening despite the cry of distress that we sent out to all
Cameroonians in our Letter of 16‘h May 2018: "I have seen the afflictions
of my people!" (Exodus 3: 7); “Let us put an end to all forms of violence
and stop killing one another! We are all brothers and sisters; let us retrace
the path of dialogue, reconciliation, justice and peace."
2.
As the days go by, this crisis intensifies, endangering lives, property and
social cohesion. The population, administrative, traditional and religious authorities,
the police and security forces are assaulted, humiliated and terrorized. To
this effect, civilians are kidnapped and taken to unknown destinations where
they are subjected to torture, inhuman and undignified treatment. Vehicles and
convoys of administrative authorities are attacked within alleys of towns and
villages. Not Even private vehicles are exempted from these attacks.
3.
Some villages have been emptied of their population. Caught between armed
groups and secessionists who instill terror and the national defense forces
whose mission is to maintain order and safety of goods and persons. These
violent clashes have driven a greater part of the inhabitants into exile or
forced them to stay cloistered at home or to flee into the bushes. The consequences
are grave at all ‘levels: economic, social and religious.
4.
No one is spared from this situation of insecurity, not even religious
authorities. A clear example is the case of Reverend Father Alexander SOB
NOUGl‘, Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish Bomaka (Diocese of Buea), and
former Catholic Education Secretary of the Diocese of Buea, shot dead on
20‘" July 2018, in the town of Muyuka,
5.
We convey our heartfelt condolences to the Bishop of Buea, His Lordship,
Immanuel BUSHU, to his presbyterium, to the lay faithful of Bomaka Parish, to
all the people of God who are in Buea and to the natural family of Father
Alexander.
We
also express our unflinching solidarity with and compassion for all the
bereaved or displaced families, and to all victims of violence related to the
crisis in the North West and South West Regions.
6.
We strongly condemn this despicable and cowardly act, and express our dismay
and deep sorrow for this heinous crime committed against an anointed one of
God, that has come just a little more than one year after the assassination of
Bishop Jean Marie Benoit BALA, adding to the long list of assassinated bishops
and priests. We commend to the Mercy of God our deceased son, Alexander, as well
as all those who have lost their lives in this crisis.
7.
We call on the competent authorities to carry out investigations so that the
perpetuators of this abominable crime may be made to answer for their action
before the competent legal authority, and that the State assume its sovereign
duty of safeguarding the security of persons and goods throughout the national
territory.
8.
We denounce and condemn, once again, all acts of violence regardless of their origin
which can only provoke reprobation and indignation. Furthermore, we demand that
those who commit these acts should put an immediate end to them in order to
spare our country from sinking into chaos.
9.
We request the renunciation of violence and war as means of reclaiming
political demands and resolution of crisis between sons and daughters of our
Nation.
10.
As we emphasized in our cry of distress, (May 16, 2018) we “think that
mediation is now more urgent in order to come out of the crisis. Please, spare
our country, Cameroon, from a useless and senseless civil war!"
11.
For this reconciliation, we pray to God the Father: "May you make your
Church a sign of unity and an instrument of your peace among all people. “
(Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II)
12.
We invite all the faithful of Cameroon, as well as men and women of good will,
to intensity prayers of supplication and intercession, so that the Lord may
touch the hearts of all, and give everyone the courage to renounce all
obstacles to an immediate resolution of the crisis, and the return to peace.
13.
As we draw closer to the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, Queen of Peace and Patroness of Cameroon, we exhort all the faithful of
our country to pray the Rosary, to fast, to do adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament, so that the Lord Jesus, through the intercession of His Mother and
our Mother, should drive war far away from us, and grant us unity and peace.
Done
at Yaoundé, 7th August 2018
For
the Standing Committee of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon NECC, His
Grace, Samuel KLEDA, Archbishop of Douala President of NECC
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