Editorial: A time to show not only national but also Christian solidarity

Cameroon is standing at the crossroads in its fight against terrorists from neighbouring countries who are determined to shatter the proverbial peace that this country has known for a long time.

Cameroonians may not all understandably agree that Cameroon is a peaceful country, as the absence of war does not necessarily depict peace, but after recent fatal skirmishes between Cameroonian soldiers and Islamic insurgents from these neighbouring countries, many agree that it is time for Cameroon to get up from its lethargic security complacence and keep the marauding forces, which from every indication are determined to do this country in, at bay.

The Catholic Church in northern Cameroon is already paying a heavy price of insurgent activities as in less than a year, four of her missionaries have been kidnapped, cars stolen and her property vandalised. These abductions have not diluted the evangelical zeal in many missionaries who continue serving the poor and destitute in that part of the country.

They are fully aware that these insurgents could whisked them off at any time as Cameroon’s porous borders with the neighbouring countries from where these hoodlums come, make nonsense of even the most well thought-out and astute security measures.

Prevailing insecurity has become one of the drawbacks to effective evangelisation in the Moslem-dominated north that of recent has been making commendable Gospel in routes in that region.

Taking cognizance of this situation and its consequences during their May 05 to 10, 2014, 39th Plenary Assembly in Yaoundé, the Bishops of Cameroon said, “We express our profound regret at this phenomenon, which apparently shows no sign of abating, and which gravely hurts human dignity and raises concern and horror. It also has lots of negative consequences.

It saddens and troubles us with regards to the preaching of the Gospel and the Church’s work in the development of our country.” They consequently called on all Cameroonians, irrespective of their religious leanings, to redouble their efforts in ensuring peace and concord wherever they live.

Having tasted the consequences of obnoxious insurgent activity, the Emeritus Bishop of Maroua- Mokolo, Mgr. Philippe Stevens frontally appealed to traditional rulers to denounce militants of the Islamic group that is running amok in that part of the country.

Commenting about insurgent activities in Trends In Outside Support for Insurgent Movements it is stated that in “--- any clandestine movement, members are also part-time intelligence agents, operating among the population, gathering information, and conveying it to higher authorities. Insurgents typically are able to draw on a large network of informants and local sympathisers who can provide information useful to the cause.”

The precision with which these militants operate has therefore made many to conclude that they must have local accomplices. There are even speculations that until he was unmasked recently, one of Boko Haram’s close aides had been living unperturbed in northern Cameroon.

If local intelligence gathering has been one, if not, the sect’s strongest weapon in its asymmetric war against Cameroonians, local intelligence provision to security forces on Boko Haram suspects and activities could also be the greatest weapons against it.

It is difficult to ensure rational behaviour and conduct in situations of conflict and where there is anxiety to find a quick solution to a disturbing situation, but information gathered should be carefully analysed to avoid past errors which, instead of helping to solve a problem, have only further contributed to exacerbating it; only making a sufficiently disturbing situation worse.

It is not time to ask if our soldiers can effectively wade off these insurgents, as they have already done and continue doing o in places like the Bakassi Peninsular, but instead time to pray and give them the moral and spiritual support they need to help defend our fatherland; and most especially, to pray for the conversion of hearts.

Looking at the prevailing situation in the Central African Republic, Cameroonians must remain alert to avert their country’s descent into the doldrums of war. Fighting against the forces of evil is not only a national but also a Christian obligation.