A Statement by the Religious Leaders of Cameroon on the State of Affairs in the Republic of Cameroon

A Statement by the Religious Leaders of Cameroon on the State of Affairs in the Republic of Cameroon

We the Religious Leaders of Cameroon representing the Roman Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the Cameroon Baptist Convention, the Anglican Church in Cameroon, EgliseEvangelique du Cameroun, EgliseFraterneleLutherene du Cameroun,  EgliseProstestanteAfricaine, EglisePresbyterienneCamerounaise, Union desEglisesEvangelique au Cameroun, Union des Eglises Baptistes du Cameroun, Eglise Evangelique Lutherene du Cameroun, the Native Baptist Church, the Full Gospel and the Federation of Pentecostal Churches in Cameroon and the Muslim Faith, attending a Capacity Building Workshop on Peaceful Conflict Resolution and Sustainable Peace for Pastors and Church Leaders in Cameroon at Buea from the 24^th-27^th of November 2020, found time to examine the state of affairs in Cameroon.

After due examination, we observed the following;

– that the cost and consequences of the armed conflict in Anglophone Cameroon and the Boko Haram insurgence in the North are becoming increasingly unbearable on the local populations who are paying a high price for these conflicts;

We the Religious Leaders of Cameroon acknowledge our neutrality and impartiality while reserving our rights to point out what is right or wrong in any conflict situation, decided to make the following declarations:

1. Acknowledge government’s various measures to resolve the Anglophone armed conflict like the creation of the Commission for Demobilization, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of ex-fighters, the Grand National Dialogue and the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the North West and South West Regions.
2. Encourage the government of the Republic of Cameroon to continue to expand her quest and search for lasting, genuine, acceptable, just and peaceful ways to resolve the Anglophone crisis.
3. That the government of Cameroon should consider less and less the military option to resolving the Anglophone crisis because conflict among brothers and sisters of the same family can never be genuinely and effectively resolved by force, but by understanding and reconciliation.
4. That Peace cannot be kept by force but can only be achieved by understanding.
5. That the government of Cameroon should consider the possibility of a mediated end to this crisis if that is the only option that is needed to end this senseless armed conflict.
6. Call on the warlords both in Cameroon and in the Diaspora, and those feeding fat and making money for themselves as the blood of Cameroonians keep flowing, to refrain from promoting acts of violence that dehumanize the victims.
7. State emphatically that every human life is sacred and valued by God the Creator for a purpose, and therefore should not be lost or taken by the whims and caprices by those who wield power, possess and command the use of arms.
8. Call on all Cameroonians to be unanimous in condemning every thought, attitude, word and action that only promotes living together without ensuring that we eat together.
9. Call on all Cameroonians to cultivate the culture of love for one another, forgiving one another, reconciling with one another and being one another’s keeper.
10. Call on every Cameroonian to be an agent of justice and peace rather than an instrument of war and destruction.
11. Appeal to the government of Cameroon to grant a general amnesty to all those arrested and imprisoned with respect to the Anglophone crisis.
12. Declare that we are apolitical, but should not be considered inactive and passive in playing our roles as Religious Leaders in national issues that affect the lives of Cameroonians.
13. Declare our willingness and readiness as Religious Leaders of Cameroon to use our various institutions and means to objectively, faithfully, fearfully and lovingly assist, if not play a front role to bring about a just and peaceful end to the armed conflict ravaging Anglophone Cameroon and other major national crises.
14. And call on every God-fearing Cameroonian to pray without ceasing, either as individuals, groups, denominations, or nation until the Lord hears and answers our prayers and decisively intervenes to transform our country into an oasis of justice, peace, love and progress.

Done this day the 27^th of November 2020 at Buea.

The Buea Religious Leaders of Cameroon’s Declaration!

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