If tensions escalate into communal confrontation, it is local families who bear the long-term consequences—displacement, retaliation, and the erosion of trust among neighbors who must continue living side by side. That cost is never evenly shared.
By Carl Sanders The Independentistnews Soho London
To the Mbororo community of the Savannah Zone—Bui, Boyo, Menchum, Ngoketunjia, and Donga Mantung: The winds moving across our highlands carry a troubling signal. It is not merely the tension of a prolonged conflict, but the risk of a dangerous shift in strategy. As the Republic of Cameroon struggles to contain the Ambazonian conflict through conventional military means, there are growing signs that it may seek advantage through communal division rather than dialogue or reform.
This possibility deserves careful attention—not panic, but vigilance.
The Theatre of Deception: Manufacturing Fear
Reports have circulated of threatening audio messages allegedly directed at indigenous Savannah communities, attributed to voices claiming foreign or “Nigerian” origins. Whether authentic or staged, such messages should be approached with caution. In conflicts around the world, anonymous recordings and unverifiable broadcasts are often used to create fear, provoke mistrust, and push communities into reactive positions. History shows that when fear spreads faster than facts, ordinary people are the first to suffer.
The Risk of a False Narrative
There is a real danger that isolated acts of violence—whether criminal, opportunistic, or deliberately engineered—could be misrepresented as part of a broader communal agenda. If attacks occur within Mbororo communities and are immediately blamed on the Ambazonia State Army without independent investigation, the consequences could be severe.
Such a narrative shift would serve a clear purpose: reframing a political conflict over self-determination as “tribal violence.” Once that framing takes hold, international attention moves away from governance, rights, and accountability—and toward containment rather than resolution.
A Word of Respect to the Mbororo Community
For generations, the Mbororo have been an integral part of the Savannah’s social and economic life. Through dialogue, advocacy, and institutions such as the Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA), your community has consistently sought peaceful coexistence and protection of land and livelihood. It would be a tragic reversal if that record were overshadowed by being drawn—willingly or unwillingly—into a conflict not of your making.
When States Retreat, Communities Are Left Behind
Governments can reposition. Soldiers can withdraw. Officials can relocate to safer cities. Communities cannot. If tensions escalate into communal confrontation, it is local families who bear the long-term consequences—displacement, retaliation, and the erosion of trust among neighbors who must continue living side by side. That cost is never evenly shared.
The Ambazonian Conflict Is Not a War Against a People
Whatever one’s position on the political question of Ambazonia, it is essential to state this clearly: the conflict is framed by its proponents as opposition to a state system, not hostility toward any ethnic or pastoral community. In this context, restraint is not weakness. It is protection. We therefore urge Mbororo elders, youth, and community leaders to consider the following: – Exercise caution toward armed “vigilante” recruitment presented as community defense. – Question anonymous audio messages and unverifiable claims, especially those designed to provoke fear or anger. – Preserve neutrality where possible, as a means of safeguarding lives, land, and future generations.
A Shared Future in the Savannah
The Savannah belongs to those who live on it together—farmers, herders, traders, and families bound by daily coexistence. No political strategy should be allowed to turn neighbors into adversaries. In moments of uncertainty, wisdom lies not in reacting quickly, but in refusing to be used.
Carl Sanders The Independentistnews Soho/London
