A reader of the Independentist writes to the Editors, raising the urgent need for the Restoration of Ambazonia’s Rightful Status Under International and African Law

Letter to the Editor
Sir/Madam,

The plight of the people of British Southern Cameroons — now known as Ambazonia — remains one of the most overlooked injustices in modern history. In 1961, United Nations Resolution 1608 (XV) provided two options for the UN Trust Territory of British Southern Cameroons: to gain independence by joining either the already independent Republic of Cameroun or the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Crucially, the resolution required that the terms of any union be agreed upon in a treaty between the concerned parties and submitted to the United Nations. That treaty was never signed, never ratified, and never deposited with the UN.

Without this legal instrument, no lawful merger occurred between Ambazonia and Cameroon. French Cameroun achieved independence on 1 January 1960 with borders that excluded British Southern Cameroons, which remained under British administration until 1 October 1961. This fact is not a matter of political opinion but a matter of recorded international law.

The African Union’s Own Charter Supports Ambazonia’s Case
The African Union’s Constitutive Act, Article 4(b), commits all member states to respect “the borders existing on their achievement of independence.” Applying this principle, Cameroon’s independence-era borders did not include Ambazonia. To respect the AU’s own border doctrine, the AU must recognize that Ambazonia and Cameroon are separate states under international law. This is not about creating new borders but about honoring the borders that already existed at independence.

The Current Legal Status
Under international law, Ambazonia remains a separate political entity — a former UN Trust Territory whose decolonization was never completed in compliance with UN procedures. The absence of a lawful treaty of union means Ambazonia retains the right to self-determination, and its forced incorporation into Cameroon amounts to annexation.

A Call to Action
If Ambazonia were in Europe or Asia, it is hard to imagine the world’s silence in the face of mass displacement, village burnings, and widespread killings. The United Nations and African Union have the tools — and the legal obligations — to act. The AU should uphold its own charter by affirming Ambazonia’s rightful borders. The UN should complete the decolonization process it began, ensuring the people of Ambazonia can decide their political future through a free and fair process.

Failing to act not only perpetuates injustice but undermines the credibility of the very institutions meant to protect the rights of all peoples, regardless of geography.

Respectfully,
Johnson Fonwi