From Silence to Complicity: Why Ambazonians see French Involvement in the ongoing Genocide

Ambassador Thierry Marchand, the French complicit hand in war crimes.

By: The Editorial Desk – The Independentist

For eight painful years, the people of Ambazonia have endured a war that has shattered lives, burned villages, and displaced hundreds of thousands. What began as peaceful protests by teachers and lawyers quickly turned into a full-scale armed conflict when the regime in Yaoundé responded with bullets instead of dialogue.

In this long, dark night of suffering, France has stood not as a peacemaker—but as a quiet enabler.

Today, many Ambazonians no longer view the French Ambassador to La République du Cameroun (LRC) or institutions like the Alliance Française as neutral actors. Instead, they are increasingly seen as active participants—or at the very least, silent accomplices—in a campaign of repression and cultural erasure.

The Roots of the Crisis—and France’s Role
The roots of the Ambazonian crisis stretch back to the forced union between Southern Cameroons and LRC in 1961—a union that was never ratified by treaty. Over the decades, Ambazonians have watched as their legal system, language, and culture were steadily dismantled.

France’s involvement in this process is well-documented:

French military advisors train Cameroon’s army, some of whom are deployed in Ambazonia where atrocities have been reported.

French companies profit from economic concessions granted by the Biya regime in resource-rich areas, including Ambazonia.

At the UN Security Council and other international forums, France has consistently shielded the Cameroonian government from international scrutiny, vetoing or watering down resolutions on human rights.

While France may publicly call for peace, it continues to support the very structures that perpetuate war.

The Alliance Française: Culture or Control?
The Alliance Française presents itself as a promoter of language and education. But in Ambazonia, many now see it differently.

In a time of war and occupation, cultural institutions do not exist in a vacuum. The Alliance Française has continued to operate openly in cities like Bamenda and Buea, offering scholarships, hosting events, and reinforcing the idea that Cameroon is one indivisible country—all while ignoring the burning villages, killed children, and imprisoned teachers nearby.

This cultural push is seen by many Ambazonians as an effort to normalize the occupation and erase indigenous identity under the banner of “unity”.

A Line Has Been Crossed
Ambazonia is not at war with the French people or with culture itself. But when diplomats and institutions begin to act as tools of domination rather than diplomacy, they cross a moral line.

We therefore state the following:

The French Ambassador to LRC, unless he publicly distances himself from the Biya regime and its genocidal practices, will be regarded by the people of Ambazonia as complicit in war crimes.

The Alliance Française, by continuing its activities without addressing the suffering around it, is enabling cultural domination and psychological warfare—even if unintentionally.

Any Ambazonian or international actor who collaborates with these institutions without demanding accountability risks being seen as betraying the people’s suffering.

Room for Change—But No More Silence
This declaration is not a call for violence or hatred. It is a call for accountability.

If France truly wants to be part of a solution:

It must end military support to LRC until human rights are respected.

It must acknowledge its historical role in the destabilization of Southern Cameroons.

It must support international mediation, not block it.

And if the Alliance Française wishes to retain any legitimacy in Ambazonia, it must pause all operations until the war ends and take a public stand for peace, justice, and cultural diversity—not assimilation.

Conclusion: The Path to Dignity
France still has the opportunity to change course. But time is running out. The people of Ambazonia are no longer confused about who their oppressors are—or who enables them.

We are not calling out France out of hatred—but out of painful experience.

As history has shown across Africa, no amount of silence or soft power can bury the truth. The day will come when all shall be held accountable—not just those who pulled the trigger, but those who supplied the guns, shielded the killers, and silenced the victims.

We stand for freedom, truth, and the right to exist.

The Independentist editorial desk
The Voice of the Free Ambazonian Press