CPDM: "Living together", mourning in division!.

It was the same day President Paul Biya celebrated his 41^st year in power. Without any compassion for the killings in Manyu Division, supporters of his party held rallies across the country, dancing, dining and popping champagnes.

Brightly colourful pictures of CPDM supporters in fiesta mood competed for attention in the media with the gory and bloody images of corpses pulled out of the devastated village.

It was not until Tuesday that the government reacted with a brief statement from the Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman, Rene Emmanuel Sadi. He wrote: “The government condemns with the greatest firmness this cowardly and despicable attack directed against innocent people by a band of terrorists whose sole aim is to sow horror and desolation in families, at a time when the State is resolutely committed in the reconstruction of the North-West and South-West regions”. 

He explained that among the victims, were 19 men, five women and an eight-year-old child in the attack in which nine others were injured, some of whom are in “a critical condition”. Some reports later said the death toll rose to 30.

Minister Sadi attributed the crime to “the Manyu Unity Warriors, a small secessionist terrorist group affiliated with the so-called Ambazonian Defense Forces” and intimated that “the defense and security forces are working hard to fish out the perpetrators of this macabre expedition and bring them to book”.

As is often the tradition, Sadi extended condolence messages from the Head of State to the bereaved family who may not have access to his release.

In a society where people are "their brother's keepers", was it necessary for CPDM supporters and officials to be dancing and feasting the same day compatriots were murdered in their sleep and horrific videos and pictures of corpses trending in the media?

How can the CPDM officials be preaching "living together" when in such an unprecedented attack in one of our villages, they showed no compassion but jubilation? Would those party zealots have been celebrating if one of those murdered was a relation of theirs?

Could a minister not have been sent from Yaounde to the scene to assess the situation?

What achievements in 41 years were they celebrating when basic amenities like water, electricity, good roads and affordable and efficient medical services are grossly apologetic to take precedence over the Mamfe massacre?

Being unprecedented at a time many thought the vicious conflict in the North West and South West regions was slowly in a lull, The Guardian Post feels it would have been a context to exhibit national solidarity and unity with the bereaved people of the village.

Several other articulate Cameroonians and politicians are expressing the same view in the media. 

The National President of Cameroon Renaissance Movement, Prof. Maurice Kamto, for instance, in a statement after the murder, pointed out that: "Elsewhere, following such horror we would have expected a scene of collective indignation and a general demonstration of solidarity and comfort towards the families so hard hit. Instead we saw those who govern us celebrating the 41-year reign of Mr. Paul Biya, in total indifference to this tragedy. We have the impression that everything is being done to kill the feeling among Cameroonians of belonging to the same nation that the people are united and linked by a feeling of common destiny".

He added that: “For almost seven years, Cameroonians have been perishing in the North West and South West of our country, sacrificed on the altar of the selfish ambitions of some and the pride of others. Not a day goes by without hearing cries of desolation coming from the regions concerned where horror follows horror, despite the official speech which speaks of a return to normalcy. Only yesterday, it was the town of Mamfe, which was the scene of human cruelty with men, women and children who were snatched from life in their sleep by lawless men".

Killings have become the new normal in the two regions, but the Monday massacre of some 30 people was record-breaking, not to warrant any celebration by party supporters and officials drumming that we should "live together". 

For that doctrine to be devoid of hypocrisy, we should also mourn and feast together in accordance with the vagaries of the moment.