Cameroon's Anglophone Conflict Goes Back 100 Years

The west African nation of Cameroon is plagued by near-daily clashes between security forces and anglophone separatists that can be traced back to its split between Britain and France 100 years ago

Yaound (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2019 ) :The west African nation of Cameroon is plagued by near-daily clashes between security forces and anglophone separatists that can be traced back to its split between Britain and France 100 years ago.

On Monday, Cameroon will begin a national dialogue to try and end the separatist conflict but rebel leaders have already refused to take part in the talks. Here is some background: - World War I split - Germany was stripped of its African colony of Kamerun after its 1918 World War I defeat when the League of Nations, the forerunner to the UN, split the territory between victors Britain and France.

Four-fifths went to France, becoming independent Cameroon in 1960.

The British portion, along the border with Nigeria, became independent in 1961.

A northern Muslim-majority section chose to join Nigeria while the remaining southern area was unified with Cameroon in a federation.

The Federal structure was scrapped in 1972 and the anglophone portion was annexed.

- English-speaking minority - Largely francophone Cameroon has 10 regions, two of which are mainly English-speaking: Northwest Region, whose capital is Bamenda, and Southwest Region with Buea as its capital.

They are home to around 14 percent of Cameroon's population of 23 million.

The two regions are permitted some self-governance and language rights, including bilingual schools. But many complain of francophone-favoured discrimination in education, the justice system and the economy.