Dear Ambazonians,
As we celebrate this Christmas season, it is a time for reflection, truth, and a renewed commitment to the well-being of our people. Eight years of struggle have brought both triumphs and tragedies, yet it is evident that our current path demands critical reevaluation. For the survival of our people, the preservation of our identity, and the credibility of our movement, we must adjust to the realities before us.
The 2017 declaration of independence by Sisiku Ayuk Tabe marked a bold step in our journey, but seven years later, no nation has recognized Ambazonia as an independent state. This stark reality compels us to reconsider the foundation of that declaration in light of established international law. Both the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (1933) and United Nations Resolution 1541 (XV) of 1960 highlight the conditions for statehood and decolonization, which point to the lawful, albeit flawed, integration of British Southern Cameroons into Cameroon.
Recently, President Paul Biya publicly admitted that Cameroon’s assimilation agenda has failed. This admission offers us a unique opportunity. If the Cameroonian government can confront its failures, we too must confront ours. It is time to move away from hardline stances that deny the historical reality of the union. Instead, we must work towards a political settlement that reflects the truth of our situation, creates pathways to freedom for our prisoners, brings the diaspora back to their homeland, and ends the suffering of our people.
The danger of failing to adapt to reality is best illustrated by the tragic history of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. Led by Pol Pot, a movement intended to liberate its people instead became their oppressor. In its quest for ideological purity, the Khmer Rouge committed atrocities against its own population, targeting teachers, intellectuals, and reasonable voices who could have guided the country toward stability. Millions of Cambodians perished under this rigid and extremist approach to liberation. Like Cambodia, we risk turning against our own people if we refuse to adjust our strategies and remain trapped in baseless propaganda and hardline ideologies.
The arrest of Ayaba Cho Lucas for alleged crimes against our people further demonstrates the destructive consequences of allowing delusional hardliners to dominate our movement. Fighters and leaders who are unable to pivot toward reality have increasingly become threats to the very communities they claim to protect. These actions erode our moral authority and undermine our quest for self-determination, leaving our people vulnerable and our movement fragmented.
We must also acknowledge the dire consequences of our inflexibility:
Our prisoners remain in detention with no clear path to freedom.
Our diaspora continues to live in exile, with many dying in foreign lands far from home.
Our fighters, once symbols of resistance, now threaten the security of our communities, forcing them into compliance with distorted narratives through violence and intimidation.
This is not the liberation we promised our people. Instead of leading them to freedom, we risk leading them into chaos.
PRAP has taken a different path—one rooted in truth, international law, and responsible engagement. By presenting our case to the United Nations and engaging directly with state actors, we have reshaped our fight for self-determination into one that aligns with global norms and principles of justice. Propaganda and the rhetoric of “independence or death” have failed us; truth, adaptability, and pragmatism are our only viable tools moving forward.
Ambazonians, it is difficult to accept these realities, but doing so is essential for our survival. As we move forward, we must reject the mindset that sees compromise as weakness. Instead, we must embrace it as a necessary step toward achieving tangible progress for our people. The sacrifices of our fallen heroes, the plight of our prisoners, and the resilience of our diaspora demand leadership that prioritizes unity, accountability, and reason.
This Christmas, let us honor the past while committing to a future rooted in truth, justice, and peace. Together, we can rebuild trust, restore dignity to our movement, and chart a path that secures freedom and prosperity for Ambazonia.
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2025.
Ndong Emmanuel aka Capo Daniel
Chairman
PRAP (People’s Rights Advocacy Platform)
