The Unspoken war of separatism in Cameroon
The Ambazonian crisis, Language or cultural war?
The Ambazonian crisis is a complex conflict that has been ongoing in Cameroon's anglophone regions for several years. At the heart of the crisis lies a debate about language and culture. The central question of this thesis is whether the crisis is primarily a language issue or a cultural war. Through a review of the existing literature and an analysis of official documents and media reports, this paper hopes to shed light on the causes of the conflict and possible ways to end it peacefully. This master's thesis explores how the conflict has resulted in widespread violence, displacement, and human rights violations. The study adopts a qualitative research design, using books and document analysis to gather data from Ambazonian activists, government officials, and other stakeholders.
The findings demonstrate the importance of language in the dispute, with many Ambazonians arguing that their culture and identity are under threat due to the government's imposition of French and neglect of English. However, the crisis also has deep cultural roots, with Ambazonians claiming marginalization and discrimination on the basis of their cultural practices, beliefs, and values. This study argues that although the Ambazonian crisis is primarily a cultural war, driven by a long-standing sense of marginalization and discrimination by the central government. The imposition of French language policies is seen as a manifestation of this wider cultural issue, rather than the root cause. The study concludes by calling for a deeper understanding of the cultural dynamics underlying the conflict, and the need for a holistic approach that addresses the cultural, linguistic, and political dimensions of the crisis.