Armed conflict in NW, SW: Breakthrough in sight!.

However, a breakthrough may be in sight, after one of the most prominent and vocal Ambazonia separatist leaders, Chris Anu, in a memorandum, set the stage for dialogue with government.

In the memorandum, Anu lays down “in good faith”, what he believes to be “a clear and practical roadmap toward justice, peace, and the definitive end of this conflict”.

Chris Anu stated that “majority of Ambazonian stakeholders do not see conferences or dialogue talks as the appropriate starting point at this moment”.

“Let this be clearly understood: dialogue is necessary, inevitable, and ultimately indispensable. But after a decade of fighting — after countless overtures and repeated declarations of willingness to talk — Ambazonia does not believe that mere ‘talks’ should be the first step,” he noted.

Anu, in his memorandum, outlined a three-pronged proposal as steps towards resolving the conflict and restoring peace in the North West and South West Regions. 

These include “Unconditional release of Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and the other Nera 9… and the unconditional freedom of all Ambazonians detained in prisons…”.

Calling for amnesty, Anu said: “Inviting Ambazonians to dialogue while key stakeholders remain locked behind bars does not signal honesty. It smacks of divide-and-conquer politics. It smacks of manipulation. It smacks of bad faith. Those who should shape the future must not be excluded from it”.

Other conditions set by Anu include resettlement of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and a “White Paper” explicitly stating the political structure government is willing to negotiate and the extent of compromise it is prepared to make. 

He stated that sincerity is the cornerstone for dialogue that can resolve the crisis.

“Everything in this memorandum revolves around one word: sincerity. Unlike 1961 in Foumban, Cameroon must approach any future dialogue with an open mind — prepared to be genuinely sincere and brutally honest. Sincerity is the only force capable of bringing Ambazonian stakeholders meaningfully to the table. It is the only path to silencing the guns,” Anu affirmed.

Expressing his wish to see peace return to the crisis-plagued Anglophone Regions, Anu said: “Peace remains possible. But it must be built on sincerity, not symbolism. On justice, not generosity. On obligation, not presidential benevolence”. 

Read full text of Chris Anu’s Memorandum below 

On resolving the Ambazonia conflict

A Memorandum by Chris Anu

Introduction: The provocation and the purpose

This memorandum became necessary following an appeal addressed to President Paul Biya in a cover story published in The Guardian Post on Friday, January 24, 2026, titled: “Road to resolving Anglophone crisis: Biya, please, grant general amnesty”. 

The article urges President Biya to pardon certain Ambazonian prisoners, initiate dialogue, and establish a reconciliation commission as pathways toward ending the decade-long Ambazonia conflict.

On the surface, these proposals appear reasonable—even noble. Dialogue is welcome. Reconciliation is desirable. However, beneath this seemingly benign appeal lies a deeply troubling assumption: that the destiny of a people and a nation can be unilaterally determined by one man—at his discretion, at his convenience, and on his terms.

That assumption is not merely flawed; it is profoundly misguided—especially coming from an independent publication. It subtly reinforces the very mindset that triggered and sustained the war: the belief that Ambazonia is a problem to be managed through presidential benevolence rather than a political conflict requiring justice, compromise, and mutual consent.

A people’s destiny cannot be reduced to a presidential favor. Peace is not a gift granted by power. It should be a negotiated outcome grounded in sincerity.

The root of the war: Intransigence, not Ambazonia’s

Let me be unequivocal: President Biya’s arrogance and intransigence caused this war, and his continued intransigence has prolonged it.

The declaration of war did not originate from Ambazonia. It came from President Biya’s public pronouncement on November 30, 2017, upon his return from the 5th AU–EU Summit in Côte d’Ivoire. What began as peaceful protests for justice and equality was met with bullets, arrests, and military force.

The result is a war that has now dragged on for ten years (a decade) with no end in sight. Ending this war is therefore not President Biya’s privilege. It is his obligation.

The obstacle to peace has never been the supposed “difficulty” of Ambazonia. The real obstacle is a regime that long believed—against all evidence—that it could win the war militarily. Now, having realised that military victory is unattainable, it hesitates—uncertain how to retreat without appearing weak.

It is against this backdrop that I lay out, in good faith, what I believe to be a clear and practical roadmap toward justice, peace, and the definitive end of this conflict.

Immediate dialogue: Important, but not the starting point

I can state confidently that the majority of Ambazonian stakeholders do not see conferences or dialogue talks as the appropriate starting point at this moment.

Let this be clearly understood: dialogue is necessary, inevitable, and ultimately indispensable. But after a decade of fighting—after countless overtures and repeated declarations of willingness to talk—Ambazonia does not believe that mere “talks” should be the first step.

You do not invite people to a roundtable while their comrades and representatives remain in chains. You do not preach reconciliation while maintaining collective punishment.

After ten years of sacrifice, bloodshed, and demonstrated openness to dialogue, beginning with “talks” alone sounds hollow. The issue is not whether to talk. The issue is when, where, and how to begin. And the answer is as simple as ABC.

The ABC of good faith: Three non-negotiable first steps

A. Unconditional release of prisoners

First, the unconditional release of Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and the other Nera 9.
Second, the unconditional freedom of all Ambazonians detained in prisons across Cameroun and Ambazonia.

This must be done without conditions, without bargains, and without hidden clauses.

Freeing prisoners is not a concession to Ambazonia. It is an investment in trust. It would be the single most powerful confidence-building measure Yaoundé could undertake. It would signal—clearly and unmistakably—that the regime is for once serious, sincere, and ready to turn a page.

Inviting Ambazonians to dialogue while key stakeholders remain locked behind bars does not signal honesty. It smacks of divide-and-conquer politics. It smacks of manipulation. It smacks of bad faith. Those who should shape the future must not be excluded from it.

B. Resettlement of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

All Ambazonian refugees must be supported in returning home and resettling without fear of retribution against themselves or their families.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who fled after their homes were destroyed—regardless of who destroyed them—must be resettled with dignity and material support, just as refugees are. This is where Cameroon can demonstrate genuine good faith. This is where rhetoric gives way to action. This is where sincerity becomes visible.

These first steps do not require roundtables. They do not require consultations and committees. They do not require international third parties. Yaoundé can do this at the snap of a finger—indeed, at the kneel of a knee—because it is the right thing to do.

Only after these three steps are completed:

Release of prisoners

Resettlement of refugees

Resettlement of IDPs

Should Cameroon proceed to the next phase: the presentation of a White Paper.

The White Paper Approach: Substance before dialogue

At that stage, the Cameroonian government should draft and publish a White Paper clearly outlining what it honestly, sincerely, and seriously believes constitutes a just resolution of the conflict.

The White Paper must explicitly state:

The political structure it is willing to negotiate

The extent of compromise it is prepared to make

A White Paper gives Ambazonians something concrete to analyze, critique, and respond to. It compels both sides to think seriously about solutions rather than slogans. Only after thoughtful engagement with such a document would a conference or roundtable become meaningful. At that point, dialogue becomes purposeful—a forum for agreement, not posturing.

My transitional vision

I am personally inclined—at least as a starting point—to a political arrangement that begins with immediate autonomy for The Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia) for an agreed period. Crucially, this arrangement must include an explicit, guaranteed right to a referendum if, after that period, the people are dissatisfied with the arrangement or with how the agreement has been implemented. Ours won’t be an isolated case. It has worked elsewhere. 

The Philippines–Bangsamoro example: Sincerity in practice

Some of us had the opportunity to visit the Philippines, specifically Cotabato City, capital of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

There, the indigenous Muslim-majority ethnic groups in the southern Philippines fought for independence for over 60 years. For decades, the Philippine government refused to negotiate, convinced it could prevail militarily. Eventually, reality prevailed: there was no military solution.

Negotiations began, with United Nations and neutral-party involvement. The Bangsamoro people agreed to an autonomous region under one clear condition: that a referendum would be held after ten years if the Philippine government failed to fully and sincerely implement the agreement.

During our visit, we addressed regional parliamentarians, listened, and asked questions. I asked directly why they accepted autonomy after decades of struggle for independence.

The answer was deeply instructive: the Philippine government acted faithfully. It was sincere. It honored its commitments. It implemented the agreement.

The people of Bangsamoro are satisfied. There are no regrets. No return to war. The referendum clause remains—not as a threat, but as a guarantee. And should the agreement ever be violated, they will invoke it.

Sincerity as the cornerstone

Everything in this memorandum revolves around one word: sincerity.

Unlike 1961 in Foumban, Cameroon must approach any future dialogue with an open mind—prepared to be genuinely sincere and brutally honest.

Sincerity is the only force capable of bringing Ambazonian stakeholders meaningfully to the table. It is the only path to silencing the guns.

The release of prisoners. The resettlement of refugees and IDPs. A White Paper grounded in honest compromise. These steps would demonstrate seriousness.

A warning

Let there be no illusion. If Cameroon believes it can simply wait out Ambazonia—exhaust it—and impose its will, it fundamentally misunderstands the depth of this struggle, the resolve of our people, and the passion that sustains it.

After ten years of sacrifice for what everyone at home and abroad believes to be a just cause, surrender is not an option. I would rather die fighting for as long as possible than surrender the dignity and future of our people.

Peace remains possible. But it must be built on sincerity, not symbolism.
On justice, not generosity. On obligation, not presidential benevolence.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3705 of Monday February 16, 2026