Cameroon's Social Democratic Front: Its History and Prospects as an Opposition Political Party (1990-2011)

Milton Krieger

Description

" Cameroon's Social Democratic Front (SDF) was among the watershed challenges c.1990 by sub-Saharan Africa's democratization forces against autocratic regimes, but it crested in 1992 and has subsided since. Yet the party survives, participates in the National Assembly, maintains a grass roots structure, and prepares for a presidential ballot in 2011 that will likely determine its fate. The author conducted research four times in Cameroon, 1989-1999, focusing on the SDF since 1991, and maintains party contacts to the present. The book assesses its history and its prospects, covering the SDF in Africa-wide as well as Cameroonian terms. ""Krieger has given us the first, superbly researched, finely tuned analysis of the fortunes of a major contemporary African opposition party, Cameroon's Social Democratic Front (SDF)."" - Victor Le Vine, Washington University, St. Louis, USA. ""The book goes far beyond its title and puts in context a daylight re-emergence of political opposition in Cameroon. To say that this long overdue history of the SDF party is a prolegomena to understanding contemporary Cameroon social forces is not an overstatement."" - Ambroise Kom, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. ""...a level-headed but provocative examination of the structure and workings of a major African country...the sobriety with which he evaluates institutions and leadership is commendable, yielding exceptional analysis that will stand the test of time."" - Toyin Falola, Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria. Milton Krieger started teaching and research about sub-Saharan Africa in 1970. Nine trips there include four research visits providing two years time in Cameroon, 1989-99. The second, 1991, coincided with 'villes mortes' and turned his primary scholarship to the Social Democratic Front. Access to party documents, officials, and rank and file members included visitor status at the 1995 and 1999 national conventions. Party contacts continue to the present."

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 15 avril 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9789956715855
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Cameroon’s Social Democratic Front Milton Krieger
“Krieger has given us the fi rst, superbly researched, fi nely tuned analysis of the
fortunes of a major contemporary African opposition party, Cameroon’s Social
Democratic Front (SDF).”
– Victor Le Vine, Washington University, St. Louis, USA. Cameroon’s
***
“T e book goes far beyond its title and puts in context a daylight re-emergence of Social Democratic Front:
political opposition in Cameroon. To say that this long overdue history of the SDF
party is a prolegomena to understanding contemporary Cameroon social forces is
Its History & Prospects as an not an overstatement.”
– Ambroise Kom, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. Opposition Political Party
*** (1990-2011)“...a level-headed but provocative examination of the structure and workings of
a major African country...the sobriety with which he evaluates institutions and
leadership is commendable, yielding exceptional analysis that will stand the test of
time.”
– Toyin Falola, Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and Fellow of the
Historical Society of Nigeria.
Cameroon’s Social Democratic Front (SDF) was among the watershed challenges
c.1990 by sub-Saharan Africa’s democratization forces against autocratic regimes, but
it crested in 1992 and has subsided since. Yet the party survives, participates in the
National Assembly, maintains a grass roots structure, and prepares for a presidential
ballot in 2011 that will likely determine its fate. T e author conducted research four
times in Cameroon, 1989-1999, focusing on the SDF since 1991, and maintains party
contacts to the present. T e book assesses its history and its prospects, covering the
SDF in Africa-wide as well as Cameroonian terms.
Milton Krieger started teaching and research about sub-Saharan Africa in 1970. Nine
trips there include four research visits providing two years time in Cameroon,
198999. T e second, 1991, coincided with ‘villes mortes’ and turned his primary scholarship
to the Social Democratic Front. Access to party documents, offi cials, and rank and fi le
members included visitor status at the 1995 and 1999 national conventions. Party
contacts continue to the present.
Langaa Research and Publishing
Common Initiative Group
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
North West Province Milton KriegerCameroon
5.50 x 8.50 5.50 x 8.50.284Other Titles byLangaa RPCIG
Francis B Nyamnjoh
Stories from Abakwa
Mind Searching
The Disillusioned African
The Convert
Souls Forgotten
Dibussi Tande
No Turning Back. Poems of Freedom 1990-1993
Kangsen Feka Wakai
Fragmented Melodies
Ntemfac Ofege
Namondo. Child of the Water Spirit
Emmanuel Fru Doh
Not Yet Damascus
The Fire Within
Thomas Jing
Tale of an African Woman
Peter Wuteh Vakunta
Grassfields Stories from Cameroon
Ba'bila Mutia
Coils of Mortal Flesh
Kehbuma Langmia
Titabet and The Takumbeng
Ngessimo Mathe Mutaka
Building Capacity: Using TEFL and African languages as development-oriented literacy tools
Sammy Oke Akombi
The Raped Amulet
The Woman Who Ate Python
Susan Nkwentie Nde
Precipice
Francis B Nyamnjoh & Richard Fonteh Akum
The GCE Crisis: A Test of Anglophone Solidarity
iCameroon’s
Social Democratic Front:
its history & prospects as an opposition political party
(1990-2011)
Milton Krieger
Department of Liberal Studies (retired)
Western Washington University
LangaaResearch&Publishing CIG
Mankon, Bamenda
iiPublisher:
Langaa RPCIG
(Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group)
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
North West Province
Cameroon
[e-mail]
www.langaapublisher.com
ISBN: 9956-558-16-8
© Milton Krieger 2008
First Published 2008
Cover:
KuitcheDzomaffo’sphotographofJohnFruNdi&SaidouMaidadi,Yaounde
SDFconvention,1999
DISCLAIMER
All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not
necessarilyreflecttheviewsofLangaaRPCIG.
iiiDEDICATION
To Cameroon’s Social Democratic Front, its casualties, dead, wounded or
imprisoned since 1990, its leaders and rank and file militants at home who have
more to teach others about democracy than to learn from them, and its members
abroad who work to return to a better Cameroon for all.
ivContent
Dedication iv
Preface vi
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: 5
SDF: “Suffer Don Finish!” or “Suffer Dey (fo’) Front!”?
Chapter 2: 22
The party’s roots: the North West Province origin & setting
Chapter 3: 33
The post-1992 SDF: primal challenge becomes survival struggle
Chapter 4: 44
Anglophones & Federalism
51Chapter 5:
Social Democracy in Africa and the SDF
Chapter 6: 65
The party’s branches: North West Province experience since 1992
80Chapter 7:
The SDF’s current condition and future prospects.
97Endnotes
110Index
v