Neoliberal Bandwagonism. Civil society and the politics of belonging in Anglophone Cameroon

Piet Konings

Description

Civil society and empowerment have become buzz words in neoliberal development discourse. Yet many unanswered questions remain on the actual nature and configuration assumed by civil society in specific contexts. Typically, while neoliberals perceive civil-society organisations as vital intermediary channels for the successful implementation of desired economic and political reforms, they are inclined to blame the current resurgence of the politics of belonging for the poor record of these reforms in Africa and elsewhere. This book rejects such notions and argues that the relationship between civil society and the politics of belonging is more complex in Africa than western donors and scholars are willing to admit. Konings argues that ethno-regional associations and movements are even more significant constituents of civil society in Africa than the conventional civil-society organisations that are often uncritically imposed or endorsed. He convincingly shows how the politics of belonging, so pervasive in Cameroon, and indeed much of Africa, during the current neoliberal economic and political reforms, has tended to penetrate the entire range of associational life. This calls for a critical re-appraisal of prevalent notions and assumptions about civil society in the interest of African reality. Hence the importance of this book!

Sujets

• African Studies

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789956716371
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

LANGAA | AFRICAN STUDIES CENTRE, LEIDEN

Neoliberal Bandwagonism: Cîvîl socîety and the polîtîcs of belongîng în Anglophone Cameroon

PIet KonIngs

Neoliberal Bandwagonism: Civil society and the politics of belonging in Anglophone Cameroon

Langaa & African Studies Centre Neoliberal Bandwagonism: Civil Society and the Politics of Belonging in Anglophone Cameroon Piet Konings

Langaa Research and Publishing Common Initiative Group PO Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon Phone [phone] [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com/publishers/langaa-rpcig

African Studies Centre P.O. Box 9555 2300 RB Leiden The Netherlands Phone [phone] [e-mail] www.ascleiden.nl ISBN: 9956-558-23-0 © Langaa & African Studies Centre, 2009

Contents Acknowledgements viii Abbreviations ix Map of the Republic of Cameroon xi 1 C IVIL SOCIETY IN A NGLOPHONE C AMEROON 1 Introduction  1 Towards an African version of civil society  2 Neoliberal reforms, civil society and the politics of belonging  in Anglophone Cameroon  5 Organisation of the book  8 Conclusion  11 2 M OBILITY AND EXCLUSION :T HE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOCHTHONY MOVEMENTS IN THE S OUTH W EST P ROVINCE 12 Introduction  12 The South West plantation economy and labour mobility  14 Labour mobility and relations between autochthons and allochthons  in the Southwestern estates prior to political liberalisation  17 The growing divide between the South-West and North-West  elites in Anglophone Cameroon  20 Political liberalisation and the aggravation of the autochthony-  allochthony issue in South West Province  27 Conclusion  34 3 A UTOCHTHONY AND ETHNIC CLEANSING IN THE S OUTH W EST P ROVINCE : T HE 1961T OMBEL DISTURBANCES 35 Introduction  35 Factors underlying the 1966 Bakossi-Bamileke confrontation  39 Bamileke mobility and encroachment on Bakossi land  40 The UPC rebellion and insecurity in the Bakossi region  42 The Bakossi elite and ethnic mobilisation  44 The 1966 Bakossi-Bamileke confrontation in the Tombel area  47 Conclusion  51 4 T HE M ARANATHA MOVEMENT AND AUTOCHTHONY IN THE S OUTH W EST P ROVINCE 53 Introduction  53 The emergence of the Maranatha movement crisis in the Buea diocese  57 Vehement South West resistance against the victimisation of  the autochthonous founder of the Maranatha movement  63 Conclusion  70

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5 T HE ENTRY OF A NGLOPHONE NATIONALISM INTO PUBLIC SPACE 72 Introduction  72 The emergence of anglophone nationalism in public space  75 Bringing back Anglophone identity into historical space  80 Creating space for Anglophone identity in arts  84 Placing Anglophone identity in virtual space  85 Expansion of Anglophone identity into legal space  87 Experiencing Anglophone identity in everyday space  88 Conclusion  91 6 A NGLOPHONE STUDENTS AND A NGLOPHONE NATIONALIST STRUGGLES 92 Introduction  92 The vanguard role of Anglophone students in Anglophone  nationalist struggles  95 The Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL)  99 President Biya’s Youths (PRESBY)  102 Conclusion  106 7 U NIVERSITY OF B UEA STUDENTS ON STRIKE 108 Introduction  108 Authoritarian governance of the University of Buea  109 The 2005 UB students’ strike  113 The 2006 UB students’ strike  121 Conclusion  125 8 A UTONOMOUS TEACHERS ’ TRADE UNIONISM IN ANGLOPHONE C AMEROON ,1959-1972 127 Introduction  127 Political and educational reforms in Anglophone Cameroon  132 The role of the Southern Cameroons Union of Teachers  134 The role of the West Cameroon Union of Teachers  139 Conclusion  146 9 A NGLOPHONE TEACHERS ’ ORGANISATIONS DURING C AMEROON ’ S POLITICAL LIBERALISATION 149 Introduction  149 The Teachers’ Association of Cameroon (TAC):  Defending regional interests versus the state  152 The Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union (CATTU):  Defending class interests versus the state  158 Conclusion  165 10 R ELATIONS BETWEEN THE R OMAN C ATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE STATE IN C AMEROON ’ S POSTCOLONY 168 Introduction  168 RCC-state relations in Cameroon during one-party rule, 1961-1990  171 RCC-state relations in Cameroon during political liberalisation,  1990-2007  177 Conclusion  184

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11 P RIVATISATION AND ETHNO - REGIONAL PROTEST IN A NGLOPHONE C AMEROON 186 Introduction  186 Governance and privatisation in Cameroon  188 Privatisation of the CDC and ethno-regional opposition  192 Ethno-regional protest actions against CDC privatisation  194 Conclusion  204 12 P RIVATISATION AND LABOUR MILITANCY IN A NGLOPHONE C AMEROON 205 Introduction  205 The Tole Tea Estate labour force prior to privatisation  206 Growing labour militancy after the estate’s privatisation  210 Conclusion  218 13 T HE A NGLOPHONE C AMEROON -N IGERIA BOUNDARY : O PPORTUNITIES AND CONFLICTS 220 Introduction  220 The Anglophone Cameroon-Nigeria boundary during the British  mandate and trust eras  222 The Anglophone Cameroon-Nigeria boundary after reunification  226 The Anglophone Cameroon-Nigeria boundary:  Contesting sovereignty over Bakassi  231 Conclusion  238 References  239 Index  255

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Acknowledgements During my fieldwork in Cameroon I became indebted to a great number of people and unfortunately there is room to mention only a few of them here. I am parti- cularly grateful to a considerable number of civil-society leaders and members who spent much of their precious time giving me an insight into the aims and strategies of their organisations. I highly appreciated the assistance offered by the late Prince Henry Mbayn of the Buea National Archives who provided me with access to rele- vant archives, papers and documents. I also benefited from the regular advice and support of some Cameroonian colleagues, in particular Benedict Nantang Jua and Robert Mbe Akoko. Francis Beng Nyamnjoh has been a constant source of friend- ship and intellectual stimulation. In fact, he was the one who inspired me to under- take this book project and complete it. I would also like to express my gratitude to the African Studies Centre in Leiden which funded the entire project. Two members of this institute have been parti- cularly helpful. I wish to thank Ann Reeves for copy-editing the text and Mieke Zwart for the lay-out work.

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Abbreviations AAC All Anglophone Conference ADDECAssociation pour la Défense des Droits des Étudiants  du Cameroun ADP Association of Diocesan Priests AETC African and Eastern Trading Company BDCBloc Démocratique Camerounais BLC Bakweri Land Committee BLCC Bakweri Land Claims Committee BNA Buea National Archives CAM Cameroon Anglophone Movement CAMSA Cameroon Students’ Solidarity Association CANSA Cameroon Anglophone Students’ Association CAPSU Cameroon Anglophone Public Servants’ Union CAPTAC Confederation of Anglophone Parents-Teachers’ Association  of Cameroon CATA Catholic Teachers’ Association CATTU Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union CCCECaisse Centrale de Coopération Économique CDC Cameroon Development Corporation COMDEV Commonwealth Development Corporation CPDM Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement CPNC Cameroon People’s National Congress CRTV Cameroon Radio and Television CTE Cameroon Tea Estates ENSÉcole Normale Supérieure ENAMÉcole Nationale d’Administration et de Magistrature EDF European Development Fund ESAP Enhanced Structural Adjustment Programme ECOSOC (United Nations) Economic and Social Council FAWU Fako Agricultural Workers’ Union FECASEFédération Camerounaise des Syndicats de l’Éducation FESERFédération des Syndicats de l’Enseignement et de la Recherche FCFAFranc de la Communauté Financière Africaine GCE General Certificate of Education GDP Gross Domestic Product HIPC Heavily Indebted Poor Countries ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ICJ International Court of Justice IDA International Development Association ILO International Labour Organisation IMF International Monetary Fund INUCT Independent Union of Cameroon Teachers KNC Kamerun National Congress KNDP Kamerun National Democratic Party

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