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By Maxcel Fokwen Government through the Meme administration has asked Chiefs of the Division, most of who have deserted their villages for months now to return home and talk their subjects out of the forests. Instructions in this light surfaced Wednesday, Apr
Gov’t Orders Meme Chiefs To Bring Population Out Of Forest
By Maxcel Fokwen Government through the Meme administration has asked Chiefs of the Division, most of who have deserted their villages for months now to return home and talk their subjects out of the forests. Instructions in this light surfaced Wednesday, April 4 as Meme Chiefs met with the administration in an emergency meeting at the Divisional Office in Kumba. According to the Meme administration, the custodians of tradition should rise to the billing as auxiliaries of the administration and talk to their subjects to return home and ensure a return to normalcy in the villages. Besides, the Chiefs are expected to give the administration on the ground report of houses destroyed in the villages. During the meeting, some Chiefs expressed fear over the security situation in their villages. One of the Chiefs told the administration that the mission is like sending the chiefs to die. Meme SDO assured them of security support but asked the royal fathers to be resolute even in the face of challenges. The SDO cited his own situation wherein he has survived some five attacks from separatists. Chiefs Condemn Killing, Burning Meme Chiefs’ Scribe, Eseme Mbonji Etongwe, declared at the meeting that they were against the burning and killings across the Division Etongwe said the tradition of the people sees such burning and killings as sacrilege. He furthered that such acts must stop irrespective of whichever angle it’s being perpetuated from. Form Of State On the form of State, Etongwe said Meme Chiefs stand for 10 autonomous decentralised states. He reiterated that Government should take measures to fully implement the provisions of the 1996 Constitution. Villagers Divided Days after the conclave, scores of villagers across Meme have read different meanings from the assignment given to Chiefs. Many of them who participated in radio programmes from the bushes reacted differently. Some hailed the initiative given that the farming season is at hand, while others criticised it asking Government to reconstruct villages burnt down and withdraw the military before they can return home. It remains to be seen if the traditional rulers will keep their promise of going home to talk with their people. For one thing, most of them reside permanently in Kumba and parts of Fako Division owing to death threats from unknown persons. Read more
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