The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has urged secessionist armed groups in the Cameroonian regions of the North West and South West to follow the example of the Defense Forces of Southern Cameroon (Socadef), which have agreed to a temporary unilateral and provisional ceasefire in order to facilitate the fight against the coronavirus.
In a press release sent to APA on Friday, he welcomes this initiative, reiterating his call for a dialogue which will deal with all the relevant issues in the English-speaking areas of the country, and which will put an end to violence and human suffering.
Antonio Guterres also renewed the United Nations’ readiness to assist the Cameroonian authorities and people to achieve lasting peace in this area of the country.
This reaction comes indeed the day after the announcement by Socadef, which claims its presence in 9 of the 13 constituencies in the English-speaking regions, of a cessation of fighting for a period of 14 days from next Sunday, to buttress the crusade of the international body against the Covid-19.
The armed group also said it was ready to engage in talks with the government of Yaoundé to implement the suspension of the fighting, the militia nevertheless holding on to its current positions on the ground.
FCEB/cgd/fss/Dng/APA