PANAFRICOM/ 2018 03 07/
Mustapha TOURE (of PANAFRICOM Press Department) met with Gilbert NKAMTO, the Secretary-General of PANAFRICOM Africa!
For this interview, we went to meet Gilbert NKAMTO who was close to the Leader of the Revolution of the Jamahiriya. He returned to his country Cameroon, after the Jamahiriya was stormed by Islamist terrorists led by the NATO in 2011, in the famous parody of the so-called « Arab Spring ». We remember he was a member of the Revolutionary Committee Movement (RCM) and Civil servant at the RCM Headquarters which was directly attacked by NATO and the Libyan opposition to the Jamahiriya regime in February 2011 (as US attacked Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq). Gilbert NKAMTO today lives in Douala and has become the Secretary-general of PANAFRICOM Africa, the « Action Party of the Neopanafricanism » (*). This is the moment to know what the man has become, what he has done to his fight and why we do not longer see him on the frontline of the continental political scene, why has he stayed so far from the public communication while in Libya, he was one of the sub-Saharan leading actors of the Pan-Africanism and the African integration.
Mustapha TOURÉ: Straight to the point, I just want to know why Gilbert NKAMTO has become so absent at the forefront of the continental political scene. While you were the man to play everything in the fight for the continental integration that advocated Colonel Qathafi?
Gilbert NKAMTO: It may be true that I am no longer active on the forefront of the continental political scene, but I must confess that I have never stopped my fight and my activism for a united and integrated Africa as my mentor also advocated, Brother comrade Muammar Al Qathafi. It is also true that I no longer lead initiatives of activism but I advise the younger generation, I attend conferences, roundtables, sometimes and debates, in short I’m there, in a state of waking. It must also be known that the context is not longer the same as the environment in which I find myself today. I became a man behind the scenes, who supports the public action, often spectacular, of the comrade Luc Michel in Africa, also former member of the Jamahiriya, in politics with PANAFRICOM and his « Neopanafricanism », and on the media networking, in particular on AFRICA MEDIA…
Mustapha TOURE: Exactly, you returned to Cameroon, your native country. Should it be an asset?
Gilbert NKAMTO: Not obviously … it is necessary to see under what conditions I returned to my country at the end of 2011. It is obviously necessary to understand that the socio-political environment in Cameroon is not comparable to that of the Jamahiriya, where I have done my political schooling for more than a decade and held positions that cannot be the same in my country.
Mustapha TOURE: Can you be more explicit?
Gilbert NKAMTO: In the Jamahiriya, in fact, the Political environment was structured by the “Popular mass” through the « Basic People’s Congresses » in charge for the decision-making of the nation and the « People’s Committees » responsible for the implementation of the decisions taken. There were no political parties or opposition like here, because Libyan People themselves had control of their agenda and were following-up of their agenda and therefore they could not oppose themselves to what they have freely taken as decision.
Today I am in a different context, where I see things unfold differently, the popular mass being out in the exercise of the powers which belong to them. As I have often said, it appears, and it is obvious, popular mass are only an outsider that the opposition and the power use during elections. In this context, how to fight for one… What is the ideological cause that could be defended?… When the ideology cause is not there… you definitely move to your own destruction by going through something which is not yours but the political desire of a leader of an opposition party or a leader of a political party in power. That is why it is difficult for me or would still be difficult for me to « play politics » in my country. But that does not mean I’m not interested in the political life of my country either.
I am interested in everything that pat the political life of my country as a passive actor. Moreover, as a Cameroonian citizen in its own right, I am interested in the social and political crisis that my country is going through. I am obviously interested in the all-out aggression it is affected.
At the end of November 2011, just when I newly arrived in Cameroon, I alerted the country to possible attacks from outside. Some actors told me « there was nothing to fear and that Cameroon was a haven of peace » and in 2012, all indicators were there. Between 2012 and 2014, we saw what happened and since then Cameroon is on embers.
Mustapha TOURÉ: Speaking of the social and political crisis in Cameroon, what is your own view on the situation?
Gilbert NKAMTO: It’s huge as a subject. As huge as it is, I am not sure that I could develop all here. What is certain is that Cameroon is going through a very difficult political, economic and social situation since 2014. And if we want to look deeply inside, you will see that these situations are related to the Libyan crisis of 2011. The relations between the two countries were being normalized in 2010. Our Head of State paid even a privileged state visit that year in Tripoli. There were ongoing projects, including the reopening of the Cameroonian diplomatic mission in Libya. At the same time, Cameroon was chosen by the African Union, with the support of the Leader of the Revolution, as the country to host the headquarters of the « African Monetary Fund » (FMA) in 2011. All this was not seen by a good eye for the imperialist predators, first and foremost France. And it is precisely France that undertook the dirty work in Libya. I don’t say more … You have what you have today and Cameroon is on embers because of its policy of openness to a standing Africa. I do not want to talk here about the current complications of the political crisis in Cameroon. For me, they are alibis to drown us as in its time Libya. And that’s not all … other alibis will be come out…
Mustapha TOURÉ: What are you talking about?
Gilbert NKAMTO: You know, imperialism has several options in its arsenal when it does not want to use its right of veto as George Bush II did in his day in Iraq. In Cameroon, imperialism began by opening a security breach in CAR to besiege, paralyze, and dislocate the Eastern region from the rest of Cameroon. Then it opened a warfront in Northern Cameroon with the so-called Boko Haram in order to remove the Northern part of the rest of Cameroon. As that was not enough, since 2016 it has offered us the so-called « Anglophone » conflict. It has enough cards in his hands to continue testing Cameroon.
Mustapha TOURÉ: For what objectives do you think Imperialism would like to destabilize your country Cameroon?
Gilbert NKAMTO: Predation, looting, theft, people’s impoverishment. The imperialism has a specific purpose: to confiscate all for more enrichment of the oligarchic minority, which is determined to dominate the rest of the world. My country is on the axis of destabilization, as it has been established that it is in a strategic position of opening on the Atlantic Ocean and a pivotal country of the Gulf of Guinea, loaded in fisheries, gas and oil resources. The unacknowledged goal of imperialism is to weaken Cameroon’s defense and security system as much as possible before giving it the final blow, which will inevitably be the foreign military assault, and in particular that of the United Nations. The imperialist agencies are working to finalize their plan against Cameroon, but it is forgetting the awakening of collective consciousness that the Cameroonian people are showing.
Mustapha TOURÉ: Another question is worrying more and more Cameroonians in view of the debates that often take place on social networks including the Cameroonian identity. Who is Cameroonian and who is not?
Gilbert NKAMTO: I really cannot venture into this debate, which on one hand is protected by the Constitution of Cameroon and on the other hand is a fertile ground where every citizen of Cameroon develops his own theory. We are a state under construction on aggregates deposited by the geopolitical theorization of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. We are a nation in movement sitting on the embers laid by the League of Nations and more than two decades later by the United Nations. So we are this people in full construction, who have decided to move together and then decided to be united, and today we want to be this proud nation, sharing a historical past and a common history.
You would tell me that I do not want to give the answer you would necessarily like me to give, but it is far too complex. The answer lays on the Constitution of my country. I am Cameroonian, so I was born of a Cameroonian father or mother, or both. I was born on the territory and I formulated the desire to become Cameroonian and to be recognized as such according to what the Constitution provides. I am Cameroonian also because I am in alliance and within the framework of the Law, I was recognized as such. This is basically what I know about being Cameroonian. I do not think it is on these facets that the debate on the « Cameroonity » has opened on social networks.
Mustapha TOURÉ: Maybe you know it better than us who look at things from the outside?
Gilbert NKAMTO: The debate, I think, in Cameroon and on social networks, focuses on the Cameroonians in the Diaspora. It appears that, for obvious or perhaps less obvious reasons, some Cameroonians in their adventure abroad have for reasons of their integration in their host countries, decided to take the nationality of their host country. These Cameroonians have many difficulties to return to their country of origin already because for some, they need an entry visa on Cameroonian territory. That’s where the problem lays on. These Cameroonians, also supported by some elites in Cameroon, would like the State to admit dual nationality. That’s the issue.
Mustapha TOURÉ: You have been in Libya, part of the Diaspora. You put yourself in the shoes of your compatriots who are in this situation. We agree that you share their embarrassment…
Gilbert NKAMTO: I would like to share their dream. I say « dream » and not their « embarrassment », because in my opinion it is a dream to expect from a serious state to admit dual nationality on its soil. It’s like shooting yourself in the head and believing you have to get up, once your head has exploded. I do not think that in France or in Belgium, you can be French or Belgian and Cameroonian or Moroccan at the same time. I think that when you are from one nationality you abstain yourself from being another one. My dear, Cameroon is undermined by all those who think that they can take foreign nationalities and come back to impose these nationalities while preserving their Cameroonian nationality. These people have made their choice to deny their nationality of origin to benefit from privileges that they would not have had (perhaps) with their nationality of origin. They should assume that! They do not impose to us rules that we do not want! We are not a rogue state…
I spent more than ten years in Libya, I had huge opportunities to apply for Libyan nationality but I never did. It has never prevented me from going about my business and getting involved in public life in this country. I remained Cameroonian because nothing in the world would have led me to leave my Cameroonian nationality for prestige or « contentment » or for some possible tributes. Simply because I am proud to be Cameroonian and I assume it. It’s not going to please what I’m saying here, especially for those in Cameroon and in the diaspora who would like to be recognized as dual nationals. In any case, most of the problems encountered by Cameroon today have their source in those Cameroonians of origin who benefit from a foreign nationality including British, American, Australian, French, Canadian, and who, in their fantasies want to see Cameroon in fire and blood. We say no! Cameroon is unstoppable on this subject, no dual nationality for Cameroonians of origin. To be helpful to Cameroon, you can keep your nationality by adoption. Foreigners who invest in Cameroon also feel more comfortable than the Cameroonians who are there. Cameroonians who are Belgian, French, Australian, Canadian or American are welcome in Cameroon when they know that they must respect the Laws and Institutions of the Republic of Cameroon.
Mustapha TOURÉ: So you are on the current positions of the state of Cameroon on this subject?
Gilbert NKAMTO: Of course! The Cameroonian government will not accept to shoot itself in the head. It’s a big trap. Certainly, there are Cameroonians with good intentions who are keen to share their knowledge and experiences learned abroad to build the future of our country. But alongside these ex-citizens with good intentions, there are crook Cameroonians, who signed the pact with imperialism and have one goal, to make Cameroon the future Somalia of tomorrow. But I say it; a serious state will never accept dual nationality, because it is a pure brigandage.
On the other hand, I think that the government and the parliament could work on case of Laws that would admit that if a Cameroonian has lost his nationality because of his life abroad, and for obvious reasons, he would like to return to his nationality of origin, with tangible evidence, that there are legal provisions that can guide it. I do not know, maybe this provision exists, but if it is not, it is great time to work in this direction to alleviate the suffering of some of ours who would like to return to their Cameroonian identity.
Mustapha TOURÉ: Gilbert! Let’s go back to the security situation in Central Africa. You say that it worries you, as a Panafricanist actor. There are many attempts in the region of coup d’état, terrorist raids by mercenaries, threats of destabilization, hotbeds of war, and so on. It becomes serious!
Gilbert NKAMTO: Yes, and what would you like? The Central African zone is full with what is most coveted in the world and is of interest to major powers who want to maintain their global hegemony. They have an interest in ensuring that all of Africa, not just Central Africa, is boiling so that they keep control over our raw materials and natural resources in order to maintain their growth and hegemony. It’s up to us to understand the issues of the day.
I remember when in 2011 I launched a collective appeal to save Libya, they were friends and moreover friends we received in Libya, who supported the pseudo « National Transitional Council », disregarding the tribute the Jamahiriya paid to them. When we called on the African Union to act, it was initially some Africans who asked me to tell the Leader of the Revolution to give up his power. And it is in the vast majority of Europeans, the EU as well as the CIS, who gathered around Luc MICHEL and its ELAC Committees, to defend the Jamahiriya to the end!
We must see the shame today that Africa presents to the eyes of humanity. It’s all the desolation! You know, when the lion is hungry, it does not care about the animal it finds in front of it. Its goal is its survival. Imperialism does not care about Africa. Its goal is to possess it. So much the worse today for those African states who believe they are going to use imperialism against other states and get away with it. They will also be crushed like the countries that are being grinded through them. As a reminder, Gabon voted in March 2011 against Libya of Qathafi believing to serve the desire of France of Sarkozy and England of Cameron. The Gabonese regime is today the most wavering regime in the Central African sub-region. Had it not been for a surge of pride and support from Panfricanists, the Bongo regime would have been beheaded and Bongo thrown into pasture like Gbagbo in The Hague.
Mustapha TOURE: You recommend the total break?
Gilbert NKAMTO: Yes!!! Africans in general, those of Central Africa have one thing in common is to run off the colonial speech to lead a real policy of break. It is necessary here and now, and without diplomacy, to break all ties, I say everything, with what binds us to the Hexagon and the American-Western Bloc. The West, when they want something, they stand together to have it. If France is driven out of Africa and Switzerland remains in Africa, it will do everything to lead the poor works of France in Africa. We must break with all the political, economic, financial, colonial cultural agreements, the EPAs, the defense agreements; we must mobilize to drive out all the military bases from here. It is not tomorrow that must be done, it is now! If we are stubborn, we will continue to suffer the military attacks of imperialism under Western labels and themes: coup d’état, terrorism, strike, democracy, good governance, human rights, development aid and so on.
You know as much as I do that if Africa puts an end to all its agreements that I have just quoted here, all these NGOs will die of their own death. They exist only because they find a favorable ground in Africa. We must stop it and drive them out of our countries in Africa.
I will not go back to what Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi, the DRC and the CAR are experiencing. It is the conjunction of all the colonial agreements that produce the perversion effect of their collective security.
We have to get out from the cavern. We must reinvent ourselves as quickly as possible in our « African Communityism » (**). Our new ideology that must see the day in Africa by refounding the bases of nationalism and African patriotism. We must support and redeploy the Unionist projects of Kwame N’krumah and Muammar Qathafi. We must revive their ideological school to reinvent ourselves and to save our peoples and our lands.
Mustapha TOURÉ: It was a pleasure to spend this time with you.
Gilbert NKAMTO: Thank you and I think I could meet your expectations. My thanks to the PANAFRICOM Press Office …
Photo :
Gilbert NKAMTO with Luc MICHEL at an International Forum on Direct Democracy in Tripoli, oct. 2009.
PANAFRICOM / PRESS SERVICE OFFICE
(*) Address our Pan-Africanist Ideology /
See Panafricom II – Neopanafricanism / @ Panafricom2 on https://www.facebook.com/Panafricom2/
(**) On Neopanafricanism and African Communityism:
See also PANAFRICOM / IDEOLOGY: ESQUISSE OF NEOPANAFRICANISM. PAN AFRICAN IDEA OPENS IN THE 21st CENTURY …
on http://www.lucmichel.net/2016/06/24/panafricom-ideologie-squisse-de-neopanafricanisme-lidee-panafricaine-in-marche-au-xxie-siecle/
And on # PANAFRICOM-TV /
UNIFICATION AND LIBERATION OF AFRICA!
THE IDEOLOGICAL BASIS OF PANAFRICOM: THE ABC OF NEOPANAFRICANISM (LUC MICHEL, JUNE 2016)
on http://www.lucmichel.net/2017/08/30/panafricom-tv-unification-and-liberation-of-africa-the-basics-of-panafricom-labc-of-neopanafricanism-luc-michel -June-2016 /
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