The organisers of the Anglophone General Conference led by the Archbishop Emeritus of Douala Cardinal Christian Tumi have pleaded with Ambazonia separatist fighters to drop their weapons and give peace initiatives a chance.

The orgaanisers penned the open letter at the weekend, just days after their conference that was expected to hold last week in Buea was postponed to an indefinite date.

Below is a full copy of the letter signed by Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Christian Tumi:

“Dear sons and daughters; Please receive warm greetings from us the conveners of the Buea All Anglophone conference. May the peace of God which is beyond all understanding be with you”.

“Tend an attentive ear to our pleading, and welcome our paternal invitation which we address to you in the name of God almighty. Reflect on the serious responsibility that you bear before God and men; on your resolutions will depend the peace and joy of so many families, the lives of thousands of youth, the happiness of the peoples of the North West and South West regions. May God inspire you to take only actions which are according to his will. How blessed will you be if you decide to give time and room for every good initiative which will make you be called today and tomorrow peacemakers!”.

“We cannot claim to love our country more than you do and we are praying for lasting peace everyday. We all dream of a world based on true justice and solidarity. We respect your political convictions and we pray and remain convinced that you too respect the political convictions of others. God created us different but complimentary that is why each of us has his or her own convictions, hence the need to always listen to each other very attentively, ready to accept a different opinion no matter from where it comes”.

“You know that we the religious leaders are about to hold an all Anglophone conference in Buea during this month of November. We have confided this project to God the source of peace, through Jesus Christ. And our wish is that you
be there to give peace a chance. Let it be clear to all that our aim is far from being political. We are aiming at just one thing and the only thing we long for is peace. For this reason, our meeting in Buea will try to give answers to these questions: what are the causes of the present social disorder in the North West and South West regions? What possible solutions are we proposing to the Head of state?”

“Let us not forget that for some two years now, it is the blood of our brothers and sisters which is shed everywhere and every day. Our once beautiful landscape of the North West and South West is now inhabited by the shadow of death and ruin. Villages are burnt and deserted, farms are destroyed. Rape is regularly used a weapon to further humiliate the defenseless. These regions which once were the pride of the economic activity of our country and where fields and farms were so generous to men , have become a ghost land. There is suffering everywhere in the town because of the voice of canons and the blows of bullets . Let us not forget that we are God’s image and likeness. This can help us put an end to such terrible chaos.”

“Once more we pray that God loves you and wants you too to lay down your arms to become peace builders bless you always”.