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The present day SDF, a dynamic political movement on which countless Cameroonians are pinning their hopes and aspirations for a better future, started as a think tank in the late 1980s. The think-tank, Study Group 89 was certainly motivated by the personal experiences of those involved and pro-democracy initiatives elsewhere. Their similar aspirations and interests for the welfare of Cameroonians brought them together. The plans to form the SDF were top secret so much so that even the closest family members of those concerned did not know what was going on. At the time it was virtually suicidal to challenge the hegemony of the one-party dictatorship that had successfully silenced all dissent since independence in the 1960s.
The first formal arrangements to form the SDF were made in a meeting summoned by Ni John Fru Ndi at the Presbyterian Church Centre in Bamenda on November 11, 1989, thanks to the courage and collaboration of the late Rev. Dr . D.S. Gana, in charge of the Centre at the time. Those involved -- the founding founders of the SDF were: Ni John Fru Ndi, Dr Siga Asanga (late), Dr Gemuh Akuchu, Justice Nyo’ Wakai, Professor Clement Ngwasiri, Mr. Vincent Feko, Mr. Albert Mukong, Dr. Carlson Anyangwe, Mr Banga James (late), Mr Aloys Tebo and Dr. Alfred Azefor (late). Dr. Tah Zacharias left the group at the early stages because the group refused his suggestion of consulting Mr S.T. Muna. During the early stages of the group meetings it was about writing a memo to UN on the marginalisation of the anglophone minority.
The Group met at the Bastos (Yaounde) residence of (the late) Dr Siga Asanga on December 1, 1989. The anglophone problem in Cameroon was the main topic od discussion during this meeting.
However, the decisive meeting took place at the residence of Ni John Fru Ndi, in Bamenda on February 17, 1990. Present at this meeting were: Ni John Fru Ndi, Dr Gemuh Akuchu, Dr Carlson Anyangwe, Mr Vincent Feko, Dr Alfred Azefor, Dr Siga Asanga, Dr Tah Zacharias, Mr Albert Mukong and Justice Nyo’ Wakai. During this meeting the Group reviewed their plan to write a memo to the UN and instead decided to form a political party to tackle all the issues facing Cameroon.
The decision to transform the Study Group 89 appears to have been influenced by many factors but what actually pushed the members to take this decision at this point in time was the fact that diplomatic missions in Yaounde while they appreciated the work of the Group, wanted them to clarify their official status as well as leadership. During the February 17 meeting, the founders resolved that whatever the name of the political party, the words ‘social’ and ‘democracy’ must be part of it. Justice Nyo’ Wakai presented a paper during this meeting (17/2/90) entitled The New Social Order for Cameroon. This paper served as the basis for the Manifesto of the SDF. Also during the February 17 meeting Messrs Mukong and Feko informed the Group that there was a similar initiative going on in Douala led by one Mr Yondo Black and suggested that they invite the Douala Group to join them. The meeting considered that such moves will result in the leaking of the initiative to the regime and consequently it will be nipped in the bud before they are able to take-off (from the ground). Messrs Feko and Mukong, however, maintained contacts with the Douala group on their own accord. They were subsequently found out, arrested and charged for trying to form a political party.
On Saturday April 4, 1990, the Group met at Professor Clement Ngwasiri’s residence in Yaounde to put final touches on the Manifesto. During this meeting Mr Banga James donated CFAF3 million to fund the printing of launching material. From here on there was no going back.
Ni John Fru Ndi and Dr Siga Asanga signed the papers for the registration of the SDF in accordance with the 1967 law on political associations on the morning of March 16, 1990, at the Ebibi Book Centre, Bamenda. The documents were formally handed to the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam (SDO) for onward transmission to the Minister of Territorial Administration. This decision took the Cameroon government by storm. The government officials directly responsible for the file came face to face with perhaps the most difficult dossier in their professional lives. The then Governor of the North-West Province Magloire Nguiamba, the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO)of Mezam Division, Tabi Arampe Emmanuel, and the Minister of Territorial Administration Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya kept tight lips preferring to act through the D.O. of Bamenda Tchoussano Augustin. At the national level the ruling RDPC organised marches and church services in all major cities to put their point across that Cameroon was not ripe for multi-party democracy. The Minster of Territorial Administration Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya panicked and initially said he did not receive the SDF registration file, but then unwittingly contradicted himself by saying the file was incomplete! After failing to intimidate the founding fathers, the government sent intermediaries to propose lucrative government positions and money, to derail them, an offer they emphatically rejected.
On May 15, 1990, Ni John Fru Ndi on behalf of the SDF issued a press release announcing the launching of the Party for Saturday May 26, 1990 at 2pm. The launching programme was going to take the form of a march from the City Chemist round-about to the Bamenda municipal stadium where speeches were to be delivered followed by the distribution of the SDF Manifesto. Mr Fru Ndi also wrote to the government officially informing them of the launching. The launching date was postponed twice in order to enable Mr Albert Mukong who had fled to the UK on voluntary exile to return and take part in the launching. However, Mr Mukong could not make it. The government banned the rally and ordered the closure of all public places in the Bamenda area. Security forces in war gear were deployed all over the city of Bamenda. The Commercial Avenue where the march was supposed to take place was sealed. Tension gripped the country as the count-down trickled through leaflets, press releases, word of mouth and international media outlets.
The founding fathers of the SDF held a meeting on May 25, 1990, past midnight to review the situation and they decided that the launching will go ahead. By this day many Cameroonians had become concerned. Dr John Ngu Foncha as well as the Rector of the Bambui Catholic Seminary came to see Ni John Fru Ndi in person and even submitted written appeals (apparently in good faith) to him to desist from the SDF project to avoid bloodshed, according to them. On May 26, 1990, at 2pm, the SDF was launched at Ntarikon Park. Ni John Fru Ndi delivered the launching speech. Cameroon’s state-owned radio-television (CRTV) estimated the crowd at 20,000; however, independent sources estimated the crowd at 80,000.
After the rally troops stationed on the Commercial Avenue shot and killed six (6) unarmed civilians returning to their homes. Those killed were: Fidelis Chosi Mankam (Corn Mill Operator), Tifuh Mathias Teboh (Student), Asanji Christopher Fombi (Student), Nfon Edwin Jatop (Tailor), Juliette Sikod (Student), Toje Evaristus Chatum (Student). Their bodies were quickly ferried to the Bamenda Provincial Hospital Mortuary. The only person who was allowed to see the corpses was the late Dr J.N. Foncha. He made the following testimony:
I went to the hospital myself where I saw the victims; two had gun-shot wounds on their shoulder blades and one had an injured collar bone; one had bullet holes around the buttocks; and another with bullet wounds on the foot. There was clear evidence that those who died were shot and killed and not trampled upon as suggested in some quarters.
The bodies were identified and taken for burial by the various families several days after the incidents. The SDF has ever since sustained a relentless struggle to restore democracy, respect for human rights and social justice in Cameroon. Between May 1990 and January 1991, a group of dedicated volunteers known as the Hunting Dogs under the leadership of the founding founders criss-crossed the country and implanted the Party bearing terrible risks.
On February 3, 1991, the SDF organised a Constitutive Assembly that brought together representatives from all the regions of Cameroon. A nationally representative National Executive Committee was elected during this meeting. Since then the SDF has held five Ordinary National Conventions and one Extra-Ordinary National Convention.
The SDF Candidate, Ni John Fru Ndi, is widely believed to have won the Presidential elections in 1992. However, the incumbent, Paul Biya confiscated the victory by manipulating election figures while Mr Fru Ndi and many of his supporters were put under house arrest for two months. The party took part in Municipal elections in January 1996. Despite the massive fraud perpetrated by the regime in Yaounde, the SDF won majority of seats in 62 Councils including those Councils in the economic capital city, Douala, and other major cities such as Limbe, Kumba, Nkongsamba, Buea, Bafoussam and Bamenda, and minorities in many others. In May 1997 the party took part in Parliamentary elections and won 43 seats amidst unprecedented electoral fraud organised by the ruling RDPC Party. The Party celebrates its first 10 years of struggle for democracy in May 2000.
The end
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