Ban on motorbike circulation: Prominent civil society leader warns of imminent increase in armed banditry, secessionist sympathizers

As the ban on the circulation of motor bikes in some divisions of the North West and South West regions take effect, a prominent civil society leader based in Buea has predicted that the ban might cause more harm than good.

Tanyi Christian, chief executive office of the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Foundation, LUKMEF, that has for years now concentrated his efforts to fight against gender based violence especially violence against women warned that the ban on circulation of motor bikes might have disastrous effects.

In a brief exchange with this reporter, the CEO of the award-wining nongovernmental organisation states that with the ban, thousands of young Cameroonians whose livelihood centered on bike riding, will henceforth be rendered jobless.

Tanyi Christian, LUKMEF CEO

To him, the decision signed by the governors of the North West and South West and backed by the Minister of Territorial Administration, might just aid to fuel the Anglophone crisis. This he narrates might force the thousands of unemployed youths to engage themselves in other activities so as to make ends meet.

“Listening to some of this bike riders around, am afraid we might be fueling and nursing a very bleak tomorrow. Due to the commercial bike business, the rate of armed banditry in our towns and villages drastically reduced but the risk we are faced with now is that hundreds of thousands of very agile youths have been deprived of their sole source of income.”

“The tendencies are two folds; one, most of them will resort to arm banditry and this will affect not just businesses and the common man but the entire population as a whole. Social ills such as couper de route will resurface. One the other hand, that frustration might lead some of them to be recruited into the Anglophone liberation forces and what we are trying to prevent now will only increase,” Tanyi Chirstain said.

As to what he thinks can aid to deescalate the crisis which is gradually metamorphosing into a full-blown civil confrontation, Tanyi joined his voice to that of thousand, who think effective and fair dialogue might still do the magic.

“At regional, sub divisional and divisional levels, there should be consultations. Dialogues should be on so as to find lasting solutions because repression will not solve the problems…my proposal will still be strongly advocating for dialogue and if this dialogue is been delayed at the national level, let it start at the community level so we can build to a national level.” He opined adding that without which he doesn’t see the crisis deescalating anytime soon.

On the daily killing on civilians and uniform officers in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon, Tanyi Christin known for his outspoken nature strongly condemned the killings on both sides, which he says is out of place.

To him, an incisive and open dialogue which he described as a necessity is the government’s joker to resolve the lingering Anglophone crisis, at least while it still can.