THE UPC: CAMEROON'S TRAGIC INDEPENDENCE HEROES

On 10 April 1948, courageous Cameroonian workers and trade unionists came together in the Chez Sierra bar in Bassa to found the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, a revolutionary political party that would fight for Cameroon's total independence.

The party cadres demonstrated immense commitment to the revolutionary struggle and the enduring fight for pan-African unity. The UPC fought and died for the independence and unity of Cameroon, as well as that of Africa - but they paid a terrible price.

In 1955, after the violent repression of protests led to an anti-colonial uprising, the UPC was outlawed in Cameroon. This year often marks the start of the Cameroon War. By 1960, president Ahmadou Ahidjo - backed by France - was waging a genocidal war against not just the UPC but also the Bamiléké people, among whom the party enjoyed significant support. The UPC organised the peoples of Cameroon and fought to keep the country together, even across linguistic lines, despite the brutal repression and violence.

While the Cameroonian War of Independence is often referred to as the 'Forgotten War' because the more successful Algerian Revolution overshadowed it at the time, the history of this struggle continues to shape Cameroon in the present.

Since independence in 1960 and the elimination of the UPC, a single political party and only two presidents have ruled the country: Ahmadou Ahidjo and Paul Biya.

Despite many setbacks, the UPC worked tirelessly to build relationships with other pan-African organisations and leaders, from Kwame Nkrumah to Patrice Lumumba and Ahmed Ben Bella. Though not yet achieved, their objective of a unified and liberated Africa continues to inspire us in the ongoing struggle.

Today, as Cameroon reflects on its independence, it is crucial to rekindle the revolutionary spirit of the UPC and the broader pan-African movement. With this milestone, let us honour the legacy of the country's revolutionaries by working toward the realisation of their dreams: a Cameroon and an Africa that is truly free.

Sources

https://www.cameroon-info.net/article/cameroon-upc-is-not-dead-leaders-insist-198654.html

https://marxist.com/the-crimes-of-french-imperialism-in-cameroon.htm

https://time.com/archive/6647852/foreign-news-appointment-in-geneva/

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/in-yaounde-macron-recalls-massacres-and-abuses-of-de-gaulle-and-foccart/2647588

https://jacobin.com/2016/12/cameroon-france-colonialism-war-resistance