Southern Cameroon has appealed to the United Nations (UN) to intervene and ensure a sustainable resolution of the lingering issues of the sovereignty of the region.

Dr Samuel Sako, Leader of the Interim Government of Southern Cameroon, made the appeal on Wednesday at the second global news conference on issues affecting the region.

Sako who decried the six years long war in the region which was formally known as Ambazonia, urged the international community, represented by the UN to focus on lingering, unaddressed long-standing grievances.

He said the grievances had persisted since the colonial era and there was a need for urgent intervention to bring about lasting peace.

Sako said the UN after having recognised Southern Cameroon’s sovereignty did not give a referendum, rather they gave the Peoples of Southern Cameroon a plebiscite.

“A plebiscite is a consultation of opinion, not a referendum; it was not law. If the UN thought we were not autonomous but a tiny part of La République du Cameroun, they would have given us a referendum.

“Plebiscite presupposes that we are two different people seeking to establish our sovereignty, if the UN wants to serve majority opinion on this issue, they should conduct another non-binding Plebiscite in Southern Cameroon, not a Referendum.

“This is the threshold position of the people we represent; therefore, any proposal that seeks to mask the status quo of Southern Cameroonian colonial status under the Republic of Cameroon is far-reaching.

“It does not represent the aspirations of the overwhelming majority of Ambazonians, as far as this liberation struggle is concerned.

“The way forward to end this conflict supported by the International Community/external stakeholders is, a genuine all-inclusive dialogue/mediated negotiation process.”

Sako reiterated that after several advocacies to ensure the process that was spearheaded by the Swiss was peaceful, the Republic of Cameroon failed to commit to a peaceful resolution.

“Also to resolve conflict and issue of the sovereignty of Southern Cameroon once and for all, another Plebiscite, preceded by Internationally Mediated Negotiations would be the right step forward.

“We peacefully requested reforms primarily in the education and judicial sectors, the colonial government’s response was brutal. Several protesters were arrested and detained.

“By early 2017, the peaceful agitations morphed into an armed conflict; an existential conflict for us, given that we have the duty to ensure our existence within the community of nations of the world.

“The Republic of Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya had labelled us “terrorists” and a disinclined inclusive mechanism to end the war.