The Deafening Silence to the World’s Humanitarian Crisis

It is disheartening and baffling that the World is maintaining silence, and not condemning the humanitarian crisis happening across the globe – from Yemen to Myanmar to Venezuela to Cameroon. It is quite disturbing that the World is deaf to the plights, and the harrowing conditions of these people.

In Yemen, thousands of people have been slaughtered, millions have been pushed to the brink of starvation. According to the United Nation, seventy-five percent of the country’s population are in need of humanitarian assistance. Yet there is no vituperation against this by the West because Saudi Arabia represents their interests. It is even glaring with the murder of the fearless journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, and the response of Donald Trump-led United States of America.

What about the genocide against the Rohingya in Myanmar (formerly Burma)? Even the refugee crisis has not received so much global attention. Is it because Myanmar is not of concern to their interests in the global power play?

The West, particularly France, is also not even raising any voice against the continued rule and dictatorial regime of Paul Biya in Cameroon. There is a crisis in the Southern region of Cameroon – which has been known as the Ambazonia War, yet there is no outrage. The World is standing aloof, and Cameroon is descending into the abyss of full-scale war. There is even no global condemnation over the flawed electoral process that re-elected Paul Biya as President of Cameroon for the seventh time. The octogenarian has been a colossal failure in the West African nation, but the West is silent because Biya represents their selfish interests.

The West vigorously attacked Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, because of his strong opposition to imperial preferences. Mugabe’s performance in office was not the basis for the persistent criticism of the Western media. However, Paul Biya has been an instrument in the hands of the French elite and, therefore, they are comfortable with his rule despite the humanitarian crisis in the land.

Cameroon is still putting fifty percent of their foreign reserves at Bank of France, and they can only use fifteen percent of it annually. It is mandatory for Cameroon to borrow their own money from France if they want to spend more. Pathetic, you say?

To add salt to injury, the currency of the country, Francs CFA is printed in France. All these are the same for former French Colonies. When Sylvanus Olympus of Togo was removed by a coup led by Gnassingbe Eyadema sponsored by France because he decided that Togo should print its own currency. The interests of France are important and sacrosanct, and that is why they have been mute over the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. France is the purveyor of dictatorship in Africa and they are subjecting Africans to untold hardship and abject poverty.

The World must not turn deaf ears to the plights of the people suffering from humanitarian crisis. We must all make sure the world is safe for all to live.