Peace Movement Turns to Nigeria/Cameroon Territorial Dispute
The Belize Peace Movement, proponents of a ‘no’ vote in the upcoming I.C.J. referendum, is hitching its wagon to an ostensible legal opinion being put forward by a purported Nigerian attorney. She likens the Belize/Guatemala territorial dispute to that of Nigeria and Cameroon several decades ago, where both countries took a claim over the Bakassi Peninsula to the International Court of Justice for resolution. For context, Nigeria and Cameroon have argued possession of Bakassi for decades, resulting in significant hostility between the two countries. Cameroon subsequently took the matter to the World Court in March 1994 and in October 2002, eight years later; a decision essentially based on the Anglo-German agreements was handed down in favor of Cameroon. The I.C.J. ruled that sovereignty over Bakassi did indeed rest with the Central African nation. Although the argument may differ in both cases, the Belize Peace Movement is seemingly drawing on this example to bolster its position.
Janet Anakabo
Janet Anakabo, Nigerian Attorney
“A friend of mine from Belize informed me that very soon, Belizeans will be going to the polls to make a decision on taking the matter of the territorial dispute with Guatemala to the I.C.J. As you may be aware, sometime ago our country was taken to the I.C.J. due to a similar dispute that we had with our neighbor Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula. We had all grown up knowing that the Bakassi was our land. It was a valuable area occupied by our people and used primarily for fishing and generally known to be rich in oil. They adjoining community of Calabar is where I grew up and went to school and where my father schooled, worked and still lives. So when we learned about the dispute about the Bakassi was taken to the International Court of Justice, most of us did not take it seriously. In any event, we thought we had a very good case because our political leaders told us that there is no way in the world our country could possibly be divided and handed over to another country. All of our legal experts were telling us very much the same thing. When the decision finally came down from the court after about a period of about eight years, we were all shocked to learn that the World Court had decided that the oil rich Bakassi Peninsula was in fact the territory of Cameroon and that it should be turned over to them. This result was never contemplated by the many thousands of Nigerians who had for years and years occupied that part of the country. As a result of the court ruling, Nigerians who lived on the peninsula were given the option of resettlement on the Nigerian side of the border or to remain on the peninsula but subject to the laws of that country. They were also given the option to become citizens of the Cameroons. Today, almost sixteen years after that fateful decision, we still mourn the loss of our peninsula. Many Nigerians who occupy the peninsula have been resettled on the mainland but remain in limbo, especially in regard to the fact that a lot of them have lost their right to vote in Nigerian elections.”
News Five has made several attempts to verify the authenticity of this recording, as well as the credibility of Janet Anakobo.
