CTE Workers: Children Support Parents in Leading the Fight for Social Justice

On 3^rd March, the CTE erstwhile workers’ children (mostly under 35 years) for the first time publicly gathered at the Labour Office and National Security here in Buea. Organizing an all-night empathetic candlelight vigil to relief [distract]their parents, the Ex-CTE Workers from the suffering depression and emotional distress brought to them by the Cameroon government

Attendance to this candle lighting event included; Reverends,youth advocates, supporters, family and friends. An act the organizers (Ex-CTE Workers’ Children)hope it re-energizes and enables their parents to remain steadfaston their cause till it comes to fruition- the payment of fcfa 2.4 billion severance. This was supposed to be paid to the Ex-CTE Workers (736 workers) a decade ago when the tea plantation was privatized.

When asked some of the children - why coming now? Jenalus and Kinde stood next to each other among the crowd said: “Enough is enough: we the Ex-CTE Workers children are fed up with lies”.

“We want our parents to tell us…Let them tell us what is actually happening. We have heard rumors upon rumors. And we don’t know which is which?” Esoh Samson, son to one Ex-CTE Worker

“Each day, I head for the Labour office, hoping to hear my mother tells me it is over! Finally, let’s go home today together. Instead she says: my daughter, we are still waiting on the government to make a statement. Since September 12^th till today March 3^rd, it remains the same story. Nothing has change. And just like my friends whose parents are also here, we got tired of waiting and hearing the same story all the time. So, today– we decided to come and stay with our parents. sleep on the same bare floor”. Emelda Aka, daughter to an Ex-CTE Worker.

 "we love our parents. we miss them so much" Emelda Aka added.

Condemning the government negligence and ill-treatment against its own people,the Ex-CTE Workers’ children expressed their dissatisfaction.

“This is humiliating and degrading”, Son to one of the Ex-CTE Worker remarked, with heavy face.

“My sick mother now lives like beggar, no dignity and no integrity”Nfor Gilbert, son to one of the Ex-CTE Worker.   “it is here that she has been sleeping, sitting - on this bare ground in the dust. With only one pit toilet (already full) shared among them (over 700)”. Gilbert added.

Truth be said, it is a shame knowing that the Cameroon government could abandon and expose parts of its elderly citizens (mostly women 40 or older) to such harsh, harmful and unhealthy conditions, for closed to 6months (half a year). A nation that has signed and ratified most international conventions (UDHR, CEDAW) and regional instruments(African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights) for the promotion, protection and respect for peoples human rights, now seems hypocritical through its actions.

Refugees in Cameroon: A Look at a normal day experience for the Ex-CTE Workers at the Labour Office

Today was fogy. Still I managed to take some pics of a day-to-day experience for the Ex-CTE

Today, 16^th February marks the 7^th day after the Ex-CTE Workers blocked the main road axis between the court junction and the central prison Buea. 

Under the drizzling and fogy (18 degree Celsius) condition sat the Ex-CTE Workers melancholic, this morning when I visited.

It is 5 months since the Former Cameroon Tea Estate (CTE) Workers now occupy the Labour Office and Social Security in Buea. This therefore means that it is over 5 months since the workers of these two government offices have not visited their offices and the building closed.

My visit to the CTE Workers at Labour Office was initially to see how they manage themselves when it rains and also for a post-CTE Workers blockage follow-up. I was eager to see something new. And indeed, I did see something new - how a normal day looks like for them.

Pictures of Some of the most common activities

In brevity, I was made to understand that each day is a repetition of usual routines. Probably not in the same sense a banker, student or a civil servant would articulate her/her usual day-to-day experience. For the Tole Estate Workers, it is far more different and ridiculous. Unlike the aforementioned, the Tea workers are neither privileged to havingproper medical facilities, sufficient food to eat, a healthy and sanitary conditions. At their age, they are not supposed to be exposed to certain harsh conditions and malnutrition.

Some of them have even stayed for days without a meal. And currently, the only one toilet they shared is full. So should the Cameroon government delay to pay their severance of FCFA 2.4 Billion. What would the situation be like without a toilet to defecate? No room to sleep, no bathing room to shower and no kitchen to cook.

Every day inthe morning at 6am to 7am, the Ex-Workers would assemble for prayers. And as from 8am to 9am, it is tea time for those who can afford to buy bread, sugar and milk.  9am to 9pmnothing major takes place within these hours except at 9pm – they gather for evening prayers.  But within the day, those who can afford to cook a meal do so. And those who can’t, they either sleep or just sited in small groups or individually scattered looking at the road, playing cards and / or watching the sky. 

But when they are offered food stuffs 9items0 like tomatoes, rice, groundnuts, cooking oil etc., they prepare a general meal which is shared around 3pm.

“Some Cameroonians are generous” Ma A, an Ex-CTE Worker said in an interview

“People keep coming and giving us raw food. Sometimes, our families also bring us food. Though it seems as if people are already feed up with our situation. And unlike previously they used to be frequent.  Now they rarely visit us” Fredrick one of the Ex-CTE Workers said.

That notwithstanding, lately, the presence of the Ex-CTE Workers  has definitely made the entire clerk’s quarters starting from the Central Prison Junction to the Youth Affairs Delegation and up to the Court Junction a new touristic site in Buea.

And who could have ever imagined that by 2012 an ordinary day for the CTE erstwhile workers would be this miserable? That a day shall come when a demand by the Ex-CTE Workers for what is rightfully theirs shall result to the state abandoning over 700 of its employees, its citizens to live like their nation is experiencing  famineor violent crisis. The Ex-CTE workers are now refugees in their own beloved nation, abandoned to their own fate.