After decades of being treated as a mere “episode” or internal matter, the violent struggle in Cameroon has officially been named a war by France. President Emmanuel Macron, in a letter to President Paul Biya, recognized the conflict and acknowledged his country’s central role in it.
This recognition is the result of a joint Franco-Cameroonian commission whose historians clearly established “that a war took place in Cameroon.” The conflict, spanning from 1945 to 1971, involved brutal repression by French colonial authorities and their post-colonial allies, leading to an immense loss of life.
By officially calling it a war, France is validating the experiences of countless Cameroonians and accepting a higher level of historical responsibility. This departs from previous narratives that sought to minimize the scale and nature of the violence, including the assassination of nationalist figures.
While naming the war is a critical step, it is not the final one. The acknowledgment was not paired with an apology or reparations, which many see as necessary for true reconciliation. The naming of the war, however, provides a new foundation for demands for justice and a more honest accounting of the past.