The French government should officially recognise the existence of this decolonisation war and the legacy of violence unleashed by French troops in Cameroon before and after the decolonisation of the country in 1960. I am aware that it can be extremely difficult to obtain a visa to undertake research in Europe: this needs to change! Obviously, we are not the first ones to have written on this topic and we hope not to be the last ones! We need more research in so many aspects of the conflict.
Dr Vincent Hiribarren, Reader in Modern History
13 February 2025
New report into the 'decolonisation war of Cameroon' presented to President Macron
King’s academic Dr Vincent Hiribarren is among a team of 14 historians who have presented a report into the decolonisation war in Cameroon to the President of France Emmanuel Macron.
The report — funded by both the French and Cameroonian governments — was presented to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya. The report states the French government ‘suppressed independence and opposition movements’ in Cameroon, providing a detailed analysis of this largely overlooked conflict during the decolonisation era between 1945 and 1971
The team made recommendations to the French government including open access to archives, investment for further research, and inclusion in the school syllabus. The team was led by Karine Ramondy and included Lancelot Arzel, Nadeige Laure Ngo Nlend, Patrick Junior Ngouné, Maginot Noumbissie Tchouaké, Fabien Sacriste, Alvine Assembe Ndi, Marine Bellot-Gurlet, Françoise Blum, Willibroad Dze Ngwa, Anthony Guyon, Vincent Hiribarren, Cyril Kenfack Nanfack, Jean Koufan.
Our report documents a racialized and inegalitarian justice system in Cameroon, and a political system marked by censorship, inequity and the establishment of false political parties co-opted by France, despite the mandate given by the UN to allow the emancipation and progress of the territory towards autonomy and independence.
Dr Vincent Hiribarren, Reader in Modern History
The report was published by Hermann Editions and is available in open access in French (The English version will be available by the end of the year).
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Reader in Modern History