Insist we’re against uncontrolled grazing not our Mbororo Meta brothers
By George EtohAnzah in Bamenda.
The dust seems to be far from settling following long-standing uncontrolled cattle grazing woes being witnessed in some specific areas within Meta clan. Stakeholders of Meta land, Mbengwi Central Sub division,in Momo division have been categorical that uncontrolled grazing has contributed enormously to the destruction of farm produce, desecration of sacred land,kidnappings and incursion into non grazing land. They, traditional rulers through the Meta Cultural and Development Association,MECUDA voiced their disregards towards the attitude of some graziers,Friday 17th January during an extraordinary session of MECUDA at the association’s hall,Mbengwi central.
According to Prof Njoh Oliver, President General of MECUDA, despite previous calls made on the need for a more modest approach to the grazing of the cattle, the sad occurrence still persists. “We had not finished from BessiFomukong when we last condemned the activities of some of these graziers….however as of recent we are already in Gundom where there was a mass destruction of farms. In fact, the area is almost an empty village because the graziers have actually driven locals from the place”, he lamented, adding that locals till the soil in this area but the following day their farmlands leave one with nothing to admire.
According to Professor Oliver Njoh, calls have been coming in almost simultaneously from Funam, Nku, Kobanyam, Fringen, with calls and video evidences of cows actually destroying crops with the latest being from Guneku. During the conclave traditional rulers further revealed that during verbal confrontations and dialogue some graziers act in impunity with claims that they will “sell a cow if need be and hand the proceeds to the administration” in order to swing the course of justice to their favour( a claim The Horizon Newspaper can’t independently confirm).
Fon G. F Fombo, traditional ruler of Njindom and president of the Meta fons’ Union, asserts that “these herders have the feeling that they can just go anywhere to do their grazing”. He added: “the movement of cattle is uncontrolled, there is the perception that the administration has a kind disposition towards the activities of these graziers which is causing problems to the agrarian farmers which they are not particularly keen to protect”.
These amongst other vices was the subject of the conclave that grouped traditional rulers of the land with the aim of reaching sustainable resolutions to improve the stalemate. Following the long deliberations the rulers amongst many others tables a wide range of resolutions;
-All villages that have grazing conflicts should create conflict resolution committees
-as has been the case the Fon is an auxilliary of the administration, therefore all conflict related matters except for those with criminal characteristics should be resolved at the level of the fons,
-historically Medig and Bome villages are the two main areas that serve as the bread baskets of the clan, therefore grazing activities cannot be allowed in these areas,
-to better handle internal grazier issues cattle coming in from out of Meta clan are not allowed to graze within the community as this exposes our community to uncontrolled grazing with little knowledge of the non grazing areas,
-that the Meta people distance themselves from all acts of violence against the Mbororos but affirm their determination to fight against uncontrolled grazing land that leads to wanton destruction of crops on farms by cattle,
-that Meta people through local development representatives call on the administration to fully respect existing laws on farmer grazier conflicts, these include procedures to grant grazier permits, to create conflict resolution committees etc.
-that delegates at this conclave condemn the act of bushfires across the clan that even the dry grass can be consumed by cows,
-that the ministry of livestock should come up with a policy to vulgarise the planting of the grass specie called guatemala,
-that delegates condemn the recent killing of people in Van,meta villages and warn against such killings while also appealing to the administration to ensure defaulters are tried and punished in accordance with the laws in Cameroon.
The leadership of MECUDA is optimistic that if these are implemented the land will unconditionally become a veritable hub for cohabitation. MECUDA is understood to be tabling the said resolutions through the administration with the hope of notifying the most competent authorities if no action is taken from the base.
For his part, the subdivisional delegate for livestock fisheries and animal husbandry for Mbengwi was categociral that despite the prevalence if the encroachment the possibility of always having graziersdow the valleys is an unavoidable reality. ” You are aware we are in the dry season,cattle come down for transhumance. With this situation the farmers have planted cassava which takes a longer span to grow…if they had planted crops such as maize or others probably this may not be the situation”.
FomukomAnniver further prescribed continuous sensitization while completely condemning the acts.
