Communique From The Archbishop & Auxilary Bishop Of Bamenda Concerning The Direct Summons Served To Them

To The Clergy, Consecrated Men and Women and Christ's Lay Faithful, Archdiocese of Bamenda

Rev. Monsignors, Rev. Fathers, Rev. Brothers and Rev. Sisters, Dear brothers and sisters, Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

It is with emotions of the certainty of the presence of the Risen Lord, but also of great concern that we write to you this Easter Morning.

First, we want to wish all of you the peace and joy of the Risen Lord. May our faith in the Risen Lord and the firm conviction of his presence in our midst be our consolation and our strength during this difficult period of the socio-political crisis in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province. Let us continue to trust in him and in the maternal protection of his Blessed Mother, 'Tor never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help or sought her intercession was left unaided..

Secondly, we want to share with you a correspondence which we received on Wednesday of Holy Week, 12°' April 2017 because it is a cause of great concern for . all of us. It is a "Direct Summons" which has been served to us by a group of persons described as the "Consortium of Parents, whose children are in the various Mission Academic institutions". This so-called "Consortium" is acting through a certain Colonel TAMAMBANG and Lt. Colonel Terence SAMA, both of whom are unknown to us. We, your Bishops, together with the Principals of Sacred Heart College, Mankon, St. Bede's College, Ashing-Korn, Our Lady of Lourdes, College, Mankon, and Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo Diocese and President of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference fBAPEC, are summoned to appear before the Court of First instance, Barnenda on 21. April 2017 at 9.00 a.m. to answer charges on seven counts which we hereby summarize:

Communique From The Archbishop & Auxilary Bishop Of Bamenda Concerning The Direct Summons Served To Them

1. We, the Bishops, have failed to ask parents to send their children back to school or to cause the deposit of school fees paid into an escrow account despite the notice served on 01/03/2017.

2. We signed a joint communique on 09/02/2017 in concertation with others to the effect that the non-resumption of schools is as a result of an unsolved political problem.

3. We have caused the non-payment of the salaries of teachers in Mission schools for some months now, thus depriving the state of the necessary tax deductions.

4. We have, for some months now, after collecting school fees, refused to teach, feed and accommodate students in schools.

5. We have refused to either teach their children or refund the school fees pursuant to the notice served on 01/03/2017.

6. We, the Bishops, signed a communique on 09/02/2017 which propagates false information liable to injure public authorities and national unity.

7. we, the Bishops, in the said communique of 09/02/2017 expressed our satisfaction on what we claim to be grievances or apprehensions as being evident, thus attempting to justify such grievances and apprehensions which are carried out against the security of the State.