Indigenous Minorities and Political Pluralism in Cameroon

By Dibussi Tande

The concept of "Indigenous Minorities" as used in Cameroon refers to ethnic groups located primarily in the coastal and urban areas of the South-West, Littoral and Center priovinces. The common denominator among these ethnic groups is that they are numerically outnumbered in their native lands by non-natives who have emigrated from other parts of the country. The numerical superiority of these non-native communities (whose members are commonly referred to as  "strangers")  is usually accompanied by their domination of the political, economic and social life in these areas.