Anglophone crisis: Living with disability; a major challenge

Violence has continued unabated in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon after the organization of the major national dialogue by the government intended to solve the problem.

130 civilians have been killed in 100 different incidents with thousands more displaced since July this year according to Human Rights Watch.
At the heart of the violence, people living with disability in the Anglophone regions bear the brunt of tension in the hands of security forces and separatist fighters.

According to a study carried out by Human Rights Watch between September and November 2019, persons living with disability are at risk living in the violent areas. Human Rights Watch writes that a man with intellectual disability was killed in a place called “Number One Water” near Muyenge in the South West region on the 19th of December 2019.

On the 30th of October 2019, a man living with disability in Nchum village in the North West saw his home destroyed and burnt by military men as he could not run for safety as others when military men arrived in the area.

To Shantha Rau Barriga, director of disability rights at Human rights Watch, people with disabilities face more risk of safety.
“Cameroon authorities and armed separatists should stop their abuses against civilians,while international organization should fulfill their promises to those most affected by the crisis including people living with disabilities”.
Human rights Watch insists that concrete actions is needed “…to make humanitarian response to the crisis zone of Cameroon more inclusive for people with disability.
On the general security situation in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, Human Rights Watch’s report shows that violence escalated in the Anglophone region of Cameroon following the sentencing of Sesisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius and nine other interim leaders of the self proclaimed state of ambazonia by the military tribunal in Yaounde in August.

In the course of the violence, both the military and separatist fighters have been accused of violating the rights of civilians.

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