Cameroon: New report sheds light into government, separatist atrocities in North West, South West

The Cameroon Anglophone Crisis Database of Atrocities releases eight new verification reports of atrocities in the country’s minority Anglophone regions.

Spanning from 2016 when the crisis started to date, it focused on eight main incidents, five of which it declares were committed by state forces.

They include: Reactions by Security Forces to Student Protests in Buea, Cameroon (November 2016); Burning of Labonge Village, Cameroon (August 2018); Burning of Bangang Village, Cameroon (September 2019); Burning of Buildings in Maumu Village, Cameroon (December 2019); Burning of Market in Bali Nyonga, Cameroon (January 2020); Ngarbuh Massacre, Ntumbaw, Cameroon (February 2020); Burning of Mbufung Church in Bali, Cameroon (February 2020); Explosion at Likomba Market, Tiko, Cameroon (September 2020).

With the report published ahead of the United Nations Security Council meeting on Central Africa scheduled for today, December 9, the Database describes the atrocities as “indicative of deterioration to deadlier methods as the conflict spins further out of control.”

It also hints that some of the acts may be punishable by international law.

Findings

Among the atrocities, the Database confirmed that in November 2016, there was indeed “use of excessive force against student protesters by members of Cameroon’s security forces — namely, gendarmes and police.”

It also confirmed that of Ngarbuh, recalling that government had long admitted its fault and the trial of perpetrators is set to commence on December 17.

With regards to separatist actions, the Database highlighted the burning of Bangang village in September 2019, was done by separatists. “[It]
is likely that the perpetrators were led by “General Ayeke.”” it stated.

For other atrocities such as the burning of buildings in Labonge Village, Konye, the burning of buildings in Maumu, and the burning of a market in Bali Nyonga, the Cameroon Anglophone Crisis Database of Atrocities stated that their perpetrators could not be ascertained.

With many victims beginning to lose hope, it is believed the light shed in these atrocities ahead of today’s UN Security Council meeting will go a long way to impacting deliberations and action on the crisis.

The Database team maintains that it is “committed to storing information about violent rights abuses that harm civilians, and to promoting human rights and peace.”

It also calls on “individuals or organizations with photos, videos, or documents about atrocities perpetrated from October 2016 to present in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, and documentation about the chain of command … [To] anonymously and securely upload them using the link below. (https://cameroondatabase.ushahidi.io/posts/create/4 )

“The Database team that prepared these particular reports includes volunteer researchers at the Edinburgh International Justice Initiative, Leiden University, and the University of Toronto, with support from the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA).”

Mimi Mefo Info