The explosive device planted by separatists on Thursday, September 19, at the Nkwen Market resulted in injuries to six women and claimed one life. Chung Juliet the unfortunate lady lost her life leaving her 5-year-old son, Tumundong Dilan-Joel, orphaned. The event took place during an infamous two-week lockdown aimed at twarting school resumption in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. Lockdowns are often characterised by the enforcement of restrictions by Ambazonia separatist factions within the embattled regions.
Chung Juliette was a person displaced internally from Oku village. She had escaped her hometown amid persistent conflict, seeking a better life for herself and her child. She established herself in Bamenda, dedicating her efforts to selling vegetables and managing a mobile call box to sustain her livelihood.
A crowded marketplace was the scene of a powerful explosion from an explosive device that armed separatist factions allegedly planted. Though no group has officially claimed responsibility, this troubling incident follows a trend that is typical with separatists. Some separatist supporters however, have tried to justify the actions, rather blaming the victims:
Justus Njoh is one of those who feels the victim had a choice. “Our lives matter more than our property. When there is life, there is hope. We are the grass that suffers when two elephants are fighting. If sitting at home for a few days will keep me alive why risk it for money or hunger when man shall continue to hunger and look for money? Our lives should be more valuable to us that what we go out to find.”
Ngwa Jude Niba takes it a step further, by blaming both the victims and others from other tribes.
“Most of the people in Nkwen are Bamilikes who have decided not to be respecting the laws of the land. They are working with their brother lelelafrique the governor to fight against ghost towns. So this serves them right. Next none of them will be lucky. Nonsense,” he wrote.
For some like Chia Humbert, civilians cannot escape the violence, irrespective of what they do.
“For those saying why can’t people stay at home. Let me just tell you that with this crisis, one can’t be wise enough. You can go out to fetch water and still fall victim. We for Bamenda na God di keep we. May the the soul of the departed RIP and quick recovery to the injured,” he wrote on Facebook.
A Troubling Trend
Separatists have gained notoriety for their use of explosives against both civilian populations and military forces. The recent attack on civilians occurred on May 25th, 2024, when a pub at the Hospital Roundabout was targeted, resulting in one immediate fatality and injuries to 41 others.
In the wake of his mother’s tragic passing, Tumundong Dilan-Joel confronts a future shrouded in uncertainty. With the onset of the new school year, the young boy’s educational journey and overall well-being face significant challenges. Currently, he is left with just his elderly grandparents, who live in Oku.
This event is merely a singular example of the numerous tragedies unfolding within the broader humanitarian crisis in Cameroon. Approximately 3.4 million individuals require humanitarian assistance, with 1.9 million of them being children, and this figure continues to rise as the conflict persists.
