“Government has failed in its international commitments to protect civilians” – coalition of social organisations on Ngarbuh massacre

The Coalition of Civil Society Human rights organisations for peace in the Anglophone regions and other affected regions has in a release on the Ngarbuh massacre outlined the different stages of the attack, blaming the Cameroon government.

These, the coalition states come after a fact-finding mission was sent to the area.

” According to eyewitnesses and survivors, the joint mission was headed by the former combatant who led the armed group to Ngarbuh, a resident in Ndu town, Nfor Marcel called “Bullet” alongside two others ex-combatants around him. He ran away from work (fight), more than a year and joined the National Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration Committee (NDDRC)” the report reads.

“The attack was bloody, no one was spared, some villagers were burned alive, and those who could not find shelter were shot, as shown by the bodies of the victims scattered in the bushes” it goes on.

” After the massacre, the villagers say they received an alert they said came from the village chief of Ntumbuw (Ngarbuh is a locality) who relayed the threats of some soldiers, telling them that they had three days (72 hours) to leave the villages. otherwise, they would have expected the worst … certain elements of the army implicated in the attack returned to the scene a few hours later to intimidate and proceed to seize the mobile phones of the inhabitants of the said village. This unintentionally led many residents to take refuge in the bushes and neighbouring villages” it states.

These the coalition explains “are serious violations of human rights within the meaning of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) of 1981, of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) of 10 December 1984, all ratified by the Republic of Cameroon.”

Noting that “only an Independent International Commission of Inquiry will be able to clarify the circumstances and establish the responsibilities in a concise time concerning the war crimes committed by both sides (Army and armed groups)” the coalition among other requests “firmly demands from the Cameroonian Government, the urgent establishment of a witness and survivor protection system; these are determinants of the success of investigations and prosecutions in the criminal justice system.”

It also ” 7. Requests the international community and the friendly countries of Cameroon to act to persuade the Cameroonian government to start a process of resolving the conflict through direct negotiations with the leaders of armed opposition groups.”

The coalition ends its report by providing a list of some of the victims as well as those wounded in the massacre.

Read full report here

MMI