Separatist groups blame each other, government for recent atrocities – Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch is the latest group to condemn recent atrocities in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon by separatist fighters.

The rights group says the death of Comfort Tumassang in Muyuka “is just the latest casualty in brutal attacks against civilians committed by separatist groups across the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon – some of them similarly captured on video.”

In a dispatch today, HRW says it “contacted the three main Anglophone separatist groups – the Ambazonia Governing Council, the Interim Government, led by Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, and its splinter faction, led by Samuel Ikome Sako – for their reaction to the video, they condemned the killing but denied responsibility.”

“Some blamed each other, while others accused government soldiers of disguising themselves as separatist fighters to commit atrocities – an accusation which the Minister of Communication dismissed” HRW states.

The body also notes that separatists continue to commit serious human rights abuses in the Anglophone regions with near-total impunity. “Their leaders should immediately end the violence against civilians, and Cameroon’s international partners and the United Nations Security Council should impose targeted sanctions on separatist leaders responsible for these abuses,” says HRW.

Soldiers have since led a crackdown on Muyuka where the mother of four was killed, carrying out mass arrests. Muyuka residents has suffered series of attacks and killings from both parties since the crisis started in 2016.

Mimi Mefo Info