US, UK, Belgian diplomats press for justice for Ngarbuh massacre victims

By David Atangana

The United States, United Kingdom and Belgian diplomatic missions to Cameroon have signed a joint statement urging the Cameroon Government to deliver justice for victims of the February 14 massacre of civilians in Ngarbuh village in 2020.

The Diplomats signed the petition on Tuesday, February 14, which marked three years since the sad incident occured.

At least 21 people, including 13 children and a pregnant women, were killed in the mass murder of civilians in Ngarbuh, a village in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region of Cameroon.

“Today is the third anniversary of the killing of 21 civilians, including 13 children, at Ngarbuh in North West Cameroon,” the Diplomats said.

“The loved ones of those who were killed continue to wait for justice. We the undersigned encourage the authorities to prioritize the investigative and judicial, ensure transparency and hold accountable those responsible for these crimes,” they added.

A commission of inquiry set up by President Paul Biya on March 1, 2020, faulted soldiers and Fulani vigilante men for the atrocity. This was after the government had initially denied soldiers’ involvement in the incident.

Subsequently, government announced the arrest of two soldiers and a gendarme in connection with the incident and faulted 17 Fulani vigilante men for collaborating in the massacre.

However, a trial initiated at the Yaounde Military Court against the suspects in December 2020 has not yielded any outcome three years on.

The case was adjourned last year and was scheduled to resume this February 16, Human Rights Watch said in a recent release in which it slammed the Cameroon military justice system for slowing accountability on the massacre.

Mimi Mefo Info