US under fresh international pressure to impose sanctions on Biya, government officials

International Civil societies are urging the United States Treasury Department to implement sanctions on the Biya regime and other human rights violation perpetrators under the Global Magnitsky Sanctions.

The bipartisan bill passed signed into law by Obama in 2012 authorizes the US government to sanction those it sees as human rights offenders, freeze their assets, and ban them from entering the US.

The civil societies exerting the pressure for the sanctions to take effect are also requesting other civil societies “to file complaint with the US Treasury Department, ” Mimi Mefo Info has learnt.

Still in relation to human rights abuses in the North West and South West regions of the country, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights confirms 22 were killed in Ngarbuh attack, and has called for investigation.

In a press release on the attack on the village, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the commission) has expressed its concern, calling on authorities to launch investigation as soon as possible.

“According to the information received, 22 civilians were killed on the morning of the 14th February 2020, by armed men for a hitherto unknown reason. Of the 22 victims identified, 14 were children, including 9 under the age of 5” the commission sates, adding that “the victims were reportedly shot dead and their bodies burned in houses which were burned down”.

“Among the victims were two pregnant women, one of whom survived while losing her baby. She is said to be currently in critical condition” the release reads.

“The Commission strongly condemns this attack which once again mourns the Cameroonian people and offers its deep condolences to the grieving families”, going further to request that Cameroonian authorities to launch investigations as soon as possible in order to shed light on this attack and to provide the required assistance to the bereaved families, in particular by ensuring that they are safe”.

“The Commission also reiterates its offer to support the Cameroonian people in the search for peaceful solutions in order to put an end to the violations and impunity enjoyed by their perpetrators” it went on.

The Cameroon government despite eyewitness reports still maintains however that 22 persons were not killed and that it was not responsible for the attack.

Since the escalation of the crisis into an armed conflict, several civil society organisations have requested that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights sends a fact-finding mission to Cameroon.

Mimi Mefo Info