Cameroon: CHRDA in a Human Rights Report has blamed the Cameroon military and separatist fighters for atrocious Human Rights violations in the North West and South West Regions
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While acknowledging the damaging effects of the global health crisis COVID-19, the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) has in a 45-page report published on 11/03/2021 blame the Cameroon military and armed separatists fighting for the independent state of Ambazonia (the then Southern Cameroons) for atrocious human rights violations.
The armed conflict according to the CHRDA has “displaced over 700,000 persons internally and over 60,000 to Nigeria and other countries as refugees and asylum seekers. More than 4,000 persons have also been killed and over 5 million people affected by the crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon, including schoolchildren, the disabled, women, and girls.”
The 45-page report, which focuses on events from October 2020 to February 2021, concentrates among other atrocities on; “extrajudicial executions, torture, arson of schools and villages, wanton destruction of property, retaliatory attacks, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), arbitrary arrests and illegal detention, abductions, harassment and extortion, and other forms of violence which seriously and disproportionately affect women and children.”
The report also provides an overview of the situation in Cameroon and insight on the contributions of members of the International Community like the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom on how to resolve the crisis in Cameroon. It also includes some recommendations to other international partners like members of the African Union and the EU on how they can engage in finding a lasting solution to the conflict in Cameroon.
In their conclusion, CHRDA has made several recommendations to both the national and international stakeholders “CHRDA emphatically abhors these gross human rights atrocities and reminds the stakeholders of the necessity to urgently prevent further violence and protect all civilians from grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. We also call on the Government of Cameroon to immediately discharge its primary responsibility to protect its population by addressing the root causes of violence and ensuring victims of attacks are provided with appropriate protection and assistance.
As it started to in December 2020, with the trial of the three soldiers who massacred over 21 civilians, including 13 children, in Ngarbuh, and with the payment of 5 million FCFA each as reparation to the families of the victims, the government should fully investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the serious violations and abuses that have been committed from the beginning of the crisis and also indemnify the victims’ families for property loss and injuries suffered.
We urge the President of the Republic and the entire Government of Cameroon to ensure full respect for human rights, including the rights of women and children, and to ensure that the humanitarian needs of civilians are met.
We also call on all stakeholders to get engaged in frank and veritable dialogue to find a lasting solution to the crisis, as soldiers and armed men continue to commit human rights atrocities.”
Read/download the full report through the link below: https://www.chrda.org/a-human-rights-situation-report-of-the-north-west-and-south-west-regions-of-cameroon-between-october-2020-and-february-2021/
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
