Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon: The Military Invades Shisong Hospital in the North West Region
3 min read
On 14 November 2021 at about 1: 30pm, the Cameroonian Military according to the hospital authorities invaded the hospital in search of wounded separatists fighters. during their invasion, the management of the Shisong Hospital said that the hospital guards were maltreated and staff harrass and threatened. the patience were also afraid given their health conditions. The report also carries that the same incident happened on 19 July 2021 at about 2:15 am. below is the full statement from the hospital authorities.
Once again, the Cameroon Military orchestrated a surprised invasion of the Shisong Hospital. The last time they did was on Monday the 19″ of July, 2021, at about 2:15am. This time, today Sunday the 14″ of November, 2021, at about 1:30pm, the Cameroon Military again entered the St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital and Cardiac Centre, Shisong. The number of the military men could not be easily determined but they came in three (03) armoured cars. They were armed with sophisticated weapons and dressed in combat attire. A frightful scene for all, especially for patients in a Hospital setting.
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The Director of the Hospital (Dr. Sr. Anshoma Helen Mbuoh, Cardiologist) was immediately alerted. She came and met the military. The Military requested for the Emergency Unit of the Hospital, as they claimed to be searching for Amba boys that were brought for treatment in the Hospital that same morning. The Director took them to the Out Patient Department, which serves as the emergency unit and where all consultations in the Hospital begin.
Not satisfied with this, they insisted to be taken to the Emergency Unit with the inscription on the door but were calmly told that all cases are brought to the Out Patients’ Unit for consultation. Here too, they were told that emergency treatment is administered and those with indication of admission are normally sent to the appropriate units. They took the Registers and went through it, thoroughly. Then they resorted to a thorough search of the entire Hospital. They moved from Ward to Ward and from Unit to Unit. The Dispensary, Admission Room, Men’s Medical Unit, the Pediatric Unit, the Females’ Medical Unit, the Surgical Units I & II, the Maternity and the Theatre were all bumped into, with patients and little children and babies and pregnant women in them. All the Private Wards were opened and searched. All the toilets and rooms the Hospital were searched. Nothing suspicious was found.
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Not finding the Amba Boys they were looking for, they started insulting and threatening the Reverend Sisters. They even threated to shoot the Sisters in the leg if they did not indicate where they had hidden and are treating the Amba Boys in the Hospital.
In the meantime, the two (02) Security Officers on Duty were arrested and systematically interrogated. They were asked, at gun point, to show where the Amba Boys were hidden. The response from the Guards was clear and concise. Their responsibility starts with receiving all the patients and then forward to the Out patients’ Department, where the cases are taken over by the Nurses and Doctors. From there, they go back to their duty posts.
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Not satisfied with this explanation, the Military exercised brute force on the Security Officers. They were severely beaten with the butts of the guns and kicked with their military boots. They all sustained injuries and swollen faces. The
Administration later asked the Security Officers to go for consultation and to have a medical checkup.
Coming out to the Hospital parking lot, the Military insisted that all the bikes should be identified, else they will be burnt. All those who parked their bikes were called and each one of them identified his bike by starting the engine and was asked to park where the military indicated to them. (It should be noted that the Administration had issued a Public Order whereby only bikes of the Staff, patients, guardians, hospital should be parked in the hospital premises and records are kept).
Below is the full statement
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.
