Cameroon: Human Rights Watch want Families of victims of the Ngarbuh Massacre participate in the trial of soldiers who perpetrated the gruesome act.
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Victims of the Ngarbuh Massacre of 14 February 2020 are yet to have justice accordingly. Findings of the Ngarbuh commission revealed that members of the Cameroon military committed the gruesome act.
Since then, the accused (some soldiers) have been standing trial in court since 17 December 2020. The Human Rights Watch in their recently released want Families of the victims to be present in Court as the trial will be holding tomorrow 18 March 2021.
“The trial of three members of security forces accused of involvement in the killings of 21 civilians in Ngarbuh, in Cameroon’s North-West region, is due to resume tomorrow.The trial, which began on December 17, 2020, and adjourned twice, takes place before the military court in the capital, Yaoundé, about 380 kilometers from Ngarbuh, making it difficult for family members of victims to attend. Family members’ lawyers are concerned about how challenging it is for their clients to participate in the trial, as is their right as civil parties in the case under Cameroon law. They would prefer the trial be held at the military court in Bamenda, closer to Ngarbuh”.
According to HRW and going by the testimony from one the lawyers, “Our clients don’t have the financial means to travel to Yaoundé,” Richard Tamfu, one of the lawyers, told Human Rights Watch. “The court sitting in Bamenda would fit with the key principle of meaningful access to justice, bringing it closer to the victims.”
HRW also describe the Massacre as one of the worst atrocious act committed by the military. “The attack on the village of Ngarbuh on February 14, 2020, was one of the worst by Cameroonian army soldiers since the crisis in the Anglophone regions began in late 2016. Soldiers killed 21 civilians, including 13 children and a pregnant woman, and burned 5 homes in a reprisal attack aimed at punishing residents suspected of harboring separatist fighters. Two soldiers and a gendarme have been arrested in connection with the massacre and charged with murder, arson, destruction, violence against a pregnant woman, and disobeying orders. Seventeen members of a vigilante group and a former separatist fighter have also been charged but remain at large”.
It is worthy to note that families of victims of the Ngarbuh Massacre have also been compensated with at least 5millions FCFA. “On February 3, some families of the Ngarbuh victims received food items and 5 million CFA (US $9,000) each as compensation for the destruction of their property from the Governor of the North-West region, on behalf of President Paul Biya, a move criticized by lawyers representing the families who said it is up to the court to decide on reparations”.
At the end of the release expressing the need for families of victims to be present during trial, the HRW says the participation of families of victims will means giving them a voice. “The participation of victims of gross human rights violations in criminal proceedings is an essential way of giving them a voice. Cameroonian authorities, with the support of international partners, if necessary, should ensure that the victims’ families can attend and participate in the trial so that their rights to justice and reparations are upheld”.
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.
