By Norbert Same
The Anglophone crisis that has hit the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon is having all sort of victims.
Not only have hundreds of belligerents died on both sides, thousands of innocent civilians have been killed, maimed, kidnapped and hundreds of villages have been razed down.
We have had horrible killings like the Ngarbuh 13 in the Northwest and the mindless killing in a public square still in the Northwest.
However, the crisis is producing an ever-growing list non-governmental organisations, NGOs, as collateral victims. Both national and international organisations have become targets especially by the government who accuses them of siding with the separatists.
The case of Doctors Without Borders readily comes to mind.
The organization announced in 2022 it was quitting the Southwest region and ended its project.
The decision of withdrawing her staff and services was taken following the suspension of their activities three months earlier and after futile efforts made to release two of its staff who had been unjustly detained (according to their Communiqué) since December 2021 and January 2022.
The international medical organization, did not give up on continuing talks with the authorities to enable them continue their humanitarian activities in a safe environment.
“For the safety of their teams, not knowing when they may resume activities in the Southwest region; in Kumba and Mamfe respectively, management has decided to hold on with its project and close its doors temporarily”.
The communique continued that “Doctors without Borders is doing all to ensure that it’s staff can comfortably work in an environment without being prosecuted unjustly for providing medical assistance to those in need”.
They consider reviewing their decision on resuming activities after exchanges with the Cameroon government and when they are sure that staff can comfortably return to serving humanity without any threat of life.
Doctors Without Borders intended to continue providing medical support to all patients in need, in line with medical ethics and the international humanitarian law. However, the organization finally folded up its activities in Cameroon in 2023.
Heads of some Cameroonian NGOs are also being targeted by both the government and separatist fighters.
Embongoh Djengue Raphael Ledu, owner of non-governmental organization with name Union Franckists is since January 30, 2024 being wanted by the Judicial Police in Douala.
The young man’s NGO has been giving assistance to vulnerable orphans and widows who have been displaced by the crisis but government officials say he is an accomplice to separatist fighters and have issued a warrant of arrest prompting him to go on the run.