BY Lusy Lima
The North West and South West Regions of Cameroon have remained restive since the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis in 2017.
Investigative findings and reports from many human rights groups and non-governmental organisations have condemned extrajudicial killings, by mostly the military, on innocent civilians including children and pregnant women, and the burning of houses.
The Cameroon Government has, for close to three years now, been battling to arrest the situation but tensions continue to intensify with civilian population in the North West and South West Regions living in peril, panic and pandemonium.
Due to this confusion, and fear of the unknown, many youths, innocent Anglophones and family members and businessmen continue to go underground. Government has equally launched a manhunt for alleged activists, businessmen siding with separatists. The activists abound and a list bearing the names of those listed for arrest is already making rounds in the hands of the military as the activists have been placed under military searchlight and declared wanted.
Reports say in July 2020, the armed conflict reached its peak when the military invaded the lively village of Eshobi in Mamfe Central Subdivision, Manyu Division of the South West Region on July 7, 2020 in in search of alleged Ambazonia separatist fighters who have picked up arms against the government. The separatist fighters are demanding for the restoration of the independence of former British Southern Cameroons.
The incident was tragic as the military destroyed and set ablaze many houses including that of a retired Senior Warrant Officer of the Cameroon army, Oben Enoh Emmanuel. The military also opened fire on many innocent civilians, killing about three youths and Ojong Presley the sitting Mayor of Mamfe Council.
This tragic incident forced many, including Retired Senior Warrant Officer Oben Enoh Emmanuel, his wife, Fanyi Esther Kachu and 10-year-old son, Afok Mandem Albright, to flee out of the country while others fled to the bushes for safety.
As we went to press, family sources hinted that the whereabouts of Oben Enoh Emmanuel, his wife and son remained cloudy.
The country is now considered unsafe by many Anglophones in the diaspora who fear arrest or death if they return to the country.
While the Anglophone crisis continues to escalate, international organisations and other Western powers have called on the Government to address the root cause of the crisis through dialogue.
Also, prominent Anglophone lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla, has called on the Government to dialogue, and to release all Anglophones “unlawfully” detained and imprisoned.
The war still rages on and many more killings by the military are still being documented by rights organisations.
The government has launched a manhunt for those alleged to be fanning the crisis both at home and abroad. Terrorism charges hang on them if arrested as they have been declared wanted.
Recently French President Emmanuel Macron promised to exert “maximum pressure” on President Paul Biya to end Cameroon’s intolerable human rights violations.