By Clarkson Fongang
Since the outbreak of the Anglophone crisis in late 2016 in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon, many have been affected in diverse ways. From thousands that have been displaced to others that are now refugees in Nigeria, many families continue to lament in pain as they count the negative impact.
This is the case of Besong Ruth, a young lady from Ayukaba Village in Eyumojock Sub Division in Manyu Division of the South West Region, one of the restive areas of the crisis. Besong Ruth, was taken hostage by the Cameroon Defense and Security Forces on October 27, 2018. She was accused of working with the separatist fighters in her native Village of Ayukaba. By the stroke of luck, she escaped from the village because the separatists were also in search of her with a charge that she had connived with the military to kill one of the separatist fighters who was her boyfriend.
The government in place in 2019 organized a Major National Dialogue that brought together over 700 Delegates to proffer solutions to the crisis. Though some major resolutions were arrived at, many are still of the opinion that it was not representative enough as most activists of the crisis who have taken up residence abroad were never invited.
The dialogue was also highly criticized because the ambazonian leader Ayuk Tabe, who was arrested even before the Major National Dialogue was not solicited to participate while in detention at the Yaounde maximum security prison popularly referred to as Kondengui.
This missed opportunity on the part of the ruling government created more tension on the ground which let to several splinter groups. Many of these groups now operate in rural areas and are specialized in kidnapping for ransom to sustain the struggle.
This has made the safety and security of suspected individuals( black legs) very fragile and unpredictable. The only guarantee is seeking safety elsewhere.
Her ordeal is one in several inhumane conditions that many youths especially young girls go through to stay alive in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon since the onset of the Anglophone crisis.