BY LUSY LIMA
As the tension mounts in the two restive English speaking regions of Cameroon, man-hunting has become the order of the day forcing many youths to go underground for fear of reprisals from the military. Youths accused by the military for assisting separatist fighters and or concealing their hide outs are either arrested, molested or killed, irrespective of their innocence.
The Anglophone crisis, which has been on for close to three years, started as a strike action by lawyers and teachers in the North West and South West regions but has metamorphosed into an arm conflict between separatist fighters and the Cameroon defence forces. Frequent clashes between these two have ravaged houses and villages in the North West and South West regions.
Many people have relocated to bushes while others are now internally displaced with thousands as refugees in neighbouring Nigeria. Reports from international humanitarian organisations indicate that over 500,000 people are displaced internally with over 300 houses razed in both regions, accompanied by constant lockdown, ghost towns and shut down of schools.
In the midst of these, the Cameroon Government is yet to respond to calls from international bodies like the United Nations, European Union, La Francophonie, the Common Wealth, African Union and other Western Nations for the government to call an inclusive and frank dialogue in order to bring an end to the crisis.
The situation has become worst, with more and more male youths placed under security light as they are regarded by the military as prospective separatist fighters. Consequently, many youths are relocating to safer zones out of the country. Cases abound of young people arrested, molested with some giving up the ghost during inhumane treatment by either the Cameroon defense forces or separatist fighters, while others are simply handed heavy jail sentence after trial at the military court in Yaounde.
The where about of a Kumba-based bus driver, Fonge Martin and a community youth president from the North West Region, Nkenglefac Sixtus Bebongchu, remain unknown, according to family sources. In the midst of this, The SUN has it on good record that their families and neighbours witness impromptu military and police patrols in their vicinity demanding their where about. The Quarter Head of Nkenglefac Sixtus Bebongchu’s community reportedly said “the way things are if Nkenglefac is arrested his life span will be short-lived”.
According to media reports, Nkenglefac Sixtus’ ordeal with the military started early January, 2018. Mr. While Nkenglefac was cleaning at his job site, he only noticed that the flag of secessionists had been hoisted on an electric pole around when the military arrived and arrested all youths in the neighbourhood around Small Mankon in Bamenda, including him. They were whisked away and detained at a military base around the airport.
After about five months incommunicado under degrading conditions, Nkenglefac was released thanks to the intervention of a relative. Despite spending some days at the hospital, Nkenglefac and other youths once again felt into the dragnet of the military in September 2018 while returning from work. This time around, they were taken to a nearby football pitch and molested to the extent that Nkenglefac only discovered himself hospitalised while others gave up the ghost, a source, who prefers anonymity, narrated.
In yet another encounter with the military, the community youth leader and some of his members were reportedly carrying out community labour when the military, who had earlier accused him of preaching anti-government doctrine, opened fire on them. While others ran into the bush including Nkenglefac Sixtus for safety, some were killed and others arrested and tortured, the SUN gathered.
It is also said that while taking refuge in Bafut, Nkenglefac received a call from the Quarter Head asking him to run for safety as he was under police search light. Shortly after this, Bafut came under attack as the military engaged separatist fighters in an exchange with sporadic gun shots here and there forcing community members, including Nkenglefac, to flee to the bushes.
According to a family source, Nkenglefac called his family in Mankon to know if it was safe for him to come back but was informed that the military had razed their lone family house mounted a manhunt for him. “This is how Nkenglefac Sixtus became frustrated and disappeared to an unknown destination,” the source stated.
On his part, Fonge Martin saw his vehicle carted away by separatist fighters who were going for a demonstration on October 1, 2018, as he prepared to transport passengers to Dschang from Kumba. Unfortunately for Fonge, the military seized the vehicle from the Separatist fighters and set it ablaze.
Frustrated by this, family sources disclosed that, Fonge auctioned their lone family house and bought a second- hand vehicle. Unfortunately, on December 9, 2018, it was reported that he has been molested, and his vehicle burnt by the military, who accused him of transporting separatists. All efforts to proof his innocence was futile as the military proceeded to burnt down their family house in the village, leaving him stranded.
As if this was not enough, Fonge according to reports, was detained at the police station under degrading conditions in a bit to cause him unveil the hide out of the separatist fighters. He was equally forced to accept that he is a good collaborator of the separatists which he all rejected. Since Fonge was too tough to succumb, the next option was to whisk him to Yaounde. Prior to this, a military officer hinted him that plans were underway to execute him on his way to Yaounde. This military officer helped him to escape against a huge financial reward from his family, a military source attested.
We gathered that Fonge escaped and went into hiding, and later smuggled himself out of the country thanks to some relatives and friends. Reports say he is still under police search light and just like any other youth caught in the web of this prolonged crisis, if arrested he will be prosecuted and jailed.
As we went to press, the question on every lips is when will this ” war” end so that Anglophone youths can really find a place to stay safe in their own fatherland?