BY ASHU NANCY
Over 2 years into the ongoing Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, the live of more and more activists remain in jeopardy, with scores of youths now where to be found as government’s repression reaches fever pitch. While a good number of the activists are detained under dehumanising conditions in different detention centres across country, some are on the run, while many have simply been declared missing.
As the story goes, Common Law Lawyers in Cameroon went on strike in October 2016, protesting against the supposed annihilation of the Common law practice. One month after, the Anglophone teachers joined the lawyers to cry foul over government’s attempt to assimilate the educational system. Cameroon’s main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, SDF, under the auspices of its Chair Man, Ni John Frudi, led a peaceful match in Buea that brought together over 5000 protesters from Buea, Mamfe, Kumba and other areas to lend their support to the lawyers and teachers. In the midst of this, what the Cameroon Government regarded as solution was termed “cosmetic with lack of good faith” by the strike leaders. Angered by the nature of solution form the Government, irate youths in December 8, 2016 attempted blocking the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement from holding a rally in the North West Region leading to the killing of four. All thee culminated in the arrest of Barrister Nkongo Felix Agbor Balla and Dr. Fontem Neba, ring leaders of the joined consortium of the teachers and lawyers, January 17, 2017.
As these chain of events unfolded within the last 2years, young activities are bearing the brunt of the skirmishes therein. Many have died with the destination of some still gloomy. The whereabouts of a 30- year-old Mamfe-based Ekah Ekah remains a conjecture since December 2016. Reports hold that he and his friend, Oru Thomas, were amongst those who travelled to Buea in December 2016 to participate in the protest march organized by SDF to support the teachers and lawyers. Upon their return to Mamfe, The SUN gathered that, they were nipped security forces for “rebelling against father land” and detained under dehumanizing conditions. Information later filtered that Mr. Ekah escaped from the detention under unclear circumstances and smuggled himself to Nigeria, though family members contacted couldn’t confirmed this at press time. He has since then been declared wanted by security forces.
It is a similar situation with Ntemgwa Constance Ngossong who is currently under security operatives search light since April 2018. According to family sources, Ntemgwa Constance Ngossong was arrested and detained in Kumba, Meme Division South West Region in September 22, 2017, while coming back from work at the sidelines of a peaceful demonstration that took place across Southern Cameroon to call for peace and dialogue in the already deepening crisis that has rocked the North West and South West Region. We gathered that those placed under detention at the police station including Ntemgwa Constance were later whisked to Buea and placed under detention in degrading and inhumane conditions for about six months before their conditional release on bail. Reports say during their incarceration they had no access to family members and their lawyers. They were equally told that they could only have access to family relation and lawyers only when taken to court. After their release, Ntemgwa Constance Ngossong is reported to have gone underground to a cloudy destination, family sources have opined.
It should be recalled that many Anglophones have been apprehended at various police checkpoints, while travelling, and placed incommunicado in draconian inhumane detention condition after their phones were searched and discovered therein messages, videos, pictures and images of the killings of Cameroon of Military by Ambazonian Defence Forces, ADF.
Recent statistics by civil society organizations shows that about 300 villages have been burnt down in the two regions and some 500,000 people internally displaced. A good number of English speaking Cameroonians have also assumed refugees status in Nigeria. Those arrested are termed terrorists and levied several trump up charges including but not limited to propagation of false information, revolution, insurrection, secession and non-possession of National Identity Card. Meanwhile a good number of those on the run have been declared wanted with warrants of arrest issued against their names.