BY Evelyn KuBU
As tension rages unabated in the North West and South West regions, the Cameroon government has embarked on fishing out sympathisers and activists backing what is now termed the Anglophone crisis.
The crisis is characterised by kidnapping for ransom, burning of houses and villages suspected to be harbouring separatist fighters and raping of innocent civilians by predominantly the military.
It should be recalled that trouble in the North West and South West Regions began in October 2016, when lawyers and teachers led protests calling for a two- state federation to preserve the Anglophone legal and education systems, which they felt were being eroded by the Francophone- led central government. The military’s high- handed response to peaceful calls for greater autonomy prompted Anglophones to form militias popularly known as Ambazonia Defense Forces leading to armed conflict the following year. Since 2017, the fighting has claimed over 6,000 lives in the Anglophone regions and displaced nearly 800,000 people, majority of whom are refugees in neighbouring Nigeria. Some have been left in constant tears either for the demise of their loved ones or because their homes have been razed. These attacks have been so alarming that human rights groups across the board have
concluded that Cameroon is no longer safe.
The outskirts of towns like Buea, Bamenda, Kumba, Menji, Mamfe, Kumbo, Nkambe, Muyuka, Ekona, Wum, Boyo, and Ndop have been the hardest hit by the crisis. Many have fled in order to provide a level field for the smoking guns and are now Internally Displayed Persons, IDPs, in other parts of the country.
In the midst of all these, several alleged activists, both home and abroad, have been reportedly earmarked for arrest, with regional and national warrants issued against them. Photos of most of the activists declared “wanted” are said to have been handed to security operatives with names including but not limited to Fomuki Iris Keng, Tinjong Kendry Selvene and Menyele Charles Musima.
These youngsters have been placed under security searchlight, making Cameroon unsafe for them. Cognizant of this, these activists have resorted to seeking a safe haven in distant countries where the respect for human rights is supreme.
The case of Fomuki Iris Keng is more worrisome and pathetic. Reports hold that the whereabouts of this member of the Keng family and holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Logistics and Transport Management, who disappeared and escaped into hiding for security reasons is still cloudy.
The Sun Newspaper gathered that, Fomuki, in March 2022, travelled to Kumba, Chief town of Meme Division of the South West Region, on a special invitation from her boyfriend, Mbang Julius Nche. Unfortunately, on her way back after two weeks, the military intercepted their vehicle at the Mabonji control checkpoint on the outskirts of Kumba. Fomuki was arrested by the military who had searched her phone and discovered pictures, videos related to military brutality on Anglophones as well as separatists’ propaganda on the independence of former British Southern Cameroons.
We further learnt that Fomuki Iris Keng was seriously molested, brutalised and detained under inhumane conditions by the military that immediately accused her of siding with Ambazonia separatist fighters, thus she was considered a terrorist.
Fomuki, was detained under degrading and inhumane conditions for two weeks until she was released on bail after huge sums of money exchanged hands thanks to her uncle, Kengla George Wangia, who promised to produce her periodically.
For fear of the fact that she might be sent to the military court where she could be slammed a life sentence or killed like other Anglophones suspected activists, she decided to escape to an unknown destination after she received medical attention.
Family sources hinted that since her whereabouts remained cloudy and her uncle couldn’t produce her, he was arrested and a warrant of arrest issued against her.
This traumatising situation caused the death of Fomuki’s uncle in prison in June 2022. Things fell apart in the Keng family, following the death of Kengla George Wangia as Fomuki was accused of having caused her uncle’s death.
With this unrest in the family, Fomuki Iris Keng’s father is reported to have facilitated her escape into hiding. As we went to press, Fomuki, whose whereabouts remains cloudy, according to family sources, security operatives are still making impromptu rounds at their neighbourhood all in attempts to apprehend her.
Tinjong Kendry Selvene is another pathetic case amidst the armed conflict in the restive Anglophone regions. Tinjong Kendry Selvene is a holder of a Higher National Diploma, HND, in Accounting from National Polytechnic Bamenda.
Reports say his whereabouts is unknown. Before sneaking out of the country in 2022, he had been arrested and detained several times in Kumba, by the military because as a frontline member of the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, a movement clamouring for the restoration of the independence of former British Southern Cameroons since 2015, he participated in several anti-regime protest marches, thus becoming a target to the military.
Tinjong, reports say, relocated to Kumba, Chief Town of Meme Division, South West Region,
from Bamenda North West Region, where he put up a small business.
Family sources disclosed that Tinjong, noticed by the military for his numerous anti-regime protest marches, was arrested in October 2022.
While in detention at the Kumba principal prison, THE SUN NEWSPAPER gathered that his health deteriorated and he was hospitalised.
Tinjong Kendry Selvene, according to family sources, sneaked out of the hospital to an unknown destination.
As we went to press, reports said Tinjong’s family is having tough times with the military that constantly molests and tortures them to disclose his whereabouts which still remains cloudy as there’s a pending arrest warrant against him.
Observers have concluded that many young Anglophone Cameroonians who have smuggled themselves out of the country for fear of the unknown because of the armed conflict can only return after the return of peace through a frank and genuine dialogue.
As the crisis continues, to deepen, report of a survey released by a group of human rights organisations in Cameroon indicates that lives of activists of Anglophone is unsafe as the military is sparing no effort in tracking down those it considers “agents of destruction”. Even those abroad considered as activists and preaching against the marginalisation of Southern Cameroons by the Yaounde regime, have equally been declared enemies of the State of Cameroon and have been tagged for persecution.