BY PATRICK ESUNGE
As the crisis in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions, which has morphed into an armed conflict, rages on, residents in some localities in the conflict-hit regions have been caught between atrocities committed by Ambazonia separatist fighters and the government’s clampdown on suspected separatists and sympathizers.
Security operatives have been indiscriminately arresting Anglophone activists and suspected activists. Sources say the arrested persons are being detained under deplorable and inhuman conditions. Some have reportedly died in detention.
This has caused many of them to flee into hiding, and the whereabouts of many are not known.
It is also worth recalling that the Anglophone crisis, something that pundits say had been brewing for several years, boiled over in October 2016 when Common Law Lawyers in the North West and South West regions went on strike. They were demanding the return of the federal system of government, and the redeployment of Civil Law Magistrates back to Civil Law Courts in French Cameroon, among other grievances. Not long after, in November 2016, teachers in the North West and South West regions also went on strike, demanding the redress of several issues concerning the English education system.
In the face of all these, youths, and activists are bearing the brunt of the unending Anglophone Crisis and remain scapegoats. They are at the crossroads between the military and separatist fighters. It is against this backdrop that the military tribunal in Yaoundé jailed those Anglophones who consider their leaders popularly known as the Nera 10 including Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, Nfor Ngala Nfor, Barrister Eyambe, Tassang Wilfred, and Professor Awasume who were deported from Nigeria and jail for life.
The Cameroon military defense forces and other security operatives have established both search and arrest warrants for the apprehension of many alleged Anglophone activists all over the national territory suspected to be siding with separatist fighters as the ongoing armed conflict rages on. The alleged activists have been considered a danger and threat to the public and declared wanted. The population has equally been urged to be vigilant and report to the closest gendarmerie or police stations.
The case of 35–year–old Chantal Mbiandji is worrisome. Family sources have disclosed that shortly after her university studies, she relocated to Mamfe in Manyu Division, South-West Region, and opened a restaurant in Nchang Village, a locality along the Mamfe-Ikok Highway, where many passengers stopped by for food and drinks, including military and others. Unfortunately, sometime in October 2022, unidentified men suspected to be separatist fighters stormed the restaurant and ordered her to close the restaurant while those in the restaurant were ordered to run. The unidentified men then took chairs and tables from the restaurant and blocked the highway. Reports say a few minutes later, there was were sporadic gun exchange between the military and separatist fighters after the separatists attacked the vehicle of the military and killed about three military officers. The entire village was raided by the military and innocent civilians were molested while others were arrested.
THE SUN gathered that while Chantal went to her restaurant to clean up, some military officers, according to eyewitnesses, approached her molested, and tortured her for blocking the road using chairs and tables in her restaurant to assist separatists in killing their colleagues. Despite her innocence, she was whisked to the military camp and subjected to degrading inhumane treatment.
She was accused of siding with separatists. Soldiers said she would be killed if she didn’t show the hideout of the separatist fighters. Reports say that while in detention, she was sexually assaulted and threatened that she would be ferried to the Yaoundé Central Prison if she said a word.
Chantal Mbiandji successfully escaped from detention. As we went to press, the military were in search of Chantal. Out of frustration, since her whereabouts remains cloudy, the soldiers decided to burn down her restaurant. As if this was not enough, the soldiers shot and killed Chantal’s brother-in-law. Her parents were also killed on grounds that they failed to disclose the whereabouts of Chantal Mbiandji.
This is the fate of many youths who may never be seen again as the conflict in the restive two Anglophone regions shows no sign of ending any time soon.
Cameroon is now considered unsafe by many Anglophones in the diaspora, who fear arrest or death if they return to the country. Terrorism charges hang on them if they are arrested, as they have been declared wanted.
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.