11, September 2018
New UN Human Rights Chief says Southern Cameroons crisis worsening 0
New United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has expressed worry over the worsening security situation in Cameroon’s Anglophone region.
Bachelet intimated that the situation required urgent attention even though Yaounde had failed to take the lead in ensuring a resolution to the crisis.
She spoke about the economic, social and educational impact of hostilities by government forces and separatists, condemning attacks of teachers and students in the south-west and north-west regions.
Bachelet’s comments were part of her opening statement at the 39th session of the Human Rights Council on 10 September 2018. Her predecessor, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein had in several statements bemoaned the crisis and called for the government to pursue an immediate resolution.
Michelle Bachelet’s full comments on Cameroon
The situation in Cameroon has also worsened in recent months, as fighting has intensified in the so-called Anglophone regions between security forces and armed groups, with a large number of civilian victims and over 180,000 people forced to take refuge far from their homes – now in pressing need of humanitarian assistance.
Many economic activities across these regions are now paralyzed. In this volatile security context, many people fear reprisals if they participate in the Presidential elections scheduled next month.
The Government has not acted to promote the conference on dialogue suggested by religious leaders, and there is still no mechanism in place which could envisage a halt in hostilities in the short term.
We strongly condemn reports of the killing and abductions of teachers and students and the destruction of schools by armed elements in the north-west and south-west regions. These acts of intimidation are preventing thousands of children from attending school.
We note that the Government has opened investigations into several atrocious crimes apparently committed by members of the military, and urge swift and effective action to ensure all the perpetrators of human rights violations are held accountable.
Due process should also be guaranteed for all those detained in connection with terrorism, and we urge the Government to address key grievances, in order to foster peaceful resolution of this crisis.
Source: Africa News
12, September 2018
Southern Cameroons Crisis: UN Secretary General won’t talk on Visa Denials 0
Visas have reportedly been denied to UN invited witnesses from Nigeria and Cameroon but UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his deputy have said and done nothing, despite formal written questions from the much respected Inner City Press Guterres banned from the UN for 70 days.
As the Cameroon government of 36 year President Paul Biya slaughters civilians in the Anglophone regions as well as in the North, it re-engaged Washington lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs and Mercury Public Affairs, documents show. The UN belatedly acknowledged to Inner City Press, which Guterres had roughed up on July 3 right after it spoke to Cameroon’s Ambassador Tommo Monthe and on August 17 declared banned for life from entering the UN.
For close to two years, the situation in Southern Cameroons has continued to deteriorate and nobody, not even the government, believes that it is time to change course.
The killings have continued on both sides, but the government still holds that a swift military victory is possible before the presidential election that will take place next month. The hardship in the two English-speaking regions of the country has increased exponentially over the last year and all what is on the minds of government authorities is keeping the people in check.
Yaoundé authorities seem to be frozen in time. In other places, the rule is for dialogue to ensure that things do not deteriorate, but ever since the conflict started, the government has kept on insisting on using an iron fist instead of an olive branch.
Many analysts are wondering when the killing and madness will come to an end. They hold that a different approach could have produced different results and this issue could have been laid to rest a long time ago.
The little infrastructure the two regions possess is deteriorating on a daily basis as both parties do what they can to prove that they have an upper hand. Today, the road leading to Bamenda from East Cameroon has been destroyed by Southern Cameroonian fighters and this is going to cost the region a huge fortune.
By Chi Prundence Asong with files from Inner Press