It is lamentable and embarrassing to say that the old maternity ward I was given birth to in the sixties was better managed and operated than the death trap found today in the name of ‘Tombel District Hospital’.

Touching on the appalling state infrastructure.

Constructed  in the late 1980s, this district hospital was relocated from it former colonial building to its current location, at Kupe Road. From inception, just like every endeavour undertaking by French Cameroon administrators on our territory, the infrastructure of this hospital has been a constant mess and hotpot for corruption. For a start, a water tank that was erected immediately after the hospital became operational has never stored water three decades after construction. A  huge hole that was dug for waste water treatment ended up as dumping site for hospital rubbish including clinical waste such as sharps, moist tissues etc. In fact, the proximity of this pit to the hospital facilitate itself is another high risk factor facing patients receiving treatment at the facility, talk less of uncountable cases of children who get injured and infected yearly when they run into this pit to play or collect waste hospital materials dumped there to play with.

A company contracted by higher authorities of French Cameroon  to construct the doctor’s residence, attempted to but the structure erected ended up as premises for the hospital night watchers or night security staff. Pondering why the security men, commonly classed (in Cameroon) among the lowest ranking jobs ended up living in the only residential building in the hospital? I’m sure your guess is best as mine.

The whole hospital area is constantly surrounded by bushes, rubbish litters everywhere and an exposed dump full of medical waste which promote breeding grounds for mosquitoes and snakes, just to name a few. Which medical doctor in their right senses would want to reside with their families in such a location? Just to conclude on this point. Translating what was supposed to be a modern four bedded apartment from paper to the ground led to the construction of  nothing more than a hut. Some of you reading this may think, obstacles came as result of difficult terrain of somewhat but in reality and culprit is never!! I’ll leave you to conclude.

The lighting system is a clear health hazard to patients in the hospital as the place is almost in constant darkness. The official garage to the hospital is full of fake electricity generators supplied by Cameroonian government contractors. The only efficient one that ever worked miraculously got vanished by a doctor for personal usage whilst patients are left at God’s mercy, as none left in the garage works. If not of few elites who donated some materials like mattresses and other furniture, then the situation would have been far worse.

Hospital Operations and Management.

Despite all the sad infrastructure short-comings, cost of treatment at the hospital is expensive vis-à-vis their government counterparts in neighbouring towns of Loum and Njoumbe of the French regions of Cameroon. No good doctor stays in Tombel District Hospital, with familiar  complaints of the poor state of hospital infrastructure. Due to the high rate of doctors turn over, nurses are often allowed to perform clinical procedures reserved for doctors, with dangerous and deadly consequences. Nurses and other hospital staff openly bring medical consumables such as drugs, bandages, drips etc. bought from the outside markets into the hospital wards to directly retail to patients on sick beds. It is common to observe nurses directly prescribe drips and administer from items picked from their hand bags. Such is the pitiful state of affairs in the 21^st century hospital, in Tombel.

While similar government facilities in nearby Loum and Njoube both private and district hospitals of French Cameroon flourishes with new medical equipment and facilities, that in Tombel crawls daily and continually degrades beyond comprehension. It has become a natural phenomenon for Tombel locals to ply the terrible road condition with their ill health to receive dignify medical in the opposite side in French Cameroon. The question I have repeatedly ask myself is, why?

Why do hospitals in the French speaking regions suffer less from corruption than those in the English speaking region, despite it being the Genesis of corruption into our region? Doing my research to this question, I found something interesting. Whilst the answer narrows down to a systemic plan of hooking us (Southern Cameroons) ever depended to French Cameroon, which isn’t strange nor new, but what is strange is the way this is implemented. One of the simplest ways the Cameroonian authority implements it dependency strategy on Southern Cameroons  is via turning a blind eye on corruption in the region or tacitly encourages one by constantly appointing authorities with questionable characters to the region. By doing this, our hospitals which is meant to be a place of healing and treating illnesses has become death traps that prematurely kills our people whilst keeping those who can afford to ply on their rough roads perpetually dependant on facilities in their French speaking regions.

It is fair to say that corruption is rampant in Cameroon, but where this has given free reign or even tacitly encouraged is in the northwest and southwest of Cameroon – aka Southern Cameroon Ambazonia.

Author: Michael J. Forji (London, United Kingdom).

The background context of more than five years of ongoing and escalating genocide involves brutal killing of the people of Southern Cameroons. Evidence from the war crimes and massacres committed against the people of Southern Cameroons, has revealed the potential and wicked intent of La Republique Du Cameroun (LRC) to destroy a people who are simply standing on their human right to freedom and self-determination. Over the years, Southern Cameroon has called for peace talks on several occasion, but LRC responded with refusal to join the table for peace negotiations.

This intent to maintain Southern Cameroons in a forceful colonial union and subjection has further been materialised through extreme crimes against humanity such as brutal murders and arbitrary exterminations; series of massacres involving pregnant women and children; forceful imprisonment in deteriorating conditions and deprivation of minimum necessities; denial of the right to fair and impartial trial; inhuman torture and brutal treatments; rape and other forms of sexual violence; arbitrary arrests and disappearance of targeted persons; launching of genocidal attacks against school children; burning of entire villages, businesses and hospitals, preventing the already over-burdened population from gaining access to healthcare services; destruction of properties and livelihood; executions with no respect of human rights or prior judgement by a competent court; general military violence towards civilians, including women and children; preventing the population from gaining consistent access to basic necessities including education; electricity, water and the internet; blocking humanitarian aid from reaching distressed population.

The afore mentioned are just but a few of the atrocities and war crimes perpetuated by the Cameroonian military across the North West and South West Regions of Southern Cameroons. The after math of these war crimes is a deteriorating humanitarian crisis that has forced the death, disappearance, and fragmentation of families especially while fleeing and escaping from the war, and the search for refuge and survival. Others are living with deep pain and grieve from the loss of their loved one.

Thousands have been killed and many more are being murdered daily. Tens of thousands internally displaced and thousands seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Villages have been transformed into battle grounds by Cameroon military operations, forcefully leaving the surviving communities with no option but to flee to live in the bushes and forests.  The Cameroon military is constantly reinforcing troops and weapons amidst escalating humanitarian crises.  this is a cause for the people to live in perpetual fear and uncertainty.

These facts belong to us, the SCNC community, and we must do our best to raise the challenge of easing the sufferings of our people. A devastated and traumatised generation of lost hopes, and dreams should not be left unattended as this also comes with a heavy toll on their mental and psychological health. The growing insecurity, fears and uncertainties surrounding the conflict has been a major hindrance and stumbling block for foreign aid to reach those affected especially in remote areas where the conflict is heightened. There is very little coverage compared to the scope of humanitarian crisis as those involved in humanitarian aid have themselves been victims of Cameroonian military operations.

So far, we have been able to raise funds and support three orphanages with food banks. These orphanages are the only homes and hope for over 500 orphans, most of which have lost either one or both parents to the conflict. Some of them were picked up by drivers who were driving through their villages and saw them stranded and helpless, with no one to identify with. So sad indeed.

With escalating violence and limited access to conflict zones, more people are yet to be reached. While putting in the best of our resources to support humanitarian needs of our people, we are looking forward to having more donors join us to raise the challenge of not only providing food, but also shelter as well as other necessities like education. We’re only at the very beginning of our initiative to give back to our communities. Soon, we hope to be able to empower different categories of vulnerable people like the refugees, prisoners of wars, widows/widowers, orphans, and young girls.

As a community, we are fully aware of the fact that every action of humanitarian support is an enforcement of hope with the potential to make a difference in the lives of those concerned. We can’t afford to neglect or not pay corresponding attention to their needs especially in difficult times such as they are facing as victims of war. We want to journey alongside those afflicted to support and build their hopes for a better and brighter future. The current scale of humanitarian crisis is enormous. If we can be consistent today, then it will prepare us to become more impactful in that which we commit to achieve. We will continue to listen and support them in our own capacity while proposing an international intervention to initiate peace talks and end the war in Southern Cameroons.

Author: Emilia Efeti Agey

World Refugee Day celebrates the courage and bravery of refugees and promotes public understanding of and support for those who have been forced to escape their homes due to conflict or natural disaster. It’s a day assigned by the United Nations to recognise and honor refugees all around the world.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated that “People escaping violence or persecution must be able to cross borders safely. They must not face discrimination at borders or be unfairly denied refugee status or asylum due to their race, religion, gender, or country of origin.

The people of Southern Cameroon were forced to flee their homes sometimes in the midst of darkness to safety in neighboring countries due to the persecution that came their way from the Republic of Cameroon. Southern Cameroonians sought for their basic rights to education, equality, social amenities, infrastructure and respect as a people but were met with military action. What started as a peaceful march by teachers and lawyers escalated to the death of thousands including children and the displacement of much more.

The Southern Cameroonian people have been subject to targeted and mass killings, pilaging and burning of whole villages, mass incarceration and much more. A request for basic freedoms of the people was seen and taken out of proportion by the government and was met with catastrophic reactions which are ongoing till this day which has turned the people into refugees.

Fleeing in every direction, Southern Cameroonians now find themselve scattered across the globe and miles away from their beloved motherland. Kudos to countries such as Nigeria, the United States and other countries for housing and providing a sustainable environment for Southern Cameroonians. Honorary mention to the United Kingdom kept her doors open for Southern Cameroonians as well as made efforts to mediate for a peaceful resolution in the crisis that plagues the blessed Southern Cameroon. The UK has continuously provided shelter as is evident with the presence of the SCNC – Southern Cameroon National Council.

As we celebrate the World Refugee Day, the SCNC UK continues to be gracious to our hosts and continue to look forward to the day our country will be back to her best and hospitable enough for us, once again ensuring and providing institutions and infrastructures to guarantee our rights as a people and uphold our freedoms as citizens.

Author: Richard Ashu Taku