Blog

Unbelievable, but true.

More and more women and girls in Southern Cameroons are at risk of sexual violence and abuse because of the ongoing war ignited by the Biya regime of Cameroon since 2016. By 2020, the United Nations recorded over 4,300 cases of sexual and gender-based violence with up to 500 cases recorded during the first quarter of that year. Today, sexual violence against women is increasing in such an alarming rate that there is great fear for the future. The founder for Common Action for Gender Development (COMAGEND) stated that one in three girls have experienced some form of sexual violence. This is heart-breaking!!

Perpetrated by the Cameroon military, they use their guns to either kill or threaten the victims to perpetual silence. In some cases, the victims had to give in to the act for the military to spare their lives. The widespread rate of sexual violence has inflicted unimaginable psychological and physical damages to the lives of women in Southern Cameroons. Many have lost their lives due to different forms of complications resulting from sexual violence and abuse.

The fierce battles and killings have transformed lively communities to deserted wastelands of scattered mass graves. The loss of their husbands and/or parents transformed the hopes of many women and young girls into deep frustrations, leaving them with the sole option to flee and face life without a home, source of livelihood, or safety. The risk is huge and has become a matter of life or death with the alarming rate of rape and sexual violence. Living with deep fright, rising poverty, homelessness, widespread destruction of businesses/sources of livelihood, closure of schools etc have made the women of Southern Cameroons more vulnerable.

Life has become so difficult and stressful. Fending for daily subsistence has become a real challenge as they lost all sources of livelihood to the war. In most cases, sexual abuse has become a tool that the military use to negotiate access to daily basic services like crossing a checkpoint. The desperations that come with the struggles to barely survive has further transformed them to victims for the Cameroon military men who have taken every given opportunity to harass, kidnap and abuse them sexually. At the end of the act, they are either killed, become pregnant with some having to deliver their babies in the bushes where there is no access to medical attention. Some are living with damaged physical and mental health, coupled with the pain of having to raise their children as a single parent not knowing who their father is.

My heart was greatly saddened when I learned of the plight of a 22-year-old widow.  Names will not be mentioned for the safety of those concerned. According to her story, her husband came home on the 3^rd of September 2021 to get some rest and then return to work that same evening. Suddenly, they heard gunshots, and their home was later raided by armed military men who shot her husband in front of her and her daughter. She was kidnapped, raped, and found out some months later that she was pregnant for twins. Terrified, she fled from her village to town where a friend opened her house for them. However, she couldn’t continue to live with that friend because life became very difficult for both. She had lost both parents when she was just three years old and had nowhere else to go. She ended up on the streets with her daughter where she was found by a pastor who rented a room for them. It was while in that room that she was supported by people of good will to deliver her twin boys. She’s got no money to care for herself and her three children. She is in deep sorrow and sometimes finds herself nursing negative thoughts. The pain is unbearable, she is emotionally traumatised and needs help desperately.  In another instance, even the old are not spared. Such is the case of a 70-year-old woman, who was raped at her own house.

There is no doubt that women and girls constitute a greater proportion of the displaced population, given that many of them have lost their husbands and parents to the war. Recent statistics have revealed that the ongoing anglophone conflict have claimed over 6,000 lives and displaced over half a million. The killings are continuing. The threat that women receive from the military is far from over. With the end of the war not in sight, what fate for the vulnerable women and girls in Southern Cameroons?  When will the perpetrators of sexual abuse be held accountable?

This is a call for justice and to draw global attention to the end that declaring ceasefire and restoring peace in Southern Cameroons will go a long way to preserving the lives of women and girls given the fact that violence is skyrocketing with the recent denial of the Biya’s regime to commit to peace negotiations.

Author: Dorothy Arrey
Freedom fighter and Humanitarian Lead
Follow on twitter for more at Dorothy Arrey

On the 23^rd of January 2023, news broke out of the denial of the Cameroon government to engage in peace talks over the Anglophone crisis with leaders of Southern Cameroon aka Ambazonia. Formally approving and engaging the Canadian government to mediate the peace process that will resolve the ongoing Anglophone conflict and later rejecting their involvement strongly attests to the fact that the Biya regime is deceptive, with questionable integrity. Rather than follow peace, the 40years old government prefers to continue with the unlawful killing of Ambazonians since 2016 and ongoing.

Following the announcement of their denial, the ongoing conflict between the Cameroon military and separatists’ groups has now taken a worsening turn that is continually claiming lives, forcing many to flee to the bushes and neighbouring countries for refuge, others internally displaced while thousands are unlawfully thrown into prisons and detention centres of Cameroon. Failure in diplomatic efforts has led to escalating violence by the Camerron military. Attacks, raids/invasions on civilians and arbitrary arrests are skyrocketing, reportedly having been utilized by the Cameroon military as weapons of war.  Many have ended up unjustly in overcrowded prisons and detention centres. The deplorable conditions of prisons/detention camps have overtime transformed them into deadly epicentres with inmates being exposed to disheartening treatment, some disappearing, while others lost their lives in custody without being convicted.

Through our humanitarian relief efforts, SCNC-UK has been actively providing support in the form of medical/healthcare assistance, financial assistance, food and other basic necessities to inmates in prisons and detention centres. To that effect, we currently launched a fund-raising drive to keep up with our support for those in detention because despite all, they deserve better. Reports from our recent undercover visits to prisons and detention centres have revealed that some inmates are being detained with bullets in their legs. This is horrible, inhuman, and unacceptable as they are living with excruciating pain and have been abandoned to die. This is why we will not stop denouncing the atrocities and human right violations perpetrated by the Biya regime against harmless civilians as well as call on the international community to bring the regime to accountability. From our past outreaches, we have noticed that the more we reach out to those in prison, the more overwhelming humanitarian needs we discover.

Candidly speaking, prisons and detention centres of Cameroon are dungeons of heart-breaking stories, extreme sufferings, frustrations, hopelessness, depression, bitter tears, and deep despair.  These are the feelings expressed by the prisoner we met, whose only crime has been to express their right to self-determination. They tell of how they have been subjected to all forms of brutal and degrading treatment even though such treatment has been prohibited by Human Rights. Their experiences are that of indescribable cruelty and pain daily from being subjected to all forms of abuse; emotional, physical, and you can name the rest.

Detained incommunicado is immensely torturing mentally as contact with family, friends, loved ones and sympathisers is limited and restricted. While our representative was conversing with some of them, they could hardly express their emotional trauma especially pertaining to the killings and forced disappearances of their fellow inmates. They also expressed deep desperations relating to pending trials that are being intentionally subjected to unfair administrative delays by the government of Cameroon. Due to prolonged detention, many have died waiting.

 Our representative spoke particularly of an elderly prisoner, who told his story of being treated less than animals, living in camps with no facilities to cater for their wellbeing. From being exposed to deadly hygienic conditions that are breeding grounds to outbreaks like covid-19 and cholera, many have lost their precious lives prematurely. I can justly say here that this community of vulnerable people, are living numerous invisible and visible bruises, scars, wounds, and other forms of evidence depicting torture on their bodies and their spirits as well. This is again prohibited under the Human Rights Law.

Through this, I hope to draw the attention of the international community on what our people are going through. This serves also as a call on sympathisers of the Anglophone conflict and people of good will to join us as we raise funds that will deliver live-saving support to dying inmates in need. Donations can be made to the SCNC-UK Account with details as follows:

Account Name: SCNC UK

Account Number: 43931706

Sort code: 20 90 74

Reference: Humanitarian Aid

Thank you so much for your donations. This will help reach out to those in prisons.

Author: Dorothy Arrey
Freedom fighter and Humanitarian Lead
Follow on twitter for more at Dorothy Arrey

Undoubtedly, is it fair to say that the United Kingdom has failed the people of Southern Cameroons amid the ongoing genocidal war and also complicit with the current misery of the people in Southern Cameroons perpetrated by the La Republic du Cameroon Government?

If you must know, Southern Cameroons was once under British rule and when it was time for her to gain independence, she was denied her rights to self-determination. Southern Cameroons option for independence tabled by United Kingdom was either to join Nigeria or French Cameroon known as La Republic du Cameroun.

For more information visit:

Wikipedia

In late 2016, lawyers and teachers took to the streets in a peaceful protest to express their grievances against the Francophonisation of the legal and educational systems which are different from the French. They Cameroun government ordered the military to beat them like common criminals and live ammunition was used on them. Many were injured and also arrested and detained. It is worth noting that the French lawyers and magistrates study civil law while the Anglophone’s study common law.

Since the escalation of the crises in 2017, the authoritarian government of Cameroun led by Mr Paul Biya declared war on the Southern Cameroons and has since then carried genocidal acts, indiscriminate killings and human rights abuses on its people. Over35,000 people have been killed, over 500 villages have been burnt down to ashes, over a million children have been deprived education, more than half a million people have become refugees, with more than 1.5 million people internally displaced.

Despite the gross human right violations by the Cameroun Government on the people of Southern Cameroons, no pressure has been given to the government to put an end to this war. The truth about the ongoing genocide is hidden by the government and also the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. Credit be given to the United States government where the conflict has been tabled in the house of representative and senate. Resolution 358, July 2019 by the house of representative and senate resolution 684 January 2021 called for an end to the war and return to peace through broad based dialogue. The US has not yet taken any significant action.

It is has been very interesting to see how the world have come together to support Ukraine from Russia’s attack. Almost all media houses are reporting on the war on a daily basis. The Ukrainian government is receiving support from most governments including the UK.

The question here is why is the same attention not being paid to Southern Cameroonians?

Is it because, the UK government signed an offshore natural gas trade deal with Cameroun government in June 2018 or a UK –Cameroun Economic Partnership Agreement in April 2022. Has the UK put her economic interest and friendship with Cameroun Government over the lives of innocent Southern Cameroonians?

Is the African Union (AU) quiet because Cameroun is a member of its Peace and Security Council?

Why has the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) not looked into the genocidal war in Southern Cameroons?

Are Southern Cameroonians less of humans or their lives do not matter?

Southern Cameroonians have a right to self-determination and that right was denied by the UK who has a moral duty to put to an end the suffering of these people.

There is an outcry appeal to the UK, US AU and UNSC to bring this war to an end by addressing the root causes.

Pauline Ngomaso Achondi

Southern Cameroons (SC) by 1960 had a functioning government which was ready to drive the state into a bright future. When she asked for independence, the colonial power Britain refused to grant her the right to independence and self-governance instead gave her two terrible choices to either join the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Republic of Cameroon (RC).

The SC took the perceived better option at the time which was to join Republic of Cameroon and be given a referendum after 30years to decide the fate of the ‘union’.

Joining Republic of Cameroon was not a union to form a single entity as it seems to exist today but to form a Federal state with each half almost autonomous. Hence the referendum after 30years to decide their fate.

Since joining RC, the SC have seen their infrastructures, political and physical eroded and destroyed gradually and progressively.

A union was forged and the country was renamed the RC from the Federal Republic of Cameroon as was on the 1^st October 1961 when both Cameroons came together. In a bid to rectify this fraudulent union, in 1993 there was an All Anglophone Conference one (AAC1) held in Buea and a declaration was made called the ‘Buea declaration’ in which the SC elites called on the government to restore and implement the 1961 constitution agreement which allows the SC to operate as an autonomous state. However, the government did not respond and a second All Anglophone Conference two (AAC2) was convened in Bamenda congress hall in 1994 where the anglophone elites agreed and made a declaration known as ‘Bamenda declaration’ that if the government does not restore the federal state of SC within a reasonable time, SC would declare its independence. After the AAC2, many movements such as Southern Cameroon Peoples Conference (SCPC) which was later changed to Southern Cameroons People Organisation (SCAPO) and Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM), Southern Cameroon Youth League (SCYL) were formed. In1995 SCNC was borne and was tasked with reporting the situation of SC to the necessary parties involved such as the UN, UK, AU.

SCNC delegation led by John Ngu Foncha in 1995 went to UN and presented a petition to the UN for them to intervene and resolve the crisis between SC and RC so that another Somalian crisis would not emerge. In 1999, SCNC members took over the radio Buea station and declared their independence read by late Justice Ebong Frederick Alobwede. SCNC has reported the plight of the SC to all the necessary parties that were involved in the union in 1961 which include the UK and the UN. So far little has been done to rectify this union hence reason why there is genocide in the Southern Cameroon today.

The fight for secession as a result of systemic destruction and marginalisation has been ongoing. This escalated in late 2016 following protest of lawyers as a result of the abolition of common Law in the SC legal system. The protest was met with torture, arrest and imprisonment of the lawyers e.g. Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Niba and others who spent over eight months in prison.

The educational system which has also been greatly affected with primarily French speaking instructors to head and teach in primarily English-speaking schools thereby leaving many SC teachers unemployed. The teachers also took to the streets to protest against this and were met with a similar fate as the lawyers.

The general public of SC decided that it was enough and took to the streets with peace plants in their hands. Their protests were met with brute force from the RC armed forces. They fired live bullets at protesters leaving many of them dead, many were tortured, raped, arrested and taken to unknown prison destinations within the country.

Early 2018 leaders of the interim government were arrested in Nigeria and were extradited to Cameroon where they have been imprisoned by the RC government and are languishing there. The killings are not limited to civilians but also extended to men of God such as Ghanaian pastor, catholic priest and a seminarian.

Villages were burnt down with current number of over 180 and in some cases, people were burnt inside especially the sick and elderly who could not escape example is the case of an 86year old woman burnt alive in her house in Kwa-Kwa (Mami Api). Most of the inhabitants who managed to escape the inferno ended up in the forest with the very lucky ones fleeing to neighbouring Nigeria where they are currently seeking refuge. This onslaught has continued until this day under the watchful eyes of the entire African countries, AU, UN, the entire world including the colonial power (UK) that pushed the SC to this tragedy and none has bothered to intervene and stop the genocide.

Despite the plea from those who are fortunate to escape the killings in SC, the international community has turned a blind eye to their plight. Also, many SC who have escaped with their lives to the colonial power that pushed them into the unfortunate situation in the first place, and cried for help are being forced back to face the slaughter, with their death to justify their claim

UK the colonial authority to SC is a strong advocate of human rights laws. The 2002 protocol 13 article 1 abolishes death penalty in all circumstances including crimes committed during a war or when the threat of war is imminent. UK is against the abuse of Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibiting torture, inhumane or degrading treatment/ punishment) of the Human right acts of 1998.

Question

1) How many people have to be displaced, killed, refused basic rights of life and living before they are listened to?

2) How can a proof that your life is in danger be your death itself?

3) Are the displaced persons, innocent civilians killed and burnt in their homes on a daily basis high political profile?

4) Does the situation on ground in SC with heavy blood spill and mass graves everywhere not a call for concern and a need for protection of the people of SC?

5) Do you need to be of high political profile for your life to be worthy of state protection in the UK considering the situation on ground in SC?

Southern Cameroons (SC) by 1960 had a functioning government which was ready to drive the state into a bright future. When she asked for independence, the colonial power Britain refused to grant her the right to independence and self-governance instead gave her two terrible choices to either join the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Republic of Cameroon (RC).

The SC took the perceived better option at the time which was to join Republic of Cameroon and be given a referendum after 30years to decide the fate of the ‘union’.

Joining Republic of Cameroon was not a union to form a single entity as it seems to exist today but to form a Federal state with each half almost autonomous. Hence the referendum after 30years to decide their fate.

Since joining RC, the SC have seen their infrastructures, political and physical eroded and destroyed gradually and progressively.

A union was forged and the country was renamed the RC from the Federal Republic of Cameroon as was on the 1^st October 1961 when both Cameroons came together. In a bid to rectify this fraudulent union, in 1993 there was an All Anglophone Conference one (AAC1) held in Buea and a declaration was made called the ‘Buea declaration’ in which the SC elites called on the government to restore and implement the 1961 constitution agreement which allows the SC to operate as an autonomous state. However, the government did not respond and a second All Anglophone Conference two (AAC2) was convened in Bamenda congress hall in 1994 where the anglophone elites agreed and made a declaration known as ‘Bamenda declaration’ that if the government does not restore the federal state of SC within a reasonable time, SC would declare its independence. After the AAC2, many movements such as Southern Cameroon Peoples Conference (SCPC) which was later changed to Southern Cameroons People Organisation (SCAPO) and Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM), Southern Cameroon Youth League (SCYL) were formed. In1995 SCNC was borne and was tasked with reporting the situation of SC to the necessary parties involved such as the UN, UK, AU.

SCNC delegation led by John Ngu Foncha in 1995 went to UN and presented a petition to the UN for them to intervene and resolve the crisis between SC and RC so that another Somalian crisis would not emerge. In 1999, SCNC members took over the radio Buea station and declared their independence read by late Justice Ebong Frederick Alobwede. SCNC has reported the plight of the SC to all the necessary parties that were involved in the union in 1961 which include the UK and the UN. So far little has been done to rectify this union hence reason why there is genocide in the Southern Cameroon today.

The fight for secession as a result of systemic destruction and marginalisation has been ongoing. This escalated in late 2016 following protest of lawyers as a result of the abolition of common Law in the SC legal system. The protest was met with torture, arrest and imprisonment of the lawyers e.g. Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Niba and others who spent over eight months in prison.

The educational system which has also been greatly affected with primarily French speaking instructors to head and teach in primarily English-speaking schools thereby leaving many SC teachers unemployed. The teachers also took to the streets to protest against this and were met with a similar fate as the lawyers.

The general public of SC decided that it was enough and took to the streets with peace plants in their hands. Their protests were met with brute force from the RC armed forces. They fired live bullets at protesters leaving many of them dead, many were tortured, raped, arrested and taken to unknown prison destinations within the country.

Early 2018 leaders of the interim government were arrested in Nigeria and were extradited to Cameroon where they have been imprisoned by the RC government and are languishing there. The killings are not limited to civilians but also extended to men of God such as Ghanaian pastor, catholic priest and a seminarian.

Villages were burnt down with current number of over 180 and in some cases, people were burnt inside especially the sick and elderly who could not escape example is the case of an 86year old woman burnt alive in her house in Kwa-Kwa (Mami Api). Most of the inhabitants who managed to escape the inferno ended up in the forest with the very lucky ones fleeing to neighbouring Nigeria where they are currently seeking refuge. This onslaught has continued until this day under the watchful eyes of the entire African countries, AU, UN, the entire world including the colonial power (UK) that pushed the SC to this tragedy and none has bothered to intervene and stop the genocide.

Despite the plea from those who are fortunate to escape the killings in SC, the international community has turned a blind eye to their plight. Also, many SC who have escaped with their lives to the colonial power that pushed them into the unfortunate situation in the first place, and cried for help are being forced back to face the slaughter, with their death to justify their claim

UK the colonial authority to SC is a strong advocate of human rights laws. The 2002 protocol 13 article 1 abolishes death penalty in all circumstances including crimes committed during a war or when the threat of war is imminent. UK is against the abuse of Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibiting torture, inhumane or degrading treatment/ punishment) of the Human right acts of 1998.

Question

1) How many people have to be displaced, killed, refused basic rights of life and living before they are listened to?

2) How can a proof that your life is in danger be your death itself?

3) Are the displaced persons, innocent civilians killed and burnt in their homes on a daily basis high political profile?

4) Does the situation on ground in SC with heavy blood spill and mass graves everywhere not a call for concern and a need for protection of the people of SC?

5) Do you need to be of high political profile for your life to be worthy of state protection in the UK considering the situation on ground in SC?