In the United Kingdom, a country known for its embrace of democracy and human rights, members of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) find themselves facing a harrowing reality: targeted persecution and even death at the hands of the Cameroonian government. Despite being thousands of miles away from the conflict zone in Southern Cameroon, our SCNC UK members are relentlessly pursued and harassed by Cameroonian authorities, who employ various tactics to monitor our activities and intimidate our families. This systemic repression serves as a chilling reminder of the Cameroonian government’s disregard for fundamental freedoms and human dignity.
The Cameroonian government’s campaign of persecution against SCNC members is multifaceted and insidious. One of the most alarming tactics employed is the surveillance and monitoring of SCNC activities within the UK and
the diaspora at large. Through the use of covert surveillance, informants, and electronic monitoring, Cameroonian authorities seek to infiltrate SCNC networks and gather intelligence on our members’ movements, meetings, and advocacy efforts. This invasive surveillance not only violates the privacy rights of SCNC members but also instils a climate of fear and paranoia within the community.
Furthermore, the Cameroonian government goes to great lengths to target the families of SCNC members, employing tactics of intimidation, harassment, violence and even killings. Family members of SCNC activists are subjected to constant surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and threats of retaliation if their loved ones continue their activism. In some cases, family members have been forcibly disappeared or killed in retaliation for their relatives’ involvement in the SCNC. This reprehensible tactic of targeting innocent civilians demonstrates the Cameroonian government’s willingness to commit egregious human rights violations in its efforts to silence dissent and maintain its grip on power.
The persecution of SCNC UK members is not limited to surveillance and targeting of their families; it also extends to overt acts of violence and extrajudicial killings. SCNC activists living in the UK have been subjected to physical assaults, abduction attempts, and even assassinations orchestrated by agents of the Cameroonian government on members and their violence families. These brazen acts of violence serve as a stark warning to SCNC members that their activism comes at a grave personal risk, even within the supposed safety of a democratic country like the UK.
Despite facing relentless persecution and violence, SCNC UK members remain resolute in our commitment to advocating for the rights and freedoms of the people of Southern Cameroon. We refuse to be silenced or intimidated by the oppressive tactics of the Cameroonian government and continue to speak out against injustice and repression. Moreover, we actively work to raise awareness internationally about the plight of Southern Cameroonians and the atrocities committed by the Cameroonian government, seeking solidarity and support from the global community.
In conclusion, the persecution of SCNC UK members by the Cameroonian government is a disturbing manifestation of the regime’s authoritarianism and contempt for human rights. Through surveillance, harassment, and violence, the government seeks to suppress dissent and maintain its grip on power at any cost. However, SCNC members in the UK and all over the world remain undeterred in our pursuit of justice and freedom for the people of Southern Cameroon, demonstrating remarkable courage and resilience in the face of adversity. It is incumbent upon the international community to condemn these heinous acts of persecution and stand in solidarity with SCNC in our struggle for dignity, freedom, and human rights.
Written By: Valery Fonyuy Tata
