Cameroon: CHRDA’s Human Rights Report Shows Spike in Violence

The Human rights report details that more than 500 persons were arbitrarily arrested and detained in the North West and South West regions with at least 200 persons kidnapped

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

The Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA says the Cameroon government should release all incarcerated Anglophones and initiate an inclusive dialogue with separatist leaders, fighting for the separation of the North West and South West Regions.

This is one of the 8 points recommendations that the rights organization has released following a briefing on Saturday, December 9, on the Human Rights situation in the conflict-affected regions of the North West, South West and Far North Regions on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Human Rights Day.

"The reports show that the situation is not getting any better; we recorded lots of human rights violations. It shows that the civilian population is not being protected by the state and by the non-state armed groups and also Boko Haram in the Far North," Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor, President of CHRDA told reporters.

“There is a need for a holistic approach by both government and non-state armed groups to find a solution where civilians are not targeted. It is very complex; but we hope that as we get into 2024, the strives that we have made in building capacity with civil societies, human rights defenders, press and others, will trickle down so that people will respect human rights.”

The Human Rights report details more than 500 persons were arbitrarily arrested and detained in the North West and South West regions with at least 200 persons kidnapped. CHRDA recorded 150 reported incidents of arson attacks in the North West and South West regions. There were also at least 200 cases of torture in the year 2023. 2023 also had at least 15 cases of rape documented by CHRDA, mostly perpetrated during attacks against civilians.

As a recommendation to state authorities, CHRDA has called on the Cameroon government to ensure to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations/abuses are accountable. This process according to them should be able to follow the due process of the law including thorough investigations and respect for the rights of fair trial and freedom from torture.

English-speaking separatists have been fighting government forces for the past years to carve out an independent state called Ambazonia. The clashes for the past seven years have killed tens of thousands and displaced hundreds more. Some figures put those killed at more than 6,000.

"As time goes on, people are more human rights sensitive, people are mainstreaming human rights in whatever they are doing, and it will only get better. Advocacy grinds very slowly and that is what we have been doing for the past seven years. Advocacy grinds slowly but at times you see certain results," Barrister Nkongho Felix added.

“Our doors are open to cooperate with the government to protect and promote human rights. It is not a war between us and the state; we need the state as the state equally needs us. We are a willing partner to work with the state to fight for the protection and promotion of human rights in 2024.”

Ensure civil-military cooperation in to fight against Boko Haram

In the Far North Region, the government has intensified the fight against Boko Haram for the last two and a half years. According to the International Crisis Group, the conflict has caused 1,500 deaths and led to 155,000 displaced persons and 73,000 refugees. The first attack on Cameroon soil was recorded in March 2014. The presence of the group in the Far North region dates back to 2011.

Cameroon’s focus on a military response has been partly successful, but the structural problems that allowed this threat to arise are still to be addressed. In the last two and a half years, the Far North region has experienced at least 460 attacks and about 50 suicide bombings.

CHRDA has called on the government to ensure civil-military cooperation and also increase security measures there to curb the frequent attacks of the Boko Haram militias on the population. The government was also called upon to educate the population on vigilante measures.

Regional and International communities should step up

Earlier this year, international human rights organization, Amnesty International slammed both the government forces and the separatist forces for killings, rape, torture, and burning of houses among other atrocities in the North West and South West Regions.

Dealing with the anglophone crisis requires a firmer international reaction, something which has been largely subdued. Although known for its neutrality in global affairs, Switzerland has been forefront of her effort to mediate and seek an end to the crisis, though the Cameroon government has rejected these efforts.

According to CHRDA, regional and international communities should be actively involved in pressuring the government authorities and separatist fighters to go in for an informed and inclusive dialogue towards finding ways to resolve the ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West regions.

The regional and international communities need to publicly condemn human rights violations and abuses committed by Cameroonian defence and security forces and armed separatists and publicly call for an end to violence whenever a human rights incident is recorded.