Cameroon, Amnesty International’s report on atrocities in the anglophone regions

It’s a war of everyone against everyone: killings, torture, and rape committed by armed separatist groups, pro-government militias, and security forces in Cameroon.

On July 4, Amnesty International once again denounced what is happening in the anglophone regions of the African state, especially in the northwestern region.

The crisis is the result of a repressive response to the mostly peaceful protests of 2016-2017, aimed at ending the marginalization of minorities. Since then, the situation has deteriorated into a state of unlimited armed violence.

“Amba boys” (as the armed separatists are called) against the Mbororo Fulani ethnic group; Hausa, Aku, and the same Mbororo Fulani – with the support of regular armed forces – against the Ambazonians.

To allow all this, a flood of weapons from France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Croatia, Israel, Russia, Serbia, and the United States of America, intended for the army but ending up in the hands of separatist armed groups.

Instead of investigating the crimes committed by the armed separatists, the central authorities accuse those who report them – human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, and journalists – of being armed separatists or their supporters, and send them to military courts.

Repeated requests for fact-finding missions by regional and African human rights organizations remain unanswered. The war of everyone against everyone continues in general silence.