Human Rights Watch accuses military of summarily killing at least 10 in NW/SW
The non-governmental organization, Human Rights Watch has in its latest report published on August 11th 2022 accused the Cameroon military of summarily killing at least 10 people and carrying out a series of abuses between April 24 and June 12 in the North West and South West regions during operations against separatist fighters.
According to the rights group, the troops also burned 12 homes, destroyed, and looted health facilities, arbitrarily detained at least 26 people and are believed to have forcibly disappeared up to 17 others.
“Instead of protecting the population from threats posed by armed groups, the Cameroonian security forces have committed serious violations against civilians causing many to flee their homes” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Senior Central Africa Researcher at Human Rights Watch.
HRW said that between June 3 and July 21, they interviewed by telephone 35 people with knowledge of 4 incidents in which the security forces allegedly committed serious abuses. Interviewees included 16 witnesses, 8 family members of victims, a community leader, 3 journalists, 5 members of civil society organizations, and 2 human rights lawyers.
The incidents, going by the rights organization, took place in and around the towns and villages of Belo, Chomba, Missong, and Ndop. 53 photographs and 16 videos, shared directly with researchers showing evidence of the military violations were reviewed.
“Witnesses said that on April 24, BIR soldiers outside of Ndop, stopped, severely beat and then detained between 30 and 40 motorbike riders who were part of a funeral convoy, allegedly because the soldiers suspected them of being separatist fighters. Up to 17 of those detained are presumed forcibly disappeared, as their whereabouts are unknown but they were last seen in military custody.” HRW added.
The report also contains that HRW, Amnesty International, and other organizations have documented a longstanding pattern of unlawful and incommunicado detention and torture in custody in Cameroon.
The NGO demands that Cameroonian authorities conduct credible and impartial investigations into these serious abuses and hold the abusers accountable.
“On July 28, Human Rights Watch sent an email to the Cameroon army spokesperson, Colonel Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, detailing the alleged abuses and requesting answers to specific questions. Atonfack did not reply” HRW wrote.
However, the group says it also documented atrocities committed by separatist fighters including killings and kidnaping of civilians, and attacks on students, teachers and schools, demanding a respect of human rights and institutions.
