CHRDA records more separatist atrocities in first quarter for NW, SW
By Nchendzengang Tatah
A report on the state of Human Rights in the North West and South West regions has been was released on Tuesday by the Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa. The report catalogues several activities of both state forces and armed separatist.
The Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA, in the first quarter report for 2024 recorded more cases of human rights violation from separatist activities. This was revealed following the publishing of the report, May 7 in Buea.
The first quarterly report profiled several instances of abuse Cameroonians in the Anglophone regions have been made to bear from January to March.
“In the North West and South West Regions, we recorded a good number of cases of human rights violations and abuses some of which include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and targeted killings, arbitrary arrest and detention, Kidnapping and ransom taking, violations of the right to free movement and association, violations of the right to worship, violations on the right to own and dispose of one’s property freely amongst other violations,” the report reviewed.
In education, several attacks on school infrastructure, school children, teachers and other stakeholders was reported. With the shutting down of mainly government owned schools due to an earlier ban by separatist fighters. Which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of school children out of school.
CHRDA reported that, the right to free movement of persons and property has continued to be violated thereby suffering the masses and slowing economic development.
“The impact of ghost town and lockdown operations on the free movement of goods and persons in the North West and South West cannot be overemphasized. In the first quarter of the year, separatist fighters continued to enforce traditional Monday ghost town operations. In addition to these Ghost Town operations, Separatist fighters declared several lockdowns on particular occasions,” the report read.
However, the state was noted for several arbitrary arrests and detention. The Non Governmental Organisation said it had intervened and secured the release of some persons arbitrarily arrested and detained while others, they stated are still under detention, some of whom are incommunicado.
The Center for Human Right and Democracy in Africa recommended in that the Cameroon government should speed up fair judicial proceedings against persons arrested in the context of the conflict in the English regions while giving room for sincere and mediated dialogue. CHRDA invited the international community to intensify pressure on the state to respect its International human rights commitments.
