Anglophone crisis: Separatist fighters turn against civilians
A viral video circulating on social media shows a lady in her middle age with hands-tied to the back is later butchered to death and pulled to the middle of the road.
The gruesome murder happened in Muyuka, a town in Cameroon’s restive southwest region.
She has been accused by her killers of being a ‘blackleg’
This term ‘blackleg’ is now common in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon where purported Ambazonia fighters have most often labeled their victims with, before subjecting them to inhumane treatment and later killing them.
The separatist fighters who took up arms against the military in 2017 have often claimed their mission is to defend the Anglophone minority. However, the rate of kidnappings and killings of Anglophone civilians by supposed separatist fighters have left many wondering how it is related to liberating the people they claim to be protecting.
The recent act of gruesome hacking of a young lady has drawn widespread condemnation, although this is not the first nor might not be the last, if the crisis is not resolved.
Global Anti Corruption Consultant/Activist Akere Muna on his tweeter handle writes.
‘I was unable to complete watching the most gruesome video. An incident which supposedly took place in Muyuka, SW Region of CMR. Hands tied behind her back, a lady is hacked to death with a machete. Whatever the cause, this is most barbaric and inhuman. Unacceptable!’
Human Rights Lawyer, President of Fako Lawyers Association, Abgor Nkongh Tweets:
‘Killing our people in the name of liberating them is unfortunate. We cannot be killing the same people we claim we want to liberate from the yoke of dictatorship. May the souls of those killed rest in perfect peace.’
The killing of the lady in Muyuka comes just days after another young girl in her early twenty’s was also murdered in another video that went viral on social media. The girl is seen lying in her own pool of blood and voices attributed to suspected Ambazonia fighters accuse her of being a ‘blackleg”
Several opinions now hold that killing of Anglophones by separatist fighters are clear proofs to the international community that custody of the English Cameroonians can never be granted to Ambazonians!
Although the Ambazonians on their part also accuse the military of infiltrating the struggle, both parties have however been accused by the Human Rights Watch for human rights violations in the two regions.
It is clear the international community needs to step in now and put a stop to this crisis in Cameroon’s NW/SW regions which have killed more than three thousand and displaced more than a million from their home since 2017.
Several attempts to resolve the crisis including a 2019 Major National Dialogue failed to yield fruits.
While some are feeding fat from the crisis, others now use it as a means to settled differences, as such, the blame game goes on.
According to Norwegian refugee council annual report, Cameroon for the second time tops the charts as the country with the most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world.
When will the crisis ends is the question now on several lips in the restive regions who for one reason or another, have been targeted by the military or the separatist?
One thing for sure is that all the crimes committed against humanity in the ongoing crisis will not go unpunished, the ICC is sure on the watch and the perpetrators will surely pay when the time comes.
