'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers
Summary
In Cameroon's South-West region, ongoing violence between separatists and government forces has resulted in many deaths and displaced people. The conflict began after anglophone separatists demanded independence from the primarily francophone country, leading to a severe government crackdown.Key Facts
- The conflict started in late 2016 with peaceful protests against the use of the francophone legal system in anglophone regions.
- These protests escalated into a violent conflict when separatists in 2017 declared independence for the region they called Ambazonia.
- Johnson Mabia, an English-speaking civil servant, was kidnapped and killed by separatists in 2019.
- The separatist movement seeks to create an independent state in Cameroon's English-speaking regions.
- At least 6,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to the conflict.
- Attempts at peace included a national dialogue in 2019, which resulted in granting a special status to anglophone regions, but yielded little practical change.
- Approximately five million anglophone Cameroonians are affected by the conflict, which is about one-fifth of the country's population.
- Blaise Eyong, a journalist from the region, described the frequent violence, including kidnappings and killings, impacting daily life.
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