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| The authors of this article |
Since 2016,
the human rights situation in the anglophone regions of Cameroon has been
deteriorating.
It all
started with peaceful protests organised by lawyers, teachers and students in
the region demanding for the posting of anglophone Cameroonians to key
positions in the judiciary, civil service and educational institutions.
The state
responded with brutal force killing at least 10 people and injuring hundreds.
This crack
down increased agitation in the region and further calls for reform and even
secession.
The
government militarised the area and conducted series of operations against
protesters killing even more people.
Amnesty
International has reported arson attacks, torture, incommunicado detentions,
arbitrary and extra-judicial executions, murder and other in human acts against
civilians.
These
atrocities are committed by both the Cameroon security forces and armed
separatist movements.
From the end
of 2017 to date, more than 150,000 people have been internally displaced and
over 20,000 have fled to neighbouring Nigeria in the wake of increased violence
in the region.
Cameroon is
edging closer to civil war every day as the world watches in silence.
In light of
the above human rights violations currently unfolding in Southern Cameroon, it
is pertinent that the government be made to abide by its obligations as a state
party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to respect, protect
and fulfill the rights contained in the Charter.
Currently,
there is an alarming rate of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, death in
custody and excessive use of force when dealing with protesters.
Therefore, the
government must ensure accountability by conducting prompt, thorough,
independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of human rights
violations and those found culpable must be punished in line with the rules of
engagement.
The crisis
in Southern Cameroon can be managed through meaningful engagement between state
and nonstate actors to find lasting solution to the crisis.
However, since the Cameroonian government has
failed in its responsibility to protect its citizens from grave human rights
abuses, the international community has a role to play.
Under article 4(h) of the AU Constitutive Act,
the AU has the responsibility to intervene in grave circumstances such as
crimes against humanity.
Where a
State is seen to be unable or unwilling to protect its people from human rights
violations, the international community has the responsibility to come in and
protect the people.
This is another opportunity for the AU to
demonstrate its capacity to apply African solutions to African problems.
As it is commonly said, ‘without peace,
development is not possible; and without development, peace is not durable.’
Hence, to prevent an escalation of the current situation in
Cameroon into one of anarchy, chaos and armed conflict that could threaten
international peace and security, urgent action must be taken immediately to
arrest the situation.
Therefore, the AU and the UN should undertake fact finding country visits to
Cameroon with a view to setting mechanisms in place to stop the carnage going
on in that part of the world.
Like
Martin Luther King Jr. rightly posited, ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.’
NOTE: This
article was authored by Essa and Theophilus on behalf of the 2018 class of the
Master’s programme in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa (Centre for
Human Rights, University of Pretoria)
For the
CHR’s press release on the human rights violations in Cameroon, please click on
the link below: http://www.chr.up.ac.za/index.php/about-the-cameroon-campaign.html
