Cardinal Christian Tumi, the Archbishop emeritus of Douala, has accused the Cameroon military of excessive use of force against unarmed civilians in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions.
The current “Anglophone crisis” began in late 2016, when disgruntled lawyers and teachers began protesting the use of French in courts using the Anglo-Saxon common law tradition (practiced in the English parts of the country) and in Anglophone schools. The demonstrations soon spread to the general public, and the calls for outright secession started growing.The two English-speaking regions, that constitute 20 percent of Cameroon’s over 24 million people, have been in turmoil for over a year now over perceived marginalization and an assimilation drive by the predominantly French-speaking administration of long-serving President Paul Biya.
In a strongly-worded statement released on October 6, 2017, the Anglophone bishops condemned “the barbarism and the irresponsible use of firearms against unarmed civilians by the Forces of Law and Order” and called on Biya to stop “the bloodbath and genocide that has skillfully been initiated in the North West and South West Regions.”
In the absence of a dialogue initiative from the government, many English-speakers are now calling for secession, and the formation of a new state called Ambazonia.
The country’s president has promised to “eliminate the secessionists.”
Biya has deployed the military to the two regions, but their actions on the ground have met with severe criticism by Tumi.
During a visit to the country’s North West Region, the cardinal gathered harrowing tales of torture, destruction and killings.
“I was in Mbim village on 28 February and the military had visited the same village a day earlier,” Tumi told Crux.
“I saw and listened to people in their depression…I saw houses that had been reduced to ruins, to dust and ashes. I saw the house of a man who had fled with his wife and six children, reduced to dust and ashes,” the cardinal said.
Tumi described various signs of destruction in the village, including a destroyed water project, and a vandalized cooperative union.
He also said the military harassed the population and committed crimes against the people.
“I saw the house of an old man ramshackled and I was told that the army had made away with two generators of the family. I saw a man looking completely depressed from whom the military had made away with $1500,” the cardinal said. “I saw the bar of a young man running a small business from where hundreds of bottles of beer had been taken away by the army, and what could not be taken was broken to bits and pieces.”
He said security forces also burned the villagers’ crops, destroying the year’s harvest.
Tumi told Crux he was struck by the question an old man in Mbim asked him: “Cardinal, just what crime have we committed, that the army should be sent to treat us this way, as if we were foreigners who had come to ransack the village?”
Tumi said the lives of the “simple, innocent people” had been shattered by the actions of the military.
“If they are looking for a criminal, let them look for the criminal in all patience. They should not draw the conclusion that since the criminal was in this village, everybody in the village becomes a criminal. It’s not a logical conclusion,” the cardinal said.
Similar scenes of destruction are visible in many parts of Cameroon’s South West Region, where “Ambazonian” fighters have been engaged in hit-and-run attacks on security forces.
The attacks in both regions have so far left at least 24 members of the security forces dead. It is difficult to estimate civilian deaths, but UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has noted that “allegations of summary executions of civilians by members of the security forces have been reported, and are generating widespread resentment.”
The military action has been hard and decisive, with entire villages being burned to the ground, and several people being killed extrajudicially.
“An old woman who couldn’t flee was burnt to death in the South West,” Tumi said.
Bishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Mamfe – in the South West Region – said the destruction in Kembong village, where four soldiers had been killed by secessionists, looked like “a horror movie.”
“I saw more than 20 houses burnt down by soldiers and one dead body still lying there, being fed on by dogs and chicken,” said Nkea.
“Of the village’s 5,000 or so residents, only 30 remained, all huddled in the house of the area’s priest because they had nowhere else to go,” he said.
Tumi also claimed that the crisis could be serving to enrich some top-ranking people in the military.
“We are told that some high-ranking military people use the crisis to enrich themselves, because the state spends on these military operations, and the account on how the money is spent is not given,” he told Crux.
The cardinal blamed Biya for choosing a military solution for a purely political problem.
“The presence of the army is no solution. With a human being, you reason: You don’t use violence as if you are treating a beast. That is why the world is calling for dialogue. Nothing can be done without our meeting to talk about the problems. Many have called for what is called inclusive dialogue. The government should dialogue with everybody,” Tumi said.
Cameroon’s bilingual and bi-cultural status derived from its colonial heritage. Initially administered as a German Protectorate in 1884, Cameroon would later be shared with France and Britain as League of Nations Mandates after Germany was defeated in the First World War.
The end of the Second World War and the establishment of the United Nations saw the two parts of Cameroon transition from mandated territories to UN Trust Territories.
In 1960, the northern part of Cameroon administered by France gained its independence. The southern part administered by Britain as part of Nigeria was in 1961 subject to a plebiscite in which they were offered independence by reuniting with their francophone Cameroonian “brothers” or by remaining part of Nigeria.
The results showed an overwhelming desire by English-speaking Cameroonians to reunite with the French-speaking part of Cameroon.
The “marriage” was guaranteed by a Federal Constitution that was meant to preserve and protect the minority Anglophones and their colonial heritage. But in 1972 then-President Ahmadou Ahidjo organized a referendum that dissolved the federation in favor of a united republic, thereby removing the protections Anglophones enjoyed.
As the current crisis worsens, several Anglophones have fled to Nigeria, causing a refugee crisis in Cameroon’s neighbor.
The United Nations has expressed “great concern” over Nigeria returning dozens of asylum seekers to Cameroon.
“We also urge the Government of Cameroon to ensure that the group is treated in accordance with human rights law and standards,” the UN refugee agency said in a statement.
cruxnow.com
Hello would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m looking to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a tough time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Excellent web site you’ve got here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Do you have a spam issue on this blog; I also am a blogger, and
I was curious about your situation; many of us have created some nice procedures and we are looking to exchange
methods with other folks, why not shoot me an email if interested.
Inspiring quest there. What occurred after? Good luck!
Hi would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a difficult time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Hi there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any suggestions for first-time blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
It’s impressive that you are getting ideas from this piece of writing as well as from our argument made at this place.
Its like you read my mind! You seem to understand so much approximately this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I feel that you simply could do with some % to force the message house a bit, however other than that, this is wonderful blog. An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are amazing! Thanks!
You ought to take part in a contest for one of the highest quality blogs on the web. I will recommend this blog!
Thank you, I have recently been searching for information approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I have came upon so far. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you sure concerning the source?
I think the admin of this site is really working hard for his website, since here every data is quality based stuff.
I visited several sites but the audio quality for audio songs present at this website is really fabulous.
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.
Great post. I will be going through many of these issues as well..
It is perfect time to make some plans for the
future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I
could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or
advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article.
I wish to read even more things about it!
Элитный мужской эротический массаж Москва – тайский салон
Hello there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept talking about this. I am going to forward this information to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
Good article! We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
Great article! This is the type of information that are supposed to be shared around the internet. Disgrace on the seek engines for not positioning this post upper! Come on over and visit my site . Thank you =)
Hi there to all, it’s actually a good for me to pay a visit this web site, it contains valuable Information.
What’s up, this weekend is pleasant in favor of me, because this time i am reading this wonderful informative post here at my home.
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% sure. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Appreciate it
Разрешение на строительство — это государственный письменное удостоверение, выдаваемый управомоченными органами государственного аппарата или муниципального руководства, который разрешает начать стройку или выполнение строительных операций.
Разрешение на строительство формулирует правовые принципы и требования к строительным работам, включая предусмотренные типы работ, дозволенные материалы и техники, а также включает строительные инструкции и пакеты защиты. Получение разрешения на возведение является обязательным документов для строительной сферы.
I got this website from my friend who told me concerning this website and now this time I am visiting this website and reading very informative articles or reviews here.
It’s nearly impossible to find educated people about this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
That is a really good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate info… Appreciate your sharing this one.
A must read post!
Hi there, I desire to subscribe for this website to get most recent updates, thus where can i
do it please assist.
hi!,I love your writing so much! percentage we keep up a correspondence more approximately your post on AOL? I need an expert in this space to solve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look forward to peer you.
I do not know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everyone else experiencing problems with
your site. It appears as if some of the text in your posts are
running off the screen. Can someone else please
provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
This might be a issue with my web browser because I’ve had this happen before.
Many thanks
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this information for my mission.
Hello to all, because I am genuinely keen of reading this
weblog’s post to be updated on a regular basis.
It contains nice material.
Быстровозводимые здания – это актуальные системы, которые различаются повышенной быстротой строительства и гибкостью. Они представляют собой сооруженные объекты, состоящие из заранее сделанных деталей или же узлов, которые имеют возможность быть скоро установлены на пункте застройки.
Строительство каркасных зданий обладают гибкостью а также адаптируемостью, что позволяет просто преобразовывать и модифицировать их в соответствии с запросами покупателя. Это экономически продуктивное а также экологически устойчивое решение, которое в последние годы приняло обширное распространение.
Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing many months of hard work due to no backup. Do you have any solutions to protect against hackers?
You made some decent points there. I looked on the web for more information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
Everything is very open with a precise explanation of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful. Thanks for sharing!
I think this is among the most important info for me.
And i’m glad reading your article. But wanna
remark on few general things, The site style is ideal, the articles is really excellent : D.
Good job, cheers
I constantly emailed this webpage post page to all my associates, because if like to read it then my friends will too.
Greate article. Keep writing such kind of information on your blog. Im really impressed by your site.
What’s up it’s me, I am also visiting this website daily, this website is truly nice and the users are actually sharing nice thoughts.
Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
This article is truly a good one it helps new internet people, who are wishing for blogging.
I like it when people come together and share thoughts. Great blog, continue the good work!
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Appreciate it!
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
Right now it seems like BlogEngine is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
It’s an awesome article in favor of all the internet users; they will get benefit from it I am sure.
Quality articles is the secret to invite the viewers to go to see the web site, that’s what this website is providing.
Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and all. Nevertheless just imagine if you added some great graphics or video clips to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and clips, this site could undeniably be one of the most beneficial in its niche. Amazing blog!
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful post. Thanks for providing this information.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through a few of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely pleased I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back frequently!
Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while people consider worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
First off I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question that I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I have had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips? Kudos!
I visited several sites but the audio quality for audio songs current at this site is actually wonderful.
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.
Good day! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog article or vice-versa? My site addresses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to send me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Excellent blog by the way!
My relatives all the time say that I am wasting my time here at net, but I know I am getting experience every day by reading such pleasant articles or reviews.
В нашем онлайн казино вы найдете широкий спектр слотов и лайв игр, присоединяйтесь.
Добро пожаловать на сайт онлайн казино, мы предлагаем уникальный опыт для любителей азартных игр.
Вы ищете надежное и захватывающее онлайн-казино, тогда это идеальное место для вас!
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Thank you!
I am curious to find out what blog system you have been utilizing? I’m experiencing some minor security problems with my latest site and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any suggestions?
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% positive. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers
Good way of explaining, and nice piece of writing to take data regarding my presentation topic, which i am going to deliver in institution of higher education.
Thank you for another magnificent article. Where else may just anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such information.
Hello there, You have done a fantastic job. I will definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this site.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Хотите получить идеально ровный пол в своем доме или офисе? Обратитесь к профессионалам на сайте styazhka-pola24.ru! Мы предлагаем услуги по стяжке пола любой сложности и площади, а также устройству стяжки пола под ключ в Москве и области.
снабжение строительства домов
Хотите получить идеально ровные стены в своей квартире или офисе? Обратитесь к профессионалам на сайте mehanizirovannaya-shtukaturka-moscow.ru! Мы предоставляем услуги по механизированной штукатурке стен в Москве и области, а также гарантируем качество работ и доступные цены.
My family members all the time say that I am wasting my time here at net, but I know I am getting experience every day by reading such nice articles or reviews.
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help protect against content from being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Ahaa, its good conversation regarding this piece of writing here at this website, I have read all that, so now me also commenting here.
Excellent write-up. I definitely love this website. Continue the good work!
Современный рынок предлагает нам множество уникальных решений, включая штукатурку механизированную. Проверьте mehanizirovannaya-shtukaturka-moscow.ru для получения подробной информации.
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & assist other users like its helped me. Good job.
Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Spending some time and actual effort to create a good article but what can I say I procrastinate a lot and never seem to get anything done.
Can I simply say what a relief to discover an individual who truly knows what they’re talking about on the internet. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More and more people have to look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised that you’re not more popular since you certainly have the gift.
Yesterday, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
Appreciating the hard work you put into your website and in depth information you provide. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will return once again since I bookmarked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
15 yıllık kedi kaç yaşında?
Good post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I was looking for this information for my mission.
I got this site from my pal who informed me regarding this web site and now this time I am visiting this web site and reading very informative articles or reviews here.
What’s up, I wish for to subscribe for this website to take newest updates, so where can i do it please help.
I really like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and coverage! Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll.
You’re so awesome! I don’t suppose I have read anything like this before. So great to find someone with some unique thoughts on this issue. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This site is something that’s needed on the web, someone with some originality!