from ROSY SADOU in Yaoundé, Cameroon
YAOUNDE, (CAJ News) – SEPARATISTS in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon have intensified their terror over the recent weeks.
This is an effort to force independence from the Central African country where they allege marginalisation by the government dominated by French-speaking nationals.
Recently, separatist fighters killed three tribal chiefs in the village of Essoh Attah, located in the southwest region.
This after the chiefs refused to return the profits from their cocoa sales to them and had promoted the education.
In January, suspected separatist fighters killed the headmaster of a high school in Eyumojock and injured the head of another high school in Tinto, both located in the South West region.
This is according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Affairs (OCHA) and the media.
The separatists have also hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid , killing and torturing those they suspected of collaborating with the authorities and security forces.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the violence.
Ilaria Allegrozzi, HRW senior researcher on Central Africa, said the Cameroonian armed forces, which have carried out multiple operations sometimes marked by violations in the English-speaking regions, should guarantee the protection of civilians more effectively.
“The UN Security Council and Cameroon’s international partners should make separatist leaders understand that these crimes have consequences, ” Allegrozzi said.
HRW has called for measures such as targeted sanctions, travel bans and asset freezes.
– CAJ News