Situation in Cameroon becomes more uncertain

Togho Lumumba Mukong, coordinator for Mission 21 in Cameroon. Photo: Miriam Glass

On October 1, 2017, separatists proclaimed the independence of Ambazonia. During demonstrations, the security forces reacted with violence and at least 17 people were shot dead. Ten police officers and soldiers were also killed.

The crisis has worsened since then, writes Togho Lumumba Mukong, coordinator of Mission 21 on the ground, in his situation report of January 10, 2018. Travel to Cameroon is still possible. Demonstrations are usually announced, so that countermeasures can also be reasonably estimated and one can avoid the affected neighborhoods in Bamenda or Buea.

For the population, however, the situation is difficult. Less than 20 percent of children and young people in the Anglophone regions have returned to school since the end of the teachers' strike. Arbitrary arrests by the authorities continue. In addition, there is no political mediation in sight. Mission 21's partner church, the Presbyterian Church PCC, is also not being taken seriously as a mediator.

Cameroonian separatist leaders were arrested in Nigeria on January 6 and continue to be detained. It is not clear whether Cameroon's President Paul Biya and his government are involved. In any case, they have recently threatened the regime critics with harsh countermeasures.

Text: Christoph Rácz, Photo: Miriam Glass

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