Monthly News Updates: Southern Cameroons – July 2021
By: Fabiana Nuñez del Prado Nieto, Junior Research Associate, PILPG-NL
This post collects updates from the past month concerning developments in Southern Cameroons. The information is drawn from local and international online sources.
VIOLENCE IN ANGLOPHONE REGIONS
Killings | Murder of teacher in South-West region
On July 1, 2021, a group of gunmen fired shots at a 52-year-old physics schoolteacher from Kumba (South-West region). The blasts killed him instantly at his home, in front of his children. No group has claimed responsibility for the murder, but local people believe separatist fighters are responsible for targeting schools, teachers, and schoolchildren. [July 2, 2021]
Separatist Violence | Separatists allegedly killed more than 40 people
According to Cameroonian officials, separatists killed more than 40 people and torched 70 houses in June. It was the most violent month of the year so far. A military spokesman claimed that anglophone separatists massacred dozens of civilians and attempted to blame the military. Army Captain Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo alleged that the separatists killed three military men in Bamali, an English-speaking northwestern village. The public reacted to the increased violence with widespread condemnation. [July 2, 2021]
GOVERNMENT RESPONSES
Separatist Violence | Government sent Defense Minister to francophone region
During the first week of July, Cameroon’s government sent Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo to the border between the anglophone and francophone regions due to increased separatist incursions into French-speaking towns and villages. Warrant Officer Bouba Dawanga Syraye, the ranking officer at the military post in Foumban village, said that the government troops had recently arrested ten suspects and recovered guns, ammunition, and several locally made explosives.
According to the military, the proliferation of arms in the French-speaking West region has been rising since 2017. Many locals have abandoned their businesses, and construction work on government buildings has stopped due to the increased separatist attacks. [July 24, 2021]
Campaign | Campaign against hate speech online
In July, Cameroon launched a campaign against online hate speech. The officials in charge of the campaign blame hate speech for the current social conflict and the damage to Cameroon's international image. The government maintains that the campaign will reduce the tensions if the youth, who constitute about 65% of the population, stop damaging the image of Cameroon online and instead show love for their country and its institutions on social media. [July 9, 2021]
HUMAN RIGHTS
LGBTQ+ Rights | Transgender women released from jail
On July 13, a judge from a Yaoundé court ordered the release of two transgender women convicted of "attempted homosexuality," pending their appeals. The local police arrested Shakiro and Patricia on February 8, 2021, for wearing women's clothing in a restaurant. Shakiro is a celebrity influencer in Cameroon, with thousands of social media followers. Her status brought additional attention to the case. According to Shakiro’s and Patricia’s lawyer, the women received a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of 200,000 CFA for "attempted homosexuality," public indecency, and failing to carry identification. [July 13, 2021]
SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN CAMEROONS
Reopening of Schools | Over 70,000 children return to school
According to Cameroonian authorities, around 70,000 children returned to school this year in the Western regions. The schools had closed due to threats from some anglophone separatist groups. Armed separatists attacked more than 200 schools between 2017 and 2019, and nearly all schools in the North and Southwest regions had to be permanently shut down as teachers left their jobs due to insecurity. [July 19, 2021]
CIVILIAN RESPONSES
Muslim community in Cameroon prays for an end to the conflict
From July 19 to July 23, the Muslim community in Cameroon celebrated Eid al-Adha, Festival of the Sacrifice, by praying for an end to the anglophone conflict. The conflict has killed more than 3,000 people since 2017. Muslim leaders also called on separatist Muslim fighters to drop their weapons and encourage their peers to stop fighting. [July 20, 2021]
REGIONAL VIOLENCE
Nigeria/Cameroon | Boko Haram attack kills eight soldiers in Cameroon
On July 24, Boko Haram launched an attack in the Far North Region of Cameroon. According to a police report confirmed by several local sources, the attack killed eight soldiers. The Governor of the region, Bakari Midjiyawa, said that heavily armed Boko Haram fighters hit the military base in the locality of Sagme at around four in the morning using six vehicles. [July 24, 2021]