While pursuing their war against Cameroonian armed forces, Anglophone separatist fighters have always claimed that they do not target civilians, and that their actions are meant to rather protect civilians.
But recent happenings in Bamenda and its neighbouring communities, however, appear to counter that narrative, as most victims of the fighters’ actions have been civilians, and the recent acts have largely been seen as deliberate.
On the night of November 25, 2023, separatist fighters, operating under the name Wounded Squad, attacked Big G Snack Bar in Bamenda, where Nigerian movie star, Sylvester Madu, was making a spotlight outing.
They made and publicised a video of the incident. The fighters were targeting the movie star for coming to shoot a movie in Bamenda against their warning. During the attack, at least five persons were killed and many others sustained injuries. The Nigerian movie star was in Bamenda to shoot a movie titled, “Abakwa”, said to be themed on the fight against drug abuse.
Prior to his coming, separatist groups and affiliates had, on several social media outings, warned the Nigerian star against coming into Bamenda for the movie project. They had termed it disrespectful to them and people dying as a result of the crisis.
However, the Movie star came into town and started work, and then went on to produce and post a video on social media, urging his fans and others to come celebrate with him at Big G Snack Bar.
On the day of the Snack Bar outing, the fighters stormed the venue, and requested that the movie star be brought to them. Armed forces in Bamenda were alerted and responded to the incident, but that was after the fighters had opened fire and killed over five persons and wounded about nine others.
Separatist fighters and their various leaders took responsibility for the attack, and also swore that a gala match between former Indomitable Lions footballers and former Super Eagles of Nigeria, planned for Limbe, will meet the same fate.
They claimed the activities were meant paint a picture that there was normalcy in the crisis regions, and vowed to not let it happen. However, in the case of Limbe, they rather ended up calling for a ghost town, and no one was attacked, unlike in Bamenda.
Witnesses say after the Bamenda shooting, the snack bar was covered in blood as those who had come to relax were all plunged into confusion, fear and with some, untimely death. In videos circulated online, those trapped in the scene were seen scrambling for safety.
The Big G Snack Bar killings are not isolated. Of recent, the fighters have been blamed for attacks in Bamenyam in the West Region where nine people were killed and several others wounded.
They have also been blamed for the recent killing of a teacher and Deputy Mayor in Ngohketunjia, Passi Christopher in the Northwest region, as well as a 15-year-old teenager, Nfi Louisa in Bamenda.
They were also blamed for the killing of another teacher, Yufenyuy Austin, a Vice Principal of GBHS Kumbo. All these killings are becoming rampant, and the victims are mostly civilians.
This appears to be driven by a move by the fighters to escalate the crisis. Many activists have been drawing comparism between the Anglophone Crisis and the Israel-Hamas war, and justifying how to escalate and force a discussion and negotiation to end the crisis. Though going after military targets, they have in recent times been going after civilian targets too.
Following the Big G Snack Bar killings, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Emile Mooh, condemned the act and killings. Like in other cases, he still promised that investigations have been opened to track down the perpetrators.
On the aspect of troubling security lapses, he is urging locals to remain calm, saying that soldiers are on the ground to ensure a restoration of peace. He is also urging locals to collaborate with security forces in identifying and tracking down separatist fighters, a call which when heeded, often end up with some civilians sorted out, termed blacklegs and executed for “betraying” the fighters.
In Article 3, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, pressing on the need to respect and preserve human life, states that, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person.”
Article 5, furthers that, “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The recent killing of civilians by the fighters for various reasons, took away these rights from the various victims.
The actions, which subject the victims to gruelling pain, also violate Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, which says, “Every individual shall have the right to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition of his legal status. All forms of exploitation and degradation of man particularly slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
On its part, the government and security forces who always arrive only after an act has been done and the perpetrators gone, failed to protect its citizens, as per Article 2 (3) of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The state failed in its obligation to prevent the violation of their right to life. By signing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Cameroon has made an undertaking to respect and guarantee to all individuals inhabiting its territory the right to life. This is as per Article 2 (1) of the Convention.
The attacks on civilians are raising new fears, especially as life had already been too risky for the civilians who even when not directly targeted, have been the majority of victims through stray bullets and blanket actions from the belligerents.
By Andrew Nsoseka, JADE
Jade Cameroun 