At least 32 villagers slaughtered in another ethnic attack in Cameroon

The boiling tensions surrounding fertile land ownership between two struggling communities in remote areas of Akwaya in southwestern Cameroon deflated into another bloodbath on June 25.

Ferdinand Adawa Ugbe never lived to see the cocoa plantations he plans to set up on the disputed fertile farms of Ufanbe in his home village of Bakinjo.

A 40-year-old businessman was shot dead together 30 or more When a looting armed group raided his village, allegedly hired by rival Mavas community Olitis.

“He promised to come see me in August, so I can complete a plan to set up a cocoa farm on that fertile land,” said the deceased brother, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, by phone. I told the Epoch Times.

“When I learned of his death, I was full of anger and revenge,” he said.

“I cried like a baby. I saw my brother lying on the floor dead. A man full of life and joy. Attackers set fire everywhere and shot randomly. “

In recent years, two communities in the Akwaya district of southwestern Cameroon, Bakinjaw and Olitis of Mavas, both claim ownership of Ufambe.

However, the recent battle is Raging war of separation In the area.

Since lawyers and teachers, violence has hit two English-speaking northwest and southwestern parts of Cameroon. Strike in 2016 in a peaceful protest They are trying to wipe out the cultural value of the community against the government they prosecute.

That is the common law, the Anglo-Saxon education subsystem.

Cameroon Army blamed English-speaking separatists Of masterminding the slaughter.

In a June 28 press statement, Army spokesman Atonfack Serge broke into the home of an elected representative of about 100 heavily armed separatist armed gangs, where several gathered at a family funeral. Said that he immediately began firing at the crowd.

“In the process, they burned his house, along with a casket containing the remains of the brothers of the people’s representatives, before withdrawing under pressure from the defense and security forces that had just arrived. [at] Intervening scenes, “writes Atonfack.

However, this rarely prevented angry young men from attacking local gendarmerie posts, destroying 50 homes and local health centers.

At least 32 villagers, five of whom were Nigerians, were shot dead, slaughtered, or burned alive at close range, and several others were injured.

“The devastated and furious villagers have come out in a mass and voluntary rebellion to retaliate violently in their own way for the attacks of hordes of terrorists, and it is ultimately around. I retreated into the forest, “Serge said.

According to Atonfack, four of the attackers were killed and “some others were injured and on the run.”

He added that government forces remain “alert” in the area to prevent new attacks while search operations to find the perpetrators are underway.

Local chiefs of the region, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said Oritis’ plan for the neighboring Mabas to “attack the village with armed separatists” before the attack on Bakinjo village. I confirmed that the rumors had spread.

Attacker promises to return

“On April 29, Mabas’s colitis attacked Bakinjo’s farmers on the same land, killing three and injuring the other two,” local officials told the Epoch Times by phone.

He said many villagers were still missing after the June 25 conflict.

“The dead were buried in a mass grave. Some of the bodies were dumped in the pit toilets,” he told The Epoch Times.

“The entire village has been abandoned. There are rumors that the invaders have returned and promised to finish their new job.”

The leaders of the English-speaking separatist movement did not respond to the Epoch Times request for comments on the leveled accusations against their fighters.

Allegedly hiring an English separatist fighter for a revenge attack by a rival village is new and shows the terrible twist of conflict that has been seen so far. More than 6,000 diedNearly one million people have been evacuated and hundreds of thousands of children are no longer educated.

The killings are in the midst of the release of a report by Human Rights Watch accusing rebels of serious infringement.

June 27 reportThe Rights Group has accused rebels of fighting for the liberation of the Cameroonians for abducting, terrorizing and killing English-speaking civilians. Law enforcement agency in Cameroon. “

“Abuse continues, which is part of a broader pattern of separatist fighter abuse throughout the Anglophon region,” said Ilaria Alleglotzi, senior researcher in Central Africa at Human Rights Watch. I told the Epoch Times in a text.

“Unlawful killings, torture, kidnappings, attacks on education. These are the types of abuse documented in the latest report,” she said.

“We are particularly concerned about attacks on education. Targeted at students, teachers and schools, these attacks deprive children of all ages of their fundamental rights to education.”

Government forces have also been conducting “abuse rebellion suppression operations” throughout the region since 2017.

“they [Cameroon government soldiers] He committed a series of very serious ill-treatment: village incineration, property destruction, civilian murder, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, and even sexual violence, “Alegrozzi told The Epoch Times. ..

In such an “impunity climate,” she argues that justice is needed to ensure accountability for these abuses.

“The pursuit of a military solution does not solve the problem. The crisis is likely to continue unless authorities and separatist fighters who need to stop abusing civilians follow the path of justice. “Alegroszi said.