Conflict in Cameroon Escalates

Dozens have been killed in Cameroon this past week as fighting increases between Cameroon militia and separatist rebels. The increase in casualties on both sides follows the October re- election of President Paul Biya for a seventh term. Biya is the oldest leader in sub- Saharan Africa; he has ruled Cameroon for almost 40 years.

The conflict stems from a divide in the predominantly French- speaking nation between Anglophone separatists and government forces. The then- German protectorate of Kamerun was split between France and England by the League of Nations in 1919, causing the current language divide. Following a referendum in 1972, French and English speaking territories came together to form the United Republic of Cameroon.

Separatist rebels seek the creation of an independent, English-speaking state called “Ambazonia.” Separatists have targeted English- speaking areas that conform to the Cameroonian national identity, including kidnappings and violence in Western Cameroon. However, it is often unclear who is behind the violence. To stifle the rebels, army forces have actively killed, kidnapped, and targeted villages. Strict and enforced curfews have been imposed in English-speaking zones to limit separatist activities after dark. Reports indicate that more than half of the English-speaking city of Bamenda have fled their homes, with schools closing, and roads remaining unsafe. The crisis has forced civilians to flee Anglophone regions for French-speaking ones, or to neighbouring Nigeria.