Anglophone Crisis: US Rights Group Condemns Attacks against Students, Schools

Urges Government to Punish Security Forces that Violate Human Rights in Anglophone Regions

An American human rights group has called on hostage takers of the principal of a school in the Southwest region of Cameroon, to release her.

The US NGO, Human Rights Watch, has once again spoken about the crisis that is plaguing the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon for almost 2 years today. In an article published on its website, the organization is demanding the release of a prisoner kidnapped on May 25, while she was going to the institution for which she is responsible.

The victim, Ms. Georgiana Enanga Sanga, is the principal of the Bolifamba High School located at Mile 16 in Buea. She was abducted in the morning of May 25, about 50 meters from her school. The attackers took control of the taxi vehicle that was driving her, by force, and fled with her. On the same day, another principal, Eric Ngomba, of Cameroon’s Baptist school of Yoke-Muyuka, was abducted around 19:30 at his home in the premises of the institution. He was released on May 29, however, with injuries caused by machetes.

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In relation to the situation, Philippe Bolopion, the deputy director of global advocacy at Human Rights Watch, said: "The kidnappers of Georgiana Enanga must immediately restore her freedom, and the separatist groups must put an end to all attacks aimed at hindering the schooling of children. According to this official, attacks on students, teachers and schools cause lasting harm to children and tarnish the reputation of those who commit them”.

The release of Human Rights Watch seems in opposition to the statements of the Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who has often accused the NGO of “sowing chaos in (...) the shadow”. As a reminder, at a press conference on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, Minister Issa Tchiroma quoted Human Rights Watch as part of a “network of alleged charitable NGOs (...) that are only the visible face of 'Hydra', whose objective is the destabilization of Cameroon. This was the result of frequent denunciations of possible abuses committed by the government on the war fronts.

Human Rights Watch also called on the Cameroonian government, adding that in the face of the crisis situation in the English-speaking regions, there were military operations in which it was reported that the army had committed “serious abuses against civilians” of the regions” . The organization therefore recalls that the Government of Cameroon is bound by international human rights law, and must guarantee that “any member of the security forces involved in human rights violations is held accountable”.

Philippe Bolopion concludes by saying that “attacks against students, teachers and schools have no place in any conflict or political struggle. Separatists must immediately stop such attacks so that children can study peacefully.”