BRUTAL ASSASSINATION OF A COUNCILOR AT BEFANG, MENCHUM DIVISION, NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON BY UNIDENTIFIED ARMED MEN.

                         PRESS RELEASE N"_53/CA-NW-LT/24

SUBJECT MATTER: BRUTAL ASSASSINATION OF A COUNCILOR BY UNIDENTIFIED ARMED MEN AT BEFANG, MENCHUM DIVISION, NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON

WE WISH TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS FOLLOWS:;

1. That according to witnesses and other local sources, UNIDENTIFIED ARMED MEN attacked commercial Motorcycle riders popularly known as « Benskineurs » between Ngoh forest and Befang Village, along Bamenda- Wum road and assasinated MATHIAS CHE BANG a Municipal Councilor at Zhoa Council, severely injured a commercial Motorcycle rider (Benskineur) and equally confiscated mobile phones, money and other valuable items from the commercial Motorcycle riders and their passengers.
2. That the barbaric attack happened at about 5am on Wednesday the 05th of June 2024 as the commercial Motorcycle riders were heading to Bamenda from Menchum division.
3. That the well armed men blocked circulation along the said stretch of road for some hours very early morning and perpetrated the act before escaping.
4. That no group has claimed responsibility for the gruesome attack yet, but local sources say it’s difficult to say with certainty if the perpetrators were actually armed Separatists or not, because since the escalation of ongoing armed conflict in Anglophone regions both armed Separatists and Fulani armed men allegedly from Nigeria have systematically attacked unarmed civilians along the said stretch of road, killings, kidnappings for ransoms and seizing valuable items from those plying Bamenda-Wum high way.
5. That at the time of writing this report, there has not been any official reaction from a local administrative authority or Government Official yet.
6. That amidst the systematic human rights violations and abuses in these regions, the Cameroon Government has maintained it traditional silence, despite the worsening situation.
7. That the targetting of Civilians by belligerent forces is prohibited what ever be the motive(s) as prescribed by the Fourth Geneva Convention and other related International legal instruments.
8. That the Republic of Cameroon is indeed a State-party to the Fouth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Second Additional Protocol to these Conventions relating to the protection of victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts, and must respond clearly and obligatorily to all human rights violations.
9. That it is clearly established without ambiguity that the responsibility for these facts are thus attributed to the State of Cameroon by virtue of International law, under the terms of article 4 and following of resolution 56/83 of the UN General Assembly dated December 12, 2001, on the responsibility of the State for « INTERNATIONAL WRONGFUL ACTS « .
   THAT IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, CONSCIENCE AFRICAINE, NORTH WEST AND LITTORAL REGIONS:
10. Condemns in STRONGEST TERMS, the brutal assasination of MATHIAS CHE BANG a Municipal Councilor at Zhoa Council, the injury of a commercial Motorcycle rider, and the confiscation of civilians goods by UNIDENTIFIED ARMED MEN at Befang, Menchum division, North West region.
11. PRAY an INDEPENDENT and IMPATIAL investigation is open with immediate effect by competent judicial authority to identify, arrests and prosecutes perpetrators for this heinous crime.
12. Strongly recommends that the Cameroon Government should immediately establish a protection mechanism to ensure adequate Security for unarmed civilians in these zones who are being subjected to systematic attacks virtually on daily basis because of their vulnerability.
13. Demands an IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT BILATERAL CEASEFIRE, through INCLUSIVE and SINCERE DIALOGUE with the Separatists and other Stakeholders to seek amicable and durable end of hostilities in Anglophone Regions,
14. Strongly recommends that the Cameroon Government should scrupulously comply with its International commitments for the effective protection of fundamental human rights, thus violated on daily basis with IMPUNITY in these regions.
15. Request the International Community and other friendly Nations of Cameroon to persuade the Government to SEEK a PACIFIC MEANS of resolving the conflict, through direct negotiations with concerned Stakeholders.
16. Reminds the Cameroon Government and Separatist Leaders that VIOLENCE cannot be a suitable response to ongoing armed conflict in Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
    Done in Douala, this 5th Day of June 2024
    Signed

Amadu TARNTEH
Executive Director