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Cameroon Military's Reconciliation Efforts Welcomed, Shunned by Anglophones

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   BOASSA, CAMEROON - Cameroon's military has begun efforts to implement
   President Paul Biya's peace resolutions from last week's national
   dialogue on the country's anglophone separatist crisis, but skepticism
   lingers as the military is dogged with accusations of rights abuses.

   School benches, books and pens were distributed over the weekend, and
   the military says it is also cleaning towns, repairing broken bridges
   and roads, and sending medical and teaching staff to help out at
   hospitals and schools abandoned during the fighting.

   Operational Commander Lieutenant Colonel Nkoo Ella said Saturday that
   it was an effort to build trust after three years of combat against
   rebels wanting to separate the Northwest and Southwest regions from the
   rest Cameroon and its French-speaking majority.

   "I strongly believe that we are entering the era of peace and I came
   today to Boassa to confirm that the military are with the population,"
   Ella said. "They need to restart their normal activities, they need to
   reopen their schools, they need to resend their children to school,
   they need to restart their economic activities so that all these will
   help in the development of the area."

   Many villagers and farmers from surrounding areas rushed to collect the
   gifts, showing appreciation for the military's efforts.

   Boassa's traditional ruler, John Ewome Eko, spoke on behalf of the
   population, thanking Biya for sending the military to make peace.

   "We are grateful. I am calling on our English-speaking people that
   please, let peace reign, let our children go back to school, for
   education is the key to success," Eko said.

   But others, like 25-year-old Lydwin Tarkang, were skeptical and cited
   the military's alleged atrocities committed in the name of fighting the
   rebels. She says the military killed her father and two older brothers
   in March 2018, after accusing them of being separatists.

   "How can you trust somebody who came yesterday with guns to kill, who
   burned our schools and houses, raped our children and now he says he is
   bringing peace? We cannot trust that type of person. Let the military
   withdraw," Tarkang said.

   Human Rights Watch in March accused both the military and the
   separatists of committing gross human rights abuses, such as kidnapping
   and killing people and torching buildings. Both sides deny
   responsibility, and point the finger of blame at each other.

   National dialogue

   Last week, a national dialogue organized by Biya to end the conflict
   called on the military and armed separatists to drop their weapons and
   turn security over to police.

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