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On Human Rights Day, Cameroon Activists, Civilians Call for True Dialogue to
End Crises

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE, CAMEROON - Hundreds areprotesting onThursday, International
   Human Rights Day,In Cameroon to call for an end to separatist violence
   and Boko Haram terrorism. The two conflicts have killed tens of
   thousands of people inthe country.

   A crowd of mostly women and children,sing at the city center in
   Cameroon'scapital,Yaoundé,for peace to return to the central African
   state.
   MumahBihYvonne of the Cameroon Women's Peace Movement says human rights
   abuses are becoming unbearable,with women and childrenthe most common
   victims.
   "A true truce should be observed. A cease-fire and a dialogue where all
   stakeholders shall be invited," she told VOA. "Those who have taken
   upon themselves to be kidnapping should be booked and anybody who
   perpetrated desecration,be you of the militarycorpsor of
   thenonstatearmed groups,justice[should be]served accordingly."
   Yvonne said they organized the protest as part of activities marking
   the 2020 International Human Rights Day,observed on December 10.
   TheCameroonianmilitary has been fighting Boko Haram, the Nigeria-based
   Islamist terrorist group since 2016. The military accuses the
   groupofregularkillings,abductionsandburningsof mosques,
   churches,marketsandschools. Thefighting has displaced over
   2millionandleft more than 7 million in need of humanitarian aid.

   The United Nationsreports that 3,000 people have been killed and
   550,000 displaced since fighting broke out with English-speaking
   separatistsin the French-majority country in 2016.

   In its 2020 report, Human Rights Watch says both armed groups and
   government forces have been committing widespread human rights abuses
   across Cameroon.

   The report says government forces and armed separatists haveevenkilled,
   assaulted, or kidnapped people with disabilities.

   Both the military and separatist fighters haveadmittedquite oftenthat
   human rightsabusessuch asabductions, beheading of women and
   children,and killing of innocent civilians exist. In some cases, the
   government has blamed the military and opened investigations.
   FekaParcibelis coordinator of theorganizationHope forVulnerablesand
   Orphans. She says rebels and themilitary shoulddrop their weapons if
   they truly want peace to return to Cameroon. She says the fighting has
   deprived hundreds of thousands of children of their rights to
   education.Fekasays dozens of children have been killed for going to
   school.
   "It has been four years of suffering. The killings have not brought any
   solution and will not bring any solution. We are tired of crying, of
   running away from home, of getting into sex work, we are tired of being
   slaves just tosurvive. Drop your guns, end thebloodshed," she said.

   Fekasaid Cameroon should organizewhat she called a true national
   dialogue with separatist leaders to stop human rights abuses.
   Marie Theres Abena Ondoua, Cameroon's minister
   ofwomen'sempowerment,says the government is committed to bringing
   peace, but that fighters should drop theirweapons.
   "Prime minister[Joseph]OK?DionNgutewas in the North West and South West
   and he spoke to them[fighters]in a language that they all understand so
   I am beggingthem tolisten tohiscry and that they should give up
   violence. We have all become beggars of peace and each of us has a role
   to play so that our beloved country can become a land of peace," she
   told VOA.

   Cameroonhelda so-called major national dialoguelast year to solve the
   country's crises,especially the Anglophone separatist crisis, but
   fighting has continued,with gross human rights violations,according to
   the U.N.

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