Cameroon: Armed Conflict

(asked on 13th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the Biya regime in Cameroon (1) burning down Kumba hospital, (2) destroying villages, and (3) abducting Southern Cameroonian students from their student accommodation.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 27th February 2019

The UK is deeply concerned about reports of the burning down of a hospital in Kumba, South West Cameroon, on 11 February which resulted in the death of four people. It is unclear at this stage where responsibility for this terrible act lies, but a full investigation is needed so that the perpetrators can face justice. The British Government was also shocked by footage released in July 2018, although dated, showing the razing of villages. We are aware of increased reports of incidents of kidnap, particularly in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. We assess that both the Ambazonian separatist rebels and government forces are using excessive force and ordinary people are suffering in the crossfire. All schoolchildren and students should be able to access education in a safe environment.

The Minister for Africa, Mrs Baldwin, met the Cameroonian Foreign Minister during the EU's Ministerial meeting with the African Union in Brussels on 23 January and raised the UK's concerns for the Anglophone communities and stressed much more needed to be done, including to protect human rights and uphold the rule of law. The UK condemns strongly all violations and abuses of human rights and calls on all sides to end the cycle of violence. We urge the government of Cameroon to work alongside the international community to ensure prompt and thorough investigation of all violations and abuses, and to hold perpetrators to account. The UK stands ready to assist in this regard.

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