Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the political and humanitarian situation in Southern Cameroons; and what action they are taking, (1) bilaterally, (2) multilaterally through the UN, (3) through the Commonwealth, and (4) with EU partners, to defuse the tensions threatening the security and stability of that region.

The Government is deeply concerned by reports of deaths and injuries in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, including reports that 17 civilians were killed by the security services and many more injured. The situation appears to have calmed down since 1 October.

The Minister for Africa released a statement on 4 October expressing the Government’s deep concern, urging restraint, and calling on all parties to reject violence and to enter into dialogue to find urgent solutions to Anglophone grievances.

The High Commissioner in Yaoundé has been following events in the Anglophone regions closely. He has raised the need for dialogue and restraint with the Cameroonian authorities. He met with Prime Minister Philémon Yang on 27 September and 10 October, the Minister of Communication on 9 October, the Minister of Defence, Director General of Intelligence, and the Minister of Higher Education on 10 October, and the Minister of External Relations on 11 October. He also reiterated the United Kingdom’s concerns in television interviews on 9 and 10 October.

The situation in Cameroon remains tense, and we urge the Cameroonian Government to accept the United Nations’ offer of help to support dialogue with the Anglophone community.