Cameroon: NGO denounces "illegal" arrests of nearly 160 civilians

A Cameroonian soldier, during a patrol in the far north of Cameroon (illustration image). AFP PHOTO / REINNIER KAZE

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In Cameroon, the NGO Mandela Center International denounced the arrests, earlier this month, of more than 150 civilians by defense and security forces in five villages in the department of Mémé, in the English-speaking South-West region.

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For the NGO, these arrests are illegal and arbitrary and it calls for the immediate release of these inhabitants. According to her, it was mainly young people and a few elderly people, a total of nearly 160 people, who were arrested on Thursday, March 2.

In its briefing note, the organization speaks of several hundred soldiers who raided the villages of Matoh, Kindongi, Mbonge-Batoke, Mboh-Barombi and Ediki, in the districts of Mboge and Konye, in the early hours of the morning. The operations took place following a denunciation by the prefect of the department of Mémé.

"This kind of behaviour is contrary to international humanitarian law"

According to Jean-Claude Fogno, permanent executive secretary of Mandela Center International, the residents were initially taken to the gendarmerie in Kumba. Only fourteen of them have been charged by a military magistrate with "terrorism, complicity in terrorism, manufacture of homemade weapons and endangering the internal security of the State".

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We denounce the fact that individuals are first arrested and locked up before gathering evidence that they have committed an offence. This kind of behavior by the army is contrary to international humanitarian law because in reality, in the battlefield, everything must be done to protect civilians from this kind of illegal arrests and arbitrary detentions," he said.

Protests

Arrests that echo, according to Jean-Claude Fogno, those that took place on February 12 in the department of Fako, in the locality of Ekona. 97 youths were arrested. The women protested on 14 February in Buea in front of the offices of the mayor and governor of the South-West region and in the following days, 81 youths were released.

For Mandela Center International, these methods are reminiscent of those used in the fight against Boko-Haram in the Far North of Cameroon. When contacted, the Ministries of Defence and Interior did not comment on the NGO's statements.

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• Cameroon
• NGO
• Humanitarian