April 11, 2024, Mezam State, Northern Ambazonia, Cameroon Occupation Forces forcibly kidnapped over 150 innocent and unarmed civilians.

Eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying events, describing how men, women, and children were taken from their homes and communities against their will.

The victims were reportedly rounded up at gunpoint, with many families witnessing their loved ones being dragged away without explanation. The mass abduction has left the affected communities in distress, as families desperately seek answers about the whereabouts and safety of their loved ones. Despite their appeals for intervention, the cries for justice have largely gone unheard, and the international community has yet to take meaningful action.

This act of mass abduction constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law, particularly the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, which prohibit the forced disappearance, unlawful detention, and mistreatment of civilians during armed conflict. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions explicitly forbids the taking of hostages, the cruel and inhumane treatment of non-combatants, and the denial of due process for detainees.

Additionally, Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile, a principle that has been completely ignored in this case. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), under Article 7, classifies enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity when committed as part of a systematic attack against a civilian population. Given the scale and deliberate nature of these kidnappings, they meet the threshold for such crimes.

The forced separation of families and the silencing of victims serve as a means of spreading fear and maintaining oppressive control over Ambazonian communities. The psychological and emotional toll on the affected families is immense, as they are left without knowledge of their loved ones’ fate. In many conflict situations, enforced disappearances often lead to torture, extrajudicial executions, and inhumane treatment, further escalating human rights violations.

The United Nations has condemned enforced disappearances as one of the most serious crimes under international law, emphasizing that victims have the right to be located and released. The lack of international intervention emboldens the perpetrators to continue committing these crimes with impunity. The global community must act swiftly to hold the responsible parties accountable and demand justice for the victims. Failure to do so not only enables further violations but also sets a dangerous precedent for future conflicts worldwide.

GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA