May 6, 2020, Buea, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia: Cameroon Occupation Forces launched yet another ruthless assault on defenseless civilians, plunging the community into fear, mourning, and devastation. According to eyewitness accounts, heavily armed soldiers stormed residential areas, rounding up innocent individuals, including young children, who had no connection to any conflict. The victims were forcefully abducted, taken against their will, and subjected to horrific acts of torture.
The soldiers reportedly used extreme force, tying up their captives and inflicting severe physical abuse. Some of the victims were beaten mercilessly, while others were subjected to methods of torture too gruesome to recount. Their cries for mercy went unheard as they suffered at the hands of their captors. Eventually, many of these civilians, despite their innocence, were executed in cold blood. The bodies of the victims were later discarded carelessly, robbing their families of the chance to give them a dignified burial.
Among those killed were helpless children, whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The senseless killing of children, who are the most vulnerable members of any society, marks a new depth of brutality and complete disregard for the sanctity of life. Families who had once embraced peace were left shattered and broken, struggling to comprehend the scale of the horror inflicted upon them. Mothers lost their children, fathers lost their families, and the entire community was plunged into mourning.
The aftermath of the attack left a deep scar on the people of Buea, with fear and trauma gripping the survivors. The loss of innocent lives, particularly that of children, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for international intervention to prevent further atrocities and hold those responsible accountable.
The abduction, torture, and execution of civilians, including children, is a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law and constitutes a War Crime under the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions explicitly prohibits murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture of civilians and other non-combatants. Article 8(2)(c)(i) of the Rome Statute classifies such acts as War Crimes in non-international armed conflicts. Furthermore, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) strictly condemns the killing and mistreatment of children in conflict zones. The attack in Buea is a clear and indisputable War Crime, demanding immediate justice and accountability for the victims.
GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA