May 15, 2024, in Elak Oku, Bui State, Northern Ambazonia, Cameroon Occupation Forces abducted, tortured, and killed innocent and unarmed civilians. Eyewitnesses recounted that even women and children were among those captured and brutally executed.

The horrifying events left the community in shock and mourning, as families were torn apart by the senseless violence. Reports indicate that the occupying forces carried out these acts as part of a broader campaign of terror and suppression, aimed at instilling fear and dismantling the social fabric of the Ambazonian people.

This act of aggression adds to the long list of atrocities committed by the Cameroon Occupation Forces in Ambazonia. The deliberate targeting of civilians, including women and children, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The use of abduction, torture, and extrajudicial killings violates fundamental human rights and international legal standards. The people of Elak Oku continue to endure the devastating consequences of this violence, while the international community remains largely silent in the face of such egregious crimes.

The atrocities committed in Elak Oku by the Cameroon Occupation Forces constitute War Crimes under international law. War Crimes are defined as serious violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly those acts that target civilians who are not directly participating in hostilities. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which protects civilian populations during armed conflicts, strictly prohibits acts such as murder, torture, inhumane treatment, and unlawful imprisonment. Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions explicitly states that violence against persons taking no active part in hostilities, including cruel treatment and torture, is prohibited under all circumstances. The abduction and execution of civilians, including women and children, fall squarely within this category.

Additionally, these actions violate the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which classifies the willful killing of civilians, enforced disappearances, and acts of torture as war crimes under Article 8. Furthermore, the large-scale execution of civilians, especially vulnerable groups like women and children, could be classified as crimes against humanity under Article 7, as they form part of a widespread and systematic attack on a civilian population. The Rome Statute also defines the persecution of a specific group, including ethnic or national populations, as a crime against humanity.

Moreover, the burning, looting, and destruction of homes and properties used for civilian livelihoods violate Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees the right to adequate living standards, including access to shelter, food, and security. The intentional displacement of civilians by destroying their homes is a form of collective punishment, which is strictly forbidden under international law.

The continued failure of the international community to hold Cameroon accountable for these repeated war crimes in Ambazonia allows impunity to persist. The targeted abduction, torture, and execution of innocent civilians demand urgent intervention from international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court. Investigations must be launched to ensure that those responsible face justice. Without accountability, the people of Ambazonia will remain vulnerable to further atrocities, and the cycle of violence will continue unchecked.

GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA