September 12, 2019, Meme State, Southern Ambazonia, Cameroon Occupation Forces reportedly abducted, tortured, and executed innocent civilians, while eyewitnesses confirmed that they also burned down schools and houses, inflicting widespread destruction and suffering on the community.
The reported actions of the Cameroon Occupation Forces on September 12, 2019, in Meme State represent egregious violations of International Humanitarian Law and constitute War Crimes.
The abduction, torture, and execution of civilians contravene Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits violence to life and person, including murder, mutilation, and cruel treatment, against individuals not actively participating in hostilities.
The victims were civilians, unarmed and uninvolved in any Military operations, making their targeting a clear breach of the fundamental principle of distinction, which requires parties in armed conflicts to differentiate between combatants and civilians, affording the latter full protection from direct attacks.
The deliberate burning of schools and homes further violates several provisions of international law. Under Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the destruction of civilian property is prohibited unless it is absolutely necessary for military operations.
The burning of schools, which are civilian infrastructure with special protection, directly undermines the rights of children to education and safety, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
By targeting educational facilities, the perpetrators not only disrupted the immediate lives of the community but also inflicted long-term harm on the region’s development and stability. Additionally, the destruction of homes amounts to collective punishment, a practice explicitly outlawed by International Law.
The principle of proportionality, a cornerstone of the Laws of War, mandates that harm to civilians or civilian objects must not be excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage. The indiscriminate and punitive nature of these acts indicates a gross disregard for this principle. Eyewitness accounts provide critical evidence that supports investigations into these violations and strengthen calls for accountability.
These actions constitute War Crimes and possibly Crimes against humanity, necessitating immediate and impartial investigations by International and domestic Judicial bodies. Ensuring justice for the victims is essential to breaking the cycle of impunity, restoring trust in the rule of law, and upholding the protections afforded to civilians under international humanitarian law.
Genocide in Ambazonia