February 21, 2020, Fungom, Menchum State, Northern Ambazonia, the Cameroon Occupation Forces carried out yet another gruesome act of violence, terror, and War Crimes against innocent civilians. Eyewitness accounts confirm that over 20 innocent individuals, including women and children, were mercilessly abducted, tortured, and executed without any justifiable cause.
The victims were unarmed, posing no threat to the military forces, yet they were subjected to brutal treatment and summary executions. Reports from survivors indicate that some victims were taken from their homes in the dead of night, others were captured while going about their daily activities, and many were forced to endure inhumane conditions before being killed in cold blood.
The massacre in Fungom is part of a widespread and systematic campaign of violence, fear, and oppression orchestrated by the Cameroon government against the people of Ambazonia. The deliberate targeting of civilians, particularly women and children, reflects an intent to not only inflict suffering on individuals but to also weaken entire communities, forcing mass displacement and creating a climate of terror.
The brutality inflicted on these defenseless civilians is in direct violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime. The international community must take urgent action to hold Cameroon’s military accountable for these atrocities and to ensure that justice is served for the victims and their families.
The abduction, torture, and extrajudicial killing of over 20 innocent civilians, including women and children, by the Cameroon Occupation Forces in Fungom, Menchum State, constitute grave violations of international law and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under the following legal frameworks:
- Geneva Conventions (1949) – Common Article 3: Prohibits murder, torture, and cruel treatment of civilians and non-combatants during armed conflict. The killing of unarmed civilians in Fungom directly violates this law.
- United Nations Convention Against Torture (1984) – Article 1: Outlaws any act of torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The Cameroon military’s systematic use of torture against innocent civilians breaches this fundamental convention.
- Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – Articles 7 & 8: Defines widespread and systematic attacks against civilians, including murder, torture, and enforced disappearances, as crimes against humanity and war crimes. The execution of innocent civilians in Fungom falls within these definitions.
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) – Articles 3 & 5: Guarantees the right to life, liberty, and security while prohibiting torture and inhumane treatment.
This horrific attack underscores the urgent need for international intervention to stop the ongoing atrocities, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect innocent civilians from further war crimes and crimes against humanity.
GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA