June 2020, Nkambe, Mezam State, Ambazonia, became the site of unspeakable brutality and violence as the Cameroon Occupation Forces carried out yet another gruesome attack against innocent civilians. In a calculated and deliberate operation, heavily armed forces stormed the community, forcefully abducting individuals from their homes and workplaces without any legal justification.
The victims, who were unarmed and defenseless, were taken away under duress, their fates unknown to their loved ones.
Eyewitnesses recount the horrifying ordeal suffered by those abducted. Many of the civilians endured severe torture, with reports of beatings, electrocution, forced confessions, and other forms of inhumane treatment inflicted upon them.
The perpetrators showed no mercy, treating their captives as mere objects of cruelty. The purpose of this unlawful and barbaric act was to instill fear, subjugate the population, and suppress any opposition to the occupation.
After enduring relentless torture, many of the captives were executed in cold blood, their lives mercilessly cut short without trial or due process. The executions were not only extrajudicial but also carried out with complete disregard for human dignity and fundamental rights.
Families were left devastated, unable to recover the bodies of their loved ones or give them proper burials. The pain and grief that swept through Nkambe following this atrocity remain immeasurable, as entire families were torn apart, and an already struggling community was further destabilized.
The massacre in Nkambe is yet another stark reminder of the ongoing reign of terror and gross human rights violations committed by the Cameroon Occupation Forces in Ambazonia. The targeting of innocent civilians, the systematic use of abduction, torture, and execution as methods of control, and the complete disregard for international law highlight the urgent need for global intervention, accountability, and justice for the victims.
The abduction, torture, and execution of civilians are clear violations of international humanitarian law and constitute War Crimes under the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions strictly prohibits violence to life, cruel treatment, and torture of persons not actively engaged in conflict. Article 8(2)(c)(i) of the Rome Statute criminalizes murder, torture, and other inhumane acts carried out against civilians. These crimes also fall under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which defines widespread and systematic attacks against civilians as crimes against humanity.
The atrocities committed in Nkambe warrant immediate investigation, international legal action, and accountability for those responsible.
GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA