April 11, 2024, Mezam State, Northern Ambazonia, CAMEROONIAN OCCUPATION FORCES committed a grave atrocity by abducting, torturing, and executing Pa Oritoi and his family. At approximately 2:00 AM, armed forces from La République du Cameroun (LRC) stormed their residence in Bamfen Quarter, opposite the Presbyterian Church. Without provocation, the soldiers forcibly removed the family, subjected them to inhumane treatment, and executed them in cold blood. This act exemplifies the ongoing violence perpetrated by the occupying forces against innocent civilians. Pa Oritoi’s tragic fate underscores the brutality civilians face daily.

Dehumanization and Disposal of Victims
The brutality of this crime was further highlighted by how the victims’ bodies were discarded. Their remains were dumped into the River Roongwev, an ultimate act of disrespect and dehumanization. This deliberate effort to erase evidence of their crime is a clear attempt to evade justice and instill terror in the local population. Pa Oritoi and his family were not given the dignity of a proper burial, compounding the horror of their execution.

Systematic Violence Against Civilians
This incident is not isolated but part of a widespread pattern of violence inflicted by CAMEROONIAN OCCUPATION FORCES in Ambazonia. Civilians frequently face extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other heinous acts aimed at breaking their spirit. These systematic attacks meet the legal definition of War Crimes and crimes against humanity, as outlined under INTERNATIONAL LAWS. The murder of Pa Oritoi and his loved ones is one of many such tragic events.

Violation of the Geneva Conventions
The actions ofcameroon occupation forces directly violate the Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly Common Article 3, which prohibits murder, torture, and inhumane treatment of civilians in armed conflict. Additionally, Article 7(1)(a) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) categorizes murder as a crime against humanity when committed as part of a systematic attack on civilians. The killing of Pa Oritoi is a clear violation of these international protections.

Enforced Disappearance and War Crimes
The execution of Pa Oritoi and his family also breaches the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which outlaws secret abductions and extrajudicial executions. Furthermore, Article 8(2)(a)(i) of the Rome Statute classifies willful killing of civilians in armed conflict as a grave War Crime. Pa Oritoi’s case is emblematic of the ongoing atrocities committed by the occupying forces.

Call for Justice and Accountability
The INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY must urgently investigate these atrocities and hold perpetrators accountable. Failure to act will embolden those responsible and perpetuate a cycle of impunity. Justice must be served for the victims, and mechanisms must be enforced to prevent further violations of INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW in Ambazonia. The world must not forget the name Pa Oritoi, whose unjust killing demands accountability and justice.

GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA