January 25, 2021, Mankon, Mezam State, Northern Ambazonia, the Cameroon Occupation Forces carried out a brutal attack on innocent and unarmed civilians. Eyewitnesses recounted that civilians were forcibly abducted, subjected to inhumane torture, and ultimately killed by the occupying forces.

The attack did not stop at human lives; the forces also set fire to a school in the community, destroying an essential institution that served as a place of learning and hope for the children.

The burning of the school further demonstrated the deliberate and systematic effort to suppress the people by not only inflicting immediate violence but also erasing opportunities for education and development within the community. The terror instilled by these actions left survivors in fear, forcing them to flee or live under constant oppression, with no means to rebuild their lives.

These acts constitute grave violations of International Humanitarian Law and are classified as War Crimes under multiple legal frameworks. The Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, explicitly prohibit the targeting of civilians, torture, and destruction of civilian infrastructure such as schools.

Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions states that all civilians and non-combatants must be treated humanely and protected from violence, including murder and cruel treatment. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) also categorizes such actions as War Crimes under Article 8, which criminalizes the intentional killing of civilians, torture, and the destruction of civilian property without military justification. Additionally, the burning of a school is a direct violation of international human rights law, particularly Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees the right to education.

The destruction of educational institutions as a means of warfare is also condemned by the Safe Schools Declaration, an international commitment to protect schools from attacks during armed conflicts. These deliberate attacks not only violate the fundamental rights of individuals but also serve as a tool of systemic oppression, aimed at depriving communities of their future by limiting access to education.

The international community must intervene to hold those responsible accountable for these atrocities and to ensure that such crimes do not continue unchecked. Justice for the victims is crucial, and steps must be taken to restore the community’s right to education, security, and dignity.

GENOCIDE IN AMBAZONIA