May 16, 2019, Wum, Menchum State, Northern Ambazonia, the Cameroon Occupation Forces carried out a brutal and indiscriminate attack targeting the essential livelihood of the local population. The forces raided the community, abducting and killing livestock, including cows, goats, and other animals critical for farming and sustenance.

These animals were not only integral to the economic stability of the community but also provided vital sources of food for families. Witnesses reported that livestock was mercilessly slaughtered or maimed, leaving the affected families devastated and struggling to survive without their primary means of sustenance.

This deliberate destruction inflicted severe emotional and economic distress, depriving residents of their ability to support themselves and exacerbating the hardships of those already enduring the burdens of conflict.

Such acts are not only morally reprehensible but also constitute clear violations of International Law, amounting to War Crimes. The deliberate targeting of civilian resources essential for survival breaches Article 54 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits attacks on objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including food supplies, livestock, and agricultural resources.

This provision is rooted in the fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which aim to protect civilians and their livelihoods from the devastating consequences of armed conflict.

Furthermore, the destruction and killing of livestock, without any military necessity, violates the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically under Article 8(2)(b)(ii), which criminalizes the intentional destruction of civilian property.

These actions are particularly egregious as they directly harm the most vulnerable members of the community, including women, children, and elderly individuals who depend on these resources for survival.

The slaughter of animals essential for food and farming represents a deliberate strategy to weaken the local population’s resilience and coerce compliance through starvation and economic deprivation.

Such practices not only deepen the humanitarian crisis but also undermine the principles of humanity and proportionality that govern conduct during war. The international community must condemn and hold accountable those responsible for these violations, ensuring justice for the victims and preventing further atrocities.

Atrocities in Ambazonia