Tension mounts between Cameroon separatists, soldiers

Tension continues to mount between separatists and soldiers in Cameroon’s north-west and south-west regions.

It follows a protracted conflict which has led some 500,000 indigenes fleeing the country.

Bamenda Brigadier General Agha Robinson Ndong commands 5th Joint Military Region.

“I’m telling you again, that we might not be saints, we are not, but we do our best. So the population understands that. We are with them and we’ve come here not only to defend them, to encourage them to develop themselves”, General Ndong said.

The region is burdened with violence and instability by armed separatists who wish to create a breakaway state called Ambazonia.

“The region is desperate at this particular moment i.e.: it’s using every means to smear the Ambazonian war of independence and to escape, you know, crimes against humanity”, said President of the Ambazonia Governing Council, Dr Cho Ayaba.

There have been allegations of threat, torture and execution, a claim human rights groups blame both sides for.

But both the Cameroonian army and separatists deny the claim and blame the other party.

The English-speaking region claims to be sidelined by the country’s French speaking majority. Hundreds have been killed and the separatists have vowed to destabilise the region.

Recently, Switzerland says it will mediate the crisis in this Central African nation.

AP