Cameroon: North-West and South-West - Situation Report No. 54 (May 2023)

This report is produced by OCHA Cameroon in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 1st to 31 May 2023. The next report will be issued in July 2023

HIGHLIGHTS

• 126 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admitted for treatment in the North-West (NW) and South-West (SW) regions.

• 33 suspected cases of monkey pox declared in Mbonge and Kumba South health districts in the SW region.

• A health facility destroyed, and a health worker injured in Mamfe health district in the SW region.

• 5 IEDs incidents reported in the NW and SW.

• 9,514 persons reportedly displaced in the NW and SW. Most movements were temporary or pendular.

SITUATION OVERVIEW / HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

The situation in the North-West (NW) and South-West (SW) regions remained concerning, characterized by violence, leading to civilians being killed, kidnapping for ransom, arbitrary arrests, and destruction of property. Civilians and humanitarians also suffer from the multiplicity of illegal checkpoints and the demands for illegal payments, roadblocks, and sustained use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

In May, a non-State armed group (NSAG) attacked a secondary school in Benakuma, (Menchum valley subdivision,
Menchum division, NW region), and abducted teachers and students. Upon their release, they were given flyers forbidding civilians to participate in the National Day activities.

Healthcare also continued to be targeted, with two NSAG attacks leading to the injury of a health worker and the destruction of a health facility in the Mamfe health district (Manyu division, SW region). Also, a community mobiliser working with a local NGO was shot on the leg in Mboum village (Menchum division, NW region).

The use of IEDs remained prevalent with about five incidents reported. On 7 May, NSAG detonated an IED targeting State security forces (SSF) in Tobin (Bui division, NW region). On 10 May, two radio-controlled IEDs were denotated targeting a SSF convoy in Ikiliwindi along the Kumba - Mamfe road axis (Meme division, SW region). Furthermore, on 11 May, one IED attack was recorded along the Mamfe-Ekok road in the Eyumodjock subdivision and another on 20 May in Buea (Fako division, SW region) just after the National Day commemorative activities. These incidents limited civilian movements and humanitarian access to affected populations.

Violence in the regions resulted in multiple displacements with 9,514 persons reportedly displaced to nearby bushes, villages, and towns in May. Manyu division in the SW and Bui division in the NW were the most affected. Most of the displacements were pendular and temporary, as the civilian population is gradually adapting to the crisis, running to safety during clashes or other forms of violence and returning when calm returns.

Humanitarian activities were heavily affected during the three-day lockdown imposed by NSAGs in the run-up to the National Day celebrated on 20 May. The call was followed by attacks in several locations to ensure that it was respected. Humanitarian partners had to suspend operations from 18 to 20 May.