Cameroon: North-West and South-West - Situation Report No. 66 (June 2024)

This report is produced by OCHA Cameroon in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 1 to 30 June 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

• WASH and Health clusters intensified their efforts for preparedness and awareness raising due to high risk of cholera outbreaks
• Inter-communal clashes between farmers and herders continued in Donga - Mantung division
• At least eight incidents recorded/reported against humanitarian workers and assets

SITUATION OVERVIEW / HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

The population of the North-West and South-West regions (NWSW) continued to suffer from the impact of frequent attacks and clashes between parties to the crisis. The effects on populations include loss of life, arbitrary arrests and detention, destruction of property and arson, kidnapping for ransom, harassment or threats at checkpoints/roadblocks and demands for illegal payments, restriction of movement due to frequent lockdowns, roadblocks and curfews, and sustained use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Humanitarian workers are facing the risks of collateral damage, and being harassed, detained or kidnapped. During June, at least eight incidents involving humanitarian workers were recorded in NWSW. Four of them took place in the NW and four in the SW.

Frequent roadblocks especially in NW continue, with Bamenda - Batibo road still blocked, as well as Bamenda – Mbengwi and Bamenda-Fundong while other axes in the region remain challenging.

The ban of NSAGs on yellow taxis and their request to paint taxis in white and blue limited the number of circulating taxis, as well as their use by the population. While the ban was supposed to start on the first of July, two related incidents were recorded in Bamenda on 5 June. The ban, in addition to the imposed curfew from 6 pm to 6 am, the frequent ghost towns and lockdowns, and the roadblocks, are among contributing factors to movements limitations and the deterioration of the already fragile social and economic situation and impact on livelihoods.

Clashes between farmers and herders continued to be recorded in Donga - Mantung division, NW region with two incidents reported in Dumbu and in Misaje central, (Misaje subdivision). Due to the recurrence of such incidents, the community members of Misaje staged a peaceful march denouncing the situation and calling for help to address it.

In June, 1,127 return movements were recorded in SW, while 1,804 persons were temporarily displaced in NW and SW to nearby bushes, villages, and towns. The displacements recorded were pendular and all displaced persons returned to their areas of origin shortly after the situation calmed down.