Cameroon : Situation Report, 1 November 2022

HIGHLIGHTS

• North-West and South West situation report (1 August30 September 2022)

• Over 8,842 persons were forced to flee their homes due to clashes and violations perpetrated against civilians.

• Nine attacks on education including the kidnapping of teachers and students, and arson of school facilities were registered in August and September.

• Five attacks on health care were reported.

• Three weeks of lockdown imposed by non-State armed groups (NSAGs) in August and September, hampering the humanitarian operations in the two regions.

Situation Overview / Humanitarian access

The situation in the North-West and South-West regions (NWSW) remains volatile with a one-week lockdown imposed in August and a two-week-long lockdown in September imposed by NSAGs. In some localities where the lockdown was not strictly observed, it was enforced through roadblocks and violence targeting communities, including abductions, and killing of civilians. The insecurity led to multiple population displacements across the NWSW with over 8,842 persons fleeing their homes including 1,235 people who fled to the neighbouring Centre and Littoral regions.

Fighting between State security forces (SSF) and NSAGs continued exposing civilians to death and injuries. Targeted attacks against populations, kidnappings for ransom, arbitrary arrests, extortion of money and destruction of property have been observed. On 7 September, NSAG fighters along the Ekona-Muyuka road stretch fired shots at a public transport vehicle, killing four civilians and injuring eight others. On 16 September, nine persons including six religious personnel were kidnapped by members of NSAGs in Nchang village in Manyu divisions in the SW.

Education continues to be politicized and a surge in attacks on education was observed in the run-up to the academic year in September. Some people fled in anticipation of lockdowns and in search of better educational opportunities for their children. Various NSAGs made contradictory statements to announce their position on education as schools were preparing to open doors. Their positions varied from the authorization of community and private schools to the banning of Government education facilities and threats of attacks on teachers and students. In September, NSAGs enforced a two-week violent lockdown from 5 to 16 September to boycott the school start, with some factions announcing that the school year can start only on 4 October. On the other hand, the Senior divisional officers (SDOs) for Boyo and Bui divisions in the NW banned the creation and running of community schools in their divisions.

Over nine attacks on education were registered in August and September. About 15 teachers from two schools in the NW were abducted and later released upon payment of a ransom. They were accused of enrolling students for the new academic year. In September, 24 children have been abducted by NSAGs including 18 in Boyo division in the NW and 6 in Bolifamba some 6km from Buea, the regional capital of the SW. In five other incidents, three schools in the SW were partially burnt, allegedly by NSAGs.

Since January 2022, partners have reported overall the abduction of 73 teachers and students. Five teachers and students were killed, seven teachers and students were injured and about eight incidents of arson on educational facilities were reported.

Access to healthcare remains challenging in the NWSW. Both SSF and NSAGs continue to hinder health assistance. A total of five incidents affecting healthcare were reported in September. Incidents vary from threats to forceful removal of patients from hospitals, illegal detention of hospital personnel, and kidnappings.

Humanitarian actors continue to operate under numerous constraints including repeated lockdowns imposed by NSAGs, harassment at different checkpoints, bureaucratic impediments, diversion of humanitarian aid, and risk of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in public spaces and main roads in urban and rural areas. In addition, heavy rains have rendered some roads difficult to use and others impassable. Partners reported eleven attacks on humanitarian organizations in the