Cameroonian separatists have intensified their efforts to disrupt the country’s Senate elections, according to reports. The military has confirmed that rebels in the North-West region have been blocking roads and attacking military vehicles ahead of the vote. Witnesses have claimed to have seen several bodies near the destroyed vehicles, although the military has not confirmed any casualties.
The government has insisted that the vote will go ahead as planned on Sunday, despite the efforts of separatists to disrupt the elections. The Senate elections will see 70 of the 100 seats in the upper house of Parliament contested, with the remaining 30 being appointed by President Paul Biya.
Separatist rebels have been fighting against the government in Cameroon since 2017, following what they claimed were years of discrimination by the French-speaking majority against the English-speaking minority. The conflict has so far claimed the lives of more than 3,500 people and displaced over half a million.
The latest escalation in violence comes amid reports of gun battles between the government’s troops and separatist fighters in several dozen locations across the country, including Bamenda, Ndop, Wum, Jakiri, Oku, Bambili and Sabga in the North-West region, and Manfe, Menji and Tiko in the South-West region.
The government has also reported that several military vehicles have been destroyed by improvised bombs planted by the separatists in the North-West. Although the military has refused to comment on the number of troops killed, witnesses have claimed to have seen bodies near the destroyed vehicles.
The opposition Social Democratic Front has called on the government to postpone the elections, arguing that the ongoing conflict makes it impossible for candidates to campaign. Vanigansen Mochiggle, an SDF candidate, claimed that separatists were “all over the place” and that it was “very difficult” for candidates to move around.
The Roman Catholic Church has also voiced its concerns about the security situation in the country, claiming that transport buses and private vehicles have been grounded and that there has been no movement of people or goods in the past three days.
Meanwhile, the SDF has accused the government of ordering the military to protect only candidates from the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement. The government denies the accusation and has insisted that it will ensure the safety of all civilians during the elections.
Deben Tchoffo, the governor of the North-West region, has stated that Biya has given instructions to the military to protect all civilians and ensure the elections are “hitch-free”. Tchoffo also warned that separatists who attack government troops and civilians in an attempt to disrupt the elections would be killed if they did not surrender.
The situation in Cameroon remains tense ahead of Sunday’s Senate elections, with separatists continuing their attempts to disrupt the vote. Despite calls for the elections to be postponed, the government insists that they will go ahead as planned, and the military has vowed to protect the voting process. The ongoing conflict in the country has claimed the lives of thousands and displaced many more, highlighting the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Who are the separatist rebels in the North-West region of Cameroon?
The separatist rebels in Cameroon’s North-West region are fighting for the independence of the English-speaking minority from the French-speaking majority. The conflict began in 2017 when separatists took up arms against the government, claiming that they had been discriminated against for years. The government responded with force, leading to a violent conflict that has claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced many more. The separatists have been accused of using improvised bombs to attack government troops and civilians and have been designated as a terrorist group by the government.
