Protesters gather in Yaoundé October 26
Category: Unrest
Severity: 2 (Low)
Source: Drum Cussac
10/26/2020 (Cameroon) - On Monday, October 26, women gathered in Yaoundé to protest the killing of children in the ongoing separatist insurgency in the country's Anglophone regions. The demonstration comes following a shooting at a private school in Kumba (Southwest region) on Saturday, October 24, in which at least seven children were killed and 12 wounded. Reports suggest that the protest remained peaceful.
Further associated demonstrations are possible in Yaoundé and other cities in the near term. Heightened security presence and localized disruptions should also be expected at protest sites.
Context
On Saturday, October 24, gunmen attacked a school in Kumba in the restive Southwest region, killing at least seven children and injuring a dozen others. The attackers who targeted the Mother Francisca school in Fiango, are believed to have been Anglophone separatist rebels, although this was not confirmed. Both the government and separatists have since denied responsibility and blamed each other for the attack.
Tensions between Cameroon's minority English-speaking community and the national authorities remain high in the Northwest and Southwest regions, where a separatist movement has transformed into a low-level armed insurgency. The situation has deteriorated considerably since September 2017, when secessionists unilaterally proclaimed independence in the region. The United Nations estimates that at least 50,000 Cameroonians have fled the fighting to Nigeria since the beginning of the conflict, with more than 675,000 others believed to have been internally displaced.
Those in Yaoundé are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests and political gatherings, and adhere to instructions issued by the local authorities.
Copyright © 2024 Drum Cussac
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