We Live in a War Zone”: The Forgotten Ethnic Cleansing in Cameroon
We Live in a War Zone”: The Forgotten Ethnic Cleansing in Cameroon
Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis has displaced millions — so why does no one talk about it?
While the world stays fixated on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, another humanitarian disaster is unfolding with far less attention: the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. Since 2016, the brutal conflict has displaced more than 1.2 million people internally and forced over 70,000 to flee to neighboring Nigeria. At least 6,000 civilians have been killed — a figure human rights groups believe is a major undercount.
Despite the sheer scale of the suffering, the crisis remains one of the world’s most neglected, earning barely a mention in international headlines. This post explores the historical context, the present-day atrocities, why the world looks away, and what it will take to stop the violence.
The Colonial Wound That Never Healed
A Divided Birth
Cameroon’s crisis traces back to its colonial legacy. After Germany lost World War I, its colony Kamerun was split between Britain and France. In 1961, the British Southern Cameroons joined French-speaking Cameroon in what was supposed to be a federation. But by 1972, that federation was dissolved, and power was centralized in Francophone Yaoundé.
Anglophones: Marginalized from the Start
Comprising just 20% of the population, Anglophones have long complained of systemic exclusion — from underrepresentation in government to neglect of their resource-rich regions. Despite contributing significantly to Cameroon’s economy, English-speaking areas have seen little development and increasing pressure to assimilate into the Francophone system.
The 2016 Spark
What began as peaceful protests by Anglophone lawyers and teachers over the erosion of their legal and education systems quickly turned violent. Government forces responded with brutal crackdowns, igniting a full-blown armed conflict.
A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds
The scale of the disaster is staggering:
Over 600,000 children are out of school due to violence and the destruction of over 100 schools.
Half of all health facilities in conflict zones are either damaged or non-functional.
Displaced communities face outbreaks of cholera and measles, while vaccination rates have plummeted.
In some areas, maternal mortality has tripled.
Ghost towns have become the new normal. Every Monday, separatists enforce total shutdowns with threats of violence, forcing businesses, schools, and even hospitals to close. One woman in Bamenda shared, “We sleep in the bush when we hear gunshots. My children haven’t seen a classroom in three years.”
Others recount even worse. “The military burned our village saying we supported ‘Amba boys.’ Where do we go now?”, said a father from Momo Division.
UNICEF estimates that 80% of schools in the conflict zone have been shut down.
The Perpetrators of Pain
Government Forces
The Cameroonian military’s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) has been accused of widespread atrocities: village burnings, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings — more than 1,200 documented cases, according to Human Rights Watch.
Separatist Militias
On the other side, the Ambazonia Defense Forces and similar groups enforce their rule with an iron grip. They’ve kidnapped students, executed suspected informants, and violently enforce shutdowns. In their efforts to “protect” Anglophone identity, they’ve created yet another layer of terror for civilians caught in the middle.
Why the World Stays Silent
Despite the crisis nearing a decade, the global response has been alarmingly absent. Why?
No oil, no urgency: Cameroon lacks the strategic resources that drive international intervention.
Media blackout: Only 12% of major international outlets reported on the Anglophone crisis in 2023, according to a BBC Africa investigation.
UN gridlock: Russia and China continue to block stronger action at the UN Security Council.
Regional silence: The African Union avoids stepping in due to concerns about setting a precedent.
Meanwhile, international powers look the other way. France continues to supply military aid. The U.S., focused on counterterrorism, provides funding that is often diverted to repress internal dissent. Nigeria has even helped detain Anglophone activists.
What Can Be Done
The conflict won’t end with silence. Here’s what must happen:
Urgent Interventions
Humanitarian corridors for aid organizations to reach those in need.
Ceasefire monitoring by neutral, international observers.
Protection for schools and hospitals, currently being targeted by both sides.
Long-Term Reforms
Federalism or decentralization to give Anglophone regions real autonomy.
A Truth & Reconciliation Commission, similar to South Africa’s post-apartheid model.
Economic reparations to rebuild destroyed communities.
Linguistic justice — ensuring both English and French-speaking Cameroonians enjoy equal rights and protections.
What You Can Do
This is not a conflict we can afford to ignore. Here’s how you can help:
Donate to field responders like Doctors Without Borders and local advocacy groups like CHRDA.
Raise awareness: Use hashtags like #FreeAmbazonia and #CameroonCrisis to keep the story alive.
Pressure your representatives to call for international attention and accountability.
Conclusion: The Test of Our Humanity
Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis is not just a regional issue — it’s a moral test. The lives lost, the villages razed, and the children robbed of futures deserve more than apathy. If the world fails to act, it’s not because we didn’t know — it’s because we chose not to care.