Southern Cameroons: Controversy over October 1 death toll: What Do the Numbers Really Say?

03/10/2017

It has been extremely difficult to establish the actual death toll following the demonstrations that were staged in Southern Cameroons on October 1. The figures put forward by NGOs and the Biya Francophone government diverges. While Amnesty International speaks of 17 deaths, other NGOs such as the Network for the Defense of Human Rights in Central Africa (REDHAC) has gone further and cited 22 deaths.

The Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the so-called main opposition party in La Republique du Cameroun, Ni John Fru Ndi, yesterday opined that there were more than 30 deaths in the Bamenda County alone while the Francophone governor in the same county, Adolphe Lele Lafrique Tchoffo placed the death toll at 6.

According to some sources, the Buea Province of Southern Cameroons recorded 7 deaths with dozens of people wounded. Although some official sources confirm these figures, the Francophone government spokesman, Issa Tchiroma has however contested them. The killings have however attracted national and international condemnation. The SDF leader Ni John Fru Ndi was quoted as saying “Paul Biya must be brought before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.”

The United Nations (UN) is no exception. In a statement issued today the 3^rd of October 2017, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, through his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, “invited the Cameroonian authorities to investigate the incidents” which took place on the 1^st of October in Southern Cameroons. Antonio Guterres, said he “remains deeply concerned about the situation in Cameroon and strongly condemns acts of violence including loss of life”.

Below is a list of the atrocities committed by French Cameroun forces on Friday the 22nd September, 28^th of September and October the 1^st.

September 22nd 2017

A.SHOT AND KILLED BY LRC