The trial of three security force members accused of being involved in the massacre of 21 civilians in Ngarbuh, in Cameroon’s North-West region, is due to begin on December 17, 2020. The Ngarbuh killings, on February 14, 2020, were one of the worst incidents of abuse by Cameroonian security forces since the crisis in the country’s Anglophone regions began in late 2016. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns over some of the government investigation’s key findings, including claims that 5 of those killed were separatist fighters and that 13 civilians were killed in crossfire. Their lawyers told Human Rights Watch that they are working on a voluntary basis and are struggling to find the necessary resources to make sure their clients can attend the trial. “The progress represented by this trial is substantial, but still only one piece of fighting impunity in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions,” Allegrozzi said.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 14, 2020 12:56 UTC