In recent years, the human rights situation in Cameroon, particularly in the Anglophone regions, has reached alarming levels. Activists who dare to speak out face a climate of fear marked by arbitrary arrests, torture, and relentless persecution. Many have been forced to flee their homeland, seeking safety while leaving behind their lives, families, and communities.
One such individual is Morfaw Mforgham, an activist whose journey reflects the harsh realities many in the Anglophone community face. At 18, Mforgham’s life changed forever when his father was violently killed. This traumatic event propelled him into civil society, where he became a passionate advocate for human rights and the critical issues affecting his community.
However, like many others, his activism came at a steep price. In 2002, Mforgham and several others were detained by the BMM forces for 16 harrowing days. During this time, they were reportedly coerced into signing documents in French that silenced their voices on human rights and democracy. This was just the beginning of a series of brutal confrontations with the authorities. In 2008, during a national strike, countless activists and protesters were detained without charges and held incommunicado for nearly three months. They endured torture and harsh interrogations simply for daring to demand change.
The situation escalated further in September 2015 when Anglophone activists and pro-democracy campaigners, led by Barrister Nkongho Agbor Balla, met to address the plight of Anglophone lawyers. Security forces, heavily armed, broke up the meeting and arrested many attendees. The activists endured three days of intense interrogation about their activities related to the Anglophone common law system. It was only through mass protests that they were eventually released, underscoring the immense risks activists face in their fight for justice.
In 2016, after attending a consortium focused on Anglophone advocacy, several activists, including Oben Ndip, Brenda Ndum, Dimingue Emelda Fon, and Mforgham himself, became targets of arrest warrants. Their lawyers confirmed that their cases had been transferred to the BMM, a notorious secret service department known for its brutal tactics. The fears for their safety were heightened by the experiences of other regime critics who faced similar fates upon returning to Cameroon. Reports of activists being arrested at the airport without warning have only added to the chilling atmosphere of repression.
Today, with their names blacklisted and the threat of severe repercussions looming, many of these activists have fled abroad seeking safety. Their relatives, who prefer anonymity for security reasons, express deep concern. One family member stated, “If he were to return to Cameroon, he would likely face severe repercussions for his activism and outspoken criticism of the government.” This sentiment is echoed by many families of activists who live in constant fear of state retribution.
The ongoing human rights violations perpetrated by the Cameroonian state have drawn condemnation from various United Nations treaty bodies, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. These organizations have documented patterns of torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances, particularly rampant in the Anglophone regions where dissent is met with brutal suppression. It is appalling that members of the legal profession, journalists, and human rights activists are being forced into exile from a country that claims to uphold democracy and freedom.
A recent police raid on the SCNC office in Nkwen, where activists were detained under the pretense of planning an illegal meeting, further exemplifies the state’s heavy-handed approach to silencing dissent. Accusations of plotting to disrupt the Pope’s visit were made without any substantiating evidence, highlighting the arbitrary nature of such detentions.
Human rights lawyer Joseph Fru argues that the stories of fleeing civil society activists and other critically-minded citizens underscore the urgent need for international attention. “The rights of all individuals affected by this Anglophone crisis must be respected, protected, and upheld, as mandated by international human rights law,” Fru insists. He emphasizes the crucial role of the global community in standing in solidarity with those who risk their lives to speak the truth, ensuring that their voices are not silenced by fear and violence.