Cameroon’s international partners including France and the United Nations have condemned last week’s killing of 23 villagers in a troubled English-speaking region. The incident on Friday took place in a region where armed separatists are campaigning for independence from the rest of Cameroon, which is majority French-speaking. More than 3,000 people have died and at least 700,000 have fled their homes in the nearly 29-month-old conflict. Rights watchdogs say they have documented killings of civilians and other abuses by the armed forces as well as by separatists. The United Nations on Tuesday urged authorities in Cameroon to conduct an independent investigation into the “shocking” incident and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable. Citing information from colleagues on the ground, the UN rights office said two pregnant women and 15 children, nine of them aged under five, were among those killed. “We urge the authorities to ensure that the investigation is independent, impartial and thorough, and that those responsible are held fully to account,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS