By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kate Bih
Published on 2024-02-12 19:06:11
Residents of Jakiri in the North West Region in Cameroon abruptly ended their church service on February 11th when separatist fighters disrupted the proceedings. Led by self-styled General Capo of Bui, the attackers accused worshippers of pretence and disrupted the Sunday Mass at the Catholic church in Jakiri.
The armed group stormed the church premises and ordered hundreds of Christians to evacuate the church, capturing the incident on video. They accused the worshippers of pretending to attend church while planning to take part in the banned Youth Day activities. The fighters were heard instructing everyone to go home and say their prayers there, and not participate in the Youth Day festivities.
As a result of the disruption, the planned Youth Day celebrations faced further turmoil as the separatists took over the Grandstand and claimed control of the area, forcing the festivities to be relocated to a nearby school premises.
The incident occurred on National Youth Day, which is celebrated on February 11th, and has historical significance as it marks the day when Southern Cameroon voted to join the Republic of Cameroon in 1961. However, since the start of the Anglophone Crisis in 2016, separatists have prohibited the celebration of such events in English-speaking regions.
In Jakiri, the Bui Warriors, a separatist group, have established a presence and enforced measures such as ghost towns and school boycotts on the local population. Those who defy their orders face reprisal attacks, as warned by one of the separatists during the church evacuation.
Despite President Paul Biya’s statement suggesting a return to calm in the Anglophone regions, recent attacks contradict this assertion. The ongoing conflict in the Anglophone regions has tragically claimed over 6,000 lives and displaced over one million people from their homes.
The situation in Bui Division is chaotic, with various separatist groups establishing a presence and enforcing their measures on the local population. The disruption of church services and Youth Day activities is just one example of the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
