A New Amnesty Report Says English Speakers Are Being Tortured by Military and Separatists in Cameroon

The report says English speaking Cameroonians have been targeted in recent waves of violence in the country.

A new report from Amnesty International says tensions have reached an all new high in Cameroon that have led to the torturing of English-speaking residents in the country, CNNreports.

For years now, and one could argue since the 1960s, the two English-speaking provinces of Cameroon have been fighting against oppression by their neighboring majority Francophone government. Last year, Anglophone separatists went to the streets to protest against the heavy influence of the Francophone government and educational systems, to declare independence. 

Yet, Amnesty now reports within the year, the military and some armed Anglophone separatists have responded and escalated such protests with "torture, unlawful killings and destruction of property."

CNN also reports one individual's experience according to Amnesty: 

"They ... gagged us and tied our faces with our towels and shorts...They then made us lie in the water, face down for about 45 minutes. ... During three days, they beat us with shovels, hammers, planks and cables, kicked us with their boots and poured hot water on us ... when I tried to move and shouted, one of them used the cigarette he was smoking to burn me."

As if the risen violence and destruction in the country were not enough, there are also rumors that Paul Biya, the president of Cameroon who's held power for 35 years, sides with the alleged militant acts simply because he does not want to lose his seat, in spite of him condemning "all acts of violence, regardless of their sources and their perpetrators" in a statement.

It has been reported that Amnesty has evidence of said torture after interviewing over 150 other victims. Many have already lost their lives. Among the victims also lay innocent students and teachers who were harmed for not participating in the protests. In addition to the victimization of residents, properties and businesses are also in the face of destruction. 

Read the full report here.