A group of international NGOs has called for an immediate humanitarian response to address the increasing needs in the Far North Region of Cameroon.
This call for urgent assistance was made via a statement released on Friday September 25, 2020.
According to a statement, three suicide attacks took place between August 1 and September 14, 2020 in camps and localities hosting internally displaced people.
“Thirty civilians were killed and more than 40 injured in the attacks,” it says.
“These attacks are part of a significant increase in violent incidents in Cameroon’s Far North Region, in recent months,” the statement added.
Fabienne Mially, from Premiere Urgence Internationale, lead of the Rapid Response Mechanism in the region, said “Survivors are forced to flee, leaving everything they own behind to save their lives. Most of them have no place to sleep and almost no access to water and health care.”
“It is unacceptable that people who went through so much violence and despair are not receiving the support they need,” Mially said.
According to the statement, conflict in the region has forced the displacement of over 321,886 Cameroonians and 115,000 Nigerian refugees.
The statement quoted Fatima,34 years old and pregnant, as saying, “I had to flee one year ago when my village was attacked. I have seen how they have barbarously killed some members of my family and those images are still vivid in my mind.”
“I have lost sleep due to the nightmares, I am alive for sure, but I can hardly feel alive,” Fatima added.
The NGOs that signed the statement included Action Contre la Faim, International Medical Corps, IEDA Relief, Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran World Federation, Premiere Urgence Internationale and Alliance for International Medical Action.
