Allegra Baiocchi, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Cameroon condemned the increasing abductions and extortion of humanitarian workers in the North West and southwest regions of Cameroon. 

On Saturday, May 30, separatists abducted seven staff of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, a faith-based non-governmental organization in Bambui, North-West region. They were released two days later. 

These recent attacks are the latest in which aid workers have been attacked by anglophone separatists fighting Cameroon’s military.

In her statement, Ms. Baiocchi, said attacks against aid workers disrupt the provision of life-saving assistance and services to people in need.

Cameroon’s Anglophone regions face a serious humanitarian crisis with over 650,000 internally displaced, and 1.8 million relying on humanitarian aid including 1.4 million people who lack reliable access to food.

Also, these renewed attacks against aid workers are coming at a time when aid agencies are scaling up to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic.

To read more, please visit:

https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Statement%20Attacks%20June%202020.pdf

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/04/renewed-attacks-aid-workers-cameroon

Author: Abbiba Ivy Princewill