L’Osservatorio monitors the web and other information sources daily to provide in-depth news on the impact of contemporary armed conflicts on civilians.
4 June 2019
The Norwegian Refugee Council launches the list of the world’s most neglected crises with Cameroon reaching the top.
On 4 June 2019 the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) published its annual list of the world’s most neglected displacement crises for 2018, placing Cameroon on the first place.
Severe situation in Cameroon is being constantly aggravated not only by violence, the direct cause of the deepening conflicts occurring in the country, but also the lack of international interest.
NRC is an independent humanitarian organization that helps people forced to flee. Every year, the organization releases a list of the ten most neglected displacement crises, having evaluated them against three criteria: lack of funding, lack of media attention and political neglect. The latest report puts Cameroon in the spotlight. According to NRC, the armed conflict in the English-speaking parts of Cameroon have forced half a million people to abandon their homes in the Southwest and Northwest regions. In addition, as a result of the ongoing crisis, hundreds of villages have been burned and hospitals have been attacked. Despite the visible severity of the crisis as of now no major mediation efforts have been undertaken, no relief programmes have been implemented, and the limited media attention and political interest are insufficient to inflict pressure on parties involved, urging them to put an end to the continuous cycle of violence.
Having in mind the unrest in the country, the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, sent Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute on a peace mission to the conflict regions, hoping to find a political solution. Meanwhile, Jan Egeland, the Secretary-General of the NRC, has recently visited Cameroon where he denounced the attitude of the international community condemning it for not taking responsibility for taking action in order to improve Cameroon’s situation. In the current circumstances, the conflict is allowed to continue. By releasing the annual list, NRC is hoping to bring more attention to humanitarian issues and to raise awareness of the international community of the crises occurring in the listed countries in order to enable positive action and to bring humanitarian relief to the victims.
To read more, visit:
https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL8N23B3EZ
https://www.voanews.com/a/cameroon-tops-list-of-neglected-displacement-crises/4947800.html
Author: Giulia Francescon - Editor: Aleksandra Krol
11 June 2019
Sudanese doctors describe dozens of rapes, killings, and injuries carried out during an attack on the protest camp in the capital city.
On the third of June, Sudanese paramilitaries were reported to have raped more than 70 people while conducting an attack on a pro-democracy protest camp in the capital city of Khartoum. As the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries clashed with protesters, the RSF used excessive force on civilians, causing an estimated number of 100 deaths and 700 injuries. In the aftermath, dozens of bodies have been found in the Nile River.
Although the extent of sexual violence remains unknown due to communication restrictions in Sudan, several rape cases have been reported despite the cut off the internet connection in Khartoum. Namely, a doctor at Royal Care hospital described treating eight victims of rape: five women and three men, whereas another hospital reported receiving two rape cases including a single victim raped by four paramilitaries. Many witnesses on social media reported similar cases, showing videos of paramilitaries charging, shooting, and beating unarmed civilians.
Paramilitaries invaded a hospital close to the protest site and assaulted at least one civilian, with most assaults having occurred in the streets as the RSF was chasing protesters during the week-long sit-in. Due to the unstable situation in the capital, limited medical assistance and the fear of government reprisals, a multitude of victims remain untreated.
Shops remain closed and streets are deserted. Even though the military leaders ordered the deferral of religious celebrations marking the festival of Eid, thousands of protesters defied the order and proceeded to put up roadblocks in the streets.
The military, who has been in power since April 2019 after ousting the previous president Omar al-Bashir, has refused to acknowledge the protesters’ demands and blamed the coalition of pro-democracy groups, Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF), for the unrest. Lt Gen Jamaleddine Omar, from the Military Council, has accused protesters of committing a crime by blocking the streets as it prevents people from carrying on in their daily routines.
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has criticised the use of brutal force towards the protesters and demanded an independent investigation to be conducted. Simultaneously, the African Union (AU) has suspended Sudan in its capacity as a member until a civilian-led transitional authority is created. Meanwhile, the DFCF plans to continue campaigning for a change until a democratic system is established in Sudan.
To read more, visit:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48511226
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/06/1040471
Author: Giulia DeLuca; Editor: Aleksandra Krol
