Cameroon – European Affairs Magazine

Over 10,000 Nigerian refugees forced out by Cameroon arrive home

19 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

A total of 10,500 of the 79,000 Nigerian refugees have returned to Borno State. The refugees (who flee their home because of Boko Haram) were forced to return there by the Cameroonian government. Over 100,000 residents of the communities located in the border areas were displaced forcing them to seek refuge in the neighboring Cameroon. The United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) had in March expressed concerns that the forced return of refugees from Cameroon “have continued unabated despite the existence of an accord that allows the facilitation of voluntary return of Nigerian refugees when conditions were conducive”. Mr. Shettima, (Borno State Governor ) expressed regret over the action of the Cameroonian authorities, saying they had dishonored an earlier agreement reached with Nigerian and the UNHCR on the management of refugees: “The Cameroonian authorities have not been honorable in keeping the agreement signed with Nigeria and UNHCR on our people in their country”.

Millions of Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram risk statelessness, UN warns

9 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, Regional Representative for West Africa, Liz Ahua, says massive displacement in Nigeria’s North-East zone poses great dangers of statelessness for victims. She said that if urgent actions were not to be taken, some of the 2.4 million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, or refugees residing in neighbouring countries could lose their nationality and become stateless. She explained that displacement, whether caused by conflicts or natural disasters, was a root cause of statelessness which further increases the risk, if not urgently and properly tackled. She said that it could also become an obstacle to achieving durable solutions for displaced persons and prevent them from rebuilding their lives in dignity as well as impede return and relocation. The crises in the Lake Chad Basin region is a prime example where over 2.4 million people have been displaced by the conflict, including over 1.8 million IDPs in Nigeria. Over 200,000 Nigerians are living as refugees in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, and Cameroon without adequate documentation.

Boko Haram: 78,000 displaced Nigerians to be evacuated from Cameroon.

11 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The Borno Government said on Sunday that is planning to evacuate 78,000 Internally Displaced Persons back home from Cameroon. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this immigrants fled to Cameroon at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state. The government plans to shelter the returnees in four temporary satellite camps: “Once they are back we will get them transported to transit camps in Kumshe, Gulumba, Ngoshe and Kirawa where they will feed for a week or thereabout, so they can stabilize before asking them where they want to go. Those whose communities are unsafe will be kept in the camps while those who want to return home will be transported home”, mr. Satome said, Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency.

Cameroon-Italy: the new impulse, Mattarella put Cameroun on the top of the list of the countries to visit in Africa

28 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The meeting between camerounian President and Sergio Mattarella made the history, since it has been the hightest form of contact between the two countries. It is important to notice that: after his election, Sergio Mattarella put Cameroun on the top of the list of the countries to visit in Africa, therefore he made a state visit at Yaoundé, 17th march 2016. Paul Biya is the first African President to be invited to such an important diplomatic visit: this meeting witnessed the bond created between the two countries. The two Statesman drown the furrows of the new Italy-Cameroun cooperation, such as the confirmation of the Italian support against the terrorism. The President Mattarella affirmed that Italy remains a land of welcome for the Cameroonian. Another important objective of this presidential journey was to consolidate the bilateral strategic partnership between both countries.

Cameron repatriates "by force" 2,600 Nigerian refugees

22 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

More than 2600 Nigerian refugees (from the beginning of the year), settled in the north of Cameron, were sent back to Nigeria (with the use of violence) because of the fear of Boko Haram attacks, denounced the Top Commissioner of of the UN for the refugees ( UNHCR) durign a press briefing. According to UNHCR staff, the refugees explained that Cameroonian troops embarked them agains their will and “without leaving them the time to gather their stuff”, underlining that this dismissals of strenght are against the international law. The UNHCR says to be very warried because these rimpatriations (which seems motivated by safety) continue even though the agency of the UNO signed an agreement between Cameroon and Nigeria about voluntary return of Nigerian refugees.

Boko Haram: 29 Christians killed

29 Luglio 2015 Middle East - Africa di

Islamists raid two villages in North-Eastern Nigeria. In recent weeks, several attack also on Cameroon and Chad. Finally, Obama rejected military support to Nigerian President Buhari.

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29 Christians have been killed in two villages of the Borno State on Tuesday 28th July. The attack, carried out by Boko Haram, has left few survivors. The news comes a few hours after the Nigerian army rescue of 30 people abducted in Dikwa by the Islamist cell.

Raid are more and more habitual. Often characters are children and teenagers. As thef 9 year old blown up at a nightclub in Maroua (Cameroon). Or the girl exploded in the market in Damaturo (Nigeria). Actions that led fifty dead and several wounded

The war against Boko Haram concerns more territories.The Cameroon government, in fact, ordered the temporary closure of mosques and Islamic schools in the villages on the border with Nigeria. In Chad, where terrorists attacked on N’Djamena, army killed about 20 militants last week. While most of the inhabitants of Lake Chad islands, targeted in recent weeks, have evacuated their homes.

These actions demonstrate even more a strategy already evident. First, Boko Haram wants to disclose its radicalization in Nigeria. In addition, in response to the alliance of Lagos with Cameroon and Chad, the organization has definitively crossed the borders of Borno State.

Meanwhile, International Community remains at the window. The Us Presidente Obama’s support in the words to his Nigerian counterpart Buhari, supplied in the meeting in Washington on July 21, appears weak. In practice, the request for military support, is rejected by the chief of the White House because a rule does not allow to help a state which does not respect the human rights. Conversely, Buhari answered talking about “support for the work of Boko Haram” by the US. The risk is that, like in Syria and Libya, even Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon fell in a permanently geopolitcal chaos.
Giacomo Pratali

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Nigeria and Cameroon: over 70 killed

15 Luglio 2015 Middle East - Africa di

Boko Haram have still signed other slaughters. About 200 victims since beginning of July. The Jihadist organization have also offered the 200 Chibok students kidnapped in April 2014 in return for sixteen detained militants.

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Boko Haram is continuing to claim victims. Over 70 killed in the last days in State of Borno and in Fotokol, Cameroon, Terroristic organization is revealing its vitality after the African countries alliance in the last months.

After the condemnation of the United Nations, President Buhari has removed the leaders of the Armed Forces, following criticism received. However, after the bloody actions of this July, which weaked many Muslim religion victims, it’s clear that Boko Haram is judging as a “traitor” the new head of state elected in March because it’s a moderate Muslim. And it justifies last slaughters in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad.

Meanwhile, on 8th July, a NGO’s representative have reported an exchange proposed by Boko Haram to the Nigerian government. The terrorist organization would release 200 Chibok students, abducted in April 2014, in exchange for sixteen jihadists captured by the army.
Giacomo Pratali

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