Cameroon: Suspected separatists kidnap former judge in Southwest April 8

Event

Suspected Anglophone separatists kidnapped the former vice president of Southwest region's court of appeals on Sunday, April 8. According to local sources, the judge was abducted in the town of Ewelle (Southwest region). The whereabouts of the victim remain unknown as of Monday, April 9.

Context

Kidnapping cases have recently seen an uptick in the Anglophone regions. On March 19, Cameroonian security forces launched a military operation to free four hostages held by suspected separatist militants in the Southwest region. One kidnapped Tunisian national was found dead following the raid, while three other hostages - another Tunisian national and two Cameroonians - were freed.

More generally, tensions between the country's minority English-speaking community and the national authorities in the Northwest and Southwest regions remain high. The period since November 2016 has been marked by the closure of all English-speaking schools, strikes, unrest, and sporadic violence. These tensions have escalated considerably since October 2017, when secessionists unilaterally proclaimed independence in the region.

Advice

Due to ongoing sociopolitical violence, individuals in Southwest and Northwest regions are advised to closely monitor the situation, obey all instructions issued by the local authorities (particularly curfews), and adhere to advice issued by their home government.

Individuals present in Honduras are advised to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing personal information with unknown persons to limit the risk of being targeted by potential kidnappers. If attacked, remain calm, do not offer any resistance, and obey all demands issued by your assailant(s). Do everything in your power to keep the situation as calm as possible (accept offered food, engage in conversation initiated by your captors, and avoid all political or potentially inflammatory topics).