Cameroonians provide food, blood for troops
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This banner on the May 20 Avenue in
Yaounde, reflects Cameroonian's
appreciation for soldiers' efforts against
Boko Haram
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The war against Boko Haram lent added
significance to Cameroon’s annual National Day celebrations Friday. There were
the usual military parades and speeches, but citizens also mobilized to honor
and help the troops.
Hundreds
of youths sang in front of President Paul Biya. If it weren’t for the military,
they sang, their country would have been seized by Boko Haram.
Cameroon
has deployed more than 8,000 soldiers to the north to fight the Nigerian
terrorist group.
In
hospitals around Yaounde, people donated blood all week for wounded soldiers.
Among them was university student Julienne Njock, 19. She said she could not go
to the front but could make this modest contribution. The teenager said she was
moved when she saw wounded soldiers, some who had lost legs to amputation.
Cameroon
said it needs at least 400,000 pints of blood and that shortages have forced
medical staff to stop work to give blood for urgent cases.
Alvine
Mvogo, 60, could not donate for health reasons. She said she was instead
praying for peace to return and soldiers to come back healthy. She said
Cameroon has been losing too many people.
Boko
Haram began attacking northern Cameroon in 2014. Suicide bombings and raids
continue.
The
military said it has been struggling to meet the needs of both the soldiers and
the over 200,000 displaced people who have sought refuge at camps and host
communities in the north.
Military
spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said support from the population motivates the
troops. He said that even poor villagers had contributed bunches of plantains,
that pastors and imams had prayed for the soldiers, and that all political
parties had come out to support them Friday.
The
government said it had also received over $6 million in donations from the
population in the past two years to support the fight against Boko Haram.
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