Ngarbuh Massacre:

Agbor Balla, Kamto to Be Arrested Again?

Following reports in several newspapers last week pointing to the imminent arrest of frontline Anglophone enthusiast and activist, Barrister Felix Agbor Balla, and opposition leader, Prof. Maurice Kamto, over their utterances relating to the Ngarbuh massacre, the government has said no such arrests were ever contemplated.

Amid lead stories of some French language newspapers hinting on plans by the Yaounde regime to arrest Barristers Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla, Akere Muna and Maurice Kamto over their comments relating to the Ngarbuh killings of last Friday 14 February, the government through the voice of the Minister of Defence, MINDEF, Joseph Beti Assomo, has denied nursing any such plans to arrest the lawyers or to drag them to justice over their positions concerning the killings in Ngarbuh.

              

Is government planning to arrest these lawyers?

  The Mindef disclaimed the newspaper reports in a press release he issued last week.

The release followed an earlier statement by the Mindef exonerating government forces from blame for the death of 7 persons in Ngarbuh. He stated that the deaths were the result of an ‘unfortunate accident’ that occurred due to gunfire exchange between rebels and government forces.

                The Mindef’s position, which was later echoed by the minister of communication, Rene Sadi, at a press briefing in Yaounde, contrasted with the position held by the Bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo, the United Nations and other international rights groups suggesting that no fewer than 23 persons were killed in Ngarbuh on Friday, 14 February following a military operation in the area.

                The army spokesman Colonel Cyrille Atonfack Guemo, corroborated his boss when he too said the killings were due to an ‘unfortunate accident’, and that 12 persons died when fuel exploded in an exchange of gunfire with separatists in the area. He said the twelve persons that died included seven separatist fighters and five civilians.

                The statements by the government officials said defense and security forces carried out a “reconnaissance operation” in the area to dislodge a “separatist arms and logistics base”.  They said in an exchange of gunfire that ensued, “seven terrorists and bandits” were killed.

                “During the clashes, a fire broke out in the terrorists’ fortification in the same house, causing explosions, before spreading to neighboring houses. This fire reportedly claimed the lives of five persons – a woman and four children – far from the massacre relayed on social media,” Defense Minister Beti Assomo Joseph said in a press release February 17, 2020, a version corroborated by Communication Minister Rene Sadi Tuesday.

                Contrary to Government account, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Anyior alias Agbor Balla, Founder/CEO of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA, said at least 27 civilians were “murdered by state defense forces”.

                Taking to Facebook in a post on Sunday 16 February, the human rights lawyer writes: “The gruesome murder of 27 civilians including women and children by the State Defense Forces on 14 February 2020 in Ngarbuh, Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region in Cameroon must be investigated and the perpetrators of such egregious crimes brought to justice.”

                He furthered on Monday that: “The death toll from the massacre in Ngarbuh-Ntubaw in Cameroon has risen to 32 with some children and pregnant women still missing. The military officers responsible for these heinous crimes must be brought to justice. These crimes clearly amount to crimes against humanity. The culture of impunity must stop. No to Impunity and Yes to Accountability.”

                After the communiqué from the Minister of Defense, Agbor Balla insisted that there is need for an independent inquiry into what happened in Ngarbuh.

                Hear him: “I just read the reaction of the Ministry of Defense on the Ngarbuh Massacre. My recommendation is that, In order to lay this matter to rest, an independent Commission of Inquiry should be set up to investigate the killings. The Commission should include members of the civil society, clergy and government. The Commission should be headed by a clergy of impeccable character.”

                On his part, Akere Muna, Candidate to the 2018 presidential election and former President of the Cameroon Bar Association regretted that killings have become the new normal in the North West and South West regions.

                “Ngar village, Donga Mantung - Suffering, death and killing are now the new normal. How did we get here were human life no longer has any value? We must all, now, genuinely seek for peace before this country loses its soul. I pray for all those innocent victims,” Akere tweeted Saturday.

                On Tuesday, Akere expressed dissatisfaction with the statement made by Government regarding the issue. The ace lawyer tweeted: “One life lost is one life too many. It is not about numbers but about humanity. Calling the loss of life "simply collateral damage" kills them a second time. My heart bleeds, but I know the people of Ngarbuh will rise up and they will 1,000 times again.”

                The Cameroon Renaissance Movement of Prof. Maurice Kamto is also known to have charged government with the incident in Ngarbuh.

                Reacting to the newspaper stories against his person, Barrister Agbor Balla said: “I will not be bullied or intimidated by such headlines. I stand for the truth and will always speak the truth. I stand for the oppressed, suppressed and the marginalized. They need a voice and I am ready to pay the price to defend their rights. No To Impunity! Yes To Accountability!”

                This newspaper recalls that Minister Joseph Beti Assomo in a communiqué Monday said “The Ministry of Defense henceforth reserves the right to prosecute before the competent courts the authors of fake news against it, in compliance with the law.”

                Many are wondering why the newspapers did not indict the Bishop of Kumbo, UN and other NGOs that also put the Ngarbuh death toll at 23 and above, contrary to government’s count of 12.

                Recall that Agbor Balla was arrested on 17 January 2017 and released on 31 August 2017 in relation to the Anglophone crisis.

                Maurice Kamto was arrested in January 2019 following post presidential election protests and released in October 2019 following mounting pressure from France and the UN.

                Akere Muna is known to have been summoned once at the Gendarmerie in connection with the on-going socio-political situation.