Southern Cameroons Crisis: US Foreign Affairs Committee passes resolution calling for respect of human rights ⁰

This week, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution introduced by Congressmember Karen Bass, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, condemning ongoing violence and human rights abuses stemming from Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis.

“The ongoing crisis and violence taking place in Cameroon at this very moment is something that deserves the attention of the world,” said Congresswoman Bass. “Since the first introduction of a similar resolution in 2019, the violence and unrest has continued. Both the government and armed groups must be held accountable for their role in the violation of fundamental human rights. This resolution we passed reaffirms that the United States continues to hold the Government of Cameroon responsible for upholding the rights of all citizens and also calls for all parties to immediately exercise restraint and ensure that protests are peaceful. It also urges the Secretary of State to hold individuals accountable for these human rights violations in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this important resolution when it comes up for a vote on the House Floor.”

“This bipartisan resolution condemns the terrible abuses perpetrated by the Government of Cameroon against the northwestern Anglophone population and simultaneously calls on those Anglophone groups that have responded to this abuse with violence of their own to seek dialogue and a peaceful resolution for their differences,” said Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the Africa, Global Health and Global Human Rights subcommittee. “Chairwoman Bass and I share a grave concern about the horrific human rights violations in Cameroon. In 2018, I chaired a hearing on the human rights abuses there, and her resolution today similarly brings attention to ongoing atrocities in the country. We will continue to press the government to respect the rights of English-speaking Cameroonians.”

“There’s a deep bond shared not only between the sister cities of La Crosse and Kumbo, but also between the whole of Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District and Cameroon,” said Congressman Ron Kind (R-WI). “The devastation that our Cameroonian friends are experiencing as a result of the ongoing violence is heartbreaking. In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to visit and speak with officials on the ground, and I’m proud to see the House Committee on Foreign Affairs continue its important work to call for an inclusive dialogue to achieve peace by passing my and Chairwoman Bass’s bipartisan resolution.”

The resolution is calling on the Government of Cameroon and all armed groups to respect the human rights of all Cameroonian citizens, to end all violence, and to pursue a broad-based dialogue without preconditions to resolve the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

Culled from Bass.house.gov