Attack on journalists: Amba fighters have crossed the red line!.

11/05/2023

There are a plethora of laws protecting journalists in times of asymmetric or international conflicts. The Geneva Convention and its Additional Protocol in conjunction with other humanitarian laws are explicit about the protection of journalists.

Most importantly, Article 79 of the Additional Protocol provides that journalists are entitled to all rights and protections granted to civilians in armed conflicts.

Violation of this law constitutes a grave breach of the Geneva Convention and Additional Protocol. Intentionally directing an attack against a reporter in conflict also amounts to a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Resolution 2222 approved by the United Nations Security Council on May 27, 2015, which extends and strengthens Resolution 1738 passed in 2006, reminds all parties in an armed conflict of their obligations to respect those who work in the media and protect them against all forms of violence.

The UN General Assembly also took up the issue in its Resolutions 68/163, passed on December 18, 2013, and 69/185, in December 2014, which urged member states to work together to prevent violence against journalists.

In the case of reporters covering wars, often embedded with troops, there are exceptions because by virtue of their close relationship, upon capture, they are accorded the same legal status as members of the armed forces.

Unfortunately, that is not the case in the North West and South West Regions, where some reporters have been killed, kidnapped and are constantly under threats from separatist fighters masquerading as Anglophone freedom fighters. 

The most recent case has been that of journalist Anye Nde Nsoh, who was shot dead by a separatist group on  May 7, at around 9 pm at a drinking spot in Che Street in Bamenda, North West Region.

The victim was a reporter with Dream FM Radio Bamenda and a sports contributor to many online platforms as well as the North West Bureau Chief of The Advocate newspaper.

The drinking parlour around which he was killed is said by local reports to be “where soldiers and Amba fighters are often confronting each other, but last night, the military was not there. Amba fighters are the ones who came around and before we knew it, we heard gunshots and Anye fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood,” recounted an eyewitness.

According to other reports from Bamenda, the journalist was apparently targeted and killed by the separatist group, because he was the only person shot in the place where there were many other people.

One of the leaders of the Ambazonia Defence Council separatist factions, Capo Daniel, claimed in a viral social media video that “Nsoh was killed by one of our fighters.” But he gave no reason why he was targeted.

The General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger, expressed his concerns over the increasing threats faced by journalists in Cameroon. 

“It is shocking to note that two journalists have already been killed this year in Cameroon. It is simply unacceptable and the government must draw conclusions from these atrocities and act firmly to ensure the safety of journalists and punish their killers. Our thoughts go to Anye’s family and friends.”

The Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ; the Syndicate National des Journalistes du Cameroun, SNJC and the Committee to Protect Journalists, among other media associations in firmly condemning the killing also called on Yaounde to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.

While The Guardian Post joins in calling for the killers to be fished out and made to face justice, we unequivocally remind and warn the perpetrators of violence against journalists to halt their atrocities.

Initially, they passed for liberators of the people of the North West and South West Regions who were shouting at rooftops about their marginalisation in public life.

As the fighting escalated and prolonged, the self-styled freedom fighters, in splitter groups, have remained the hangmen of Anglophones in the Regions. 

Even journalists who are supposed to be immune in such situations have become cannon fodders, killed, kidnapped and are being threatened daily to "support the revolution" or you are classified as "black leg".

Like the Francophone would say “trop c'est trop”, enough of Amba atrocity in the North West and South West Regions! 

We acknowledge there are so many factions of separatists, some even fighting each other and many unschooled armed robbers just out to make a living. But they have crossed the red line in killing journalists.

We also acknowledge the maxim that "the first casualty of war is truth." Accurate and impartial reporting from conflict zones serve a fundamental public interest. In the information era, images and news can have a decisive impact on the outcome of armed conflicts. That is why journalists are accorded special protection. That is why any attack on them is considered a war crime.

In the case of the armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions, the fighters are ruthless, faceless, cruel and hair-splitting to identify. 

At The Guardian Post, we go with the firm opinion that their known leaders hiding abroad should be held accountable for these killings which are war crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

That should nonetheless not exonerate the Cameroon government of its responsibility not only to protect journalists but all other innocent civilians who are exposed to Amba killings, kidnapping for ransom and other inhuman atrocities being committed in the North West and South West Regions.