NW Fons to march on Bamenda over rising killings.

The public march scheduled for tomorrow, was announced in a statement issued by the President of the North West House of Chiefs, Fon Yakum Shumitang II of Bambalang.

The statement circulated Monday. It comes barely days after at least 15 persons were killed within 48 hours in Bamenda.

In the statement, a copy of which The Guardian Post obtained, the President of the North West House of Chiefs, speaking on behalf of his peers wrote: “It is with deep sadness that I address you today following the tragic incident that occurred in Bamenda on Sunday 16 July, 2023. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims who lost their lives in this act of violence”.

He said as Fons of the North West Region, “we reiterate our call on those carrying arms to heed the Head of State’s call, drop their arms and integrate the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, DDR Centres, where they can receive support to reintegrate into society”.

Fon Shumitang II then announced that: “In solidarity with the families of the victims and as a sign of our commitment to peace, we invite all Fons of the North West Region, to join us in a solidarity march to denounce these acts. The march will take place on Thursday July 20, 2023, from City Chemist Round About to the Governor’s Office”.

Meanwhile, it should recalled that the outing by the North West monarchs followed those of other well-meaning Cameroonians who have been taking turns to condemn the barbaric killing of the civilians in Bamenda Sunday.

While lighting candles and praying for the repose of those killed during Sunday’s shootings in Bamenda, the Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Andrew Nkea, Monday condemned the senseless act. He insisted that no human being has the right to take the life of another.

“I have always said that love is better than hatred and that life is better than death. Living and loving one another is better than killing one another…no matter what happened, it is not right to take the lives of other people,” the prelate insisted.

He was blunt that: “It is time all of these should stop. Let people be able to go along with their normal lives again. We don’t want what happened in Rwanda to happen here. We should stop killing one another”. 

In a similar outing earlier, international human rights lawyer, Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla, described the incident as barbaric and cowardly.

He said: “The indiscriminate killing of more than eight civilians at Nacho Junction in Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon, is unacceptable”.

The human rights advocate regretted the widespread and systematic killing of civilians is gradually becoming the new normal. 

He insisted that: “We must condemn the perpetrators of these gruesome, inhumane and dastardly acts in the strongest terms. Human life is sacrosanct and the combatants must ensure that the civilian population is protected”.

“Such killings in an attempt to terrorise the civilian population amounts to a crime against humanity,” he concluded.