Ethnic clashes in Cameroon leave at least 32 dead and many fleeing to Chad

Ethnic clashes in Cameroon leave at least 32 dead and many fleeing to Chad

Noriko Watanabe and Kanako Mita

Modern Tokyo Times

At least 32 people have died in ethnic clashes between Mousgoum fishermen and Choa Arab herders. The severity of the situation resulted in the internal displacement of over 7,000 people. Externally, approximately 11,000 have fled to Chad since ethnic bloodshed began earlier this month.

The overwhelming majority of people fleeing to Chad are women and children. Hence, they need emergency support in Oundouma (Chad) because this nation is also beset by many internal problems.

Earlier this week, 12 people were killed and many villages destroyed during the latest ethnic clashes between Mousgoum fishermen and Choa Arab herders. Therefore, the armed forces of Cameroon need to quell the crisis while political mediation takes place.

Reuters reports, “The ethnic violence is a worrying development in northern Cameroon, where the army has for years been battling Boko Haram and, more recently, militants linked to Islamic State.”

Water is the source of the conflict between fishermen and herders. Thus, if one group seeks to dominate the water, this naturally leads to tensions. Therefore, with the weaponization of the region after Islamist terrorist attacks in recent years, the violence is now more deadly between both ethnic groups.

Governor Gayang Souare of Chari-Baguirmi said some local Christian churches are helping. Others are being supported by families who are helping refugees. However, many have been forced to flee to Chad and further afield.

In recent years, Cameroon is beset by deadly violence in Anglophone regions and concerning Islamic terrorism. Hence, recent ethnic violence is another crisis for a nation that is bedeviled by many deep-rooted problems.

PLEASE DONATE TO HELP MODERN TOKYO TIMES

Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group

DONATIONS to SUPPORT MODERN TOKYO TIMES – please pay PayPal and DONATE to sawakoart@gmail.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com Modern Tokyo Times – International News and Japan News

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/moderntokyotimes/ Modern Tokyo Times is now on PINTEREST

http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi personal website and Modern Tokyo Times artist

https://moderntokyonews.com Modern Tokyo News – Tokyo News and International News

PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER

https://twitter.com/MTT_News Modern Tokyo Times

PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/moderntokyotimes