Abstract

Social security is a human right, which response to the universal need for protection against certain life risks and social needs. The first 15 years of this century were exceptionally peaceful. Then in 2014, several armed conflict/wars became lethal. Most of the armed conflicts in Africa are state based and are rooted in colonialism.

The Anglophone socio – political crisis in Cameroon is one of such conflict related crisis in Africa. People living in armed conflict communities are usually in the state of being in danger or threat of their social security. This involves unavailability of certain basic needs and the ability to access them.

This is the case with the inhabitants of Munyenge, in which the Anglophone crisis has a bearing or consequence on their social security. In this study, the researcher characterized the social security situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge, during the years 2016 – 2020. It describes the physical life threat, kinship ties, income, food, shelter and health security of the inhabitants of Munyenge, during the period under review.

The research is both qualitative and quantitative, it involve observation, textual or visual analysis, surveys, interviews and focus group discussions in collecting data. The researcher  uses a combination of research designs. He used discriptive- case study and survey designs.The sampling size is 60 persons.

Question guide and group discusion were used to collect primary data. Random sampling was used since the study had to dowith a larger population.

According to the research findings; the crisis has a remarkable negative impact on the inhabitants of Munyenge. Most of them are in the bushes while some are presently living in other towns and villages of Cameroon. Based on the research findings, countries should do more to avoid state-based armed conflict, by reducing military spending and spending more on economic investments, in order to get more youths empowered or employed.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

As earlier mention, the first fifteen years of the twenty first century were especially peaceful with a few armed conflicts across the world. By the year 2014, several armed conflicts/wars became very lethal, and in particular the war in Syria. Since this time, debates have occurred about whether our current condition is the “New normal” level, or whether the recent increase should be viewed as a bump on the road to an even more peaceful and secured world.

This question is still unable to be answered. The number of conflict is at an all-time high, but the number of people killed in conflict is trending towards the record low number witnessed ten years ago. The reduction in the number of fatalities is primarily, due to the strong reduction in deaths in Syria and Iraq, and the high number of conflicts has been as a result of the local Islamic state (IS)

The Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) catalogues all conflict in which at least 25 people are killed in battle related circumstances. While there are more conflicts worldwide, fewer of them cross the 1,000 fatality threshold which is referred to as war by this agency.

There were 52 active conflicts in 36 different countries in 2018 compared to 50 conflicts in 33 countries in 2017. There were 10 wars/armed conflicts in 2017 but only 6 in 2018, a number not seen in five years. The total number of fatalities in all conflicts is down at 23% from about 69,000 to 53,000.

The “Ambazonia” region of Cameroon is a former British trusteeship territory and currently the object of a secession conflict. The region was incorporated into a federation with French Cameroon in 1961. Advocates for the independence of the “Ambazonia” Republic have remained active for more than a decade. The political conflict turned violent in 2017 and escalated in 2018 in to an armed conflict.

According to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP), if the escalation continues, this conflict may be classified as a war starting in 2019. 2019 has far passed and the conflict is still very much ongoing. According to UCDP classification the Anglophone crisis can be said to be an armed conflict/war. Armed conflicts/wars continue to cause death, displacement and suffering on a massive scale.

Numerous armed conflicts are currently taking place around the world including those involving parties in conflict within a single state (non-international armed conflicts). They have harmed millions of people in many ways, including by: killing civilians and leaving survivors tortured, and raped. Many have forcefully been displaced or otherwise seriously abused. By the end of 2019, 79.5 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide due to armed conflict, the largest number ever recorded.

Amnesty international has been propagating the principle of proportionality which says that, it is prohibited to launch an attack which may be expected to cause loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and/or damage to civilian objects which would be excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.

In table 1, are details of armed – conflict related fatalities by country world ranking from 1-17, from the year 2014 – 2019. The ranking of Cameroon is a reflection of the Boko Haram conflict in the North of Cameroon and the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions in which Munyenge belongs. This table shows the ranking as far as the world is concern, Africa and Cameroon.

Following table one above, one can deduce that from 2014 – 2015 Cameroon was ranked 15th in causality deaths in state based arm conflict. This was as a result of the Boko Haram Conflict in the Northern parts of Cameroon. In 2014 the number of death was 1,366 and in 2015 it went up slightly to 4429. But in 2016 – 2017, the number was less than what was required to be ranked among the first seventeen countries in the world. This was indication that the Boko Haram conflict and order minute conflicts in Cameroon was getting under control. As from October 2016-September 2017 there were a series of protest across Anglophone Cameroon, which was calmed by the Cameroon armed forces.

As from September, 2017, separatist in the Anglophone territories of North West and South West Regions (collectively known as Southern Cameroons) declared the independence of a supposed state of “Ambazonia’ and began fighting against the Government of Cameroon. Starting as a low-scale insurgency, the conflict spread to most parts of the Anglophone regions within a year. As from 2017 – 2019 the conflict became severe with more casualties. In 2019 Cameroon was ranked the 13th, with 945 deaths, and in 2020 it was ranked 15th with 234 deaths. This was as a result of the Anglophone crisis (armed conflict). Some other sources have put the death toll resulting from the Anglophone crisis higher than this.

According Piet Konings (2011), Cameroon today is one of African’s most diverse’ country,’ with about 250 ethnic groups and identities. According to the 2018 United Nations figure, the population of Cameroon is 24.7 million people. Reuters/Joel Kouarm (2018) holds that Cameroonians from the English speaking regions represents between 4-5 million people mainly from the South West and North West Regions. Cameroon has basically two cultures the French culture stemming from France, the colonial master of East Cameroon and the English culture from the British, the colonial master of Southern Cameroon. English and French are the two official languages of Cameroon as stipulated in the18 January 1996 revision of the constitution of Cameroon. The crisis in Cameroon is often characterized as a linguistic and cultural crisis, with politically marginalized Cameroonians from the English speaking regions opposing the government. Thus the crisis is deeply rooted in the local and institutional culture and the history of decolonization.

In late 2016, lawyers from English speaking regions of Cameroon began organizing strikes and peaceful demonstrations in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. Lawyer’s grievances were: the imposition of the civil law in the common law regions; the lack of English translation of basic legal text for example the OHADA; the failure to implement the two official languages equally; and the failure to establish a common law section at the national Supreme Court. The lawyers also denounced the appointment of civil law trained magistrates, with no understanding of English or common law and the assignment of notaries, to do work of lawyers under the common law system.

On November 21, 2016, teachers also protested raising concerns about the government’s mismanagement of the English speaking regions on the following; the imposition of French system of education in schools and the appointment of French-speaking teachers unable to speak or write in English.  Students of the University of Buea, who hailed from the English speaking regions of Cameroon, joined the teachers in protest. Then were a number of protests and civil disobedience in the two English speaking regions (the North West and South West).

The police and the army responded violently and repressively to the protests. Peaceful demonstrators were severely beaten and many went for treatment to the hospitals with bullet wounds, some were very critical. Many were arrested in the days following. According to the National Commission for Human Right and Freedom, at least two persons were shot dead by the security forces. Since then the crisis degenerated into an armed conflict.

As of September 2019, 3,000 persons are said to have been killed. As of January 2020 679,000 persons are said to have been internally displaced, and 51,000 refugees in Nigeria alone. This number does not include those who have moved out to other countries and those who are living with relatives and friends. Villages have been burnt down, property destroyed and looted. Schools and other socio-economic infrastructures have been destroyed.

In the course of fighting, the both parties have been involved in deviant behavior with the civilians and property as the main victims. Deviant behavior may involve formally – enacted rules/laws or informal social norms. Formal deviance has to do with the violation of formally enacted laws, which is considered as a crime. Example of formal deviance includes robbery, theft, rape, murder and assault.

Informal deviance will have to do with deviant behavior that involves violation of informal norms (norms that have not been codified into law). Most of formal deviant behaviors have been enacted into law at the international level and formally ratified by member countries. They form guidelines and rules for the protection of civilians during armed conflict like the one going on in the English speaking regions of Cameroon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Conflicts are bound to happen, taking into consideration the heterogeneous nature of human beings and their diverse interests over a given situation. In such conflict situations, there are persons who are not directly involved in the conflict but are caught in the fighting with the risk of being exposed to various social security challenges. People living in communities where there are armed conflicts are usually in the state of being in danger or threat of losing their lives and the unavailability of certain basic needs and the ability to access them. According to Efi W Tenbon (2018), the solders have a modus oparandi.

When they attack a village, often they burn the shops and businesses, then the homes of the people and kill some people. It was the case in Kembong, Kwakwa, Munyenge and some other villages. When solders invaded Munyenge shooting, people fled into the bushes for safety. The solders proceeded to burning down the business center, shops, crops harvested, (yams, cassava, plantains, cocoa, etc.) and private homes and killing some in the process. There has also been an allegation of looting by both the solders and the non – state armed groups. The armed conflict has killed approximately 3,000 people and forced more than half a million people to flee their homes.

These form the bases of the social security problems faced by the inhabitants of Munyenge during the year 2016 -2020, period of the Anglophone crisis. Thus the problem statement of this study is that, the Anglophone Crisis has affected the social security situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge. This concerns the availability, affordability, and quality of basic needs and at the required time. Considering these parameters, the social security of the inhabitants of Munyenge is very much questionable during this period 2016 – 2020 (period of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis).

1.3 Research Question

In connection to the research problem some questions readily come in mind.

The general question is: How was the social security situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge The research question is broken down as follows:

1. How is the life threat situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge?
2. How is the kinship condition of the inhabitants of Munyenge?
3. What is the income situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge?
4. How is the food situation of the inhabitants of Munyenge?
5. How is the shelter condition of the inhabitants of Munyenge?
6. How is the health condition of the inhabitants of Munyenge?

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