Cameroon’s anglophone regions: ghost town day becomes a turning point in a decade of struggle
By Richard Onanena, in Yaoundé
October 1 marks a pivotal moment in Cameroon’s anglophone crisis. On this day in 1961, the former French colony and Southern Cameroons, then under British administration, united to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. But that reunification is rejected by some anglophone separatists. On October 1, 2017, ambazonian separatists declared independence of the Northwest and Southwest regions. This year, a “ghost town” operation called by separatists has brought the region to a standstill, with security forces deployed across major cities. The day has become a turning point, underscoring a decade of conflict and the momentum for change.
A decade of crisis and the call for a ghost town
On this symbolic day, separatists in the Northwest and Southwest (NOSO) called for a “ghost town” operation. Fearing unrest, Cameroonian authorities deployed security forces across the region. By midday, no major incidents were reported, but activities in major cities slowed to a crawl as residents chose to stay home.
Security measures and daily life in the anglophone regions
In Bamenda, the Northwest’s capital, a resident said he went out for exercise in nearly empty streets before returning home for the rest of the day. At intersections, tanks and numerous military patrols were visible, described by some as “a deterrent.” The atmosphere was similar in Buea, the main city in the Southwest, and neighboring towns, where people also remained indoors.
Social media debates reflect on ten years of conflict
On social media platforms like TikTok, panels featuring the blue and white colors claimed by separatists have sparked debates about the ten-year crisis affecting both anglophone regions.
In a reflection published on October 1, Khongor Félix Agbor, a lawyer and former detainee of the anglophone crisis, remembered “the families who have buried loved ones, the displaced, children whose education was interrupted, all those who live in fear, and the detainees of the anglophone crisis.”
Human toll of the crisis
According to several NGOs, the anglophone crisis has caused over 6,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of displacements over the past decade.