FRENCH CAMEROUN’S USE OF LANDMINES ON CIVILIANS VIOLATES UN TREATY

The video shared online on 29 October, 2020, shows a dugout hole from the ground where the mines were planted in Ndop in the ongoing genocide in British Cameroons. Bodies of more than four innocent civilians are strewn a few meters from the epicenter of the mine. A voice over then narrates that they were Ambazonian Restoration Forces. A family member of one of the civilians killed, states that none of the people killed were any British Cameroon freedom volunteers or Ambazonia Restoration forces. The voice over she says must have been made by the French Cameroun bulubeti military to dilute global opinion. To buttress her argument, the grieving family member says there were no weapons on the scene. The Ambazonia volunteer forces usually walk with their weapons. French Cameroun Colonial soldiers are known for killing innocent civilians and dressing them like Ambazonia Restoration forces. At times, Dane guns are placed on innocent civilians to deceive the world that they were engaged with the colonial military.

The use of these land mines once again highlight the gross abuses of rights and laws by the French Cameroun soldiers backed by France in the ongoing genocide in British Cameroons. The genocide has claimed more than 23,000 lives. The French Cameroun soldiers have also burnt more than 400 villages, sending more than 100,000 refugees into neighboring Nigeria and Ghana. More than 800,000 are internally displace with schools barely functioning in the territory for 4 years now running. French Cameroun ratified this convention which she has violated in front of the global community on 19 September, 2002.

Video of the Landmine used by French Cameroun Soldiers on Civilians in Ndop British S. Cameroons

THE VIOLATED UN CONVENTION

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, known informally as the Ottawa Treaty, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or often simply the Mine Ban Treaty, aims at eliminating anti-personnel landmines (AP-mines) around the world. The Convention was concluded by the Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Land Mines at Oslo on 18 September 1997. In accordance with its article 15, the Convention was opened for signature at Ottawa, Canada, by all States from 3 December 1997 until 4 December 1997, and will remain open thereafter at the United Nations Headquarters in New York until its entry into force. By resolution 52/38/A, the General Assembly of the United Nations welcomed the conclusion  of the Convention at Oslo and requested the Secretary-General of the United Nations to render the necessary assistance and to provide such services as may be necessary to fulfil the tasks entrusted to him. Read details of the convention here.

Obligations

When they join the Mine Ban Treaty, states commit to:

  • never use antipersonnel mines, nor to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain, or transfer them
  • destroy mines in their stockpiles within four years
  • clear all mined areas in their territory within 10 years
  • in mine-affected countries, conduct mine risk education and ensure the exclusion of civilians from mined areas
  • provide assistance for the care and rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration, of mine victims
  • offer assistance to other States Parties, for example in providing for survivors or contributing to clearance programs
  • adopt national implementation measures (such as national legislation) to ensure that the terms of the treaty are upheld in their territory
  • report annually on progress in implementing the treaty.

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AGL

Justice for the oppressed. Abhors dictators and hypocrisy.

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