First School Massacre During the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

A school shooting recognized as the Kumba School Massacre took place in Mother Francisca International Bilingual School located in Cameroon on October 24, 2020. During the attack, seven children were killed, and twelve others were injured. 

The perpetrators arrived in motorcycles, wearing civilian clothes, and attacked students with guns and machetes during midday. Since the start of the Anglophone Crisis around 2017, students have been abducted and mistreated on numerous occasions, and many teachers have been killed. The Anglophone Crisis, also known as the Ambazonian War is a conflict taking place in the Southern Cameroons regions of Cameroon that once belonged to the British. The anglophones, or English-speaking population that was once part of Britain has been fighting for independence, to become its own country of Ambazonia.   Bilingual schools where French is taught in Anglophone regions have been the main target for separatists. However, the incident at Mother Francisca International Bilingual School was the first school massacre to take place during this crisis.   

The English-speaking population, which makes up 20% of the people in Cameroon, claims that the central government and the French-speaking majority have relegated them for decades. Separatists in Anglophone regions have fought against government forces as well as government-based militias for the past few years. This non-stop violence in Anglophone regions for the past three years has resulted in the loss of 3,000 lives, has taken the home of about 670,000 civilians, and led to 60,000 Cameroonians fleeing to the neighboring country, Nigeria, to avoid the violence. These acts of violence have been ongoing since 2016, between the French-speaking and English-speaking population.  

“The attack is another disturbing reminder of the exacting heavy toll on civilians, including children, many of whom have been deprived of their right to education. Attacks on education facilities are a grave violation of children’s rights,” said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the United Nations’ Secretary-General. Freshman William H. agreed with Mr. Dujarric, saying that “[…] it’s not right for their education to be taken away from them,” and added that he couldn’t imagine such a thing happening at AISG. 

Ntou Ndong Chamberlain the local district administrator where the shooting took place said to the media, “Let me use this opportunity to condemn not only what has happened but to tell (the separatist fighters) that we are going to do our best to shut them down. Let them run, but we are behind them.”  

Freshman Hester X. said that “He might rile up some people […]. Separatist fighters are being blamed for something that no one is sure who is guilty for.” 

Cameroonians held a day of national mourning, to pay homage to the lives lost during this incident. The national flag being held at half-mast throughout the country. The perpetrators are yet to be identified and held accountable for their actions.