Three Cameroonian soldiers have been sentenced to prison for their role in the killing of at least 21 civilians, including 13 children, in the country's troubled Anglophone region. The Cameroon soldiers sentenced this week represent a rare case of accountability in a conflict where military personnel are seldom held responsible for crimes against civilians.

The Ngarbuh Massacre

The convictions centre on events that took place on 14 February 2020, when soldiers supported by a local militia raided the village of Ngarbuh in Cameroon's Northwest region. The victims included 13 children according to Human Rights Watch, who documented the attack. The assailants burnt down homes and beat up residents.

The jail terms handed down range from five to 10 years per person for crimes including murder, arson and destruction. A militia member also received a jail term. A military court found the soldiers guilty after a case that dragged on for six years with multiple postponed hearings.

The convictions represent a rare instance of Cameroon's government acknowledging atrocities committed by its soldiers in the Anglophone regions, where separatist fighters have been campaigning for the creation of a breakaway state since 2017. Human rights groups have accused both rebels and state forces of committing widespread abuses during the nearly decade-long conflict.

Victims' Lawyers Criticize Sentences

Despite the convictions, lawyers for the victims expressed disappointment with what they called insignificant sentences. Lawyer Sother Menkem told the BBC: The sentence was so mild, I even qualify it as friendly because we are talking of a massacre.

Under Cameroonian law, the minimum sentence for felonies such as murder and arson is 10 years. Menkem stated: I expected at least 30 years' imprisonment or more because they instilled much fear on the inhabitants of that area.

The soldiers' lawyers argued that their clients were merely doing their job. The military court also rejected the victims' demand for compensation, a move decried by another lawyer, Richard Tamfu.

Questions About Accountability

Human Rights Watch and legal representatives have insisted that the soldiers were acting on instructions from their superiors. They criticize the fact that no senior military officer was prosecuted at the trial, raising concerns about accountability at the highest levels.

The case followed a familiar pattern in Cameroon: initial government denial of responsibility, followed by backtracking under international pressure. The authorities initially denied involvement in the Ngarbuh attack but later acknowledged it following an investigation ordered by President Paul Biya.

Ongoing Anglophone Crisis

Since 2017, separatist fighters in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions have been campaigning for an independent state. The UN says the conflict has killed at least 6,000 people and forced over half a million others to flee their homes.

The crisis has created a climate of fear and violence in the affected regions. Civilians caught between separatist fighters and security forces have suffered the most, with both sides accused of human rights violations.

For Gen Z following international justice issues, the Cameroon case highlights the difficulty of achieving meaningful accountability for military crimes against civilians, even when convictions occur.

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