United Nations sources report that Cameroonian security forces killed at least 48 people during protests following the October presidential election, according to a Reuters story. The death toll, which local officials have not made public, highlights the severe crackdown on dissent after President Paul Biya was declared the winner.
The protests erupted in late October after 92-year-old President Paul Biya secured an eighth term, extending his 43-year rule. The violence began when opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former minister who had resigned from Biya’s government, claimed victory before official results were released and urged his supporters to protest if the outcome differed.
According to the Reuters report, which cited two UN sources, most of the victims died from live ammunition fire, while others were beaten to death with batons and sticks. This stands in contrast to the limited information released by local officials; for example, the Governor of the Littoral region had previously confirmed only four fatalities in the economic capital.
In response to the unrest, government authorities banned gatherings and reinforced troop deployments. Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji warned that opposition leader Tchiroma would face consequences for allegedly inciting “post-election violence.”
Similar protest actions and scenes of security force crackdowns are reported to be continuing in the post-election period. The opposition has called for a national lockdown, rejecting the official results and vowing to continue resisting.
This story is based on reporting from Reuters.
