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KUMBO BISHOP SETS FEB 21 TO  PRAY FOR NGARBUH VICTIMS

 BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM

 The Bishop of Kumbo Diocese His Lordship George Nkuo has set February 21 as a day of prayer for some twenty four Cameroonians attacked in the locality of Ngarbuh Ntumbaw in the wee hours of February 14th 2020. The prelate’s appeal comes 96 hours (four days) after a massacre on Ngarbuh inhabitants. 

 In the call for prayers to be said for victims of the incident, the communiqué carries words of compassion from Bishop Nkuo “I hereby declare Friday 21st February 2020 as a day of prayer and mourning in the entire Diocese of Kumbo for the Victims of the Ngarguh disaster. In this way, we shall vehemently say yes to life and No to dead in solidarity with the recent message of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon... A requiem Mass should be celebrated in all our churches and where possible an ecumenical service be organised to implore God for an end to this socio political crisis that has plunged us into a senseless and painful war”

The Bishop’s appeal is in line with the Catholic Faith, the corporal works of mercy which instructs faithful to offer Masses and pray for the repose of people who have died, and also to help afflicted and vulnerable people.

Pastorally, Ngarbuh forms part of Ndu parish of the Kumbo Diocese under the care His Lordship George Nkuo

The Ngarbuh village of Ndu Subdivision, Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region Cameroon recorded human and material casualties bearing to the violent invasion on February 14th. The UN says twenty three people were killed including fifteen children and two pregnant women caused by some forty armed men. These figures however differ with statements made by officials of the Cameroon Government. “...this incident indicates five deaths, one woman and four children” Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Cameroon’s Minister of Communication in a press briefing on the Ngarbuh killings said.

A similar point was made by his colleague of the ministry of Defence 72 hours after the blast in Ngarbuh  “ As a matter of fact the defence forces on reconnaissance operations in the said locality were attacked by secessionist terrorists who have transformed once of the locality’s dwellings into a stronghold, a veritable logistical base for illicit goods, arms and ammunitions of various calibres, narcotics and amulets. The response responded in a neutralisation of seven terrorist and bandits. During the clashes, a fire broke out in the terrorist’s fortification in thesame house causing explosions before spreading to neighbouring houses. This fire reportedly claimed the life of five persons; a woman and four children far from the Massacre relayed on social media” Joseph Beti Assomo, Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency In charge of Defence issued in relation to the blast in Ngarbuh.

Survivors of the storm speaking to the BBC however said villagers were deep asleep when soldiers attacked the village,  with fire gun shots and matchetes and twenty seven corpses were counted on the ground that day. Some where shot, some were butchered with knives and others were burned.




Chared remains of a house after the Ngarbuh storming


 Clashes resulting to deaths and destruction of property has become very common in the English speaking parts of Cameroon where government troops constantly battle with separatist fighters aka Ambazonia. Since November 2016, the government struggling to maintain its ideology of a united Cameroon has continually had confrontations with separatists fighting for an independent nation of former Southern Cameroon.

The case of Ngarbuh is regarded the latest deadliest in the episode of blasts recorded time and again in the Northwest and Southwest regions, Cameroons English speaking regions.

Prelates of the Catholic Church have continually shown human and material concern to people suffering effects of the Cameroon Anglophone crisis.  The national Episcopal Conference of Cameroon in a decision on February 3rd 2020 called for a national day of prayer for the respect of human life in Cameroon to commence on first Friday of February 2020 ( 7th Feb 2020)  and continue on every first Friday of each month.

The Bishops scheduled a national day of prayer for the respect of human life in Cameroon under the theme Yes to Life and No to dead. You shall not Kill Mtt5:21

In the decision, the Bishops noted that what they observed as “the agonizing and tragic situation of our land, gross disrespect, attack on the value, sacredness and dignity of human life, gruesome violations on the integrity of human life, the increase in crime, atrocities, corruption, terrorism, etc ... this like the numerous daily killings leading to the trivialisation of respect for life and its sacredness have greatly endangered human life”.


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