Cameroon’s authoritarianism fuels its Anglophone separatist war

The research paper examines the Anglophone separatist conflict in Cameroon, tracing its origins to long-standing grievances over marginalisation and 'Francophonisation'. It asserts that the escalation into civil war was triggered by the violent repression of peaceful protests in 2017 and is sustained by President Paul Biya's insistence on a military solution over political accountability. The author highlights the humanitarian toll, including over 3,000 deaths and 750,000 internally displaced persons, and calls for a joint UN and African Union framework to negotiate reforms regarding Anglophone autonomy and resource management.

• The conflict began with peaceful protests in the North-West and South-West regions driven by grievances over poor resource allocation, lack of political representation, and a perceived state project of "Francophonisation".
• The transition from peaceful dissent to a full-scale civil war was largely caused by the state's violent response in October 2017, which involved labeling protesters as terrorists and using deadly force against unarmed civilians.
• A joint report by King’s College London and Coventry University indicates the conflict has caused over 3,000 deaths, the burning of more than 200 villages, and the internal displacement of over 750,000 people, with 1.3 million requiring assistance.
• The persistence of the war is attributed to Cameroon's authoritarian state, which resists accountability and prefers a military solution despite international calls for peace from the Vatican, the European Union, and US Senators.
• The author suggests that ending the war requires a joint UN and African Union framework for political negotiations focusing on state reform, such as returning to the 1961 federal model or granting Anglophones autonomy over public services and resources.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Cameroon’s authoritarianism fuels its Anglophone separatist war. https://saiia.org.za/research/cameroons-authoritarianism-fuels-its-anglophone-separatist-war/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Cameroon’s authoritarianism fuels its Anglophone separatist war. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/cameroons-authoritarianism-fuels-its-anglophone-separatist-war/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Cameroon’s authoritarianism fuels its Anglophone separatist war |date=16 March 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/cameroons-authoritarianism-fuels-its-anglophone-separatist-war/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021cameroons, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Cameroon’s authoritarianism fuels its Anglophone separatist war}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/cameroons-authoritarianism-fuels-its-anglophone-separatist-war/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }