The Anglophone armed conflict: an immediate peril and fear of crime in Bafut

Colonialism brought about some of the worst crimes against humanity in Africa, Cameroon, and Bafut. Cameroon is still implementing some of its strategies and tactics, with rising state crimes leading to the fear of crime in most Anglophone regions, with Bafut as one of the hot spots. Bafut is a small town about ten kilometres from Bamenda, the provincial capital of the Northwest Region of English-speaking Cameroon. Both the Northwest and Southwest regions of English-speaking Cameroon have been involved in an armed conflict since 2016, now known as the Anglophone Crisis. What started as a political crisis and was mismanaged by the Cameroonian government was transformed into an armed conflict with separatist groups challenging the Cameroonian military in the Anglophone region and seeking a state which is independent from French Cameroon. The fear of crime in Bafut has not received proper attention from academics in Cameroon and internationally. This thesis examines not just the fear of crime, but severe forms of violent crime and human rights abuses in a situation of armed conflict. The thesis recognises the limited use of the fear of crime research literature by Western countries including the UK in understanding this type of armed conflict situation. The hope is that this case study in Cameroon will help researchers understand similar experiences of crime and violence in other zones in developing countries. Many commentaries have focused on the geopolitics of this region and the marginalisation of the Anglophone region, with the international community and international organisations (NGOs) regarded as bystanders rather than seeking genuine means of resolving the crisis. This research uses qualitative methodology to analyse both primary and secondary data to find strategies for ending the fear of crime in Bafut, which may be used in other parts of the Anglophone region to resolve crises and prevent crime. This research holds that, although English-speaking Cameroon may be considered part of Cameroon, both Anglophone and French Cameroonians may need to find a common strategy with a neutral body to recognise the international boundaries between French- and English-speaking Cameroon. It may prevent fear of crime and frequent tensions between the two, following the creation of separatist groups in the Anglophone region fighting against the Cameroonian military. The understanding is that this case study of Bafut, a northwest region of English-speaking Cameroon, will help other researchers understand similar experiences of crime and violence in different armed conflict zones in developing countries.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

other

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

London Metropolitan University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Suh, Godwin Azinwi

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stenson, Kevin

• 360 Social problems & services; associations
• 960 History of Africa

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

N/A

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:11197