Cameroon’s anglophone resistance will endure

Significance

They face trial for “complicity in acts of terrorism, insurrection, rebellion and the propagation of false information”. Anglophone Cameroonians in the Northwest and Southwest regions have been staging strikes and protests against discrimination as a linguistic minority in the past months. This prompted a government shutdown of the internet in January, which was restored in April. Although large-scale protests have stopped, many schools remain closed, the larger cities in the region continue weekly ‘ghost town’ strikes and several high-profile protesters are still under arrest.

Impacts

• Pre-election government spending will likely increase, specifically targeted at the Northwest and Southwest regions.
• Attacks in the north by Boko Haram will persist and pose a growing threat to Lake Chad counterterrorism efforts.
• Diplomatic tensions could grow between Cameroon and Nigeria over the resettlement of refugees.