Chad Receives 3,000 refugees and 15,500 displaced people from Cameroon

Amela Tokić

Research Intern – Global Human Rights Defense

Cameroon’s Far North Region is experiencing intercommunal violence between the Choa Arab herders and Musgum fishermen and farmers ever since 10 August of this year. As of now, 19 villages have been torched along with 40 villages left behind by fleeing residents. The rainy season has brought about these clashes between the herders and fishermen/farmers. As an attempt to save their crops and fish, the fishermen/farmers dug vast trenches to retain the remaining river waters, however these muddy trenches served as traps for the cattle of the herders which ultimately lead to their misfortune. Since then, traditional weapons, including bows and machetes were taken up, escalating the violence. At least 45 people have been killed and 74 injured due to the violence. Another 15 have gone missing while trying to cross the Logone river to Chad.

The Cameroonian conflict has forced Chad to receive 3,000 refugees and 15,500 displaced people. A small fraction of the 510,00 refugees hosted in Chad from other African and Middle Eastern countries, like Libya and Syria. Resources to deal with the humanitarian impacts of these climate emergencies are limited – Chadian UNHCR operations are severely underfunded with less than half of the financial requirements for 2021 covered. And finding a long-term solution for the climate emergency has been proven difficult.

© UNHCR/Aristophane Ngargoune

Bibliography

Ngargoune, A., (2021). Climate change fuels clashes in Cameroon that force thousands to flee. [online] The UN Refugee Agency. Available at: <https://www.unhcr.org/news/stories/2021/9/6138fac74/climate-change-fuels-clashes-cameroon-force-thousands-flee.html> [Accessed 9 September 2021].