Cameroon police fired tear gas at citizens during forced evictions and house demolitions in the Douala airport district as the country prepare to host the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Authorities claim they have no obligation to rehouse people, leaving many homeless and sleeping on the streets.
“I’m at a loss for words. I’m at a loss for words. I had to work hard to make a life as a biker. I struggled to finish a small house that I never completed. Look at what I’m going through right now. Take a peek at my age; I’m well into my fifties. I’m not sure where I’ll start this time. What will I do with my tiny children?” **Fernand Zepab**, an evicted resident, expressed his thoughts.
“We’re well aware that we’re in close proximity to the airport. They do not, however, have any documentation showing ownership of the land. They just want to make sure everything is safe. But, if that’s the case, shouldn’t they first try to compensate people who have lived there for a long time? But they haven’t done so, they haven’t done so, they haven’t done so, they haven’t done so, they haven’t done” Souleymane Ben Jaho, another evicted tenant agreed.
On January 9th, almost 100 families were forcibly evicted from homes they had peacefully occupied for over 35 years.
Critics believe that policymakers should have taken into account the country’s ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. People who become homeless unexpectedly will virtually certainly be exposed to the virus’s infection and dissemination.
“The land belongs to the airport, and the airport owns it. People have moved here illegally, and we are evicting them in accordance with the law and the rules of the game.” Wouri prefect’s assistant, Hector Eto Famé, confirmed this.
Many residents stated that the Lake Nyos catastrophe in 1986 had harmed them. These disaster victims were installed by the current President, Paul BIYA.
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