Bishop Declan Lang and Bishop Philip Egan have added their voices to an ecumenical statement calling on the UK government and the international community to respond, robustly, to the violence in Cameroon.
In the country’s Anglophone region, longstanding grievances against the central government have spilled into conflict during recent years, with thousands of people killed or driven from their homes.
Recently the situation deteriorated further when government forces launched a violent crackdown in response to separatist attacks.
Bishop Lang chairs the Bishops’ International Affairs department and Bishop Egan’s diocese, Portsmouth, is twinned with the Catholic Archdiocese of Bamenda in the north west of the country.
“We hear the cry of our sisters and brothers in Cameroon’s Anglophone region, who are facing daily violations of their human dignity. Recent reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention and attacks on civilians demand a response from the international community.
“We call on the UK government to work with other European countries on robust diplomatic action to halt the violence and help bring about a negotiated settlement that protects the rights all Cameroon’s people.
“We also express our closeness to the churches that are working with local communities to reject violence and pursue the path of dialogue, and we assure them that they have not been forgotten.”
Rt Rev Declan Lang
Bishop of Clifton
Chair, International Affairs department, CBCEW
Rt Rev Philip Egan
Bishop of Portsmouth
(twinned with the Catholic Archdiocese of Bamenda)
Revd Richard Teal
President of the Methodist Conference
Rt Rev Christopher Chessun
Lord Bishop of Southwark
Church of England Lead Bishop for International Affairs
Carolyn Lawrence
Vice-President of the Methodist Conference
Rt Rev Martin Warner
Lord Bishop of Chichester
(companion link to the Anglican Diocese of Cameroon)
Missio, the Church’s agency for overseas mission, is asking for prayers and support for people in Cameroon affected by this crisis.
Along with your prayers, anything you can donate will be gratefully received by Missio. Just £40 per year is enough to send a displaced child to school.
Visit Missio’s site to donate.
Episode 35 of the Methodist Church’s weekly podcast series majors on the situation in Cameroon.
