children and schools in cameroon's
english-speaking region have become
common targets of the separatists
fighting for secession the separatists
say the government in yahweh has
neglected the anglophone region
in the majority french-speaking country
and they've now declared their own state
called ambisonia now sdw's adrian creech
reports they've attacked schools
to pressure the government four years
ago
residents of the predominantly
english-speaking western cameroon
protested peacefully against the
perceived neglect of the central
government
which reacted violently since then civil
war has broken out
separatists are fighting for secession
and their own state
ambassador to pressure the regime they
are forcing
schools to close in november this school
was attacked and set on fire shortly
before
seven children in another school in
kumba were murdered
in the meantime some schools have opened
again with lessons taught
uneasily under military protection one
boy tells us he is scared of being
kidnapped by separatists
we're in front of one of the schools in
bermanda at the moment it's morning and
you can see many of the students are
arriving
without school uniforms and they're
coming here in front of the entrance
to change to wear them because they're
afraid of wearing the uniforms on their
way to school
we travel further into the countryside
where many schools are still closed
like here in the village of number but
there is a glimmer of hope
[Applause]
[Music]
local priest roland ahri has built a
youth center where teenagers learn a
trait and
children are given an alternative school
program three times a week
they have seen war they've seen guns
they've seen people use power in a very
irresponsible way
if somebody does not use their life in a
profitable way
the life loses meaning itself loses
taste
so you can do anything with it because
there's no value for it
so a center like this is it's really a
blessing
i think we're already making a
difference in september the village
school was set to reopen
but separatists have driven away the
teachers
this is how one of the classrooms looks
from inside the benches are destroyed
you can still see
parts of the books scattered around on
the grounds
the school has been closed for four
years now and we were told by
the residents here that it was the
separatist fighters who came here to
destroy everything they took some of the
benches out to set up barricades on the
roads
the school symbolizes a lot for every
community that aspires for development
and growth and it tells the story
looking at it it shows how out of
reality we are the truth is like nobody
really cares
it's it's so painful it's
you cannot even express it beyond you
cannot you cannot
beyond the physical structure the human
structure
is destroyed how does a community like
this build a future with
children who do not go to school
[Music]
priest ary wants the children here to be
finally able to live a normal life
but for four years he says neither
governments nor separatists have been
ready to enter serious dialogue
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