Cameroonian Group Demands Action Against Covert Recruitment for Russian Military
A Cameroonian collective, “Bring Back Our Sons and Brothers,” is urging both Russia and Cameroon to collaborate in dismantling secret recruitment networks that are enlisting Cameroonians to join the Russian army amid the conflict in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the group held a peaceful march in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, to raise awareness of this issue. Paul Sylvain Yede, a cofounder of the organisation, said, “This march aims to draw the attention of two friendly nations – Russia and Cameroon – urging them to do everything they can to dismantle the clandestine network that continues to drain Cameroon of its sons.”
A report by the group “All Eyes on Wagner” indicates that at least 1,417 Africans, including many from Cameroon, have been recruited into the Russian military, with over 300 reported dead. Many young men, attracted by promises of work in Russia, have found themselves thrust into combat in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Catherine Djock has not heard from her husband in nearly a year after he went to Russia for what he believed would be a kitchen job. “For nine months, I have had no information about my husband’s situation – whether he is alive or not. I cannot accept that he is dead, as I have not seen his body; therefore, I believe he is still alive,” she stated. “If he is alive, I want Russia to bring my husband back to me. He was supposed to work as a cook, but upon his arrival, he ended up on the front lines. I want the truth about my husband. That is why I have come out today.”
Ngong San Djombi, who lost his youngest son, expressed his anguish: “I demand that my son be returned to me, regardless of his condition – even if he is disabled. I cannot accept being told he is gone when I haven’t seen his body. I have refused to hold a funeral; I have simply prayed.”
