For many people living in Cameroon's North-West Region, peace has become something to remember rather than something to experience.
Nearly a decade after violence erupted in the country's two English-speaking regions, the sound of gunfire, reports of kidnappings and news of fresh killings continue to interrupt everyday life. Families have learned to live with uncertainty, traders travel with fear, farmers think twice before going to their fields, and parents worry every time their children leave for school.
The North-West remains one of the regions hardest hit by the Anglophone crisis. Although the intensity of the conflict has changed over the years, one painful reality has remained constant: civilians continue to pay the highest price. Humanitarian agencies say the crisis has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and disrupted education, healthcare and livelihoods across the region.
The violence is no longer measured only by the number of armed confrontations. It is measured by empty classrooms, abandoned farms, struggling businesses and communities living under constant fear. Every new attack leaves behind grieving families and deepens wounds that have yet to heal.
Recent months have once again shown that the road to peace remains long. Human Rights Watch recently called on the authorities to investigate allegations of killings and enforced disappearances in the North-West Region, stressing the importance of accountability for abuses committed during the conflict.
The region has witnessed several deadly incidents over the years that continue to haunt its people. In July 2023, gunmen opened fire at a busy junction in Bamenda, killing ten people and injuring others in one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent years. The incident shocked the nation and highlighted how vulnerable ordinary citizens remain.
Since then, attacks, targeted killings and armed confrontations have continued to be reported across parts of the North-West, affecting communities in Bamenda, Bui, Donga Mantung, Menchum and other divisions. Security personnel, civilians and suspected fighters have all lost their lives in different incidents, while many cases remain under investigation.
Yet behind every statistic is a human story.
There is the trader who no longer opens her shop because customers have disappeared. There is the farmer who abandons fertile land for fear of being caught in crossfire. There are children who have spent much of their school years learning under the shadow of conflict. There are families who continue to search for relatives who never returned home.
The economic consequences are equally severe. Once known for vibrant markets, agriculture and small businesses, many communities have seen commercial activities decline. Transport operators face increasing risks, investment has slowed, and unemployment has risen, especially among young people.
Health services have also suffered. Some health facilities have closed temporarily because of insecurity, while humanitarian organisations continue to warn that access to essential services remains difficult in several localities. Communities that already faced poverty before the crisis now struggle with even greater hardship.
Religious leaders, traditional rulers and civil society organisations have repeatedly appealed for dialogue and reconciliation. They argue that while military operations may address immediate security concerns, lasting peace can only be achieved through sincere efforts to rebuild trust among communities.
Conflict analysts also warn that prolonged violence risks creating a generation that has known little else but instability. Children who have grown up hearing gunfire instead of school bells deserve a future defined by opportunity rather than fear.
The North-West has long been recognised as one of Cameroon's centres of education, agriculture, entrepreneurship and cultural heritage. Its people are resilient, hardworking and deeply attached to their communities. But resilience should not be mistaken for acceptance. No community should be expected to live indefinitely with violence as part of daily life.
As Cameroon continues to search for lasting solutions to the Anglophone crisis, one message stands above all others: the value of human life must remain paramount. Every life lost is a family broken. Every act of violence pushes peace further away.
The people of the North-West are not asking for miracles. They are asking for what every citizen deserves the freedom to work, to study, to travel and to raise their families without fear.
Until that becomes reality, the region's story will continue to be written not only in headlines about conflict, but also in the quiet determination of ordinary men and women who continue to hope that one day peace will finally return.
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