Rabat – With less than two weeks before the start of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) raised concerns in a report about security and safety in the hosting country, Cameroon, due to internal conflicts.
Scheduled from January 9 to February 6, the 2021 AFCON could be disrupted for diplomatic reasons, HRW warns of potential risks and dangers football players and fans could face.
Beyond threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the report stressed that the crisis in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions is intensifying, with separatists “publicly threatening to disrupt the 2021 AFCON.”
“Since 2017, the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon have been embroiled in cycles of violence between government forces and armed separatist groups seeking independence from the country,” the NGO explained.
A separatist group who opposes the 2021 AFCON in the Anglophone region of the country has reportedly claimed responsibility for the bomb attack that wounded several people in the Southwest Region on December 13.
The report also outlined the limited access to medical care and facilities in the Anglophone region of Cameroon where the game will be held.
HRW commented, “Cameroonian authorities should refrain from holding matches in regions where they cannot guarantee the security of players and fans.”
The NGO urged the country to intensify healthcare measures to prevent any COVID-19 outbreak among attendees and to “provide support for those who need to isolate after testing positive.”
The 2021 AFCON has been subject to much discussion lately as many CAF officials have raised concerns about the state of readiness in Cameroon to host the football event.
“There is a real risk of attacks in all the sites of the AFCON, in particular in Limbe,” Rebecca Tinsley, human rights researcher and member of the Global Campaign for Peace and Justice in Cameroon told the British news outlet the Daily Mail.
Despite fears that the participating teams would be the targets of attacks by the separatists, Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), insisted the matches would go as planned.
Meanwhile, Cameroonian authorities have also said they will ensure security around the event. According to the report, Cameroonian authorities have deployed additional troops to the Anglophone regions to prevent armed attacks and ensure security.
Last week, Morocco’s football head coach Vahid Halilhodzic revealed the list of football players participating in the 2021 AFCON. There are ongoing discussions about whether FC Barcelona’s rising star Abessamad Ezzalzouli would join the Atlas Lions in Africa’s most significant football event.
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