The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964
The presence and activities of the Gendarmerie is as old as French influence in Africa. Since the re-birth of multi-party politics during the 1990s in Cameroon, the military crackdown in erstwhile West Cameroon rekindled old memories of Gendarmerie brutality and popular reaction. As a paramilitary...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Hradec Králové
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Modern Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.uhk.cz/modernafrica/article/view/104 |
| _version_ | 1797194817549107200 |
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| author | Walter Gam Nkwi Henry Kam Kah Martin Sango Ndeh |
| author_facet | Walter Gam Nkwi Henry Kam Kah Martin Sango Ndeh |
| author_sort | Walter Gam Nkwi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The presence and activities of the Gendarmerie is as old as French influence in Africa. Since the re-birth of multi-party politics during the 1990s in Cameroon, the military crackdown in erstwhile West Cameroon rekindled old memories of Gendarmerie brutality and popular reaction. As a paramilitary force, it was charged with the provision of security but instead instilled fear and insecurity in the West Cameroon state. This article examines the activities of the Gendarmerie and pays close attention to the tradition and origin of this paramilitary force in West Cameroon. What circumstances led to the introduction of the Gendarmerie in West Cameroon? What was the strength of the West Cameroon security forces before the introduction of the Gendarmerie in 1961? In providing answers to these questions we consulted documents from the National Archives Buea in Cameroon and secondary sources from libraries. These sources reveal that the Gendarmerie force was abhorred by many West Cameroonians. This was because of the brutality of Gendarmes on the civilian population, police and custom officers. The paper also contends that, although the Gendarmerie corps was out to ensure peace and security, it became more or less an insecure force to property and the lives of the West Cameroonian population, as well as to the police and custom officials in West Cameroon.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:01:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a46db812e8e84bea8644130ebd18e392 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2336-3274 2570-7558 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T06:02:19Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Hradec Králové |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Modern Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-a46db812e8e84bea8644130ebd18e3922024-04-23T06:01:04ZengUniversity of Hradec KrálovéModern Africa2336-32742570-75582016-12-0142The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964Walter Gam Nkwi0Henry Kam Kah1Martin Sango Ndeh2University of BueaUniversity of BueaUniversity of Buea The presence and activities of the Gendarmerie is as old as French influence in Africa. Since the re-birth of multi-party politics during the 1990s in Cameroon, the military crackdown in erstwhile West Cameroon rekindled old memories of Gendarmerie brutality and popular reaction. As a paramilitary force, it was charged with the provision of security but instead instilled fear and insecurity in the West Cameroon state. This article examines the activities of the Gendarmerie and pays close attention to the tradition and origin of this paramilitary force in West Cameroon. What circumstances led to the introduction of the Gendarmerie in West Cameroon? What was the strength of the West Cameroon security forces before the introduction of the Gendarmerie in 1961? In providing answers to these questions we consulted documents from the National Archives Buea in Cameroon and secondary sources from libraries. These sources reveal that the Gendarmerie force was abhorred by many West Cameroonians. This was because of the brutality of Gendarmes on the civilian population, police and custom officers. The paper also contends that, although the Gendarmerie corps was out to ensure peace and security, it became more or less an insecure force to property and the lives of the West Cameroonian population, as well as to the police and custom officials in West Cameroon. https://journals.uhk.cz/modernafrica/article/view/104SecurityInsecurityGendarmerieCameroonWest Cameroon |
| spellingShingle | Walter Gam Nkwi Henry Kam Kah Martin Sango Ndeh The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 Modern Africa Security Insecurity Gendarmerie Cameroon West Cameroon |
| title | The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 |
| title_full | The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 |
| title_fullStr | The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 |
| title_short | The Gendarmerie, (In-)Security and Popular Reaction in West Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon 1961–1964 |
| title_sort | gendarmerie in security and popular reaction in west cameroon federal republic of cameroon 1961 1964 |
| topic | Security Insecurity Gendarmerie Cameroon West Cameroon |
| url | https://journals.uhk.cz/modernafrica/article/view/104 |
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