Psychological experiences of refugees and the response of the community in the Lake Chad region

Abstract

In recent years, the Lake Chad region which is an intersection of four countries, namely; Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger, has been a major battleground of insurgency and political instability. Particularly, the emergence of Boko Haram and the devastating impact of its activities, exposed the vulnerability in the region. Poverty is prevalent in the region-a situation which has been argued as one of the factor accounting for successful operation of Boko Haram. In the midst of less economic activities, it is important to understand the psychological impact of insurgency on the lives of individuals who have moved from their indigenous homeland to resettle in new communities. Sixty-seven participants were interviewed from nine communities in Cameroon and Nigeria. Participants were psychologically affected by their losses; relatives, properties and even displacement from their homelands. Also, the limited economic activities in the region manifested in the inability of the people to have access to income generation activities. Notwithstanding, the host communities provided solace to the participants by accepting them as equal members of the society and integration in the communities. Most importantly, they see them as their brothers and sisters who have been displaced from their respective communities because of attacks from Boko Haram. The study has implication for policy-making, in terms of governments and international partners, exploring ways to create economic opportunities to advance the lives of refugees and internally displace persons (IDPs) in the region.

Societal perceptions of counterterrorism in Cameroon: The voices of those far from the battlefield

“…This finding is consistent with the results of previous studies that mentioned the need for governments to adopt integrated approaches to fighting terrorism (Blaydes & Rubin, 2008;Theriault et al, 2017). For instance, Boko Haram's success in entering the Cameroonian territory in the Far North reportedly resulted from poverty and a lack of infrastructure development in the region (Alupo et al, 2018;Oyewole, 2015). The Cameroonian government's response to tackling underdevelopment in the Far North region remains unclear.…”

“…Between July and December 2014, about 37 suicide attacks were carried out in Cameroon, resulting in about 1,300 deaths (FATF-GIABA-GABAC 2016). The insurgency has had multiple effects on the country's socioeconomic activities (Alupo, Oginni, Opoku, & Torgbenu, 2018). For instance, from2014to2017, state revenue from taxes was reduced by 10% due the insecurity created in the Far North region and the instability in the Anglophone regions (IMF 2018).…”

“…It is not only about the direct involvement of the military in combating terrorism but also about identifying the root causes of emergent terrorist groups and mapping out strategies accordingly (Blaydes & Rubin, 2008;McIntosh, 2015). For instance, Alupo et al (2018), Dim (2017), Oginni et al (2018 and Oyewole (2015) observed that the emergence and expansion of Boko Haram are linked to extreme poverty and unemployment, illiteracy, the politicisation and radicalisation of religious communities, political instability and corruption, ethnic tensions and a lack of economic opportunities in the Lake Chad Basin region (Alupo et al, 2018;Opoku et al, 2017). Aside from deploying troops to combat Boko Haram, there should be plans to expand economic opportunities for people in the region and other parts of the country.…”

“…It is crucial for the government to pay attention to increasing joblessness, which might jeopardise the prospects for peace in the country. The unfair distribution of resources creates opportunities for terrorist groups to propagate their agendas, as they may succeed in recruiting jobless and frustrated youth (Oginni et al 2018;Opoku et al 2017). Thus, it is important for the Cameroonian government to consider an inclusive approach to development, poverty alleviation and job creation.…”

Long-Lasting Solutions to the Problem of Migration in Europe

“…F.inst. there are many refugees in the Lake Chad region, intersection of four countries of the Sahel, as,(Alupo et al 2019); and a huge wave of immigrants towards South Africa or other rich countries, blamed by locals for supposedly taking jobs from locals, committing crimes, or the spread of infectious diseases.…”