Tombel
Encyclopedia
Tombel is a town and commune
in the Southwest Region of Cameroon
, in the north of the Mungo Valley
.
The town is traditionally part of the Bakossi people
's country, but now has a significant population of Bamileke people and others.
In late 1966 tension between the two communities resulted in an outbreak of violence in which 236 Bamaleke setlers were killed. looting and burning their houses. In response, the army moved in, rounded up all able-bodied Bakossi men in the Tombel area and placed them in detention camps, where many were severely tortured to obtain confessions. Eventually 143 Bakossi men were put on trial and 17 sentenced to death, while 75 received life sentences of life imprisonment.
Lying immediately to the south of Mount Kupe, Tombel receives little direct sunshine, particularly in the rainy season, due to constant cloud cover.
The town has suffered from persistent shortages of water supply, despite several forceful attempts by the women of the town to improve the situation.
Communes of Cameroon
The Communes of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration in Cameroon. The communes are organised by arrondissements of the Divisions of Cameroon of each province....
in the Southwest Region of Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, in the north of the Mungo Valley
Mungo River, Cameroon
The Mungo River is a large river in Cameroon that drains the mountains in the southern portion of the Cameroon line of active and extinct volcanoes.-Course:The Mungo river has a catchment area of ....
.
The town is traditionally part of the Bakossi people
Bakossi people
The Koose people live on the western and eastern slopes of Mount Mwanenguba and Mount Kupe in the Bakossi Mountains of Cameroon...
's country, but now has a significant population of Bamileke people and others.
In late 1966 tension between the two communities resulted in an outbreak of violence in which 236 Bamaleke setlers were killed. looting and burning their houses. In response, the army moved in, rounded up all able-bodied Bakossi men in the Tombel area and placed them in detention camps, where many were severely tortured to obtain confessions. Eventually 143 Bakossi men were put on trial and 17 sentenced to death, while 75 received life sentences of life imprisonment.
Lying immediately to the south of Mount Kupe, Tombel receives little direct sunshine, particularly in the rainy season, due to constant cloud cover.
The town has suffered from persistent shortages of water supply, despite several forceful attempts by the women of the town to improve the situation.