BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA
With the aim of promoting peaceful elections in Cameroon, come 2025, Women’s International League For Peace and Freedom (WILPF) recently in Buea empowered youths on how to mitigate Hate speech and Violence in Cameroon. The motivation behind this initiative was revealed by Rose Jovmessi Jokeng, the Chief of Project.
“In Cameroon we need peace; we are peace seekers, peace builders so we are gathering young people in Buea to implement our vision of the peaceful Cameroon. We don’t want a Cameron disturbing with Hate Speech and Political Violence. And you know that Young people are so sensitive and so manipulable, so we have to encourage them, sensitise them to avoid Hate speech and political Violence in Cameroon within and after the upcoming elections”, she emphasised.
The seminar which had in attendance some youth leaders in Fako Division was held under the theme ‘Fostering Social Cohesion among youths to prevent Hate speech and political violence in Cameroon’.
It had as main objective to enable young councilors play a leading role in preserving peace and Social Cohesion in their various municipalities.
In the course of the seminar, the participants were drilled on Community Activism Weaknesses and the actions that are necessary to be taken by Mbuh Ivo Dang (Facilitator). He emphasised on the importance of Community Activism in combating hate speech.
“My presentation is quite essential given that it had to do with the youths. If we must have a society that is free of violence, hate speech, we must engage the youths. Engaging the youths because they make up about 60 percent of our population and if the youths get involved either through voluntarism, either through Activism, whatever way of Activism, I think that the Level of Violence, and Hate speech will be greatly reduced”, he pointed.
With a view to a more harmonious cohabitation both in communities and on social media, the project promotes the factors of peace and social cohesion through web influencers, digital campaigns and the education of young people in community activism, in order to prevent hate speech and political violence in Cameroon.
The workshop was graced with the presence of a renowned Peace Crusader, Bochum Samuel Bache, who doubles as the Director of Youth Advocate of Peace and Community Empowerment Cameroon. While citing some the things learnt he noted that the workshop was enriching.
“One thing I have learnt myself is to be more collaborative as young people towards passing the message of peace through the respective work we do. It could be on the area of water, agriculture etc. It is about peace being the basic to accelerate progress growth and also minimising tension and friction which come as a result of diverse perspectives and opinions about situations which we find on daily basis”
Moli Caroline Etala, Divisional President of Cameroon National Youth Council Fako Division, on her part promised to utilise the knowledge gained to empower people in the local communities.
“The knowledge acquired here is to go back to our local communities because the objective is to encourage and to train peace activists to go back to the local communities to give it out to those who were not able to make it here. And I think with the present ongoing crisis in the South West Region, they have come at the right time”, she reiterated.
Sam Nloin Suka, Founder and Executive Director of Clean Water and Sanitation in Africa NGo, disclosed that he left the training fulfilled with his expectations met as he has learnt a lot in the domain of Community activism.
“I have learnt a lot especially when it comes to community advocacy, community Activism. I have learnt from so many other community initiative organisations and I think that this is a project that we should take upon ourselves to go to the community to sensitise the youths on our various establishments.”
The seminar wrapped up with the award of Certificates of Participation to the participants. The participants are expected to go into the grassroots and empower others to be peace builders.