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Cameroon Begins Campaign Against Hate Speech

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE, CAMEROON - Cameroon has launched a campaign against what it
   calls online hate speech, which officials blame for social conflict and
   damaging the central African state's image.Rights groups, however,note
   thatalong withxenophobic statements,authorities also definehate speech
   ascriticism of the state and President Paul Biya.
   More than 700peoplefrom churches, political parties and universities
   listen to Cameroonian officialsinthe courtyard of
   theYaoundeCityCouncil.

   The officials areaskingthecrowdto stopusingxenophobic termsand stop
   portrayinga negative image of the country, especially on social media
   platforms.

   Amongthe listenersis47-year oldelectrician AlexNdikum.Ndikumsays he was
   scandalized when some French-speaking Cameroonians called him
   anAnglofou,a termderived from "Anglophone"that meansuncivilized.

   "All of us, we are citizens ofCameroonand another citizen will address
   you Biafra{Nigerian activist}. All those types of things make one feel
   so bad,"Ndikum told VOA. "If people are being sensitized on how to
   behave, on how to react with one another, I think that will go a long
   way to curbhate speech."

   ChiAsaforCornelius is secretary general of Cameroon's National
   Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism,
   which helped organized the campaign.

   He warns hate speechin Cameroon has a political elementthat is
   heightening tensions between ethnic groups.Asaforcalls for what he
   calls a national coalition against hate speech and xenophobia.

   "This coalition should be put in place to better tackle this issue that
   is taking a very dangerous turn in our country, and to have the
   perpetrators of that hate speech truly punished," Asafor said.
   "Sensitize political parties on the necessity to educate on the dangers
   of hate speech and xenophobia in our country."

   The campaigners also want Cameroonians to show love of their country
   and its institutions. They say that means Cameroonians outside the
   country should stopprotests againstPresident Biya. The most recent
   protest took place in Belgium last Saturday.
   Protestors hold signs and chant slogans during a demonstration against
   the government of Cameroon and French involvement in government affairs
   outside an EU summit in Brussels, July 17, 2020.

   PrinceEkossois president of the opposition United Socialist Democratic
   Party. He saysCamerooniansprotest in Europe because they are denied the
   right to protest in Cameroon.
   "Our constitution provides freedom of expression and democracy, and if
   some of the values of democracy are not respected by the same
   government that is supposed to be the guarantor of the constitution, it
   makes it possible for Cameroonians to express themselves out of
   Cameroon because in those countries there is democracy,"Ekosso said.

   Asaforsaid clashes between communities have increased in Cameroon since
   the disputed 2018 presidential election in which President Biya was
   declared the winner. Opposition leader Maurice Kamto also claimed
   victory.

   WillibroadDze-Ngwa is executive director of Africa Network Against
   Illiteracy, Conflict and Human Rights Abuse. He says politicians use
   hate speech to promote dissentamongopponents and prevent them from
   uniting in opposition.

   "I think if there was legislation to bar politicians who engage in hate
   speech from occupying public offices, it would be important. And for
   current vote holders, if they are found guilty of hate speech, I think
   they should be publicly sanctioned," he said.

   The International Crisis Group warnedin a December reportthat social
   media platforms, especially Facebook, were increasingly being used by
   Cameroonian youths to heighten political and ethnic tensions.

   Cameroon says the ongoing campaign will reduce the tensions if youths
   who constitute about 65%of the population agreeto stophurtingthe image
   of their countryoversocial media.

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