Effective, inclusive dialogue, is the way
forward
By
Achaleke Christian Leke, youth leader
 |
| Achaleke Christian Leke |
Over the past few weeks, I have followed
developments in Cameroon with keen interest especially regarding the strike
action by Common Law lawyers and teachers in the two Anglophone regions in
protest against marginalization by the government and the subsequent spillover
of demonstrations by the public in Bamenda and Buea.
This
year, I was named the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, and as a Cameroon
Youth Ambassador to the Commonwealth and
a proud Cameroonian who is determined to promote peace, and speak out
when fellow young people plunge in anguish and pain, I am not only compelled to
share my views with you but to openly;
1. Declare my stance against any form of
violence
2.
Call for effective and inclusive dialogue and the development of concrete
action towards resolving the marginalization problem and the worsening crisis
in our country.
First
and foremost, I condemn in firm terms, the use of violence against civilian
demonstrators most of whom are young people. The right to peaceful
demonstration is an important political right as enshrined in Article 8 section
1d of the 1966 Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
During
the 2008 hunger strikes, I lost a very dear friend in Kumba who was a victim of
a stray bullet as he walked along the streets on his way back home. Believe me,
I know how it feels and that is why I stand firmly against the use of violence
and excessive force by the civilians or the government.
While
condemning the use of force and violence, I also appeal to the angry
demonstrators to exercise prudence, abstain and restrain from activities that
destroy public or private property. We young people have the capacity and
energy to promote peace, justice, change and sustainable development, but
certainly not through violence.
Fellow
Young people, in times like this; we need to resist all forms of radicalization
and manipulation to foment violence. This is the time for us to prove to the
world that we are not agents of violence, but ambassadors of peace, justice,
and change. As young people, we must advocate positively for change and
progress in our communities. However, such lasting progress cannot be achieved
in destruction.
I
use this medium to solicit the government of Cameroon to respect and uphold
human rights and engage in dialogue with segments of our society that bear
varying grievances in order to find a peaceful and sustainable solution. In my
few years of practice as a peace and counter violent extremism activist, I can
strongly affirm that using excessive force and violence may and will not calm
the protest but could instead aggravate and exacerbate the situation as well as
radicalize young people.
Equally,
I use this opportunity to call on the civil society, religious and traditional
rulers, international organisations and other actors of nation building in and
out of Cameroon to engage in the most innovative and non-violent perspectives
in solving this crisis. There is the need to broker a sustainable peace deal
for both parties and de-escalate the violence.
Nevertheless, I think if we are to reach
this sustainable peace, young people must be brought to the table of this
process, not only as participants but also as major actors. We make up over 70%
of the country’s population and for the past years, we have proven our worth as
change makers and leaders of today and not tomorrow.
I
believe change is possible, but certainly, violence is not the way to such
change. Dialogue, negotiation and of course non-violent approaches are what we
need from both ends. Cosmetic peace deals will not be sustainable and may lead
to a bigger challenge after few months.
Thank You.
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