The Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC) has called on the Cameroon government to bolster its efforts in combating genocide and other international crimes.
The call, issued by Prof James Mouangue Kobila, president of the CHRC, came amid the commemoration of the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994.
The day is observed every April 7 in remembrance of the Rwandan genocide, which claimed over 1 million lives in 1994.
In particular, the CHRC urged the government to ratify the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of December 9, 1948, and to implement internal measures to enforce it effectively.
The CHRC’s call for enhanced measures against genocide and international crimes comes amidst ongoing violence in Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions, where over 6,000 people have died since 2016.
At some points during the armed conflict, political observers like Tibor Naggy, a former US diplomat to Africa, described the killing of civilians and the burning of villages by the Cameroon military as genocide and crimes against humanity.
While the CHRC did not explicitly attribute acts of genocide to any specific party in the Anglophone Crisis, it urged all stakeholders, including political actors, administrative authorities, and civil society organisations, to uphold a zero-tolerance policy against tribalism, hate speech, and discrimination.
“The Commission welcomes the six strong measures adopted and the three major activities carried out by the National Communication Council (CNC) as part of the fight against hate speech and calls for intolerance, or even violent extremism relayed in media and social networks,” it said.
The CHRC added that it also “welcomes the three emblematic actions carried out by the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (CNPBM), alone or in partnership with other administrations and institutions, since the last celebration of this day.”
However, it also underscored the importance of condemning all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including those perpetrated by individuals with links to the military and ruling party.
The CHRC said it “strongly condemns incitement to hatred on social networks as well as all forms of discrimination and ethnic, religious, political, or tribal intolerance, as well as attacks against minority communities, especially during conflicts and intercommunity networks in certain regions.”
The AU noted that commemorating the Rwandan Genocide is aimed at reminding Africa and the rest of the world, as well as new generations, so that something like that never occurs again in human history.
The commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and division.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, speaking on the occasion, lamented the failure of the international community to prevent the genocide and emphasised the importance of promoting reconciliation and justice.
World leaders, including US President Joe Biden, expressed solidarity with the victims of the genocide and praised efforts towards healing and rebuilding.
