Cameroon Begins Campaign Against Hate Speech

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 that along with xenophobic statements, authorities also define hate speech as criticism of the state and President Paul Biya.  More than 700 people from churches, political parties and universities listen to Cameroonian officials in the courtyard of the Yaounde City Council. 

The officials are asking the crowd to stop using xenophobic terms and stop portraying a negative image of the country, especially on social media platforms. Among the listeners is 47-year old electrician Alex Ndikum.  Ndikum says he was scandalized when some French-speaking Cameroonians called him an Anglofou, a term derived from “Anglophone” that means uncivilized. "All of us, we are citizens of Cameroon and 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 curb hate speech."