Locals feel ignored by International Community

Bamenda, Cameroon What do you stand for? Melvin Songwe Shuye, a youth empowerment activist, shouts as he walks into a hall full of students at Full Gospel High School in Bamenda, the capital of Cameroons North West region.

I stand for peace and security, the students shout back in unison.

Songwe, the chief executive officer of United Youths Organization, a local NGO, then tells the students that they can help fight terrorism by reporting suspicious people and activities to the police.

In the second half of 2015, Cameroon endured a wave of suicide bombings carried out by terror group Boko Haram, but Cameroonians say the world has paid little attention to these attacks, even as world leaders gathered to condemn terror attacks that happened in Paris on Nov. 13.

There were more than a dozen attacks in northern Cameroon between July and December 2015, according to the United Nations.

African governments downplay situations in their countries and censor their media so they don't present the real situation, says Nelson Njouny Mokun, the station manager of Foundation Radio, a private radio station in Bamenda.

The truth is that there is a lot of censorship by African governments, he says. What goes out to the world is what they want the world to believe. Even serious happenings are treated casually here. You dont expect the outside world to take the events seriously.

Njouny says if African governments presented things as they are, the rest of the world would come in to help.

Recently, President Biyas international outcry has been yielding support. France, Russia and above all the U.S. are now in Cameroon helping to fight against the terrorists, he says.

The U.S. began deploying troops to Cameroon in October while Russia pledged to donate military equipment. France has also pledged to support Cameroon in the war against Boko Haram.

Until you say you are hungry, then can you be served food, Njouny says.

Songwe, the activist, says Cameroonians should find local solutions to terrorism before looking at what the world has to offer.

Since July, Songwe and a team of volunteers working for United Youths Organization have been going to schools and churches in the North West region to talk to the youth about terrorism.

His organization also reaches out to the youth through the radio, asking them to form vigilante groups in their neighborhoods to combat terror.

Cameroonians should concentrate on what is happening in their country rather than try to divert their attention on how the world is treating their problem, he says.

Nakinti Nofuru, GPJ, translated some interviews from French.