CAPED International: Working to promote Peace & Dialogue on Campuses
For close to two decades now, university campuses in Cameroon have been bedevilled by numerous unrest and upheavals, causing a recrudescence of acts of violence. This ugly trend has led to the suspension of classes, arrest, dismissal and even imprisonment of students, as well the firing of rectors. In 1991, there were upheavals in the then University of Yaoundé, prompting the occupation by soldiers of the students’ residential area and the gross violation of human rights and alleged assassinations that accompanied it (see Mentan, 1997: 41-55). Due to the general state of insecurity the situation created, students fled from their residential quarters of Bonamoussadi and university lecturers stopped giving lectures. Lecturers only resumed teaching when government threatened them that failure to do so would result in their dismissal (Mbu, 1993). The tense political climate at the time prompted the Head of State to create an “Independent Committee” to prop into the matter and eschew the facts. To the surprise of all, the Committee, after its findings, came out with a “zero mort-zero rape” report (Cameroon Life, N° 12, October 1991: 20-21; Mbu, 1993:116).

In 1993, as the students, under their movement known as "Parlement", were fighting for a genuine cause such as the imposition of fees, payment of bursaries that were stopped and better living conditions, a counter group called Auto-Defence was formed to neutralise their actions. The Auto-Defence group members spied on fellow students and reported them to the authorities for reprisals. As a pre-emptive measure, the government created five other universities in Douala, Soa, Buea, Dschang and Ngaoundere. But this was far from solving the problem.

On January 27, 1999, security forces intervened in a student strike at the University of Douala. The students went on strike on January 18 to express legitimate demands for amelioration of their learning condition and changes at the university. The police used water cannons and nightsticks on the students, and beat several students severely. Police also arrested several students and detained them for 2 days (see US State Dept HR Reports, Cameroon, 2000).

Similarly, on May 23, 1999, police and gendarmes forcibly dispersed a demonstration by students of the University of Yaounde II, in which students protested the poor road conditions that killed 14 persons in a May 17 bus accident (US State Dept Human Rights Reports on Cameroon, 2000: 12). Police arrested approximately 50 students and severely beat several of them. The students were released on May 25.

In the year 2005, there was a strike action by the students of the University of Yaoundé I that later spilled over to other state universities, such as in Dschang, Douala, and Buea. Without an effective student union, the student strike in Buea was excessively violent, resulting in violent confrontations with security forces, and loss of lives and property. For instance, on April 28, 2005, security forces shot and killed two university students, Gilbert Forlem and Aloysius Embwam. A third student died of wounds she sustained during the clash with police and gendarmes, and many others were taken to the hospital as a result of security forces' use of tear gas and water cannons (US State Dept Country Reports on Human Rights, Cameroon, 2005: 11). The clash occurred when students took to the streets to reach the Provincial Governor and hand in complaints about school fees and academic and living conditions. During the period, almost the entire university system was grounded for close two months. In November 2006, at least two students of the University of Buea wers hot dead and several others wounded following clashes with anti-riot police. The students were protesting against alleged corruption and exam fraud by some state officials regarding admission into the newly created medical school.

Many of these university crises could have been avoided if due regard was given to the notion of dialogue. Indeed, the absence of this all-important ingredient between the students and the university authorities has largely been responsible for the numerous strikes. This has oftentimes forced the students to employ brute force or use their might and energies in rather negative ways, with far-reaching consequences on both parties. The future of Cameroon may just be in jeopardy if something is not done to check the unwanted situation. Meanwhile, peace and dialogue are essential factors to imbibe in our youths (students), who are often referred to as “the leaders of tomorrow”. There is therefore need for collective and concerted efforts towards ensuring durable peace on our campuses. It is in view of participating in these efforts that the Campus for Peace and Dialogue (CAPED) International was created.

CAPED International is an independent, apolitical, non-confessional and non-profit making organisation/association, with headquarters in Yaoundé. It is a campus-oriented think-tank institution with the responsibility of encouraging dialogue and promoting and imbibing the ideals of peace and dialogue among the students and youths. Having as motto: Peace, Dialogue and Justice for Development, its principal mission is to promote the ideals of peace and dialogue on campuses. As a campus-oriented think-tank, it engages in training, research and advocacy as means to effect positive change in schools. It specific objectives, inter alia, include: Institutionalise peace volunteering among students; Promote the creation of student-led anti-violence activities; Promote dialogue and other alternatives to acts of violence; Promote ethics of acceptable behavioural norms among students; Encourage stake-holders to support dialogue and violence prevention on campuses; Offer guidance and counselling services; Offer citizenship and peace education; Curb the occurrence and spread of man-made violence in schools; promote the use of non-violent approaches to resolve conflicts and Support and encourage training in the culture of peace and dialogue. It is out to support schools to develop auto-capacities that can handle conflict. In order to address a wider populace, the association carries its activities to all institutions of learning from primary schools, colleges up to the university. The principal message it carries forward is that there exist other alternatives to the use of force and violence. Dr Walters Samah