South West: PM Launches Community Dialogue For Peace

O n the premise that “Peace is not an event, but a process” the li­ ving forces of the South West Region converged on Buea yesterday September 28, to renew their commitment towards fostering peace, social cohesion and living together. Chaired by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute, the get-together brought together administrative, political, traditional, municipal and religious authorities as well as business operators, elite, and community leaders across the six administrative Divisions of the South West Region. Speaking during the launching of the community-based dia­ logue, the Prime Minister said though the socio-economic and political situation has greatly improved, there is still more work to be done for lasting peace to return. PM Dion Ngute highligh­ ted that peace is non-negotiable arguing that without peace there can not be any development. “We all are stakeholders in peace. We need peace first,” he stated, while cautioning that the conclave is not to apportion blame or a platform to review development projects. The pro­ gress recorded so far for the re­ lative peace, he said, is thanks to efforts by the government and ultimate price paid by valiant defence and security forces. “A lot of bad things have happened but we are in the process of re­ gaining normalcy,” he opined while urging different community stakeholders to work for peace in collaboration with adminis­ trative authorities. “Our goal is peace. We cannot continue to hide. It is time we organize our­ selves and put an end to this because nobody will do it for us. It is all of us sitting here, who have the capacity today to organize and talk to those boys that the time has come for them to leave. It is incumbent on us to do that,” the Prime Minister insisted. In an interactive session mode­ rated by the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Oka­ lia Bilai, three delegates from each Division presented act...