Kum Henry
Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration’s North West regional coordinator Kum Henry Ichu has lamented over the absurd habit of the region’s Elite towards the centre merely using it for their political propaganda.
In a press briefing Tuesday April 12, 2022, pinpointing some of the achievements of the centre since taking over office as Coordinator of the Centre Kum Henry called on all Elite of the region to put hands on deck to ensure the centre achieves its objectives, more separatist fighters to join the centre and for peace to fully return to the region.
"I feel abit scandalized when I watch on TV and listen to the radio and hear some Elite and politicians of the region talking about peace and even quoting the DDR as one of the tools used by the head of state to achieve this peace, and some of them don't even know the functioning of the Centre or where it is. In fact a greater majority of them have never visited even for a minute since it's creation three years ago"
“I think that we should not play to the gallery, when we talk peace let’s go to the source of it. The fighters have dropped their weapons as the head of state instructed and have come to the centre, if you are an elite and you know the DDR is a peace building centre, have good information of it by visiting. Do not sit in your offices and talk peace. Let the elite interested in peace in the North West region take part in the peace keeping process of the region. It does not belong to individuals, the peace in the region will not come from literature but from the collective efforts of all.” Kum Henry opined
A cross section of journalists attending the presser
The Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Centre is a peace keeping strategy put in place by the government of Cameroon for fighters to drop arms and be reintegrated into the society following the outbreak of the armed conflict in the two English speaking regions of the country.
Following the appointment of the second Coordinator of the centre Kum Henry on September 10, 2021, seven months in to office, his achievements have been laudable. Haven received a total of 68 fighters, uplifted the face of the center, recurrent strike actions have been eliminated, an infirmary has been setup, families have rekindled their Union leading to four births so far, a vigilante group has been created in charge of security, female sexual reproduction education is now at top priority with frequent lectures, a functional nursery school with 17 pupils headed by an ex-fighter, holder of a teachers grade one certificate.
Two trophies won since Kum Henry was appointed
The center currently counts a total of 290 ex fighters with some 32 already integrated into the society. Some have been actively involved in sporting activities with the Administration of Bamenda II subdivision, the North West region and Christian displaying class and bagging home trophies.
Kum Henry while calling on all to work collectively for eventual peace, concluded by explaining that strategies are being put in place to ensure more fighters in the interiors, drop their weapons and join the centre with community radio be to at the forefront championing publications of peace in order to restore the status quo of the North West region.
By
Anye Nde Nsoh
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