{"id":1907,"date":"2022-10-17T16:15:16","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T16:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/237check.org\/?p=1907"},"modified":"2022-10-17T17:00:27","modified_gmt":"2022-10-17T17:00:27","slug":"the-role-of-social-media-in-the-promotion-of-lockdowns-and-school-boycott-in-the-southwest-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/237check.org\/2022\/10\/17\/the-role-of-social-media-in-the-promotion-of-lockdowns-and-school-boycott-in-the-southwest-region\/","title":{"rendered":"The Role of Social Media in the Promotion Of Lockdowns and School Boycott In the Southwest Region"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cameroon\u2019s Anglophone regions have been engulfed in crisis since late 2016, when English speaking lawyers, students, and teachers began protesting what they saw as their under-representation in, and cultural marginalization by, the central government. Strike actions to call the government’s attention to these demands attracted severe military punishments which have resulted in an armed conflict. Ghost town operations and lockdowns are imposed on locals in the two regions to close their shops and remain indoors for days and even weeks. The separatists also impose lockdowns across cities, towns and villages in the northwest and southwest regions to ensure that schools remain shut especially when the month of September approaches. The situation has had devastating effects on the education sector as several thousands of school children and students have been deprived of education since 2016. Social media platforms have contributed immensely to the promotion of these lockdowns and school boycotts as they serve as the forum for information dissemination. Several blogs and social media pages circulate information about these lockdowns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Body:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Right from the start of the Anglophone crisis, several contents are being shared online in the form of write up, videos, photos or records that instill fear in people, thereby causing them to remain indoors.  In 2020, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a story of girl who was tortured and fingers chopped off because books were found in her bag. https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2020\/03\/12\/targeted-going-school-cameroon<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The rise in kidnappings of students and teachers, and burning of educational infrastructures remain a problem in the Northwest and Southwest regions. On the 24th<\/sup> of October 2020, Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy Kumba was attacked, leading to the death of about 8 pupils and several others injured. This incident was reported by several bloggers and Facebook pages such as; Mimi Mefo Info (https:\/\/fb.watch\/fS2W_RS6Zb\/<\/a>), Cameroon Current affairs (https:\/\/fb.watch\/fS1-yfoQKV\/<\/a>, and  Eagle News Africa (https:\/\/cutt.ly\/8BJYmM0<\/a>),  and un-treated images circulated all over social media which instilled fear in the hearts of parents who will have no choice than to let their children stay at home other than going to school. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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On August 30th<\/sup> 2022, a video was released announcing a national lockdown from Monday 4th<\/sup> September, to Friday 16th<\/sup> September 2022 this was in a bid to ensure that schools do not go operational. https:\/\/fb.watch\/fTpHZ7qkks\/<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On September 6th<\/sup> 2022, Larry\u2019s News Room shared an update of a car that was set ablaze in Santa. This was done by ghost town enforcers to serve as a warning for all those defying the lock down. https:\/\/cutt.ly\/8BJTVaE <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Still on this September 6th<\/sup> 2022, a primary school teacher by name Che Rhoda was shot on her way to school. This incident was as well shared on social media by several blogs such as Arrey Media<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(https:\/\/cutt.ly\/QBJR4Fc<\/a> )and individuals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How social media has played a role in the promotion of lockdown and school boycott cannot be over emphasized. The sharing of untreated images, kidnap and torture of teachers and students, burning of educational infrastructures instill fear in so many parents. Also, images of markets and shops being burnt because owners do not respect ghost towns is another reason why people choose to remain indoors other than bearing risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A thematic report of the education crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon as of February 2021 reveals that 700,000 children are affected by school closure and less than 30% of schools are operational in the Anglophone regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.acaps.org\/sites\/acaps\/files\/products\/files\/20210219_acaps_thematic_report_<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

cameroon_education_crisis_north_west_south_west_region.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are links to some posts on twitter which talk about the ghost towns and school boycott situations in the Northwest and Southwest Region;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 2 of school resumptions in Cameroon, and the ghost town is still being observed in #Bamenda<\/a>.

The streets have been completely blocked today at Below Foncha.

Unlike the Biya government predicted and announced, school resumption in the North West Region remains timid.

MMI pic.twitter.com\/JXPYnzSNId<\/a><\/p>— Mimi Mefo Info (@MimiMefoInfo) September 6, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>