Countries in Central Africa are at an increased risk for mass violence, with concerns growing over the role of hate speech — a potential warning sign for atrocities. Chad has already seen a dramatic rise in the risk of mass killings, ranking fourth globally in the latest rankings from the Early Warning Project, an annual statistical risk assessment from the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide and Dartmouth College. Meanwhile, the Central African Republic (CAR) ranks 16th, plagued with ongoing killings by non-state armed groups, violence by state security forces and political tensions surrounding electoral processes.
Christian farmers, displaced by fighting, live in a camp in the community of Bambari, Central African Republic, April 24, 2019. (Ashley Gilbertson/The New York Times)
USIP partners in CAR and Chad have been at the forefront of national efforts to map, document and raise awareness on hate speech. This work has increased our understanding of the political and security dynamics that allow hate speech to proliferate and informed the training of local authorities, community and religious leaders, and the media on how to combat the issue.
Join USIP and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for a conversation on the manifestations and drivers of hate speech, as well as ways to determine when it might lead or contribute to violence, including mass atrocities. Using case studies from Chad and CAR, the discussion will explore best practices for locally led atrocity prevention and peacebuilding efforts.
Speakers
Ashleigh Landau
Research Associate, Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide
Yamingué Bétinbaye
Scientific Director, Centre for Research in Anthropology and Human Sciences
Rhosyns Ngatondang-Zalang
President, Association Jeunesse en Marche pour le Développement en Centrafrique
Elizabeth Murray
Senior Advisor, Disability and Inclusion, U.S. Institute of Peace