Pope Leo XIV on Thursday condemned what he described as a “handful of tyrants” fueling war and exploitation, as he delivered a message of peace in Cameroon’s conflict-hit Anglophone region.
Speaking in Bamenda during a four-country tour of Africa, the pope drew attention to the separatist crisis that has gripped western Cameroon for nearly a decade. Crowds lined the streets to استقبال him, celebrating the rare papal visit to a region often overlooked by the international community.
At a peace meeting held at St. Joseph Cathedral, Leo joined religious and traditional leaders, including a Mankon chief, a Presbyterian moderator, an imam and a Catholic nun, in highlighting interfaith efforts to end the violence and support affected communities.
“Blessed are the peacemakers,” he said. “But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain.”
The pope warned against the use of religion to justify conflict, calling for a “decisive change of course” away from violence and the exploitation of people and natural resources.
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters,” he added.
His remarks come amid broader global tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel in Iran, where religion has featured in political rhetoric.
Leo is scheduled to celebrate Mass in Bamenda before returning to Yaoundé. It remains unclear whether separatist fighters, who are observing a temporary pause in hostilities, will attend.
The conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions dates to colonial-era divisions between French- and British-administered territories. Since 2017, separatists have waged an armed rebellion seeking independence, a conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000, according to the International Crisis Group.
