The Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) on Thursday 1st March 2012 organized a youth discussion forum targeting eight youth groups in the Western Area including cliques and gang groups.
The focus was for the youth to come up with tangible recommendations and suggestions on how political violence and intolerance can be holistically tackled. The Inspector General of Police, Francis A. Munu dilated on the Rule of Law and the significance of conforming to its set norms.
On 9th March 2012, the PPRC in collaboration with a gang group, the Black Street Youth Family and the Youyi Building Attaya Base organized a community sensitization debate on non violence and political violence.
The debate focused on youth unemployment. A synthesis was reached that youth unemployment is one of the factors of political violence, but not a major factor. Minimal level of awareness was agreed to be a major cause.
On 10th March 2012, the PPRC in collaboration with APPYA (All Political Parties Youth Association) organized an interactive program with cliques and gang groups in the East End of Freetown.
These critical groups confessed that violence had been an integral part of their lives, and they have now known the significance of refraining from political violence and intolerance.
On 13th March 2012, the Youth Affairs Unit in collaboration with Students for Peace and Development organized a symposium at Milton Margai College of Education and Technology MMCET at Congo Cross Campus.
The focus was students should be seen as role models in enhancing political tolerance and non violence, and should join the band wagon to extensively preach non violence. The students realized the need to tolerate themselves as students irrespective of their divergent campus politics and such tolerance should be transmitted to the general society.