By Matthew Russell Lee, interviews I, II, video
UNITED NATIONS, August 18 – From Cameroon, officials of Paul Biya's more than 30 year government August 8 met with the UN's Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed to spin Biya's abuse of Anglophone Southern Cameroons, including cutting off the Internet for 94 days during which the UN stayed largely silent. Now the UN has quietly disclosed child sexual abuse -- rape -- charges involved the Cameroonian "peacekeeping" contingent in the Central African Republic. Inner City Press first tweeted the UN disclosure, here.
What will Amina Mohammed, and Secretary General Antonio Guterres, do about this? Inner City Press might have asked their holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, before the August 23 noon briefing - but Dujarric has refused to even confirm receipt of, much less answer on, UN corruption including this. The UN evicts and still restricts, and doesn't answer its mail. In Cameroon the post Internet cut GCE exam results are in, and they are both unprecedentedly bad, and fraudulent: "The Cameroon General Certificate of Education board, GCEB, has recorded one of the worst results since its creation. According to this year’s ordinary level results, out of 80,212 who registered, only 46, 532 sat for the exams, only 11,770 passed with a percentage pass of 25.29 contrary to last year where 110702 who registered 102, 857 sat for the session and 63,951 passed with a percentage of 62.17. For the Advanced level, the results released earlier on Friday August 11, is extremely low with success rate of 35.52 and 22.36 for both the general and technical fields respectively. Out of the 33037 candidates who sat for the exams, only 11670 passed. The results witnessed a drastic drop compared to 2016 were the percentage passed was 66.52. Many have blamed the poor results on the anglophone crisis which paralyzed learning activities for many schools in English speaking Cameroon." And from the UN, after the spin trip, nothing. On August 9 as Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft about Southern Cameroons, Reuters cut off the question and Rycroft walked away. His acting spokesperson said the question would be answered after checking with the High Commission. While Inner City Press persisted and asked Rycroft again on August 10 - he said the issue is on the UN's radar, where it should be - the question to / of the High Commission remained, as now does the issues of Southern Cameroonians' protest of the Biya spin-tour right on London. High Commissioner Brian Olley has reportedly, but not confirmed, that he raised human rights issues to Paul Biya. Meanwhile London Stock Exchange traded "Victoria Oil & Gas Plc is engaged in gas exploration, production and distribution in Cameroon." On August 14, the lead spokesman for Rycroft, now away for two weeks, returned and replied, "I understand the Ambassador answered your question on Cameroon last week," while referring to "major international outlets" which it seems never asked Rycroft or him about Cameroons and its Anglophone regions, or incoming High Commissioner Rowan James Laxton. We'll have more on this. On August 10, only by waiting in the UN lobby from which was was UNable on August 8 to pursue the story as non-censored UN correspondents could, Inner City Press asked Mohammed, who said it is not her approach to use a sledgehammer, here. But even the next day, August 11, Paul Biya's government reportedly detained and disappeared a Southern Cameroonian coming in from Japan, Oliver Ntungfor. And there are others detained underground in secret prisons in Yaounde, while the streets of Bamenda are mud due to Biya's under-development, as he send only soldiers. (The UN Committee against Torture says it will considering Cameroon - but not until its November 6 - December 6 session.) There are even ghoulish calls for Biya to use chemical weapons. Amina Mohammed and Secretary General Antonio Guterres are the recipients of a number of related communications like the one below, and this. On the afternoon of August 8, Inner City Press asked the Biya delegation if for example their imprisonment of ex-UN legal adviser Felix Agbor Balla was addressed. No, they said. It was not that kind of meeting. Video here. They ascended to the second floor, where Inner City Press unlike other no-show UN correspondents was not allow to follow them. This was explained to a UN official later on August 8, and we will have more on that, particularly given that the UN declined to even say who beyond Mohammed met with Biya's spinners. On August 9 Inner City Press' question on Cameroon to UK Ambassador Matthew Rycroft was cut off by Reuters' correspondent, here. Inner City Press asked Rycroft again on August 10, video here, UK transcript here: Inner City Press: Amina Mohammed also on Tuesday met with this delegation from Cameroon. I just wanted to get your thoughts on whether the UN should be doing more, could be doing more? Have you seen a read out?
Amb Rycroft: Obviously I wasn’t in the meeting myself but I was very glad to hear that the delegation were here and they had a meeting with Amina Mohammed. I think that demonstrates that the UN is keeping it on their radar as they should and I support that.
Amb Rycroft: Obviously I wasn’t in the meeting myself but I was very glad to hear that the delegation were here and they had a meeting with Amina Mohammed. I think that demonstrates that the UN is keeping it on their radar as they should and I support that.
The day before on Cameroon, Inner City Press responded to the UK request for the cut-off question with: "Since Amb Rycroft has previously said that the UK monitors the situation in Cameroon's Anglophone areas, where the Internet was cut off for 94 days this year and many leaders still arrested facing the death penalty, what does the UK think of the Yaounde delegation that came to the UN yesterday? They said that the continued detention of ex-UN legal adviser Felix Agbor Balla did not come up. Should the UN do more? What is the UK's position on this situation in the Anglophone regions sometimes called Southern Cameroons?" Hours later, from the now re-staffed UK Mission, this: I’m currently double checking with our High Commission in Cameroon overnight and will get back to you tomorrow." Watch this site. At the noon briefing on August 9, Inner City Press asked asked UN Spokesman Dujarric, about why Agbor Balla wasn't raised, if the Biya government's torture documented by Amnesty International came up, and if anyone from UN Human Rights was there (seems not). August 9 video here. From the UN transcript: Inner City Press: the individuals that attended from the Cameroon side, when they came down, they said that, for example, the imprisonment of UN… former UN legal adviser Felix Agbor Balla did not come up; it was not that type of meeting. So, I wanted to ask you — I mean, I’ve read it several times, the readout — if it didn’t come up, if the imprisonment of a former UN legal adviser didn’t come up, can you explain why that would be? Did it… did… And just one other thing.
Spokesman: Yeah, go ahead.
Inner City Press: There’s also been a recent, non-related to the Anglophone areas but to the country itself, this Amnesty report of torture in military bases related to the fight against… the Government says Boko Haram. That seems like a pretty serious report from a highly credible organization, and it just… can you… if you don’t… can you find out whether that came and up and whether Mr. [Andrew] Gilmour or anyone on the human rights side of the organization attended this meeting?
Spokesman: The Deputy Secretary-General represented the organization in the meeting. I think the readout we gave you was fairly extensive. We have in the past and reiterate our concern of the continuing detention of Anglophone leaders, any and all Anglophone leaders. And I think the readout was very clear in the issues that were discussed. We don’t go into detail, verbatim detail, as to what points were discussed, but I think the readout gives you a pretty strong readout of the issues that were raised and our concern at these issues.
Inner City Press: It says the Government… welcomes the steps taken by the Government, and given that most… people… at least, you know, from… from what it seems from here, many people in the Anglophone areas don’t… don’t see those steps and see their leaders still imprisoned. [inaudible]
Spokesman: I think we have seen some steps in the right direction and as… I would refer you back to the readout.
Spokesman: Yeah, go ahead.
Inner City Press: There’s also been a recent, non-related to the Anglophone areas but to the country itself, this Amnesty report of torture in military bases related to the fight against… the Government says Boko Haram. That seems like a pretty serious report from a highly credible organization, and it just… can you… if you don’t… can you find out whether that came and up and whether Mr. [Andrew] Gilmour or anyone on the human rights side of the organization attended this meeting?
Spokesman: The Deputy Secretary-General represented the organization in the meeting. I think the readout we gave you was fairly extensive. We have in the past and reiterate our concern of the continuing detention of Anglophone leaders, any and all Anglophone leaders. And I think the readout was very clear in the issues that were discussed. We don’t go into detail, verbatim detail, as to what points were discussed, but I think the readout gives you a pretty strong readout of the issues that were raised and our concern at these issues.
Inner City Press: It says the Government… welcomes the steps taken by the Government, and given that most… people… at least, you know, from… from what it seems from here, many people in the Anglophone areas don’t… don’t see those steps and see their leaders still imprisoned. [inaudible]
Spokesman: I think we have seen some steps in the right direction and as… I would refer you back to the readout.
From the August 8 UN noon briefing transcript: Spokesman Dujarric: Cameroon while your… while Periscope is on.
Inner City Press: The meeting's taking place today at 12:30 p.m. with the DSG, I wanted to ask you, apparently, there's not a photo op, so could you--
Spokesman: There will be a UN photographer there, and those photos, as you well know, are available, free of charge for your website.
Inner City Press: Sure, but who else is attending on the UN side?
Spokesman: There will be a readout, and the Deputy Secretary-General will be leading the UN delegation. If we're able to release other names, we shall.
Inner City Press: Can she… is there some way, either on the way out in some way, she can answer questions
Inner City Press: The meeting's taking place today at 12:30 p.m. with the DSG, I wanted to ask you, apparently, there's not a photo op, so could you--
Spokesman: There will be a UN photographer there, and those photos, as you well know, are available, free of charge for your website.
Inner City Press: Sure, but who else is attending on the UN side?
Spokesman: There will be a readout, and the Deputy Secretary-General will be leading the UN delegation. If we're able to release other names, we shall.
Inner City Press: Can she… is there some way, either on the way out in some way, she can answer questions
But this did not take place, as Inner City Press explained. Instead for now this read-out from the UN, with no mention even of the UN's own Agbor Balla: "Readout of the Deputy Secretary-General’s meeting with a delegation led by Prof. Paul Ghogomu, Director of Cabinet of the Prime Minister of Cameroon: On 8 August, the Deputy Secretary-General met with a delegation led by Prof. Paul Ghogomu, Minister and Director of Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon. They discussed the internal situation in the Republic of Cameroon, particularly in the Anglophone regions. The Deputy Secretary-General welcomed the efforts being undertaken by the Government to de-escalate tensions and highlighted the importance of further confidence building measures, including ensuring that justice is given to all and that human rights are upheld and respected, and noting that those responsible for rule of law are to be held to a higher standard. The Deputy Secretary-General also reiterated the willingness of the United Nations, through the good offices of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), Mr. François Louncény Fall, and the United Nations country team, to support inclusive dialogue efforts to address the outstanding root causes of the tensions in the affected regions. The Deputy Secretary-General commended Cameroon for its generosity towards refugees from Central African Republic and Nigeria and conveyed that the United Nations looks forward to working with Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad to reintegrate those affected, especially women, youth and children. The Deputy Secretary-General and Prof. Ghogomu also discussed the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations development system reform, as well as the situation in the Bakassi Peninsula and the fight against Boko Haram. "
Previously, Mohammed attended Biya's long time UN Ambassador's celebration of independence day, video here, which is seen quite differently in the Anglophone zone, from which a delegation met with a representative of the UN's genocide prevention office. Inner City Press on August 7 asked that at least some coverage of DSG Mohammed's meeting be allowed, and a read-out given. Mohammed and her chief of staff Nelson Muffuh have been made aware, repeatedly, of the UN's restrictions on the Press, which have yet to be reversed: Inner City Press is still Banned. Their acting head of (partial) "Global Communications" Maher Nasser, when asked, would not explain the restrictions still on Inner City Press compared to free access to no-show sycophants, here.
