By Matthew Russell Lee, interviews I, II, video
UNITED NATIONS, August 8 – From Cameroon, three officials of Paul Biya's more than 30 year government will on August 8 meet with the UN's Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press on August 7, the third time Inner City Press asked him. Amina Mohammed and Secretary General Antonio Guterres are also the recipient of a number of related communications like the one below, and this.
On 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.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. This has been sent to Mohammed and Guterres: "Your Excellency, Amina J. Mohammed, Sanction the Republic of Cameroon for Crimes Bordering on Genocide in Southern Cameroons
On the occasion of your meeting today at the UN HQs with a three-person delegation from the Republic of
Cameroon, we write on behalf of the Sovereign People of Southern Cameroons, to urge you to: 1. Reject the campaign of lies that brings this delegation to the UN HQs. Their lone objective is to falsely link organizations using peaceful, non-violent, legal and diplomatic means to restore the independence of Southern Cameroons to acts of terror, to acts of violence and arson perpetrated by agents of the Republic of Cameroon in the desperate hope of giving our movements a bad name. 2. Remind the Republic of Cameroon of its obligations to abide by UN Resolutions, including notably UNGA 1608 adopted on 21st April 1961 (50 YES votes, 21 NO votes, 6 abstentions) granting independence to Southern Cameroons (which should become effective the 1st of October 1961). 3. End the illegal military occupation of our homeland by Colonial Cameroun which is similar to the occupation (in 1975) of East Timor by Indonesia and the occupation of Spanish Sahara by Morocco. 4. Reiterate the inalienable right of Southern Cameroonians to self-determination and our right to peaceful separation from the Republic of Cameroon (independent on 1st January 1960) as laid out under Principles VII & VIII of UNGA Resolution 1541 of 15th December 1960.
5. Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all our civilian leaders abducted, held in dungeons and political prisons of Colonial Cameroun and facing trial on trumped charges before a kangaroo military tribunal in a foreign language and under a legal system foreign to theirs. 6. Deploy a UN fact-finding mission as well as UN Peacekeepers to put an end to recolonization (which
violates Article 4(b) of the African Union Constitutive Act), to end collective punishment, prevent crimes against humanity and acts bordering on a Rwanda-type genocide in Southern Cameroons. 7. Sanction Colonial Cameroun for violations of UN Resolutions against colonization and external domination of other people; for violations of Articles 19-24 of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Right; and to oblige them to recognize the gravity of the ongoing crisis of sovereignty in the
Cameroons instead of downplaying it as a mere issue of linguistic differences and minority rights." From the UN's August 7 transcript: Inner City Press: I'm awaiting an update, I think, from you about Cameroon. You'd said that you would have something on Monday on this visit. And I'm asking because Paul Biya Government has also sent similar trios to Brussels, where they were met with protests, to South Africa, where they didn't meet opponents. So, here at the UN, who are they going to meet with?
Spokesman: My understanding is that they will meet with the Deputy Secretary-General.
Inner City Press: Do you know what day?
Spokesman: No. We can find out.
Inner City Press: Will it be on her schedule? And is there some way to either get a readout or…?
Spokesman: We'll see what… it will be… I mean, there's no… well… Clearly, if I'm saying it, if I'm confirming it publicly, it will be on her schedule. And we'll see what comes out of the meeting.
Inner City Press: Can it be a photo op, as well?
Spokesman: We'll see what comes out.
On the occasion of your meeting today at the UN HQs with a three-person delegation from the Republic of
Cameroon, we write on behalf of the Sovereign People of Southern Cameroons, to urge you to: 1. Reject the campaign of lies that brings this delegation to the UN HQs. Their lone objective is to falsely link organizations using peaceful, non-violent, legal and diplomatic means to restore the independence of Southern Cameroons to acts of terror, to acts of violence and arson perpetrated by agents of the Republic of Cameroon in the desperate hope of giving our movements a bad name. 2. Remind the Republic of Cameroon of its obligations to abide by UN Resolutions, including notably UNGA 1608 adopted on 21st April 1961 (50 YES votes, 21 NO votes, 6 abstentions) granting independence to Southern Cameroons (which should become effective the 1st of October 1961). 3. End the illegal military occupation of our homeland by Colonial Cameroun which is similar to the occupation (in 1975) of East Timor by Indonesia and the occupation of Spanish Sahara by Morocco. 4. Reiterate the inalienable right of Southern Cameroonians to self-determination and our right to peaceful separation from the Republic of Cameroon (independent on 1st January 1960) as laid out under Principles VII & VIII of UNGA Resolution 1541 of 15th December 1960.
5. Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all our civilian leaders abducted, held in dungeons and political prisons of Colonial Cameroun and facing trial on trumped charges before a kangaroo military tribunal in a foreign language and under a legal system foreign to theirs. 6. Deploy a UN fact-finding mission as well as UN Peacekeepers to put an end to recolonization (which
violates Article 4(b) of the African Union Constitutive Act), to end collective punishment, prevent crimes against humanity and acts bordering on a Rwanda-type genocide in Southern Cameroons. 7. Sanction Colonial Cameroun for violations of UN Resolutions against colonization and external domination of other people; for violations of Articles 19-24 of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Right; and to oblige them to recognize the gravity of the ongoing crisis of sovereignty in the
Cameroons instead of downplaying it as a mere issue of linguistic differences and minority rights." From the UN's August 7 transcript: Inner City Press: I'm awaiting an update, I think, from you about Cameroon. You'd said that you would have something on Monday on this visit. And I'm asking because Paul Biya Government has also sent similar trios to Brussels, where they were met with protests, to South Africa, where they didn't meet opponents. So, here at the UN, who are they going to meet with?
Spokesman: My understanding is that they will meet with the Deputy Secretary-General.
Inner City Press: Do you know what day?
Spokesman: No. We can find out.
Inner City Press: Will it be on her schedule? And is there some way to either get a readout or…?
Spokesman: We'll see what… it will be… I mean, there's no… well… Clearly, if I'm saying it, if I'm confirming it publicly, it will be on her schedule. And we'll see what comes out of the meeting.
Inner City Press: Can it be a photo op, as well?
Spokesman: We'll see what comes out.
We'll have more on this. Amid reports that the UN is providing electoral assistance in Cameroon, where Paul Biya has ruled for more than 30 years, Inner City Press on July 27 asked UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq about the assistance, and for a read-out of a reported meeting between UN Genocide Prevention official Adama Dieng and a delegation from Southern Cameroons. Video here, from Minute 17:25. Haq claimed there is UN electorial role - seemingly false - and said that Dieng rarely gives read-outs. In fact, as Inner City Press learned after waiting to speak to the delegation, it was not Dieng but his assistant Mr. Castro they met with. Periscope of interview(s) here, with Ms. Caleche Bongo and others.Photo here. Now the Paul Biya government is sending its own three-person delegation to the US from August 3 to 9 to try to spin how well it is treating the Anglophones, despite arrests and abuse. A similar trio of Biya spinners sent to Belgium ran in to a buzz-saw of protest on August 5. Video here. It was composed of Laurent Esso, "Keeper of the Seals," Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations, and Tanyitiku Enoh Achuo, PM Office attaché. Reportedly another team of spinners is headed to the UK. In New York, Inner City Press on Augut 4 asked lead UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I'm asking this because there's kind of a deadline on it. The Cameroon Government is sending these three individuals, they say, it's, as their formal letter to Tommo Monthé saying they're coming to UN Headquarters. You said you'd check with the usual suspects. Have you heard…?
Spokesman: Yes, I will have probably more for you, more on that for you on Monday.
Spokesman: Yes, I will have probably more for you, more on that for you on Monday.
We'll be waiting. The delegation will be made up of Fabien Nkot, Ghogomu Paul Mingo and Elvis Ngolle Ngolle. On August 1, after reporting this, Inner City Press asked lead UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: on Cameroon. Last week, I'd asked Farhan about a meeting that was held by southern Cameroonians with, it was supposed to be with Mr. Adama Dieng, but it turned out to be with somebody called Mr. Castro. I would still like to ask for a readout on that and the reason is now the Paul Biya Government has announced they are sending a delegation of three to the UN between, and I guess to Washington, so I wanted to know, I guess, in advance, since given that this issue and what you have said from the podium here, is it possible to know with whom… I mean I can give you the names of the people that are coming, who they are going to meet with and what the…?
Spokesman: I can find out but obviously, hopefully they will tell you who they are going to meet with because there a lot of people they can meet here, but I will check the usual suspects.
Spokesman: I can find out but obviously, hopefully they will tell you who they are going to meet with because there a lot of people they can meet here, but I will check the usual suspects.
The usual suspects, indeed. After Inner City Press repeatedly asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his spokesman about Cameroon's Internet cut-off and abuses, the UN's answer after its Resident Coordinator Najat Rochdi was shown to block the Press and then left for the Central African Republic was that the UN Office on Central Africa (UNOCA) envoy Francois Lounceny Fall would be visiting in May. This turned out to be misleading like so much with today's UN system, including UNDP and the UN's media "partners."
