By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 7 – While outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid has under-performed on files such as the crackdown in Cameroon, and has retaliated against some staff and had his spokesman lash out at and exclude the critical Press, it is still an important position. So why hasn't UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres yet advertised the vacancy and set up a public process to choose a successor? On May 7 Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I want to ask about the vacancy for the High Commissioner of Human Rights. Some people have noted that it hasn't yet been put out to advertise, despite the… the… the stated resignation of Prince Zeid. Does the… does the Secretary-General intend to put it out and have an open process…
Spokesman: I don't think… if I'm not mistaken, I don't think the current High Commissioner resigned. I think he decided not to seek.
Inner City Press: Not to seek.
Spokesman: Exactly. Slightly different. There's a procedure for it. I will find out where we are on that procedure…
Inner City Press: I guess the main thing would be to know whether he's going to put up…
Spokesman: No, no, I said, I will try to find out what the procedure is." Five hours later, nothing from Dujarric, who played his role in evicting and restricting Inner City Press. Amid the worsening crackdown by the army of 36-year Cameroon president Paul Biya in the country's Anglophone areas, a video has circulated depicting soldiers burning down homes. Click here for one upload of it. Noted by many residents and activists: blue helmet of the type used by UN peacekeepers. On April 30 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric about the video, the day after publishing a story about it, in Google News. Dujarric said he hadn't seen the video but militaries should to use UN equipment or colors, presumably when burning civilians homes down. Video here; from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: a video emerged over the weekend from Cameroon showing or depicting soldiers burning people's homes in the Anglophone areas, and what… what a lot of people focused on is that one of them, at least, is wearing a blue helmet. I don't think it means the UN is doing it, but I do wonder, what are the rules? I wanted to ask you, what are the rules if people have served in UN peacekeeping missions… have you seen the video?
Spokesman: "I haven't seen that particular video, so I can't comment on the particular helmet, whether it was just blue or a UN helmet. We have seen, in different parts of the world, various security forces and army… we've seen reports of them using equipment that they own, which had been painted white or blue and reused domestically. It is a responsibility to ensure that no equipment that has UN markings is ever used in any domestic operation. But, again, I'm not… that's a matter… that's an issue of principle. I haven't… I can't comment on that specific report." Hours later, still nothing.
Spokesman: I don't think… if I'm not mistaken, I don't think the current High Commissioner resigned. I think he decided not to seek.
Inner City Press: Not to seek.
Spokesman: Exactly. Slightly different. There's a procedure for it. I will find out where we are on that procedure…
Inner City Press: I guess the main thing would be to know whether he's going to put up…
Spokesman: No, no, I said, I will try to find out what the procedure is." Five hours later, nothing from Dujarric, who played his role in evicting and restricting Inner City Press. Amid the worsening crackdown by the army of 36-year Cameroon president Paul Biya in the country's Anglophone areas, a video has circulated depicting soldiers burning down homes. Click here for one upload of it. Noted by many residents and activists: blue helmet of the type used by UN peacekeepers. On April 30 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric about the video, the day after publishing a story about it, in Google News. Dujarric said he hadn't seen the video but militaries should to use UN equipment or colors, presumably when burning civilians homes down. Video here; from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: a video emerged over the weekend from Cameroon showing or depicting soldiers burning people's homes in the Anglophone areas, and what… what a lot of people focused on is that one of them, at least, is wearing a blue helmet. I don't think it means the UN is doing it, but I do wonder, what are the rules? I wanted to ask you, what are the rules if people have served in UN peacekeeping missions… have you seen the video?
Spokesman: "I haven't seen that particular video, so I can't comment on the particular helmet, whether it was just blue or a UN helmet. We have seen, in different parts of the world, various security forces and army… we've seen reports of them using equipment that they own, which had been painted white or blue and reused domestically. It is a responsibility to ensure that no equipment that has UN markings is ever used in any domestic operation. But, again, I'm not… that's a matter… that's an issue of principle. I haven't… I can't comment on that specific report." Hours later, still nothing.
The lack of confidence in the UN in these areas, and on this issue, was inflamed as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in October 2017 stopped by Yaounde on his way from the Central African Republic (where the UN pays Biya's government for peacekeepers who have been charged with sexual abuse). Guterres did not meet with any opposition figures, and accepted a golden statue from Biya.
Guterres' envoy Francois Lounceny Fall has publicly said that secessionist are extremists, the word used by Biya to justify the scorched earth strategy exemplified by the video. Inner City Press asked UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zaid why his Office hasn't updated the death figures and he claimed it was because the UN has no access.
Guterres' humanitarian Assistant Secretary General Ursula Mueller visited Cameroon, but not the Anglophone areas. (Inner City Press asked her why, here). Human Rights Watch didn't even include Cameroon in its 2018 “World Report,” and told Inner City Press this is because it does not view it as among the 90 most serious problems in the world.
Guterres' Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed as in Abuja in her native Nigeria when 47 Cameroonians were illegally sent back by the Buhari government. Buhari will be in Washington on April 30 and a protest of Ambazonians is planned. Earlier in April, Inner City Press asked the US State Department about the refoulement to Cameroon and received a day later a statement. But what will happen on this video, and on the underlying issues? Watch this site.
