By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 8 – The UN's Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed, who while she was the Buhari Government's Environmental Minister signed some 4000 certificates for endangered rosewood already exported to China from Nigeria and Cameroon, was in Abuja when dozens of Cameroonians were refouled to Yaounde, and has yet to speak out. On May 7, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about Nigeria, from the UN transcript: Inner City Press: letter from Nigeria from the People's Democratic Party and its Chairman, Uche Secondus, describing what they describe as violations by President [Muhammadu] Buhari of the rights of journalists and of opponents. And I wanted to know, has that one been received and what's the…
Spokesman: I will check. I'm not aware that it has.
Inner City Press: And is the DSG (Deputy Secretary-General) going to have any involvement in responding?
Spokesman: Let's see if the letter's been received, and then we'll see the response." A full day later, nothing from Dujarric, nor from Mohammed, under whom Inner City Press remains restricted to minders, and less access than state media from Egypt and elsewhere. So on May 8 Inner City Press asked Dujarric again - and he still wouldn't confirm receipt of this widely reported letter. Nor would he explain the non-availability of the UN's May 8 transcript even by 7 pm. So, video of his denial, here. [Later, the transcript became available, here: Inner City Press: I'm going to ask you again about can you announce the receipt of a letter from the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria that they say was sent to the Secretary-General, complaining about human rights abuses by [Muhammadu] Buhari?
Spokesman: No, I have not had a confirmation of that."] 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 will check. I'm not aware that it has.
Inner City Press: And is the DSG (Deputy Secretary-General) going to have any involvement in responding?
Spokesman: Let's see if the letter's been received, and then we'll see the response." A full day later, nothing from Dujarric, nor from Mohammed, under whom Inner City Press remains restricted to minders, and less access than state media from Egypt and elsewhere. So on May 8 Inner City Press asked Dujarric again - and he still wouldn't confirm receipt of this widely reported letter. Nor would he explain the non-availability of the UN's May 8 transcript even by 7 pm. So, video of his denial, here. [Later, the transcript became available, here: Inner City Press: I'm going to ask you again about can you announce the receipt of a letter from the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria that they say was sent to the Secretary-General, complaining about human rights abuses by [Muhammadu] Buhari?
Spokesman: No, I have not had a confirmation of that."] 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.
