In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NYP

UNITED NATIONS Gate, February 11 –After Paul Biya who has ruled Cameroon for 36 years on January 28 had his opponent Maurice Kamto arrested, Inner City Press again asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his spokesmen for their comment and action, if any. This came after Guterres had Inner City Press roughed up on 3 July 2018 after it interviewed Biya's Ambassador about the two men's Budget Committee deals and banned from the UN since - Guterres even tried to get Inner City Press banned from the Park East Synagogue, here, which was denied / dodged by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Now after Guterres bragged again, this time in French, about his talks with Biya's government, Cameroon forces have burned down the hospital in Kumba in the Anglophone Southwest Region. The UN usually calls attacks on medical facilities a war crime but as we have seen, Biya's Cameroon is a special case for Guterres, since it chaired the UN Budget Committee. Guterres is entirely silent on Biya's lock up of Njongwan Emeline, for filming a video of the arrest of dozens of young people in Buea early this week.
As Guterres pledges his suppor to Biya, she remains locked up. Birds of a feather, flock together. As he left the African Union summit on February 10, Guterres took questions in French and answered this on Cameroon, which we Google translate from French: "Q: (in French, on the situation in the English-speaking areas of Cameroon)     SG: (in French) We accompany the situation to which you referred. Yesterday we had a dialogue with the Prime Minister [of Cameroon] and he promised us all this to create conditions of respect for human rights and dialogue so that the situation could normalize. It was the result of our approach with the Prime Minister who was with us last night." Guterres has no credibility on Cameroon - he covered up Biya's slaughter since Cameroon was chair of the UN Budget Committee, took Biya's golden statue, had Inner City Press roughed up and banned 221 days and counting and bragged he spoke six times with Biya - while refusing any read outs. Back on February 9 Dujarric, who blocks Inner City Press on Twitter, issued this about his Boss Gutterres: "the Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon on the margins of the African Union Summit.     They discussed the latest political developments in the country, including the situation in the North-West and South-West regions. The Secretary-General reiterated the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support Cameroon in its efforts to strengthen peace, democracy and development.  Addis Ababa, 9 February 2019  Stéphane Dujarric  Spokesman for the Secretary-General." Continue? After Guterres took Biya's golden statue and UN Budget Committee favors and stayed silent on all Biya's killings in the Anglophone zones? Where *is* Biya during this AU Summit, anyway, where for example Zambia president Lungu who has started using live fire on his opponents too has chosen to attend? Could Biya's be in Geneva with all his stolen millions? Golden statues, indeed. On February 6, Inner City Press asked Guterres, Alison Smale, Amina J. Mohammed and their spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "February 6-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment action on that 14 people have been shot dead at Bole Market this morning, 20km away from Kumba, on the Kumba-Ekondo Titi road. "The soldiers arrived using live bullets and many had to escape for safety" and that dozens of youths arrested in Buea today by security forces?" No answer at all. In Cameroon Biya's Minister Delegate of Justice Momo Jean de Dieu has on camera warned that Biya's opponents "might end up like 'arrogant' Jews whom Hitler put in gas chambers" - his words, video here. Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres, his deputy Amina J. Mohammed, his USG Alison Smale and lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "a formal question for immediate answer and confirmation of receipt   Cameroon Biya's Minister Delegate of Justice Momo Jean de Dieu has on camera warned that Biya's opponents "might end up like 'arrogant' Jews whom Hitler put in gas chambers" - his words, video here.      What is the SG's comment and action on this?" Many days later, nothing. Nothing at all.  Even banned, Inner City Press exclusively reported that inside the UN in a closed door meeting with staff Guterres said that human rights questions to governments are impolite and arrogant. Video here. Here is what Inner City Press has asked in writing to Guterres, his deputy Amina J. Mohammed (in Nigeria), USG Alison Smale, spokesman Farhan Haq and Stephane Dujarric and others: "While your Administration and Office of the Spokesperson have refused to answer a single written question from Inner City Press for fourteen work days, in contravention of conventions USG Smale made to UN Special Rapporteur David Kaye and Spokesman Dujarric made on camera, two formal questions for immediate answer and confirmation of receipt  1) in Cameroon it is reported that opposition figure Maurice Kamto as been arrested, after the 100+ arrests and shootings Inner City Press asked you about earlier today. Please explain how it is legitimate to ban from enter into the UN the media that has been asking about these and other questions, with no hearing or appeal.  On deadline." No answer, no acknowledgment of receipt, nothing.  More here.

***

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Past (and future?) UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA
For now: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Search innercitypress.com  Search WWW (censored?)

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2019 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for