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By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY Post

UNITED NATIONS GATE, November 7 -- Throughout Paul Biya's crackdown in Cameroon, even more so after his lobbyists received the advise of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on 11 July 2018, Biya's forces have targeted journalists. Now they have reportedly arrested Equinoxe TV reporter Mimi Mefo Takambou, a decidedly moderate and even handed journalist who is active on social media, including following Inner City Press. Many are expressing concern, but Guterres' UN is typically silent. Inner City Press reported based on its sources directly in Guterres' office that Guterres decided to go quiet on the slaughter in Cameroon, largely of Anglophones, because Biya's long time UN Ambassador was chair of the UN Budget Committee where Guterres wanted and wants favors. Soon after Inner City Press reported on this, and as it was covering the Budget Committee meeting on 3 July 2018 including speaking to Cameroon's Ambassador, it was assaulted by UN Security Lieutenant Ronald E. Dobbins and another UNnamed and physically pulled out into the street. It has been banned from the UN since. Still - it is free to move around New York City (other than in the Park East Synagogue from which Guterres also tried to have it ousted). Thankfully the UN does not run its own jail in New York. The outrageous questioning and reported detention of Mimi Mefo Takambou must be reversed. The Free UN Coalition for Access, which the Department of Public Information now run (into the ground) by UK USG Alison Smale also threw out of the UN, is on the case. Watch this site. The UN is getting worse: Cameroon was elected to a seat on the UN Human Rights Council on October 12, with 176 votes out of 193 in a clean slate outrage that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres banned Inner City Press from covering in person, in the General Assembly chamber. After the vote Inner City Press asked Guterres spokespeople in writing, "October 12-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action on the video portraying Paul Biya's forces “storming [Maurice] Kamto's party office kicking and dragging men on the floor”? Also, and relatedly, now what is the SG's comment on Cameroon being put on the UN Human Rights Council?" On the afternoon of October 15, after another UN noon briefing from which Inner City Press was banned from for the 104th day, Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq replied, "Regarding question 12-1, the selection of members of the Human Rights Council is a decision of the Member States of the General Assembly, and the Secretary-General does not comment." But Guterres DOES provide Biya's lobbyists advise on how to beat back Anglo Saxon press coverage as on July 11 (below). And apparently no comment on the video portraying Paul Biya's forces “storming [Maurice] Kamto's party office kicking and dragging men on the floor” nor any answer to this October 15 noon question: "October 15-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action on calls that ELECAM, which you have said the UN is supporting in some way(s), release results polling site by polling site? What of the government's leaking of dispute results and arrest order for some opposition candidates? The reported summary executions in Mutengene, Fako Division of the South-West Region?" Golden statues. Now on Guterres' secret banned list which, UN Security admits, includes "political activists" with no due process, Inner City Press on October 12 asked questions on the sidewalk: Are you going to vote for Cameroon? The US Legal Adviser under Nikki Haley did not respond, as per usual. Inner City Press also asked the Permanent Representatives of including Security Council member Germany (who at least slowed to hear the question) and of UNSC candidate Canada, video here. Also elected: Burkina Faso - 183
Togo 181
Somalia 170
Eritrea - 160
India - 188
Fiji - 187
Bangladesh - 178
Bahrain - 165
Phillipines-  165
Bulgaria - 180
Czech Republic - 178
Bahamas 180
Uruguay 177
Argentina 172
Italy - 180
Austria - 171
Denmark- 167
and not elected, joke: US - 1 This comes as Cameroon's  36-year ruler Paul Biya  imposed a curfew on the Anglophone regions a week before his supposed re-election on October 7, complete with "observers" Biya's state TV falsely claimed were from Transparency International. We'll have more on this. Guterres' genocide adviser Adama Dieng in an interview with BBC said "things seem to be under control." Here from 2:40, and see below. Now after a canned statement to all sides by Guterres, who has banned Inner City Press from any entry into his UN, the charades of an election in which Biya's spokesman declared victory even before the polling - and a new contract to lobby the US and "multilateral" organizations like the UN, where Guterres offered to help Biya's government and has banned Inner City Press from entering the UN in any capacity at all. Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric has not answered "October 9-1: On Cameroon, describe the UN's support to ELECAM and its communications, which have included the statement the voting went of “without a hitch” amid burning of homes by the government." Now as Biya's state television has lied that Transparency International observed and approved the electoral process, the UN is silent and refuses to explain whether its support of ELECAM's communications included or encouraged this. Meanwhile, Biya's government has signed a new public relations and lobbying contract, with Glover Park Group for more than $600,000. The one-year contract went into effect Sept. 1. Either party upon receipt of 30 days' notice may terminate the contract. If the termination occurs before Feb. 28, Cameroon's embassy will pay the WPP Group unit all monthly fees and expenses through Feb. 28.
The FARA filing says, "Registrant will provide government affairs and communications services and support to the Embassy of the Republic of
Cameroon and related agencies with regard to its relations with the United States and relevant multilateral institutions" - more UN lobbying. On October 8, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman in writing (since it remains banned from noon "press" briefing, 97 days and counting), "On the Cameroon election, given the low turn out and state violence in the Anglophone areas what is the SG's comment and action?" See below. From the UK's Minister Harriett Baldwin, this: "UK concerned by reports of violence & casualties on polling day in Anglophone regions of #Cameroon & by how difficult it was for citizens to vote there. UK calls on all parties to follow proper procedures for tallying results, exercise restraint & avoid pre-empting the outcome." Call them crocodile tears, as the UK never called a UN Security Council meeting on Biya's slaughter in the area, and its FCO has yet to provide documents in response to Inner City Press' Freedom of Information request about the UK Mission's role in British UN official Alison Smale's ghoulish no due process ban for life of Inner City Press from the UN. See bus stop studio interview of October 8, here. Inside the UN, from which Inner City Press was banned for the 97th day, tor the second time in a week, the retired - from UK Reuters - correspondent, good friend of Guterres' Global Censor Alison Smale, who famously said "the Anglophones have been doing some shooting" asked a softball question in response to which this was read out and then emailed to Inner City Press, which publishes it in full: "Regarding the Cameroon election, we are saying the following: The UN is not mandated to observe the ongoing electoral process. Therefore, the Organization is not in a position to assess the conduct of the election. The UN in Cameroon played a technical advisory role in the electoral process, supporting Cameroon’s electoral management body (ELECAM) in the areas of capacity building, strategic communication, civic and voter education.  The UN has advocated for and promoted the participation of women and youth, internally displaced persons and people with disabilities. It has worked with the National Communication Council (NCC), the media and political parties to prevent hate speech and promote the peaceful coverage of the election. We are concerned about reports of displacements, threats and violence that may have impacted participation in some parts of the North-West and South-West regions. We condemn all forms of incitement or acts of violence and intimidation by any group and reiterates the Secretary-General’s call for an inclusive dialogue process to address grievances and prevent the further escalation of violence. We also encourage the Government of Cameroon to grant unfettered access to human rights and humanitarian actors to all areas affected by violence." So the UN is supporting ELECAM in communcations such as this, from ELECAM's Essosse Erik, "With the exception of certain polling stations which functioned following a security plan in the Northwest and Southwest regions given the prevailing situation, voting operations as a whole were conducted hitch-free within the country and in the diaspoara. It was peaceful." Will Guterres echo this? Essosse Erik added, "Rendez-vous latest 22 October 2018 for the proclamation of the final result." For now the award for most colonial media coverage for now goes to Reuters, whose Edward McAllister blames the victims of Biya's crackdown for "draining the life" out of the areas Biya's army has burned. This is the same Reuters whose Stephen J. Adler was happy with Guterres banning Inner City Press from his "Press Freedom" event in the UN in late September, after his UN bureau chief  urged Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric to oust Inner City Press from the UN then got his leaked complaint removed from Google Search by (mis) using the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act. McAllister, who as Reuters West and Central Africa correspondent has fewer than 2000 Twitter followers despite being on the platform since 2012 bemoans as he features a photo of a beach the loss for international tourists of the fight back. Biya could not have taken a more blame the victim line, nor even Guterres' Global Communicator and Censor Alison Smale, whose propaganda "UN News Centre" has issued a story about Cameroon which emphasizes Boko Haram and not Biya's killings in the Anglophone zones. Her DPI's most recent or relevant Cameroon stories are about Bakassi - and all the way back to Kofi Annan - who as we've noted, never had roughed up much less banned for 95+ days the media criticized him. Guterres and Biya: birds of a feather. And Issa Chiroma Bakary and Smale... Meanwhile Biya's spokesman Issa Chiroma Bakary has been filmed saying that "President Biya has already won an overwhelming victory" -- before the October 7 voting has even began. Video from Garoua here. What will the distracted, many say bought off UN of Guterres say or do? Bakary's also ghoulish statement follows the one of October 4 from the Deputy Spokesman of Guterres (who remained silent for at least a year on the slaughter of Anglophones, and according to the government offered to help them not be criticized in "Anglo-Saxon" press, one of which he's banned) -- "Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the presidential election in Cameroon
As Cameroon prepares for presidential elections on 7 October, the Secretary-General encourages all Cameroonians to exercise their democratic right and calls for a peaceful, credible and inclusive process.
The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to exercise restraint before, during and after the election. He also urges all candidates to address any complaints related to the electoral process through established legal and constitutional channels.
The Secretary-General condemns all threats of violence or acts of intimidation by any group and reiterates that all grievances should be addressed through an inclusive dialogue. The United Nations stands ready to provide support in this regard. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, New York, 4 October 2018." We'll have more on this. How can the UN view Biya's repeat candidates as under control when as reported "Candidates for the office of President of the Republic... have to show proof of having resided in Cameroon for an uninterrupted period of at least 12 (twelve) months." How many of these months was Biya in Geneva? Meanwhile he returned to give a gift to Japan's outgoing Ambassador to Yaounde Kunio Okamura: "a special gift to the Japanese Diplomat – as a symbol of the hospitality of the Cameroonian people, and the win-win relationship existing between Yaounde and Tokyo. H.E. Kunio Okamura will be remembered for fast-tracking the road projects along the Yaounde-Brazzaville corridor and that linking Cameroon to Chad." On Guterres' Dieng, given that what control exists is the product of state violence by 36 year ruler Paul Biya, Inner City Press banned from the UN after asking Guterres about his silence immediately published a story with Guterres adviser Dieng's troubling "under control" quote. And now BBC has edited or disappeared Dieng's "under control" line out from his response in a longer piece for Africa Today. Audio answer here from Minute 7. Why is BBC burying its own news to make the UN of Guterres and Dieng look better? Perhaps relatedly, with Inner City Press' physical ouster from the UN and banning since having been covered by the UK Independent, Fox, the Columbia Jounralism Review, then CNN and Politico, BuzzFeed then The Hill, and the New York Post (two-pager), among others, why has not a word about it been on BBC, which previously had Inner City Press on, for example here, as a guest? Too close to the UN? We've asked their correspondent on the sidewalk in front of the UN, to which we are for not confined to ask our questions. We'll have more on this. Dieng's belated and some say cynical call for an independent investigation of what he characterizes as "violence on both sides" with an emphasis on what he calls "separatists" is a continuation of a pro-Biya line adopted by Guterres since he took office, or since Cameroon took the chair of the UN Budget Committee. The BBC did not ask Dieng about this, nor about the UK's role including that of Ministers Harriett Baldwin and Alistair Burt and Minister Liam Fox bragged about UK-based New Age's natural gas contract with UK-based New Age. Guterres has had Inner City Press roughed up and banned from the UN as it asked him about this, including photo-journalism on him and Dieng, here, now prevented since 3 July 2018. Continuing its reporting from the sidewalk in front of the UN as it will until these policies and the ban are reversed, Inner City Press questioned Dieng who insisted that "separatists must not be encouraged." Video here. Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric on September 28 insisted the ban is not about Inner City Press' reporting or questions on Cameroon, Guterres' conflicts of interest and corruption, but "behavior" - while claiming to be answered Inner City Press' questions (largely false so far) and that the ban is not for life, while providing no road map to end it and resume UNcensored reporting. Video here. On October 1 in lieu of being able to attend the less than 20 minute noon briefing, Inner City Press asked: "October 1-1: On Cameroon, beyond the unanswered questions below, what is the SG's comment and action on the curfew imposed in Anglophone areas in the run-up to the October 7 elections? Again, what if any is the UN's role in those elections?" Later in the day this arrived from UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply and we publish it in full: "Your question on Cameroon: We remain concerned about the situation in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon and the impact that the violence is having on the civilian population. We urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law, guarantee the protection of civilians and facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to the North-West and South-West regions. The United Nations remains available to work with the Cameroonian authorities in their efforts to find a peaceful resolution of the crisis." So no role in the elections? And what about the many other specific questions?  As the Cameroon government of 36 year President Paul Biya slaughters civilians in the Anglophone regions as well as in the North, it re-engaged Washington lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs and Mercury Public Affairs, documents show. The UN belatedly acknowledged to Inner City Press, which UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had roughed up on July 3 right after it spoke to Cameroon's Ambassador Tommo Monthe and on August 17 declared banned for life from entering the UN that Guterres met with a Cameroon delegation on July 11. And they discussed, disturbingly, strategies to reduce negative coverage of Biya's killings, see below. Guterres' team is now refusing to answer basic questions from Inner City Press, such as on September 27, a day on which the briefing Inner City Press was banned from put only one question to spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Inner City Press submitted more in writing including "September 27-1: On Cameroon, beyond the unanswered questions below, what is the SG's comment and action on the multiple reports of seven young men just assassinated by the government in Buea?" The question has not been answered, despite Dujarric receiving only one other questions. Inner City Press has also asked: "September 24-1: On Cameroon, many in the country are expressing concern and some asking Inner City Press about UN vehicles recently photographed arriving in the port of Doula. Please immediately state UN's knowledge and explanation of these vehicles. Also, including because Cameroon was not mentioned in SG's AU read-out, please inform Inner City Press if and when the situation in North-West or South-West Cameroon comes up in any of the SG's meeting this week." Two days later, no answer - Guterres' silence and censorship continues. The next day Inner City Press asked this, also UNanswered a day later: "September 25-1: On Cameroon, beyond the UNanswered questions below, please state the UN's role(s) in the October 7 elections, and the SG's comment and action on doubts about voting and counting in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions." Instead Guterres is doubling down on censoring, rebuffing even one of his own Special Representatives who urged him to stop banning Inner City Press - instead, even from an UNGA event on slavery and banks to which Inner City Press' RSVP had been accepted by a Mission and UNU, Guterres banned Inner City Press and his Deputy Amina J. Mohammed, when her office was called and written to, did nothing. Now an event on "UN human rights" - an oxymoron - looms, with no response from elsewhere in Guterres' network of censorship. This is corruption. Now Biya's government is raising the specter of Anglophones, or as the UN of Guterres seems to say, secessionists, in the capital Yaounde. A crackdown is foretold in the neighborhoods of Obili, Biyem-Assi, Etoug-ebe. Photo here. And the UN says nothing, refusing to answer even the simplest of questions from Inner City Press which Guterres had roughed up and banned from the UN for 80 days now, on September 21 to be prevented from questioning Geoffrey Onyeama the foreign minister of Nigeria which engaged in the illegal refoulement Guterres supposedly cared about, for 47 including Ayuk Tabe. For now, here were Inner City Press' questions, and his answers, last UNGA High Level week before Guterres got even worse than he was then. On September 19 in a briefing Inner City Press was prohibited from attending, Guterres' special adviser on the prevention of genocide Adama Dieng said, as to Cameroon, that nothing must be done to encourage secession - a position that while Guterres' goes beyond what is supposed to be Dieng's focus, preventing the killing of people based on ethnicity or, here, language. As luck would have it, Inner City Press while conducting its daily sidewalk interviews at the UN Delegates' Entrance gate on September 20 asked Dieng why he'd done beyond his mandate. He said that he wants to visit the country. Video here. Then, still in the morning, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who USG Alison Smale said would be answering writting questions, this: "September 20-3: On Cameroon, please confirm that the SG's adviser Dieng is seeking to visit the country and explain both how it is within his mandate to speak, as he did yesterday in the briefing like today's by the SG I am banned from, in opposition to any encouragement of secession and how the SG thinks this position is a legitimate one for the UN and separately how it could play a role if it has already said what the outcome should be." Six hours later, nothing at all. Guterres' UN is corrupt.  Now in North-West Region travel restrictions have been imposed - in fact, one can't leave without saying exactly where one is going. Photo here. It was impossible for Inner City Press to get any comment from the UN of Guterres, since he has banned Inner City Press from the building for 77 days now, and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric has not been answering any written questions, including about sexual abuse by a Cameroon Army "peacekeeper" in the Central African Republic, here. A campaign to gain the release of imprisoned and increasingly sick journalist Thomas Awah is being ignored by the authorities. In Ekona in South-West Region Cameroon's government has engaged in what's become their trademark abuse, the killing at point blank range of civilians, in this case Bezeng Jonas and his sons, one of whom was attending University of Buea. Where are the "positive steps" the UK Mission's Karen Pierce asserted this week to Inner City Press across the street from the UN, from which British USG Alison Smale has banned Inner City Press for 66 days with assists?  Things have reportedly reached the point that in Lebialem Division in the South West region officials have de facto separated the country by instituting an ‘Access Card’ from locals fleeing insecurity in the division. One needs to pay FCFA 20, 000 for the 'Laissez passer' to cross over." After Guterres did nothing, in order to try to get Cameroon's support as chair of UN Budget Committee, and after again refusing Inner City Press' questions on August 31, video here, is now in China which is arming Biya. Now with Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric cutting off question and saying Guterres' ban of Inner City Press is "settled" and that it cannot enter to cover the General Assembly high level week where last year Guterres greeted Paul Biya, Guterres is headed to China September 1-4. And here's from China state media: "In March, Cameroonian President Paul Biya was the first African leader to visit China this year. It was the sixth trip to China by the president. Fruitful deals from FOCAC Beijing summit can significantly revamp the country's economy," Mpoche said. "That is why, I think the Belt and Road Initiative is laudable."
According to the Cartel of Cameroon Entrepreneurs, known in its French acronym as GICAM, close to 100 Cameroonian businessmen will visit China on the sidelines of the Beijing summit, scheduled for early September. The businessmen traveling to China intend to seize the opportunity and sign deals with Chinese private companies to "boost our cooperation and create more jobs for the youths back home," said Magloire, the rapporteur at Cameroon's Ministry of Economy and Finance."  The article makes no mention of Southern Cameroons and Biya's killings - nor, apparently, will Guterres. We'll have more on this.Here are questions Guterres and his spokesman, contrary to the promise of evicter Alison Smale, has left UNanswered: "August 27-6: August 22-3: On Cameroon, your belated July 11 read out does not answer the questions Inner City Press has asked. Before asking more, there are now broken out by letter for ease of reference and for belated answer today, as well as this:

was DSG Mohammed present at the July 11 meeting? And what is the SG's response to what was said about him in the demonstration by Anglophone Cameroonians in Washington yesterday? How does he respond to their charges of corruption?

a) Cameroon has hired Mercury Public Affairs for $100,000 a month, even as the UN is paying money to the government. Is UN money being used for the mass killing cover up campaign? Are there any safeguards in place?

b) please disclose any and all other meeings the SG has had this year arranged by paid lobbyists.

[responded to Aug 22, but see (d) below: c) what is the SG's comment on the recent announcement of seven arrests for summary executions, and the newer video of Cameroon Army executions that has emerged?

d) Specifically, how are these videos being incorporated into the supposed vetting of Cameroon's contributions to UN Peacekeeping missions?

e) please provide a list and read-out of each of the Secretary General's meetings and communications with Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe during Monthe's time as chair of the Fifth (Budget) Committee.

[semi-answered Aug 22 f) In light of statements at the August 8 noon briefing please state whether envoy Fall even requested to meet with President Paul Biya or whether the UN believes that Biya is once again out of the country, in Geneva. Has the UN ever met with Biya in Geneva? ]

g) I reiterate August 7-1 and 8-1 and 9-1, on this: was the SG or anyone else in the UN aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs? Why was this meeting not disclosed at the time? Why is there no photo, even just UN Photo, of it? Where did it take place? Who attended, on each side?

h)Has the Secretariat communicated since with the Biya government? Has it ever communicated with the opposition?"  On August 26, in Nigeria those Anglophones displaced by Biya's killings, covered up and support by Antonio "Mr. Refugees" Guterres simply so he could try to get Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe's support for his power grab reform proposals, are called "invaders." But still when they are interviewed some truth emerges: "one of the refugee, Polycarp Ande who fled from Furawa Sub-division into Fikyu village alleged that Cameroonian soldiers led the ethnic cleansing of their people. According to him, hunger, elusive health care, lack of shelter and idleness were major challenges, which he noted has in turn had ripple effect on their host community, who are predominantly low scale farmers. He explained that the villagers and churches has been feeding them, and expressed worry over their increasing numbers amidst meager resources. “Some of our brothers who went back to see how the situation was in our villages keep running back as the onslaught is still going on. ” As at last Saturday, over 15 of our people came into Kpambo-piri in Ussa and more people keep coming into Nigeria every week. “Our children are the most affected because they can’t go to school and we want the government of Nigeria and the world to come to our aid." Inner City Press is inquiring with legislators in the area and others - watch this site.  On August 22, in response to detailed questions about what Guterres knew - including about Cameroon which received the public's funds through the UN paying Patton Boggs and now Mercury Public Affairs, see below - his spokesman Stephane Dujarric sent Inner City Press, whom he has played his role in banning for life, this which we publish in full: "On Cameroon: On new video released on alleged human rights abuses in Cameroon:
We are aware of the new video released on social media concerning alleged human rights violations in the country and remain deeply concerned over the continued violence. We are encouraged that the Government has pledged to carry out a thorough investigation into these incidents and to publish the results. We continue to ask the Government to grant unimpeded access to the UN human rights bodies. We further reiterate the need to lift all restrictions on humanitarian access to the North-West and South-West regions.
On SRSG Fall’s visit to Cameroon and upcoming elections:
With regard to SRSG Fall’s recent visit to Yaoundé from 4 to 9 August, as mentioned earlier, he met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of External Relations, the Minister for Territorial Administration, the President of the National Commission for the Promotion of Multiculturalism and Bilingualism, and the Director-General of Cameroon’s electoral management body, ELECAM, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, among others. In his meetings with the authorities, he discussed the situation in the country in the lead-up to the 7 October presidential election, as well as humanitarian assistance to those in urgent need.
Meanwhile, the UN continues capacity-building activities, as well as voter education targeting the media and civil society in close cooperation with ELECAM ahead of the elections, and will continue to closely monitor the situation." The UN's no due process "investigation" of Inner City Press with the outcome pre-determined puts the first response into context, as does the government memo describing Guterres that the UN won't respond to. And UN "capacity building" for Biya's latest ghoulish "election"? We aim to have more on this. Watch this site.

   Guterres' Global Communicator Alison Smale's August 17 letter banning Inner City Press, on which she took 45 days to try to phrase censorship in terms of "professionalism," states that Inner City Press' questioning broadcasts on Periscope, for then 45 days at the gate outside the UN, are derogatory and even somehow dangerous. Dangerous to the cover up of Biya's killings, perhaps, and those who play a role in it. Relatedly, Google's YouTube de-monetized Inner City Press' video of questioning Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq about Cameroon's lobbying contracts, saying the video was not appropriate for all advertisers. While that YouTube phrasing, even if accurate, would not justify a ban on Inner City Press, it is significant that after Inner City Press submitted to YouTube an appeal -- something Guterres' Kafkaesque UN does not allow for journalists -- the demonetization has been reversed: "Hi Inner City Press, Great news! After manually reviewing your video, we’ve determined that it is suitable for all advertisers:
"Cameroon Leak Showed UN Guterres Offered Biya Help In Combating Bad Press He Banned No Answers"
Thanks, The YouTube team."
  So the coverage that UK national Alison Smale unilaterally asserts is so derogatory and dangerous as to be part of her Orwellian justification of a lifetime ban of Inner City Press is found by a party not named, as Smale is, in the video to be "suitable for all adversers." You can see it here. -- it already has 2000 views, more that the entire audience of some of those "professional" correspondents to whom Guterres and Smale give UN offices and full access. Alison Smale, and Guterres, are censors pure and simple, particularly on Guterres' shameful role in Cameroon. In a single sentence, Guterres stayed quiet on and helped cover up Paul Biya's killings of Anglophones in Cameroon because Guterres wanted the bureaucratic support of Cameroon's Ambassador Tommo Monthe, the chair of the UN Budget Committee, for his proposal some of which didn't even get enacted. Shameful, as is the lifetime ban. We'll have more, much more, on this. The Cameroon government's write up of the meeting obtained by Inner City Press, on which the UN has repeatedly refused to respond, quotes Guterres that the ("Anglo-Saxon") media is unfair to Paul Biya's Cameroun and that he, Guterres, will help them in the "propaganda campaign." Guterres said he "will contact reasonable people" and "counter the daily press briefs." Now as Guterres marks "World Humanitarian Day" in the UN General Assembly lobby he had Inner City Press pushed out of on June 22 during an event in which he gave a speech bragging about fasting in Mali, with Inner City Press banned from entering his UN of the 45th day in a row. Promoting his event, Guterres' envoy Ursula Mueller - who when she visited Cameroon in February 2018 didn't even bother going to the Anglophone areas, while praising Biya - tweeted the Civilians are #NotATarget hashtag. But what has Team Guterres done, in Cameroon, desperate as Guterres was to get and keep the bureaucratic support of Budget Committee chair Tommo Monthe, Cameroon's long serving ambassador to the UN? We'll have more on this - from the gate and bus stop outside the UN, thanks to Antonio "Golden Statue" Guterres. Watch this site. Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq three times refused to answer Inner City Press e-mailed question whether Guterres was aware his meeting was stage managed by lobbyists at Patton Boggs, and what was discussed. Then on August 15, in response to detailed questions about what Guterres knew - including about Cameroon which received the public's funds through the UN paying Patton Boggs and now Mercury Public Affairs, see below - Haq simply reiterated the UN's discredited readout: "On Cameroon, we’ve already provided a readout of the 11 July meeting: We can confirm that, on 11 July, a high-level Cameroonian delegation was dispatched to UNHQ to brief the Secretary-General on the efforts carried out by the Government to address the crisis in the North-West and South-West regions. This followed the Secretary-General’s call to President Biya of 11 June. During the meeting as well as during the call with President Biya, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis through an inclusive dialogue and reiterated the UN call for access to the affected regions." That's not what the Cameroonians say about the meeting -- they quote Guterres that the ("Anglo-Saxon") media is unfair to Paul Biya's Cameroun and that he, Guterres, will help them in the "propaganda campaign." Guterres said he "will contact reasonable people" and "counter the daily press briefs." So Guterres' spokesmen have four times declined to address or deny this.

  Now documents show that on 1 August 2018, after this meeting with Guterres, Cameroon's government through a company called TopCom SA based in Yaounde has contracted for $100,000 a month a US P.R. firm, Mercury Public Affairs based at 200 Varrick Street in Manhattan, to get it better publicity and lobby. (Mercury is embroiled in the Manafort case regarding Ukraine.) Are these the "reasonable people" Guterres told Cameroon's other lobbyists he would contact?

  Here is the Inner City Press question, including for a read out of the trip of Guterres envoy Francois Fall, who equated secessionists with extremists, to which Haq responded with the old, discredited read-out: "On Cameroon - again, and this really must be answered - Inner City Press has obtained a government memo concerning SG Guterres' meeting with them, managed by their lobbyist Squire Patton Boggs, on July 11. This is a(nother) formal request for the UN's read-out of that meeting, including but not limited to any references to the media, “Anglo-Saxon” or otherwise, and any assistance the SG may have offered Cameroon including specifically in countering perceptions.

Now Cameroon has hired Mercury Public Affairs for $100,000 a month, even as the UN is paying money to the government. Is UN money being used for the mass killing cover up campaign? Are there any safeguards in place?

Separately, please disclose any and all other meeings the SG has had this year arranged by paid lobbyists. Also, beyond the many other UNanswered questions, what is the SG's comment on the recent announcement of seven arrests for summary executions, and the newer video of Cameroon Army executions that has emerged? Specifically, how are these videos being incorporated into the supposed vetting of Cameroon's contributions to UN Peacekeeping missions? Again, please provide a list and read-out of each of the Secretary General's meetings and communications with Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe during Monthe's time as chair of the Fifth (Budget) Committee. In light of statements at the August 8 noon briefing please state whether envoy Fall even requested to meet with President Paul Biya or whether the UN believes that Biya is once again out of the country, in Geneva. Has the UN ever met with Biya in Geneva? Also, I reiterate August 7-1 and 8-1 and 9-1, on this: was the SG or anyone else in the UN aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs? Why was this meeting not disclosed at the time? Why is there no photo, even just UN Photo, of it? Where did it take place? Who attended, on each side? Has the Secretariat communicated since with the Biya government? Has it ever communicated with the opposition?"  We're still waiting - even as Guterres and his Global Communicator (and Censor) Alison Smale prepare a report on Inner City Press' ability to access the UN like countless state media including from Cameroon, all without once speaking to Inner City Press. We'll have more on this.

  Inner City Press obtained the Cameroon government's internal memo about the lobbying, including of Guterres and what he said. Guterres said that the ("Anglo-Saxon") media is unfair to Paul Biya's Cameroun and that he, Guterres, will help them in the "propaganda campaign." Guterres said he "will contact reasonable people" and "counter the daily press briefs."

 On the morning of August 13, Inner City Press emailed these questions to Guterres' spokesmen and his Deputy and his "Global Communicator" Smale and others, with no answer by the afternoon of August 14: " On Cameroon, Inner City Press has obtained a goverment memo concerning SG Guterres' meeting with them, managed by their lobbyist Squire Patton Boggs, on July 11. This is a(nother) formal request for the UN's read-out of that meeting, including but not limited to any references to the media, “Anglo-Saxon” or otherwise, and any assistance the SG may have offered Cameroon including specifically in countering perceptions. Separately, plese disclose any and all other meeings the SG has had this year arranged by paid lobbyists. Also, beyond the many other UNanswered questions, what is the SG's comment on the recent announcement of seven arrests for summary executions, and the newer video of Cameroon Army executions that has emerged? Specifically, how are these videos being incorporated into the supposed vetting of Cameroon's contributions to UN Peacekeeping missions? Again, please provide a list and read-out of each of the Secretary General's meetings and communications with Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe during Monthe's time as chair of the Fifth (Budget) Committee. In light of statements at the August 8 noon briefing please state whether envoy Fall even requested to meet with President Paul Biya or whether the UN believes that Biya is once again out of the country, in Geneva. Has the UN ever met with Biya in Geneva? Also, I reiterate August 7-1 and 8-1 and 9-1, on this: was the SG or anyone else in the UN aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs? Why was this meeting not disclosed at the time? Why is there no photo, even just UN Photo, of it? Where did it take place? Who attended, on each side? Has the Secretariat communicated since with the Biya government? Has it ever communicated with the opposition?" 

 Guterres has kept Inner City Press banned from the UN and its daily press briefings for 40 days, with the prospect of a longer or permanent ban by his conflicted Communicator Alison Smale (see yesterday's Fox story here; Smale refused comment.)

  Here's from the Cameroon government's memo: "THE DION NGUTE/GHOGOMU PAUL MISSION REPORT

High Level Mission to the USA
(11 – 20 July 2018)

Delegation Members:
H.E Dr DION NGUTE Joseph, Minister in charge of Missions at the Presidency,
H.E GHOGOMU Paul MINGO, Director of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet,
H.E MBAYU Felix, Minister Delegate to MINREX, in charge of the Commonwealth,
Mr. CHINMOUN Oumarou, Director of American and Caribbean Affairs at the MINREX, and
Mme EYEMA ELINGE Susan epse EWUSI, Research Officer at the Presidency....

NEW YORK
Meeting with:
H.E Antonio Gutteres, Secretary General of the UNO

The Delegation was helped in the organization of audiences by the Cameroon Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E TOMMO MONTHE. At each audience, we presented the historical background of the socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. We also briefed our hosts on the current situation in the two Regions, and explained the measures taken by the Government to address the crisis.

We insisted that it was an internal crisis for which the Government had mobilized all necessary security, political, social and humanitarian means for its management. We presented the Government Emergency Humanitarian Plan and stated our Government’s expectations from the UNO and the members of the Security Council.

For the SG/UN:
Cameroon is a very important and strategic Country,
We have a very wise and intelligent leader,
There is a pattern of inevitable problems when there is a linguistic minority,
The strategy of radical groups has always been to provoke, then show the world what the army is doing,
The global media is Anglo-Saxon dominated, so that there is a campaign to show that the English-speaking minority is being maltreated,
We are losing the international propaganda campaign, but he is willing to help. He will contact reasonable people,

Cameroon should however counter the daily press briefs" --

  And Guterres has Inner City Press banned from the UN's daily noon press briefing, and refuses to answer written questions about these meetings. Meanwhile, Guterres for a year sought to ingratiate himself to Biya's Ambassador Tommo Monthe, UN Budget Committee chair whose bureaucratic help Guterres wanted for example for his ill-gated Global Service Delivery Mechanism plan to move UN jobs from Geneva to Budapest, from New York to Mexico City, and from Entebbe, Uganda to Kenya. We'll have more, much more, on this.

  On August 10, with Inner City Press banned from entering the UN for the 38th day by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the Dutch Mission to the UN and HRW started bragging about a UN Security Council Presidential Statement which they said embodied deep concern. At first banned Inner City Press, thanks to Guterres who took Biya's golden statue in October 2017, couldn't even see the Statement: it was not on the Security Council's website now run by the (Dutch) husband of the chief of staff of the UN Department of Political Affairs' Rosemary DiCarlo, and was not emailed out to those not (allowed) in the UN. But by mid afternoon it came out: and it was just a single line, about the "worrying increase in violence in the north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon." Why did Human Rights Watch make so much of this, after earlier this year telling Inner City Press - before Antonio "Golden Statue" Guterres banned it from the UN - that HRW omitted Cameroon from its 2018 World Report because it didn't view it as a top-90 problem? That's here. As Guterres and his Alison Smale and their stooges try to keep Inner City Press out even longer, we'll have more on this. After twice asking the Spokespeople for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (from the bus stop outside the UN Delegates' Entrance since Guterres has banned Inner City Press since July 3), UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq on August 8 belatedly told Inner City Press, "On your first question, we can confirm that, on 11 July, a high-level Cameroonian delegation was dispatched to UNHQ to brief the Secretary-General on the efforts carried out by the Government to address the crisis in the North-West and South-West regions. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis through an inclusive dialogue and reiterated the UN’s readiness to support such efforts, including the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected regions." But Inner City Press' question was, "On Cameroon beyond the questions you have left unanswered from August 3 and August 6-1, please state if anyone in the UN Secretariat met with a Cameroonian government delegation in the US from July 11 (whcn they met UK Ambassador Pierce) to July 20 and if the UN was aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs." No answer on this, nor on August 10, when Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Haq answered a past question from August 6, on using and paying for Biya's troops: "Regarding your earlier Cameroon question, here’s what we have for you: "August 6-1: On Cameroon, important and not answered - please immediately confirm and explain: “A 295-strong Cameroonian contingent including four doctors, will be deployed in the intervening weeks to the Central African Republic (CAR).They will be part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Mission for the Stabilization of CAR (MINUSCA), ministry of Defense sources in Cameroon disclosed on Thursday.” Given not only this military's torching of villages in the Anglophone areas but summary executions, why is the UN accepting this deployment at this time? How much of the money goes to / stays with the Biya government? What vetting has been done? Does the UN know the identity of the Cameroon soldiers recently shown killing women and children? What assurance does the UN have these soldiers will not “serve” the UN in CAR?"

The 295-strong Cameroonian contingent referred into in the article is not a new deployment. It is in fact a rotation of two Cameroonian Formed Police Units (FPUs) already deployed in MINUSCA.

In this specific case, the two Cameroonian FPUs will finish their tour of duty by mid-September, will substitute them. As per established procedures, all FPU personnel undergo extensive pre-deployment training to ensure they understand the rules, regulations and, standards and values expected of personnel deployed to UN operations, including respect for human rights.

With regard to the vetting process, the Policy on Human Rights Screening of United Nations Personnel places primary responsibility on Member States to ensure that the personnel they appoint for deployment have not been involved in violations. All countries contributing uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations have primary responsibility for screening individuals and for ensuring that personnel they nominate for service have not been involved, by act or omission, in violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law, and have not been repatriated on disciplinary grounds from a UN operation. Contributing countries have to provide a certification to that effect when they nominate personnel for deployment.

The Policy thus sets forth procedures to strengthen the ability of the United Nations to ensure that its personnel meet the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and to promote and encourage respect for human rights, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. These procedures have notably led to strengthen pre-deployment screening and certification by contributing countries.

On your question regarding payment, countries contributing uniformed personnel to peacekeeping operations are reimbursed by the UN at a standard rate, approved by the General Assembly, of US$1,428 per person per month."

After Guterres remained disturbingly quiet about Biya's killing for a full year, when Cameroon was the chair of the Budget Committee whose support Guterres wanted for his proposal like moving jobs from Geneva to Budapest, New York to Mexico City, Entebbe to Kenya? We'll have more on this. This also means that the July 11 meeting with Cameroonian ministers bragged about by this month's UN Security Council president, Karen Pierce of the UK, was actually in connection with a lobbying trip stage managed by Patton Boggs. Inner City Press has asked the UK Mission, see below, and also on the morning of August 7 asked Secretary General Antonio Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq before "his" noon briefing Inner City Press was banned from for the 35th day in a row. Guterres' Haq never answered (though perhaps relatedly envoy Francois Fall is supposedly going to Cameroon). Now Inner City Press has reviewed Patton Boggs long history with Paul Biya, as he has become more and more brutal. It began in 2004 with a letter from Patton Boggs' Joseph Brand (still involved in 2018) to Biya's Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo for Peter Mafany Musonge, here. We'll have more on this. UNanswered as of August8 by Guterres' team: "August 7-1: On Cameroon beyond the questions you have left unanswered from August 3 and August 6-1, please state if anyone in the UN Secretariat met with a Cameroonian government delegation in the US from July 11 (whcn they met UK Ambassador Pierce) to July 20 and if the UN was aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs." Neither Haq nor the others in Guterres' team whom Inner City Press asked - Deputy SG Amina J. Mohammed, Eihab Omaish, Alison Smale and her officer in charge (of censorship) Hua Jiang answered that specific question. Instead Haq at the briefing said he trying to "get language" about Guterres' envoy Francois Lounseny Fall, who equated secessionists with extremists, may go to the country this week. What, some ask, for Patton Boggs? Inner City Press asked the UK Mission's two spokespeople Matthew Moody and Amy.Quantrill: "Good morning. This is a formal Press request for an answer I have sought from the UK Mission to the UN since August 1. On July 31 Ambassador Pierce stated on Twitter that she (and presumably others at the UK mission) had met on July 11 with Cameroonian ministers.

On August 1, for the Program of Work press conference I was and am banned from by USG Alison Smale and SG Antonio Guterres, after being roughed up by UN Security while covering an event and a meeting on June 22 and July 3, I asked both of you:

"Did she mean government ministers or religious ministers? If the former, who were they? Which departments? And what was it mean to say “we were watching the situation closely.” Does this mean the UK or the Council? Is there a role, does the UK think, for UN envoy Francois Lonseny Fall? Or should another mediator be assigned?"

  I have yet to receive an answer, including after tweeting substantial the same question to Amb Allen yesterday. Nor did I receive any response to my August 3 question to you, explicitly your UK's capacity of President of the UNSC, about Yemen and a Saudi letter.

This time I am addressing this to Stephen Hickey as well. (Hello).

  I am requesting an immediate answer to these Cameroon questions:

Name the ministers Amb Pierce met with on July 11.

State whether Amb Pierce or anyone else at the UK mission was aware this this Biya administration "tour" July 11-20 was stage managed by DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs (reflected on documents Inner City Press has this morning published), including US ex-Amb Frank Wisner.

  State whether any non-Cameroonians were present at the July 11 meeting and if so, who they were.

state whether Amb Pierce has had any meetings with Cameroonian opposition or Federalists or separatists, and if not, why not.

  Also, as I asked on August 1 in advance of these week's UNSC meeting I remained banned from,

Last month Sweden said at the beginning of the month that it would be seeking agreed Press Elements from every consultation. Will the UK be seeking Press Elements from this Western Sahara consultation? And if not, why not?

  On deadline. Thanks you in advance. -Matthew." Nothing.

The documents show the agreement is to run to mid 2019, long after Biya's next "election" in October (also made a mockery of by French President Emmanuel Macron inviting Biya to an event in Paris as head of state in November). The "confidential" letter agreement is addressed by Patton Boggs' Robert S. Kapla to Biya's Prime Minister Philemon Yang, to be signed by Ghogomu Paul Mingo and cites Prof. Nkot. It  says Joseph Brand and "Ambassador Frank Wisner" will work on the Biya fileAfter the abuses by Cameroon's security forces have been ignored by the UN, as Inner City Press has repeatedly asked about them until being banned from the UN on July 3 and since, new leaked videos show summary executions and manhandling of prisoners. On July 14 and 25 Inner City Press raised the issue, and that of the UN's censorship
 to the French Mission to the UN, and also directly to Deputy Ambassador Anne Gueguen. Nothing, from France and from the Security Council as a whole, not even an "Any Other Business" briefing, with none as yet foreseen under August's Security Council president the UK, whose Liam Fox bragged of UK New Age's gas deal with Biya; Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Karen Pierce about it here, before Guterres' Security's ouster and ongoing ban on which the UK has done nothing. July 20 video here.  After that, Pierce said on Twitter - while ignoring Inner City Press' question as her mission has in recent days, also on Yemen - that she had met with Cameroon ministers on July 11. Inner City Press asked the UK Mission in writing on August 1 to explain: "Amb Pierce disclosed in yesterday's Twitter Q&A that she “spoke to a delegation of Cameroon ministers at the UN on 11 July.” Did she mean government ministers or religious ministers? If the former, who were they? Which departments? And what was it mean to say “we were watching the situation closely.” Does this mean the UK or the Council? Is there a role, does the UK think, for UN envoy Francois Lonseny Fall? Or should another mediator be assigned?" Nothing, still no answer as of noon on August 6 from the UK Mission. (Inner City Press' later on August 6 online question to returned-toTwitter Deputy Ambassador Jonathan Allen on this has yet to be replied to.) Instead, Pierce said the initiative is with Biya and his government. Now it emerges that Paul Biya sent a delegation of five from July 11 to 20, to DC and New York to meet members of the UN Security Council. This while UNSG Antonio Guterres had banned from the UN Inner City Press, which has ask him for more than a year about the slaughter in Cameroon and his inaction, as he needed the support of the Cameroonian chair of the UN Budget Committee. New filing on Guterres and conflict of interest, here. We'll have more on this - and this: ghoulishly in Cameroon, where there is supposed to be an election in October, French Ambassador Gilles Thibault, of whom Inner City Press has asked French Permanent Representative Francois Delattre before being banned from the UN since July 3, has invited Paul Biya to an Emmanual Macron "Peace" event, as Cameroonian head of state.. in November. We'll have more on this. On August 1 in a briefing Inner City Press was banned from Pierce said the initiative is with the President and government of Cameron - that is, 36 year ruler Paul Biya. On August 2 Inner City Press emailed Guterres' spokesmen and team including Alison Smale and officer in charge Hua Jiang, "On Cameroon and refugees from Cameroon in Nigeria, what is the comment, response and action if any of the Secretargy General to the deaths of eight Cameroonian refugees in Ikom, Cross River who died of fumes from a generator in their room? What has the SG done about the conflict and crisis in the Anglophone areas of Cameroon since his visit to Younde in October 2017? What has he done in the last 12 days?" Haq did not email any response back before heading out to lunch. On his way back in, Inner City Press reiterated the question and he just walked by, as did Hua Jiang, schooled in this with UNMIS in Sudan it seems, part of the censorship, minutes later. Video here. This is today's UN.

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