Disappearance
of Journalist Amade
Abubacar
in Mozambique
Draws No UN
Guterres Comment Despite Q From Press
Guterres Bans
By Matthew
Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY
Post
UNITED
NATIONS GATE,
January
17 -- The lack of commitment
to press freedom by UN
Secretary General Antonio
Guterres, who has himself
banned the critical Press
which asks about his spending
from the UN for 197 days and
counting, was on display again
on January 17. Inner City
Press asked in writing:
January 17-5: On press
freedom, what is SG Guterres
action on that Ghanaian
journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale
was killed tonight in
Accra. Ahmed was a
committed and courageous
colleague, instrumental in
this year’s anasglobal
investigation of international
soccer corruption, after which
he was viciously doxxed &
threatened?" Four hours later,
no answer at all, despite
promises of answers from
Guterres' Global Communicator
Alison Smale to
the UN Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Expression David
Kaye and by Guterres'
spokesman Stephane Dujarric, on
camera. Guterres' most
recent Ghana connection was to
use Kofi Annan's funeral as a
pretext
to spend public money flying
with UN Security to his home
in Lisbon, then to refuse
to disclose the costs. Nor was
there any answer on this
question by Inner City Press
about Lusophone Mozambique:
"January 17-2: On Mozambique,
what is SG Guterres action
(beyond banning Inner City
Press for 197th day) on that
it's been 10 days since Amade
Abubacar was arrested in
Mozambique. He's being held
incommunicado. Rights groups
say there is a real risk of
him being 'disappeared'?"
No answer at all. This is
today's UN. Guterres'
antipathy to freedom of the
press is acute in Cameroon
throughout Paul Biya's
crackdown in Cameroon, even
more so after his lobbyists
received the advice of UN
Secretary General Antonio
Guterres on 11 July 2018,
Biya's forces have targeted
journalists. Now they have
arrested Michel Biem Tong of
Hurinews.com. His lawyer
Essomba Tchoungui said he was
charged with "justifying
terrorism, false declarations
and insulting the head of
state" Paul Biya, from whom
Guterres famously accepted a
golden statue and more
importantly exchanged silence
on slaughter for favors in the
UN Budget Committee which
Cameroon chaired. He is slated
to be brought before a
military tribunal in Yaounde
on December 5. At least six
journalists have been jailed
in the country since the bogus
election. But despite Inner
City Press' questions, nothing
for Guterres - as his
spokesman angles, here.
On November 7 they 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. Reportedly the
outrageous basis for her
arrest is having informed the
public that US missionary
Charles Trumann Wesco was shot
and killed by the Cameroon
Army. While the US
Administration, at least for
now, is conveniently accepting
Biya's diversion that Wesco,
the father of eight, was
killed in a crossfire, the
jailing of a journalist for
reporting what they knew
should trigger a real
investigation of Wesco's
murder - and one hopes the
many other murders by Biya -
by for example the FBI. On
November 9, with its questions
to Antonio Guterres and his
Deputy Amina J. Mohammed,
Communicator Alison Smale and
spokesmen not answered, Inner
City Press endeavored to ask
US Deputy Ambassador Jonathan
Cohen about Mimi Mefo, and
murdered Charles Wesco at the
UN Delegates Entrance gate,
video here.
Now on November 10 we are
happy to report that Mimi
Mefo, according to Equinoxe
TV, has been released
(although we doubt the
intimidation is over) --
released no thanks to the US
Mission or the UN, whose
spokesman Stephane Dujarric
has bragged that The
Secretary-General is committed
to press freedom and defending
their right to go about their
profession. He has been very
vocal about this, both
publicly and privately. His
private diplomacy has led to a
number of journalists being
freed. Matthew’s issue is not
about press freedom. These are
lies - Guterres did nothing on
Cameroon, and censors Inner
City Press in New York. We
will have more on this.
On November 8 before the noon
briefing Guterres has banned
it from for the 127th day with
no end in sight, Inner City
Press submitted questions to
Guterrs, his Deputy Amina J.
Mohammed and Under SG Alison
Smale, as well as two
spokesmen, including this: "
November 8-1: On Cameroon,
what is the SG's comment and
action on the jailing of
Equinoxe TV journalist Mimi
Mefo Takambou for having
reported that US missionary
Charles Wesco was shot and
killed by “Cameroon soldiers”?
During the briefing, none of
those allowed by Guterres and
is $4 million spokesman
Stephane Dujarric to be in the
briefing room asked about Mimi
Mefo or anything at all in
Africa (Agence France Presse
tellingly did ask about Jim
Acosta of CNN, not jailed, and
let Deputy Spokesman Farhan
Haq claim he is allowing in
person any and all questions)
- and after the briefing,
nothing from the UN. 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... 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.
***
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