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Cameroon-Haiti Money Saga: Doubts persist after minister’s outburst

Almost two weeks after Cameroon’s Minister of Communication ferociously attacked Le Messager and claimed the Cameroon government had issued a cheque for Haiti following the 12 January earthquake; there still seem to be more doubts as to whether any effective payments have been made.

From information recently published by the UN on all financial issues related to the disaster, the contribution of Cameroon still seem to have been omitted. Nevertheless, on March 16, Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary declared that on February 08, cheque No 2796 worth USD 1 million, was prepared by the Cameroon Mission at the UN under CHASE Bank and for the benefit of Haiti Central Bank.

Given that no specific branch of Chase Bank was disclosed, I contacted the Chase Bank in Louisville, USA to verify about such transaction but they promised to get back to me and yet to do so. I visited the seemingly seldom updated website of the Haiti Central Bank and sent an inquiry, no reply till date. I then copied Cameroon Mission at the UN, the Presidency of the Republic to get answers to precise questions concerning the payment as I continued my investigation. Yet, nothing came up.

I wanted to know if the cheque has been cashed or funds transferred to the beneficiary and if so, when. I equally requested for a faxed copy, email or any note of acknowledgment from the Haitian government or Central Bank and if possible, a scanned copy of the cheque. Seeking to know why the Cameroon government decided to donate directly was also another issue. I got no reply for any the mails.

However, I did not end there I contacted the most renown newspapers in Haiti notably, Haiti en Marche, Le Matin, Haitian Times, Haiti Press Network, Le Nouvelliste but got a reply only from Haiti en marche which equally runs radio station, Melodie FM. In the reply, Elsie Heart expressed doubts as to whether their country has actually received any money from Cameroon. I copied the African Union as well to check its comprehensive list of donors, and notify me if Cameroon was there, still to hear from them.

I decided to search the World Wide Web still then I could not find the name of Cameroon but for in user editor Wikipedia in which the person who posted the information alluded to Cameroon online publication of January 23 when the minister announced Cameroon’s help to Haiti.

Even news organs like The Guardian, The Christian Science Monitor which wrote specifically about donations and pledges from African governments, failed to mention that of Cameroon. It must be noted even Nigeria issued but a cheque just as Cameroon government.

On the various ends of the rope, we are faced with two extremely corrupt, dishonest and disorganised governments. Both, according to the last 10 year rankings of the Transparency International have always been among the most corrupt.

We seem to be faced with a situation where the government of Cameroon underestimated the capability or curiosity of Cameroonians or the Cameroonian press. This might have pushed them embezzling the money just like what happened in 1994 when money collected to support the national football team disappeared between Yaoundé and Washington, many claim.

On the other hand, the Cameroon government might have very well transferred the funds but given that it was done “directly” without passing through any “intermediary” corrupt individuals in the Haitian system may as well want to sit on the booty.

In a transparent situation, Cameroonians need to see nothing short of a scanned copy of the cheque, and an authentic note from the Haitian government acknowledging the receipt of funds. It is not a favour or the right of the Cameroon government to do that. It is their duty and responsibility to present such issues to the press and clear any doubt. It is part and parcel of good governance and accountability.

Cameroon: Threats and insecurity accelerate as 2011 election approaches

Cameroon: Threats and insecurity accelerate as 2011 election approaches

There are mounting threats and insecurity in Cameroon ahead of the 2011 presidential elections. President Paul Biya, already in power for more than 27 years, modified the constitution in 2008 to enable him stand re-election.

The threats gathered more steam when Bertrand Teyou, author of the book Ante code Biya: Inside a country without a head was arrested in Douala early March. Cameroon’s economic capital as he launched his book. Previous launching had earlier come under serious disturbances from government agents and soldiers in 2009. The book was in reaction an ill informed and ill-conceived publication on Cameroon and Cameroonians written by commissioned French man, François Mattei and titled The Biya Code.

Teyou was arrested on grounds that he said “if Biya does not leave in 2011, we would do out best” interpreted by government as a threat to the president’s life and against peace in Cameroon.

The arrest has been widely condemned by liberation movements and proponents of freedom of expression. It brings to light the continuous threats faceing Cameroonians as countdown to the 2011 presidential election narrows.

In a document sent to Cameroon senior government officials on March 11, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists noted with regrets that earlier on February 26, 2010 three journalists; Harry Robert Mintya of the weekly Le Devoir, Bibi Ngota of Cameroon Express and Serge Bobouang of La Nation were arrested and are now languishing in jail, awaiting trail after they published a document in which the Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic Laurent Esso is said to have urged the manager of the country’s hydro carbon corporation (SNH) to pay some commission worth FCFA1. 3 billion for the purchase of a ship. The journalists have been arrested on grounds that they forged the document. They risked 15 years in jail.

Mr Joel Simon, Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for the Protection of Journalists also condemned the arrests and horrible beating and injuries inflicted on Simon Herve Nko’o of the weekly Bebela be he refused to release the source of information he had published. Several other journalists are under threats area according to the document.

It would be recalled that three Cameroonian journalists and a university don are also under trial for commenting during live television program about the corruption in Cameroon and precisely on the purchase of the fake presidential plan The Albatross. It is becoming a taboo in Cameroon to discuss about the skyrocketing rate of corruption and impunity involving senior government officials.

Early February 2010, Cameroonians were prevented from commemorating the killing of over 200 people in February 2008 after a strike provoked by rising cost of living. The organiser of the commemorative event opposition MP Jean Mitchel Nintcheu has promised to organised the event in 2011 even if it means receiving live bullets from the forces of law and order as they did to the hundred of youths in 2008. According to the government 40 people were killed by civil societies organisation claimed over 200 were killed.

Three Cameroonians earlier this month deposited a complaint at the Secretariat of the UN urging an investigation of the crimes against humanity committed by the Biya government.

Last year, a teacher was arrested and spent several months in prison because he expressed disgust with the intermittent roads blocks each time the president is leaving or entering the capital city. According to him it was better that more roads be constructed to avoid such traffic headache during Biya’s movements. He also reiterated the need for the president to use a jet to go to his palace. His comments were taken as an offense and he was arrested and jailed.

Fifty Years of “Independence”: The rhetoric of Sarkozy and (Omar) Ali Bongo

Several countries across Africa including Cameroon are presently celebrating what is referred to as fifty years of “independence”. On February 24, 2010 it was the turn of Gabon, which also invited colonial master France. I listened with curiosity to the French President, Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarkozy and Gabonese ruler (Omar) Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba.

In his brief toast, Sarkozy tacitly admitted that the neo colonial forces in Gabon and the rest of Africa have been partly responsible for the underdevelopment of the continent. According to him, a chapter is closed a new page turned. Remember, just immediately after his accession to power, he made such utterances when he talked of “rupture total” with hitherto former French colonies. (Omar) Ali Bongo likewise acknowledged in his own toast that indeed, a new page has opened. Such admissions concur to the fact that Gabon just like most African countries will not progress as expected unless the neo colonial strings are cut.

This is no blame game. Africans can do it but, the complex set of its leadership which promotes petty and grand corruption, foreign against national interest is the big set back.

As stated by Sarkozy, France is now for a relation of total transparency. What kind of transparency with regards to the operation of French companies in the African. For example, the French business politician cum lobbyist, Vincent Bollore, an ally of Sarkozy, practically controls the economy of most Francophone African countries. He virtually owns the Douala Seaport and a Cameroonian manager who opposed the privatization of some sections of the port to Bollore’s group; he was fired from his post. The circumstances under which several state companies were auctioned to his group and many others foreign “buyers” are very opaque and need total renegotiation.

What kind of transparency when French banks keep billions of stolen state from Africa. The French government is again squashing court cases brought against some African dictators who have illicit funds and property in the country.

Sarkozy talked of equality and mutual respect. This has never been the case as France continues to show total disrespect for Africans among whom are those who sacrificed their lives to safe France during WWII. While Sarközy verbally praised the veterans, French veterans continue to live in total affluence and veneration while African veterans continue to languish in misery. The French men even talked of some Gabonese military men going march-past in France as sign of cooperation.

Africans do not need such displays.

Mr Sarkozy equally reiterated that France will never interfere in issues of African countries but that has not been the case. Though he challenged anybody to prove that France had its candidate during the parody of elections in Gabon, he failed to note that France quietly sent in 300 paratroopers to Gabon when the late Gabonese dictator Omar Bongo was about to die. The French president cannot be talking of non interference in a country’s affairs yet maintaining arm forces in all its “former” colonies. These forces are a direct threat to the population. A clear case was the killing of unarmed Ivoirians (in their own country) when they rose against French interference in their country.

The French have always played double standards. They are now lobbying their International Court of (Selective) Justice at The Hague to charge the junta in Guinea for massacring civilians. Judging criminals is not bad though, but, the same French government and other western countries stayed quiet after the Cameroon government massacred civilians in February 2008 during a protest that rocked the country. The role of the French in the Rwandan genocide was denounced by current Rwandan government thought though France continues to deny any involvement.

Inasmuch as African civilian and military dictators continue to collaborate with most western countries for the expropriation of resources, the latter and its affiliated bodies will never see them as evil. These accomplices should leave with their troops so that we can handle these regimes.

Such duplicity has harmed us so much.

One of the scars of the Franco-Africa neo-colonial relationship is the nonsense called France-Afrique which was indeed hailed by (Omar) Ali Bongo as a strong heritage during the event. Yet, Bongo is talking of change. Africans need to get up for veritable transformation not the misguided event which happened in the 60s and Harold Macmillan erroneously took it for a wind of change.

Things Africans should ask themselves

After 50 years, less than 15 percent of the population of each country is covered by social security.

After 50 years of horrible health services, African leaders, family and allies continue to fly out for treatment.

After 50 years, there is no kilometre of tarred road without potholes.

After 50 years, companies producing raw material have not been able to move to the stage of producing finished goods.

After 50 years of so called technical schools, not even a spinner, bridge, fly over, an appliance have been produced.

After 50 years, most African countries have seen less than 3 leaders each; Cameroon (2).

After 50 years, some countries have had more than 6 coup d’états.

After 50 years, some presidents continue to manipulate the constitution to stay for life.

After 50 years our borders remain open for clinical trials and “vaccines” which have instead caused havoc and spread diseases.

After 50 years, police, taxation, custom officials continue to extort the population.

After 50 years, many companies have closed down than it was 50 years ago.

After 50 years, most African leaders continue to connive with foreigners and companies to destroy their people.