Science and human rights

"Science and human rights are inextricably linked in many ways. In 1913 former academy member Albert Einstein said in an address to the California Institute of Technology:

"It is not enough that you should understand about applied science
in order that your work may increase man's blessings. Concern
for man himself and his fate must always form the chief interest
of all technical endeavors."



By Eliot Stellar, National Academy of Sciences (U.S.). Committee on Human Rights

This post is about a scientific journal published in 1988 to specifically address the nexus between science and human rights. This is uncharted waters for many "political scientists" approach to human rights, so I thought it to be "nice" when I discovered this journal. Therefore I posted the forward and will briefly discuss where this scholarly journal's analysis looks to be heading. Much to my surprise a very prominent man is mentioned right from the get go!

"The creation of a Committee on Human Rights by the National Academy of Sciences in 1976 was but the formalization of a longstanding concern of the academy about humanitarian issues.

For many years, academy officers have taken private action through fellow scientists, sister academies, and research councils throughout the world in behalf of threatened colleagues. In the 1950s, the academy helped find positions in the United States for Hungarian scientists who had fled their country. In 1966, it provided assistance to Argentine students whose education was interrupted by the closing of the University of Buenos Aires by finding institutions in the United States where they could study.

It is noteworthy that a large number of the academy's roughly 1,500 members are foreign born; many fled their countries of birth because of abuses inflicted upon them and their families by repressive governments. Many of those scientists have gone on to make outstanding contributions to the science and welfare of their nation of adoption, the United States of America."

The authors begin by quoting Albert Einstein which I think is great. But even better is the fact that they acknowledge the human rights assistance they had lent to there scientific colleagues in contribution to there work in science in the name of human rights in my opinion is quite remarkable. Furthermore, "the creation of a Committee on Human Rights by the National Academy of Sciences in 1976, was but the formalization of a longstanding concern of the academy about humanitarian issues." This is even more remarkable evidence of a direct link or nexus between science and the humanities. It is good to see scientists with all there wonderful theories and such, reach across disciplinary studies into the arts and humanities, and into the files of social sciences, in the name of human rights and, to dedicate an entire scholarly journal to science and human rights. The link provided will take you to this journal which provides open access online via Google books. I hope you enjoy.

William

20 yr old Christian Man Tortured in Pakistan Jail?

Rights Group in Pakistan Seeks Answers on Christian’s Death - NYTimes.com
Prominent Human Rights group sources allege that a 20 yr old young Christian man was found dead in his cell with evidence of torture found on his body. Christians are a minority in Pakistan being a Muslin dominated state. The man's death is under investigation. According to the report from NY Times.com:
"Mr. Fanish was arrested on Saturday in the village of Jathikai and charged with blasphemy, a controversial statute often used against minorities in Pakistan, human rights groups say. A Muslim family accused him of "desecrating a Koran", but his local supporters said the family claimed he had been "admiring their daughter."

Furthermore according to the Times:

"The police said Mr. Fanish had hanged himself in his cell, using a strip of material ripped from his clothing. The Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights, an alliance of more than 30 human rights groups, said in a statement it had talked to witnesses who saw marks of torture on his body.

The group said evidence in the case “raises strong suspicion of the involvement of the jail officials” in Mr. Fanish’s death.

Ms. Jahangir said local politicians often collude with attackers, covering up their crimes, partly out of a deep-seated prejudice against minorities — Christians and Ahmadis, a minority sect in Islam — and out of a reflexive sympathy with other Muslims."

Apparently, we will quite possibly not get to the bottom of this, but maybe there is a chance. There is a strong coalition of Human Rights groups "The Joint Action Committee For Peoples Rights "on it" so we will see how they manage. Let us just hope that this young man's family receives some sort of justice for whatever happened to there son in that Pakistani jail cell for "blasphemy against a Koran". Please, is this really a trumped up way of getting rid of non-believers of anything other than the Muslim faith?

William

United Nations Radio: The US joins the UN Human Rights Council.

United Nations Radio: The US joins the UN Human Rights Council.
This link will of course take you to the sound clip of this monumental occasion; that being the US announcement that came as of yesterday! The US will no longer "observe" but were to become members "officially" of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Politically this is a SIGNIFICANT step for the US.
As an "observer" basically the US has stood by its sovereignty not to be "bound" by customary or international human rights legislation "per say" as the United Nations had previously interpreted it to be. Thus the term "observer" status. This official union by way of this announcement is not to be taken lightly by the rest of the world community-or the US itself; and has tremendous political and legal human rights implications .

Personally my gut feeling is that every Human Rights NGO on this planet, likely is standing on there feet applauding the American decision to get on-board with the United Nations, while also putting aside past differences with them, on other unrelated issues. This will definitely further champion the human rights effort!~

I could not be happier to hear this announcement! I do believe the new and most recent developments (see recent post)at Bagram AFB is a testimony to the United States commitment to human rights, and the new administrations renewed philosophy.

I really applaud President Obama for allowing this to go forward and I am sure that so do many many others worldwide!

William

Human Rights are Improving in Columbia? Good News Right?

U.S. Certifies Human Rights Gains in Colombia, Releasing Aid - NYTimes.com

This article was published yesterday in the New York Times and many may have missed it. We are talking about Columbia and to most American readers of course what is the first thing that comes to mind? Drugs right? Of course. Well, the big reason that I can determine that the United States have apparently let up a little bit on the pressure on Columbia's human rights record, is because there is a tremendous need to aid the "war on drugs" being waged minute by minute in this country.

When we look at official CIA Factbook report for 2008, the biggest problem the United States has with Columbia is a no-brainer:

"illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)".

The human rights problems we have in the US and that they have in Columbia as well, are almost all accounted for by the these facts meted out by the CIA alone and are "insurmountable". This mass quantity of illegal drugs, lead to ALL kinds of human rights abuse as well as domestic abuses, and the list is endless... Lets just hope that we do not have to second guess the decision to aid a country with this type of track record.

William

Sudan: UN Speaks Out Over Sentencing of Former Female Staffer for Wearing Pants

allAfrica.com: Sudan: UN Speaks Out Over Sentencing of Former Female Staffer for Wearing Pants
This story still amazes me because Ms. Hussein was actually a member of the United Nations when she was cited for "indecency" under Sudanese law and could have received 40 lashes under there harsh clothing decency laws. To my amazement, and unfortunately, she had to resign to gain legal representation from the UN. When all was said and done, she had to pay a $200 fine and was found guilty of the offense under the statute. The others that were arrested for the same offense, (13 total) were not so lucky, as many of there sentences were carried out immediately for the same crime of indecency.(lashing) The Sudanese government was criticized by UN officials:

"At the time of her arrest, Ms. Hussein was not informed of her charges, violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sudan is a State party, as well as its own Interim National Constitution.

"The rights to freedom from arbitrary arrest, to due process of law, and to freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are expressly protected in the Bill of Rights contained in Sudan's Interim National Constitution," the OHCHR spokesperson said."

Of course this is a serious statement coming from the United Nations. The Sudanese counter-argument will be its our law and our sovereignty that gives us the right to interpret the law the way in which we want to. This goes back to my other blog on cultural relativism. However, we will stay on topic here. The long and short is our beloved UN former employee, is safe and did not receive the harsh punishment that was once speculated that she would be subjected to. This did receive plenty of media attention as well. Rightly so I might also add, as she was certainly not dressed indecently in a pair of blue jeans as far as anyone else is concerned in the rest of the world anyways, but not in Sudan apparently right?

William

Pakistan, Opinions and Disbelief; Is Blackwater Here Now?

Blackwater: global mercenary network By Ghulam Asghar Khan Published: September 6, 2009

As I was perusing the internet looking to enhance my Sunday understanding of human rights on a global level I came across a most interesting article in a newspaper published in Pakistan.The Nation :"The Nation has a special position in Pakistan's media, as the most respected publication in English, with firm and constructive views, and excellent news coverage. With five editions published daily from three stations, it is the market leader in the Punjab and Islamabad areas, and has established a strong presence in Karachi since its inception there in 2000. It is the newspaper of choice for not only those who make decisions, formulate policy or are opinion leaders but also for those youngsters who will call the shots in the future.

The Nation is part of the Nawa-e-Waqt Group, and thus belongs to the oldest newspaper tradition in the country, which started when Hamid Nizami founded Nawa-e-Waqt the day the Pakistan Resolution was passed in 1940."

OK. so we know a little bit about the paper. The article was located in the opinion section and much to my amazement this long after the start of the Iraqi war it is very much fresh in the minds of the Pakistani people; especially the hired mercenaries.You likely heard of them, they were called "Black water". They are civilian "mercenaries" hired to do many things. Not "nice" things . Pretty much a license to kill. According to this opinion piece and I am not sure how well informed their sources are but they describe Black-water as: "Blackwater was founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Clark in the American state of North Carolina in 1997. It, perhaps, is the world's largest network that trains 40,000 mercenaries a year, mostly from the US or foreign military and police personnel. It was assigned military assignments by the Bush Administration in Iraq, when the name Black water became synonymous with torture and murder of Iraqi citizens. Its training consists of military offensive and defensive operations under the tag of a private security agency. It has nine business units spread over the world. Its Aviation Worldwide Services (AWS) provide services to the CIA, and its aircraft's have also been used in CIA's "extraordinary rendition" escapades.
Blackwater first came to notice in 2003, when it received a dollar nine million 'no bid' contract from the US administration for guarding L Paul Bremer, nicknamed Jerry Bremer, as Washington's head of the 'Coalition Provisional Authority' in Baghdad. Within few months, Blackwater drew much notoriety over the trigger-happy killer instinct of its guards who indulged in wanton killing of unarmed civilians without any respect for human rights/international law. The public anger was exhibited on March 31, 2004, when four Blackwater mercenaries were ambushed and killed and their charred bodies were hanged over the Euphrates Bridge."
Not very nice to be a mercenary is it? You do not have to respect human rights in other words is that correct? Like I said this is an Opinion piece and I can not verify the legitamacy or the accuracy of its contents I am only posting and commenting on a published article from another country right?

Anyways, to get to the point to make the title of my post make some sense, the article concludes like this "Since mercenaries can work in civvies, they are useful to the Pentagon when it seeks to build military presence in a country without attracting undue attention. Instead of sending battalions of active military force, the Pentagon deploys civilian contractors from Blackwater (Xe) and other firms to set up an operation that would serve dual purpose: protecting the West's new profitable oil and gas exploitation in a region historically dominated by Russia, China and Iran, and possibly laying the groundwork for an important forward operating base for an attack on Iran. And to accomplish that mission the new base is readily available in Afghanistan and Pakistan where Blackwater with its new name Xe Services is extending its sphere of influence. Though the American and Pakistani authorities have denied the presence of Xe (former Blackwater) in Pakistan, there has been a growing concern in Peshawar and other parts of the country against the reported presence and activities of Pentagon's hired killers.
The writer is a former inspector general of police."

Apparently, the writer, is convinced,or paranoid, one or the other, that we have mercenaries deployed ready to invade Iran? By way of Pakistan? Now this is interesting. I hope that I am not to off topic with human rights, but being a mercenary does mean a lack of respect for human rights because your job is to protect whomever hired you regardless no matter what. So if that means you have to disregard human life than that's what likely could be the result. Its a shame that's how this world happens to work nowadays and in the not so far past isn't it? Lets defineitley keep our eyes and ears open to new developments to see if this man is anywhere near correct with his opinion piece in this article. Lets hope he is really wrong!

william

Social Entrepreneurs, Finding Innovation When Others Struggle

There is a literally transparent organization I recently unearthed today while working through another social peace network. I was so impressed with there work, I felt compelled to share there organization with you my readers. Some of you may even feel a need to get involved, and there are many ways in which you are able to do just that. (if the mood should hit) The organization is called Ashoka.org. You can follow the link in the title to this post to learn all about them. Of course in particular I was interested in there mandate concerning the preservation of human rights on an international level.Much to my amazement, they have quite a network going!Human Rights Overview
In the previous link, you will find out what this organization does for human rights! I am glad to see them on the human rights venue!!! I quote the site"

"The principles of human rights address the global struggles for equity, liberty, and justice. Pursuing their application is often a harrowing, even, daring feat on the part of human rights defenders. Dedicated to tackling the root causes for injustice, many of these individuals have witnessed violations first hand. Ashoka supports their innovative ideas for securing human rights for all peoples around the globe.

Ashoka Fellows are pursuing initiatives that secure both civil and political rights—freedom of expression, due process, political representation—and economic, social, and cultural rights—health, food, housing, employment."

This sounds like an excellent mandate to me. As you know I an advocating for the same things as they are! This is practically the definition found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights drafted in 1948 word for word nearly!

Of course we need to know more about this organization before we go to the bank per say right? So lets investigate a bit more: Sp you can link here:

Ashoka Facts and History:

History

• Founded in 1980 by Bill Drayton in Washington, DC
• Named, created and pioneered the global field of social entrepreneurship
• Elected the first Ashoka Fellows in India in 1981
• Started with an annual budget of $50,000, grown to nearly $30 million in 2006

Philosophy

• Founded on the premise that the most effective way to promote positive social change is to invest in social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions that are sustainable and replicable, both nationally and globally.
• Ashoka is represented by the oak tree. A strong, sturdy tree, the oak represents the power of Ashoka's commitment and contributions to building the profession of social entrepreneurship. A broad-spreading tree, it is symbolic of those dimensions of Ashoka's programs that select, launch and foster collaborations among social entrepreneurs around the world.

Origin of the Name

• Named to honor Ashoka, the Indian leader who unified the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BC, renouncing violence and dedicating his life to social welfare and economic development. For his creativity, global mindedness and tolerance, Ashoka is renowned as the earliest example of a social innovator.

Around the World

• Established programs in over 60 countries and supports the work of over 2000 Fellows
• Employs 160 staff in 25 regional offices throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa

Legal and Financial Status

• Registered 501c3 not-for-profit organization in the United States
• Financed by individuals, foundations and business entrepreneurs from around the world. Ashoka does not accept funding from government entities. Individual and institutional endowment funds provide for Ashoka's long-term stability.

Quite impressive, very much a "behind the scenes organization". I have to ask myself what have they been up to for so long? This organization is in need of much more research to make a real good analysis to determine exactly how to decide why, it would seem anyways, that they have been so "transparent" like a "stealth bomber", for some Air Force jargon for you vets that might be reading this. I bet readers in India have heard of this group!! We will keep our eyes open to see what more developments occur with this group in the future!

William:)

London Has A Say; New Torture Claims; Pointing Fingers at US Doctors

US doctors and psychologists more complicit in torture than previously thought

With all the rhetoric running a muck surrounding the "Gitmo" torture allegations and the rest of the ACLU's special powers to have the Attorney General spotlight the CIA for abuse and torture allegations, this article comes as a bit of a surprise from our "friends" from across the Atlantic. It seems that our Doctors who are of course regarded with the highest esteem; are now being implicated as well according to a recent submission to the British Medical Journal. The articles extract quotes: "The new report’s authors argue that the information shows that health professionals played central roles in developing, implementing, and providing justification for torture."
Its apparent that the CIA was not just routinely running the operations alone while "torturing" people and that it at least was supervised by health professionals? This is a good thing then right? I guess it all depends on your point of view. I was really surprised when I received this alert.
Apparently the medical community will be called out and implicated right along with the CIA interrogators with this whole torture mess allegation scandal. Human rights will be answered for one way or another, or at least so it would seem. I am still wondering what else is going to "come out in the wash"??? Lets keep our eye out as new developments continue to unfold.

William

Tradgedy Revisited, New Hope For Justice Amidst Chaos in Russia

Court orders renewed probe into Russian slaying September 3, 2009. To the utter astonishment of the entire world that is paying attention to world news today, the Supreme court in Russia has announced that a renewed probe into the murder of the famous journalist Anna Politkovskaya on October 7, 2006 will indeed be conducted! WHO WAS ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA?
"Born in New York to diplomat parents, Politkovskaya studied at Moscow State University before embarking on a career in journalism.
Politkovskaya was unusually strong in her public opposition to Putin, who ruled as Kremlin chief from 2000 to 2008. She was fearless in her reporting on Chechnya, the Russian special services and high level corruption.
Even colleagues were sometimes shocked by Politkovskaya's courage in breaking taboos on public opposition to Putin, the secret services and Chechnya's pro-Moscow leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, in reports she wrote for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
Politkovskaya made many enemies in Russia's secret service after she said agents were deeply corrupt and routinely abducted people, especially in Chechnya and neighboring regions. She received many threats during her career.The Committee to Protect Journalists "New York, October 7, 2006—condemns today’s murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist renowned for her critical coverage of the Chechen conflict. Politkovskaya was found shot to death in the elevator of her apartment building in Moscow, The Associated Press reported."

"The Inter fax news agency, citing police, said Politkovskaya had been shot and that a pistol and four bullets were found in the elevator. Prosecutors planned to open a murder investigation, a spokeswoman for the Moscow prosecutor’s office told AP.
Politkovskaya, special correspondent for the independent Moscow newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was well known for her investigative reports on human rights abuses by the Russian military in Chechnya. In seven years covering the second Chechen war, Politkovskaya’s reporting repeatedly drew the wrath of Russian authorities. She was threatened, jailed, forced into exile, and poisoned during her career, CPJ research shows.Igor Korolkov, a colleague, told the Regnum news Web site that Politkovskaya had been reporting on alleged torture in Chechnya for a coming story."
Feb 19, 2009 ... Feb 19 (Reuters) - A Russian court acquitted on Thursday all three men accused of helping murder Kremlin critic Anna Politkovskaya. "The murder of Politkovskaya, a 48-year-old mother of two, provoked an outcry in the West and underlined concerns about the dangers to reporters working in Russia. The murder was one of the highest profile killings during the eight-year rule of former President Vladimir Putin. Leaders in the United States and Europe raised concerns about the killing in discussions with Putin."





OK, so this is the time-line and some links to various articles published online concerning the death and the significance politically of this breaking development for Russian leadership in particular, Mr. Putin. So what is going to happen next? Where might this slippery slope lead to? This incredibly courageous woman was a published author with books listed online through Google search engine related to the poor job that the new Russian president Mr. Putin had been doing with democracy in Russia since the end of the cold war. I hope to actually get my hands on those eventually.
It seems like re-occurring themes appear to be popping up with "bad" people and human rights accountability doesn't it? I mean just in the past 5 weeks I can count a few occasions where world accountability for alledged human rights violations in the "past" are having huge "spotlights" placed all over them, and it also seems like apparently nobody is safe from this "back to the past" then to the future to face justice!!!
We will see what the political fall-out will be. I mean the alledged killers have already been acquitted, so who is going to be "probed" for the death of this woman? The details are still a bit sketchy so we will have to follow this story as it develops. Its just amazing to see the Russian Supreme Court step up to the plate so to speak and to go "against" possibly, anyways, its own government? Is this really happening in Russia?

William

Cameroon Revisted, French De-Colonization Or..Something Else?

Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 3:37 AM INTERESTED IN WORKING IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH YOU

KONGNYUY EMMANUEL JUMBAM has sent
you a message on Peace and Collaborative
Development Network

"Its nice reading from you again, so far, I have covered all of what is going on in the north west region of Cameroon in terms of human rights abuses and conflicts at stake which are are leading CAMEROON in a short to a secession on the part of southern Cameroonians who are asking for their total independence from the FRENCH BROTHERS who have turned to colonize them, subjugate, and not respecting the clauses of their unity in 1961 as a federal state to a unity state and now the republic of Cameroon . THIS CHANGES TOOK PLACE WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS, and they are really suffering. Also, there is a fear of an occurrence of a civil war in Cameroon.This is because of the corrupt nature of the government officials in all sectors of public service,french domination of the economy of our country, and political issues.
Do well to let me know how things are moving with my cause for combating these ills."

OK so where do we begin to start with this recent email I have posted from my friend over in Cameroon? Maybe we should back up a bit and take a look at political history in Cameroon? Lets begin with some "official" info from the CIA fact book readily available to us online for a quick overview..
.

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
Independence:
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) ; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17 note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03 FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/ the-world-factbook/geos/cm.html OK, so we are linked to some excellent "facts" from the CIA fact book published online from the great and precise US intelligence agency. But, things still do not add up. This article links to another site which talks about the true and precise Independence day for Cameroon which is celebrated in May 20th 1972. But, The CIA fact-book indicates that they had UN trusteeship in January 1960. What that means is they were still not really independent because they did not have a ratified constitution until May 1972. OK, now that we have that much straight. Why are the Cameroons still unhappy with the French? OK, I think I dug up some more answers from our friends at the US State Department: "In 1955, the outlawed Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC), based largely among the Bamileke and Bassa ethnic groups, began an armed struggle for independence in French Cameroon. This rebellion continued, with diminishing intensity, even after independence. Estimates of death from this conflict vary from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. French Cameroon achieved independence in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the largely Muslim northern two-thirds of British Cameroon voted to join Nigeria; the largely Christian southern third voted to join with the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The formerly French and British regions each maintained substantial autonomy. Ahmadou Ahidjo, a French-educated Fulani, was chosen President of the federation in 1961. Ahidjo, relying on a pervasive internal security apparatus, outlawed all political parties but his own in 1966. He successfully suppressed the UPC rebellion, capturing the last important rebel leader in 1970. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state." http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26431.htm Accessed 28 Aug 2009 So there has been tremendous underlying tensions for a long long time that apparently have never subsided in Cameroon. The tribal and party conflict(s) with the French and the "new" government remain even with this powerful republic government " in place". Which the President was elected by landslide. The real question to me is; the "new Prime Minister" and where he fits in to the equation. He was appointed as recently as June 2009. There are a lot of political undertones that even a chess master would be using crayons to do a coloring book trying to figure out the "next move". We will have to wait and see how the situation develops further in the "Republic of Cameroon". William