CI-NEWS

Biya’s fresh humanitarian convoy gets to NW&SW!

2019-12-30

No: 463

Biya’s fresh humanitarian convoy gets to NW&SW!

MINAT boss says humanitarian situation in Cameroon is under control!

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North West and South West Regions are being sprayed with goodies from the presidential couple intended to grace the celebration of Christmas and New Year.

A humanitarian convoy, comprising some 100 truckloads of foodstuffs, sanitary kits and bedding equipment, was last Saturday dispatched to the crisis-hit regions on the instructions of President Paul Biya.

The gesture was seen as a strong statement to the international community that Cameroon was capable of managing the crisis believed to have been blown out of proportions for mercenary motives.

On hand to witness the Yaounde convoy take off at the Yaounde City Council muster point last Saturday was the SDO for Mfoundi, the Coordinator of Civil Protection and representatives of UN agencies who have a role of oversight.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the departure of the convoy, Paul Atanga Nji, the minister of territorial administration who is also coordinator of the Humanitarian Assistance Plan, gave a balance sheet of the project two years on. He used the occasion to set the records straight about the number of IDPS in cameroon, insisting that the humanitarian crisis in Cameroon was under control.

The MINAT boss warned international partners and UN agencies against manipulating opinion to the effect that Cameroon is heading for a humanitarian catastrophe. He said they had a hidden agenda in weeping more than the bereaved. Following is the English version of his declaration in its entirety:

Ladies and gentlemen,

In my capacity as Minister of Territorial Administration, the authority in charge of the Humanitarian Assistance Plan in Cameroon, I wish to announce that the Head of State has decided to despatch today Saturday December 28, 2019, a special humanitarian convoy of 100 trucks transporting food, sanitary kits and sleeping materials for the internally displaced persons in the North West and South West Regions for the-end-of-year celebrations. The convoy carrying the vital relief material for our compatriots will leave the Yaounde Town Hall in the next 30 minutes from now for the North West and South West Regions. Before we get there, let me give you the path covered in two years by the Humanitarian Assistance Plan decided in favour of the affected population, as you know, by the Head of State, President Paul BIYA.

For some time now, some ill-intentioned political actors and Non-governmental Organisations manipulated by government detractors and some of our partners animated by bad faith have been struggling to push through unfounded information to the international community that the situation in the North West and South West Regions has led to a humanitarian crisis in Cameroon.

From every indication, the target of this disgraceful manipulation is to show that the government of Cameroon is unable to handle the humanitarian situation and that the international community is needed to manage the situation with the pretext of the right to humanitarian intervention.

Within this plan against Cameroon, which from every indication is bound to fail, three lies stand out clear here: Lie N°1: According to these plotters, there are approximately 600,000 internally displaced persons in the North West and South West Regions. Before showing the ridiculous level of this big lie, I want to clarify that the Minister of Territorial Administration is in charge of humanitarian action in Cameroon. Since 1982 and perhaps before, Cameroon has been recognized by international bodies for its professionalism and efficiency in the management of refugees. Cameroon has received on its soil, more than one million refugees in 30 years and the Government, under the enlightened leadership of President Paul BIYA, has put great resources into supervising these refugees who come from neighbouring and distant countries in crisis or in civil wars.

Since 2012, the criminal activities of the Boko Haram sect and the crisis in the Central African Republic have led the Cameroonian government to receive on its soil more than 500,000 refugees from these two neighbouring countries. After years spent in Cameroon, some Nigerian and Central African refugees have opted for voluntary return to their respective countries. The Minister of Territorial Administration received full power from the Head of State to sign two tripartite agreements: Cameroon - Nigeria - UNHCR and Cameroon - CAR - UNHCR which aim at the voluntary departure of refugees from neighbouring countries installed in Cameroon. The Minister of Territorial Administration, the Ministers of the countries concerned and the representatives of the UNHCR were all on the ground recently to ensure the smooth running of these operations for the voluntary departure of refugees settled in Cameroon. The purpose of this digression is to demonstrate that Cameroon has long-standing expertise in the management of refugees and internally-displaced persons. Apprentice sorcerers have no lesson to teach us because it would be difficult to convince even a layman in the matter that Cameroon, which has shown so much of its legendary hospitality and its professional support for refugees for more than 30 years, would not be unable to supervise its own internal displaced citizens. That said, I wish to make it abundantly clear here that Cameroon to date has only 152,000 internally displaced persons in the North-West and South-West Regions, and approximately six (6) to nine (9) thousand internally displaced persons in the other Regions: West, Littoral, Centre Adamawa and to a lesser extent other parts of the country. Having noted that the IDPs needed urgent assistance, the Head of State decided to create the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan for the North West and South West Regions. Launched by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, the Minister of Territorial Administration was instructed to do everything possible to help these compatriots in a situation of distress who were forced to leave their villages, Sub-divisions, Divisions or Regions following the atrocities committed by the separatist terrorists who are manipulated and drugged. After rigorous assessment needs carried out, the Government allocated an envelope of 12.5 billion FCFA to take care of all the internally displaced people, the number of whom is known. For the identification of IDPs, the administrative authorities identify them in the sub-divisions, taking into account the figures of

the officials of NGOs and certain details provided by the religious authorities and the traditional rulers. Second Big Lie: the Government evaluated the assistance to internally displaced persons at 12.5 billion FCFA for two (02) years. On the other hand, some of our humanitarian partners said that we needed 36 billion FCFA to deal with IDPs in the North West and South West Regions, which is three (03) times more expensive than the estimates made by the government. It is easy to understand that the management of humanitarian action in countries hit by crisis is usually crowded with lies and a big business channel for many. Faced with this poor assessment, MINAT convened two meetings with all partners of the United Nations system: UNHCR, WFP, WHO, OCHA, UNICEF and European Union Ambassadors to give verified and verifiable information on the situation of IDPs in the North West and South West Regions.

We regularly send information to our partners on the actions carried out in the field for the supervision of internally displaced persons in the North-West and South-West and those settled in other Regions. The Coordinator of UN agencies in Cameroon, Ms. AlegraBaochi, had several working sessions with MINAT on the real situation of internally displaced people in Cameroon. I sincerely hope that she will make good use of it and furnish international bodies with true information that we regularly make available.

On the creation of the Center for the Coordination of Humanitarian Action in the North West and South West Regions Humanitarian workers have complained that their agents are unable to get to the North West and South West Regions to assist the IDPs. What is it all about? The Regions are placed under the authority of the Governors who oversee all activities in their respective command units. That said, to undertake any humanitarian activity in a Region, a division or sub-division, especially in the North-West and South-West Regions, the administrative authority must be informed.

It is regrettable to note that certain humanitarian agencies sometimes arrived in the North-West and South-West Regions and carried out their activities without the knowledge of the administrative authorities. For example, two small WFP Toyota Pick-ups and a Médecin Sans Frontière ambulance were attacked by terrorists in the North West and South West when their presence was not reported to the administrative authorities. To avoid these mistakes, the Head of State instructed the creation of Humanitarian Action Coordination Centers in the North West and South West Regions. These centers are operational and are well equipped. MINAT and Madam the Coordinator of the UN Agencies in Cameroon and other Heads of Mission visited the centers of Bamenda and Buea. Despite the Government's desire to do everything possible to facilitate access of our partners on the ground, it always comes back to us that certain UN agencies have difficulty getting into the North-West and South-West Regions. What is it? UN agencies (WFP, OCHA, UNHCR) and others want to observe strict neutrality in their operations on the ground. The Government recognizes the neutrality of our partners but, neutrality does not exclude transparency. The Government demands transparency in the activities of our partners on the ground. For example, WFP said in June 2019 that its agents distributed aid to 50,000 internally displaced people in the South West Region. We asked the Senior Divisional Officer of the Meme to report to us. The Divisional Officer told us that WFP had made no distribution in his Division during the period indicated. The Senior Divisional Officer also said that his Division has around 20,000 internally displaced people. The next day, I summoned the WFP official for the precise information on this and he told us that his collaborators did not give the exact report. In the South West Region, our defense and security forces stopped an ambulance from a humanitarian agency that was supposed to be transporting the injured. In this ambulance, there were certainly three wounded but who in reality were dangerous terrorists actively sought by the defense and security forces. Even more seriously, there were three Kalashnikovs and two boxes of ammunition in this ambulance.

You will agree with me that an ambulance from a humanitarian agency should transport war casualties and not ammunitions. The defense and security forces carried out an unexpected control of a humanitarian aid convoy by a partner organisation. It contained rice, soap and other basic needs. Paradoxically in this truck, there were also three boxes of ammunition, binoculars, Android mobile phones, etc. Faced with this dangerous trafficking from certain partners or those working on behalf of separatist groups, the Government now demands more transparency and more responsibility in the operations of our partners in the North-West and South-West Regions. As far as the Government is concerned, our actions on the ground are transparent. If we distribute humanitarian aid to internally displaced people in Bonaberi, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Kumba, Dschang, Buea, Widikum, Mamfe or Tombel, food, health kits, building materials, matrasses are placed in front of each beneficiary and each family. It is a credible and transparent operation.

Balance Sheet

Within the framework of the Humanitarian Assistance Plan, Government has already assisted over 160, 000 internally displaced persons in the North West and South West Regions and more than 10,000 internally displaced persons in other regions (West, Centre and Littoral). MINAT and his collaborators have already undertaken over 103 field visits. In six (06) months, MINAT has already organized a convoy of more than 5,000 families who have voluntarily agreed to return to the North-West and the South-West because they believe that calm is gradually returning to their villages or sub-divisions. Taking into account this glowing record of the actions carried out by the Government to assist the internally displaced in the North West and South West Regions, it is clear that there is no humanitarian crisis in Cameroon. The situation is perfectly under control and the IDPs continue to benefit from the special attention of the Head of State. Proof is that, the Head of State, HE Paul BIYA, dispatched today, Saturday December 28, 2019, a special humanitarian convoy of 100 trucks transporting food, sanitary kits and sleeping materials for the internally displaced persons from the North West and South West Regions for their end-of-year celebrations.

As at June of this year, the Head of State had already sent a special humanitarian aid convoy of 60 heavily loaded trucks for internally displaced people in the North West and South West Regions. This is proof that the Head of State, H.E. Paul BIYA, President of the Republic has opted for action in favour of the internally displaced persons. And the actions are more eloquent than harsh criticism, the manipulation, misinformation and fabrications skilfully orchestrated by critics of the regime.

It should be remembered that, according to international standards practiced by the United Nations, humanitarian action in a country is first and foremost the primary responsibility of the government concerned. Humanitarian agencies can only support actions decided by the Government. The Government is leading the action. Clearly, the Government is "on the driver’s seat" because, I cannot be mourning at home and a stranger comes to mourn more than the bereaved. If you grieve at home and a stranger comes to mourn more than you do, know that the stranger has a hidden agenda and you should be wary of him. Critics have thought they will destabilize institutions with Boko Haram. The Government, under the enlightened leadership of H.E. Paul BIYA, stood firm. Critics later believed that political turmoil and terrorist acts in the North West and South West Regions could weaken the regime. Under the enlightened leadership of the Head of State, the situation in the North-West and South-West Regions is under control and is gradually returning to normal notwithstanding certain pockets of resistance which the populations have the responsibility to partner with government in limiting them. Critics again targeted the humanitarian situation in the North West and South West Regions believing that Cameroon is unable to manage the internally displaced persons in the two Regions. This would have given them the opportunity to propose the right of humanitarian interference. Through the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan and its perfect implementation on the ground, the Head of State has once again demonstrated to the international community that Cameroon is standing tall and is capable of providing assistance to all internally displaced persons in the North West and South West Regions. Lies, misinformation, manipulation of figures, false information on the humanitarian situation in Cameroon will not flourish because if the truth travels without a visa, lies and misinformation have a short lifespan; I would say more that the lie has a brief lifespan.

Critics have even claimed that the regime will collapse after the 2018 presidential election. Not only H.E. Paul BIYA has been praised by the vast majority of Cameroonians, but the country is more solid and upbeat than ever before. What will remain with critics of the Government to do now during this Christmas period is to say that Jesus Christ was not born in Bethlehem; it would be the height of ridicule. No, there is no humanitarian crisis in Cameroon, the situation is under control and it is well managed. The Head of State is already on the second part of this programme, namely development. In other words, it will be good to allow IDPs to be able to better care for themselves in the near future. I invite you to accompany me to the esplanade of the City Hall of Yaounde for the launch of the convoy of foodstuffs (sanitary kits and sleeping equipment), gifts of the Presidential Couple to the internally displaced people of the North West and South Regions.

Thank you for your kind attention.

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Biya’s fresh humanitarian convoy gets to NW&SW!