Yaoundé(National Times)-Barrister Akere Muna has expressed optimism that the visiting United Nations Higher Commissioner for Human Rights will help the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on May 13, 2019, with her findings about the on-going crises in Cameroon.
The former Presidential hopeful made the statement after his encounter with Veronica Michelle Bachelet Jeria at the end of her four-day visit to Cameroon on Saturday, May 4, 2019.
“It was an opportunity to talk about the systemic failures, as well as the sad situation of governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights in our country,” Akere Muna said.
“Madame Bachelet’s background, as one who suffered under the dictatorial reign of President Pinochet, arrested and tortured, whose father died as a result of torture and who was forced into exile before coming back to her country and ran for office after serving as Minister. With such a background, there is no doubt that Mrs. Bachelet can say ‘I understand your pain.’ She insisted on the importance of equality and justice. I am sure that the Security Council meeting planned for the May 13 will benefit a great deal from her findings,” Akere Muna added.
Earlier on Friday, the UN official, was granted audience by President Paul Biya. Speaking after the in-camera meeting, Michelle Bachelet revealed that they had discussed ways the UN could help Cameroon in the respect and protection of human rights. Mr Biya on his part awarded her a medal of honour.
The former Chilean President on the last day of her visit on Saturday also spoke with civil society groups, activists, and politicians, including Edith Kahbang Walla, who tabled glaring facts to her about the status quo in Cameroon.
“We intend to put an end to these crises, avoid full-blown war and reclaim our country. It is our sincere hope that the world will be on our side as we do so,” Kah Walla told Michelle Bachelet.
And Jeune Afrique Magazine has reported that a US-led initiative is underway to see the humanitarian situation in Cameroon discussed at the UN Security Council meeting on May 13.
This comes at a time when hundreds of thousands of Cameroonians are in dire need of humanitarian assistance as a result of the unrest in English-speaking Cameroon, the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North Region, and the post-electoral agitation since the re-election of President Paul Biya.
Recently, International Crisis Group published a report, revealing that just the Anglophone Crisis alone has claimed about 2000 lives, displaced more than half a million.
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