Commonwealth Summit 2011: Paul Biya`s private meeting request with the Queen, rejected

The incumbent Cameroon President, Paul Biya has guaranteed himself a third term by winning more than 70% of the vote in Sunday October 9`s presidential elections. It is the third widest victory margin since the country`s return to the fake democracy in 1992.

 In a sign of his confidence, the 78 year-old has made a request to be received by the Queen Elizabeth II in Perth in Australia during the summit on Friday 28 October, unfortunately according to an insider from the Clarence House the private meeting with the Queen has been denied and rejected .

This is the second time that Buckingham Palace has refused to offer private meeting between Paul Biya and the Queen. Human rights abuses, violation of the Press Freedom and unlawful and arbitrary arrest and incarceration  of former ministers  without fair trials and killings or disappearance of dissidents may be some of issues Buckingham Palace need some clarifications....

 The Queen will personally preside the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Perth, Australia on Friday 28th October 2011, where 54 heads of government will attend the event. While the economy will be top of mind from 54 Commonwealth countries, Human Rights and development issues are also expected to dominate the agenda..

This time again Paul Biya has designated Yang Philemon, the head of Government as his representative at the summit after Trinidad and Tobago summit. There is no official confirmation from Yaounde if Paul Biya has renewed his intention to have a private meeting with the Queen in order to discuss the progress of the long relationship between both countries and also the last presidential elections and the future of the country.

 Britain has supported the process of the implementation of the independence of the judicial system in Cameroon and also helped the organisation of the  presidential elections and the 2012 legislative and municipal elections  by providing hundreds of  transparent ballot boxes as well.

 There are conflicting informations about the publication of the final results of the presidential election. A coalition of leaders of the opposition parties has decided to protest against what they call " a rigged election and a violation of the constitution and also the non respect of the people demands...", That coalition held a press conference on Monday 15th October in Yaounde in order to express " their collective anger against Biya`s regime and the lost of people`s aspiration for a real change and democracy..". 

As Human rights and the respect of democracy will dominate the agenda of the summit in Australia, Paul Biya might have just decided not to attend and give another opportunity to the his Prime Minister Philemon Yang  to lead the Cameroon delegation at the Summit and avoid to face the media scrutiny about the recent presidential elections in Australia. In Perth, the Prime Minister will have the opportunity to meet the British Prime Minister David Cameron and renegotiate the Head of State intention to meet the Queen in a private meeting.

Biya according to some officials will continue to strike a conciliatory tome he has done throughout the campaign, calling for a national unity after the coalition of opposition leaders has decided to take control of the streets by organising sit-in and demo amid his intention to continue with the expansionist economic policies and reforms that brought him " a controversial victory". For many others millions, around 22% of those who didn`t voted for him, they are just demanding his resignation as President and the end of his dictatorial regime.

 Britain has followed with interest the last presidential elections and the coalition government has not yet made an official reaction after Biya`s re-election.

Call for Cameroon to show fight for the future

The opposition is no longer considered  a serious party of government in Cameroon and its risks becoming a permanent irrelevance, according to a former deputy general secretary of the presidency.

Next Sunday, October 9 will be another strong test for the opposition in Cameroon to see if its can pull off an unprecedented victory in the presidential election, clearing the way for the first time in the history of a change of direction in the governance.

 Despite calls for civil disobedience from activists in exile in the Us, Uk, Belgium and France, around 7.5-9 millions of voters in Cameroon will not miss their Sunday service before heading to the thousands of polling station to make their choice.

Paul Biya warned Cameroon it was now facing a fresh and deep social contract crisis, but urged it to conjure up the calls for civil disobedience and election boycott and to show the world some fight. Fight against the spirit  " of   the devil of division"

 For this time, the calls for civil disobedience that is normally the refusal by ordinary people in Cameroon to obey laws and pay taxes in order to protest about something or try to persuade the government to change its policies, will be against Paul Biya regime. Chief Mila Assoute, on of the presidential candidate disqualified by the government body in charge of the organisation of the presidential election, " Elecam", called Cameroon Elections, has called for a non-violent demonstration against Paul Biya and his " tyrannical rule". Bello Bouba, leader of the Undp and member of the coalition government has seen his influence in the Parliament largely reduced.

According to the former deputy general secretary for the presidency in Cameroon, Rene Owona, " the opposition uncertainty is the biggest threat to the implementation of the real democracy in Cameroon and leaders must have to bring internal change and accept leadership challenging before even starting to look at ways to bring more or recruit more and more members to their own political party".

 This presidential election will become a proof that tyrannical rule will not be accepted indefinitely by oppressed public. Jean Jacques Ekindi, former " lion hunter" for ages is back to the Parliament with a single seat with one goal, to oust Mr Biya from the presidency. He will  need  a support of almost 200 Mps to win that battle.

Even thought the entire country will be on high alert according to internal sources close to the secret police and the Home Office, in order to avoid any disturbance, or hijacking movement by some " anarchists" mainly from opposition groups and even from the government strategic group of action according to some local newspapers, the government has decided to use to full force of the law to fight against any attack to the property or any demonstration on the streets.

Taking control of Cameroon in 1984 on a wave of popular support, Paul Biya promised to bring peace and reconciliation  to a country divided after a failed plot to remove him from the power. 29 years on, Paul Biya merely tightened his grip on power and carried out a brutal suppression of any opposition to his rule and government.

Amid allegations of intimidation and torture, Paul Biya has been able to stifle any political opposition.In place in Cameroon there is a body of ruthless men to carry out  Biya`s orders and the dirty one is done by military elite and the secret police is there to coordinate all the action leaving the opposition with a limited margin of manoeuvre and action.

The Cameroon people Union one the first opposition party created under the French domination and to become official has been dismantled.

The Social Democratic Front and the Southern Cameroon National Council have suffered the same, but with different level of official recognition and public support. Paul Biya has crushed anyone who defied him.

Adamu Ndam, former government minister has been sacked by Paul Biya and now in control of the city of Foumban, West-Cameroon as the mayor.

 We see with Biya, and others leaders of the main political opposition parties the rise of the modern totalitarism despot who combined the growing appeal of nationalism with that of a new political ideology to bind the people to his wishes.

There is a real concern with these unrecognised, disorganised  and uncoordinated calls for civil disobedience and a unconvinced creation of transitional government. These are not really different with what George Orwell, the English author and journalist  said when he wrote " Power is not a means, It is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution. One makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship" 

But it is clear that growing discontent over Cameroon is driving social justice and the opposition lacks a tradition of strong democratic government, and retains a history of internal ethnic conflict. It is time now for the opposition in Cameroon to show a real fight for the future.