On Tuesday, 6th June, 2017, BaretaNews wrote on its Facebook page “Mr. Chris Anu, editor of the Cameroon Journal online media has been interrogated by FBI for over 2 hours. His interrogations came on the alleged complaints that he called for the assassination and overthrow of Paul Biya. This information has been exclusively made known to BaretaNews from our USA sources. Our source further alledged that MoRisc whom Cameroon Journal Editor has been critical of late in his audios made the complaints to the FBI. BaretaNews immediately rushed to Mr. Chris Anu who confirmed that he was interrogated. We could not get details as he was rushing for work.BaretaNews has booked for an exclusive interview with the Cameroon Journal Editor for details of these allegations and his interactions with the FBI agent.” Here is the complete interview:
Good day Sir, it’s a privilege to have you talk to BaretaNews.
CHRIS ANU (CA): Thanks, it’s my pleasure. You guys do a fabulous job in updating our people on developments in the struggle.
A few hours ago, BaretaNews got information that you were interrogated by the FBI. How truthful is it?
CA: Yes, it is true. Yesterday morning, an FBI agent came to my residence at about 10AM. I had left home for work when he showed up. He introduced himself as a Sheriff and an FBI agent to my wife and daughter, dropped his card and asked that I should call him. Once he left, my wife called me to inform me and I called him. He met me at my business location and we spoke for close to two hours.
What exactly did the FBI say? What are the allegations?
CA: He said the FBI received a call, an allegation, that in my audio editorials I called for the assassination of Paul Biya and or his violent overthrow.
Have you actually said so in any of your editorials?
CA: Well, I guess you guys listen to all of them. Have you heard me asked for Biya’s assassination even as devilish as he is? I don’t think you ever heard me say so. My detractors knew that when you tell the FBI that so, so and so, is plotting or advocating for an overthrow or assassination of a foreign leader, the FBI will easily fall for it and go investigating perchance the danger is real. It is a proactive measure by the FBI to prevent such acts (if there is one) before it happens. That’s what happened. It was a calculated effort from some in the leadership of MoRISC to intimidate and silent dissent. They made a huge mistake. Of what use would the death or assassination of Biya be to me? Will Biya’s death give us a Southern Cameroons? I don’t think that is what Southern Cameroonians are yearning for. They want a country of their own – they want independence, not assassination or death of Paul Biya.
Did the FBI inform you who made such allegations?
CA: It was very clear where the allegations came from. They came from the top leadership of MoRISC. In the coming days I will expose them. I’m not the type to be easily intimidated. If they think that the visit of an FBI agent would put a tape on my lips, they are very much mistaking. I think they have opened a can of worms.
Can you give us details of your interaction with the FBI agent? What did he/she say?
CA: I will give the details in a write up I have to put together. All I can say now is that the agent met me at my business location, asked a number of questions relating to the President of Cameroon, about my professional background and about The Cameroon Journal’s audio editorials. I answered all the questions satisfactorily and remainder of the time was used in educating him on the Southern Cameroons struggle.
Some are insinuating that MoRisc reported you to the FBI as a result of your critical audios on the movement. Any comment on this?
CA: We have not been critical of MoRISC. We have been informative of its inability to function with transparency. Well, I guess that is true because everything is either their way or the highway. And they don’t like people speaking truth to them. And again, this didn’t come as a surprise to me because I have received both written and verbal threats from top MoRISC people to the effect that if I didn’t stay quiet, that they will call the FBI on me. (I actually have it in writing). They are about to be exposed, it will shock people that this is the kind of game, call it politics, that a liberation movement is playing in the midst of a struggle. But they targeted the wrong person.
How do you feel now? What are the conclusions from the FBI?
CA: I cannot tell. The agent will go back and file his report per what he heard from me. But I think he read vengeance and retaliation in the whole thing. Time will tell though.
Did you try reaching MoRisc leadership?
CA: Reaching MoRISC leadership? What for? To make them smile to bed or what? I just read a hastily produced press statement from Boh Herbert about the issue a few minutes ago and he is accusing agents of LRC as the ones who reported me to the FBI. Do you really believe him? How did he know that? I know my voice can be massive, but you will agree that in this struggle, there are more vocal people out there than me. If LRC wanted to silence any one, I honestly don’t think I should come first. I think they will count more than 20 of such people before they ever get to me. I mean people like Ebenezar Akwanga, Cho Ayaba, Dr. Success, Prince Akere Achu, etc, etc. I think they pose a greater threat to Paul Biya than I do. But the FBI hasn’t gone after them yet. Why should you believe even for a second that Paul Biya will be after a fish when there are elephants out there? Give me a few days and the whole thing will be exposed.
Away from that, there are so many talks about the interim government of Southern Cameroons. Don’t you think it is important we get that before August?
CA: Well, is it really my place to say when and how things happen? May be you should ask SCACUF leadership the question. My suggestion has been that yes, a gov’t is necessary, but it should not be rushed at the way MoRISC has been trying to do. Before you form a gov’t, there should be some framework under which the gov’t should operate, you don’t form a gov’t for gov’t’s sake. Right now we have not seen such a frame work. We have stated that MoRISC has not the least legitimacy and credibility to think of organizing an election for such a gov’t. Right now we have only one umbrella organization and that is SCACUF. It’s only SCACUF that can call for such an election. This is the truth that MoRISC doesn’t want to hear. This is the truth that pushes them to call the FBI on me. That’s the reason they are going after me and then turning around and suggesting that it is LRC that called the FBI against me.
We need an Interim PM and gov’t, if Morisc wants it really that bad and that urgent, maybe they ought to subject its agenda under SCACUF’s and work from within to facilitate the process instead of the wanton sabotage that they have become known for.
Thank You and God Bless you.
CA: God bless you too
7 comments
Sorry about the your sad experience with the FBI. Considering we have a common enemy in LRC and Biya, I really find it had to believe or find any reason that would motivate an Ambazonian to report another Ambazonian to the FBI and I hope you are not rushing to judgement or being extremely suspicious. In any case, I will save judgement until the chips fall in their proper places and the full facts come out.
Interesting, as much as I’m burning to explode on this one, I have to restrain so as not to ignite something that I can’t or is not substantiate.
Thrust me, we got our eyes and ears full and totally on this one.
Thanks and Keep us posted.
In a struggle as this, anyone can be bought to act in the name of an association, in a struggle like this, various interests can crop up and unnecessary infighting as well…. we have to be wise, we have to always seat back and take a look at where our actions are going to lead us to. Accusations, counter accusations, public utterances to destroy one another for some hidden agenda etc. leads us nowhere – each one will seek to save his image by saying his truth – but how far does that contribute to the struggle? At some moments we need the courage to seat down and talk out such issues with cool heads, forgive each other, re-strategize and move on as one solid block. Who is happy when we are on the throat of each other? off-course la republic. As much as I admire what Chris has said, I would ask him for restrain, cool down, make known his point within SCACUF framework. We urgently need an inter-conflict resolution board in SCACUF to mediate when such misgivings come up within the struggle.
Morisc and its head man boh are agents of that lrc.abi. this bunch of are soo bent on grabbing power especially when they wear those their graffi traditional garb just to feed their stomach.
Boh herbert isnt a leader.and have only greed and self interest. Many of them are jobless
Looking for a position to earn a pay check from
Us. To contribute and give these idiots. I pity them. Boh herbert scacuf should only take their graffi bs to hell they are evil.currupt ego maniacs and soo crude in thinking that i consider southern zone beeing independent from these
Fools rather than with them.
By your language we know who you are. Not fit to be a Southern Cameroonian.
Any decision taken by moris known should immediately be boycotted the people… Boh Hertert and the rest are sooo of eager to form a government cause they want keep 35 years too in power… that will never happen in Schroon. .we will not run away from tyrant and get others in power again.. Note…all those who will be part of the interim government shall not nother for any reason or the other form part of the government after the restaurateur excent in the different counties..ñ
Johnny
I tell you hmm. This morisc i dont even know
What they stands for.but secretive