MoRISC Tackles Washington Post for Lopsided Reportage on Ambazonia

Spokesperson of the Movement for the Restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameroons (MoRISC), Ntumfoyn Boh Herbert has heavily tackled the popular American tabloid, “Washington Post“, for lopsided reporting about Ambazonia, and a distortion of historical facts. This was in reaction to the latest publication of the news paper on the ongoing Paul Biya orchestrated war in Southern Cameroons – Ambazonia.

In the said publication on May 30, 2018 titled: Africa’s next civil war could be in Cameroon by Siobhan O’Grady, the paper paints a brief picture of what has prevailed in Ambazonia since 2015, concluding that the situation is worsening and already turning into another civil war in Africa.

But MoRISC’s spokesperson, Comrade Boh Herbert picks holes in the report for failing to clearly situate the borne of contention, which has to do with the Restoration of the Independence of the former UN Trust Territory of the British Southern Cameroons.

In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post dated May 31, 2018, Comrade Boh accused the paper for distortion of history and one-sided reporting, which is a clear reflection of the Biya propaganda sold to the international community.

“For example, you do not mention that the former United Nations British Trusteeship Territory of Southern Cameroons actually obtained independence separately from the Republic of Cameroon. America was one of 64 countries which voted for that independence under United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 1608 (XV)” he said.

“UNGA Resolution 181 which granted independence to Israel has no more force in
international law than UNGA1608(XV)” he added.

A full version of the Spokesperson’s letter to the editor can be read below.

 

 

Thursday, 31 May 2018

To: The Editor, Washington Post – cc: siobhan.ogrady@washpost.com

You have done a great disservice to your readers by publishing a one-sided analysis (“Africa’s
next civil war could be in Cameroon” by Siobhan O’Grady, Washington Post, May 30). Besides
distorting history, it appropriates as fact some of the propaganda sold to the international
community by the regime of dictator Paul Biya. For example, you do not mention that the former
United Nations British Trusteeship Territory of Southern Cameroons actually obtained
independence separately from the Republic of Cameroon. America was one of 64 countries
which voted for that independence under United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution
1608 (XV). UNGA Resolution 181 which granted independence to Israel has no more force in
international law than UNGA1608(XV). Yet, not once in your entire article do you inform your
readers that the nation we seek recognition for would be called “Ambazonia.” You interview and
cite everyone else except any of our pro-independence leaders.

As a result, your analysis sells the position of the colonialists who have annexed our Homeland
and those who have become “collaborators” of the annexationists. Like them, you prefer to call
our Homeland “Anglophone regions” – not “Ambazonia.” There was a time – now long gone –
when slavery made it possible for owners of human property to baptize them whatever.

Your analysis downplays everything. You avoid mention of the “targeted killings” decried a
fortnight ago by the US Ambassador to Cameroon. You do not relay fears of genocide raised by
Catholic bishops. You focus on the symptoms (“marginalization”, “assimilation”, lack of “good
governance”) ignoring the disease (the recolonization of Ambazonia). Your journalistic instincts
come alive when you say of the massacre of 27 young men that the victims were allegedly – key
word – “allegedly killed in a standoff with government forces.” You do not extend the same
journalistic courtesy to pro-independence campaigners (whom you criminalize as “separatists”)
and slam for actually – not allegedly – killing two police officers and intimidating people.

I could go on, but I am sure you would agree that the newspaper which forced President Nixon to
resign is capable of a bolder, more accurate, and fairer analysis of the annexation war – not just
civil war – that the Biya regime has waged to try to prevent Ambazonians from enjoying their
inalienable right to self-determination and emulating the heroes – not “separatists” – of American
Independence who in 1776 did what our people did last October 1st. We will live free, or die.

Ntumfoyn Boh Herbert (Yindo Toh) Spokesperson, MoRISC – herbertboh@yahoo.com or spokesperson@morisc.org

 

 

James Agbor

BaretaNews Political Analyst