Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09YAOUNDE286
2009-03-26 15:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:
CAMEROON GIVES POPE ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME, AMID
how-toVZCZCXRO0915 RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHYD #0286/01 0851532 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 261532Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9796 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0015 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 000286
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/C, DEPT PASS TO USDOC FOR ITA - BURRESS
DEPT PASS TO USAID FOR DCH/DG - BILLERA/LEMARGIE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO CM VT PGOV PREL KIRF PHUM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON GIVES POPE ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME, AMID
SOME GRUMBLING
REF: A. A) YAOUNDE 224
B. B) VATICAN 038
YAOUNDE 00000286 001.2 OF 003
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 000286
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/C, DEPT PASS TO USDOC FOR ITA - BURRESS
DEPT PASS TO USAID FOR DCH/DG - BILLERA/LEMARGIE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO CM VT PGOV PREL KIRF PHUM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON GIVES POPE ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME, AMID
SOME GRUMBLING
REF: A. A) YAOUNDE 224
B. B) VATICAN 038
YAOUNDE 00000286 001.2 OF 003
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Pope's March 17-20 day visit to
Cameroon went smoothly, drawing large, enthusiastic crowds.
The Pope drew criticism for his pre-arrival comments to the
international press about condom usage. Government efforts
to clean up the city (including the destruction of many
illegal buildings) raised tensions in Yaounde prior to the
visit, but they did not come to a head during the Pope's
stay. State-run and independent media fully covered the
event, with the focus on the positive aspects of the trip as
well as some coverage of the Pope,s anti-corruption message.
End summary.
Pre-Arrival Tensions
--------------
2. (U) The Government of Cameroon (GRC) went all out to
prepare for the Pope's visit. This included cleaning up all
major streets that he would travel on, as well as doing away
with decrepit and flimsy kiosks around the Central Market.
Although the Pope was not planning to travel near this
market, the
Government Delegate (equivalent of mayor) used the city-wide
clean-up to advance his personal goal of getting rid of
structures built by squatters - often market booths or
make-shift houses. This destruction of property caused
tension levels in the city to rise, just days before the
Pope's visit. People of all economic levels were dismayed by
the tearing down of these structures, and many commented that
"the Pope would not have wanted people to lose their
livelihoods due to his visit". On the day of the Pope's
public mass, street vendors and police clashed after police
told vendors that they were required to close their shops
located three kilometers from the mass for security reasons.
In the confrontation, a vendor was shot in the leg. This
confrontation was not publicized and most mass attendees were
unaware of the situation. In addition, some Yaounde
residents resented the large amounts of money spent to
beautify Yaounde prior to the Pope's arrival.
3. (U) Additional problems occurred during general
registration for the large Papal Mass held March
19 in the national football stadium. Citizens could register
at their local Catholic church or Mosque, but the event
quickly became overregistered, and parish members were told a
week before the mass that they should plan on arriving early
in order to enter the stadium. Ticket holders who were not
able to enter the stadium could listen to the event via
loudspeakers placed outside. Several Embassy employees
registered for the mass but did not receive tickets because
their parishes had already used up their allotments.
Cameroon Pulls it Off
--------------
4. (U) Although preparations were finished at the absolute
last minute (flags were still being hung as the Pope
arrived),the GRC managed to have everything in place for the
Pontiff's arrival. Most ambassadors and ministers,
regardless of their religious beliefs, were on hand to
receive the Pope at the airport and to participate in Vespers
the next day. Interestingly, Muslim members of government
chose to wear business suits to both events, rather than
their traditional robes. Thousands of citizens waited hours
in the streets to catch a glimpse of the Pope's motorcade,
most dressed in special fabric made for the Pope's visit.
Drummers, dance groups and choral groups celebrated as they
waited for his arrival.
5. (U) President Biya received the Pope on the morning of
March 18 with a private audience followed by a meeting with
the President's immediate family. The President's children
and stepchildren received rare media coverage during the
visit. Domestic and international press covered the First
Lady's clothing
and unusual hair style during the Pope's visit, which
featured large hats bearing the Pope's cross. A link to
photo coverage can be found at:
www.boston.com/news/local/articles of faith/
2009/03/quel chapeau ca.html
6. (U) The Pope met briefly with leaders from other
religions. According to media sources, the meeting was less
YAOUNDE 00000286 002.2 OF 003
of a dialogue and more a chance for each group to read
prepared remarks. The fifteen minute meeting was featured by
local media sources, but not given a lot of coverage.
One last present....
--------------
7. (U) The pope received one last (unexpected) present before
leaving Cameroon. A group of Baka Pygmies (hunter-gatherers
from the rainforest) came to the Nunciature on Friday, asking
to meet with the Pope before he departed. They quickly built
a traditional hut, then presented him with a basket, a cloth
mat, and a turtle - a sign of respect in their culture.
Corruption, not Condoms
--------------
8. (U) Media reaction to the Pope's visit differed between
international and domestic coverage. International press
centered on the Pope's comments, given during his flight to
Yaounde, that condom distribution is not the solution to
preventing HIV/AIDS, that in fact condom use actually worsens
the problem. Independent domestic press focused on the Pope's
comments on the lack of good governance and corruption in
Africa, two of Cameroon's greatest problems. The Pope also
spoke out against abuses of power. State-run press
downplayed the condom controversy, giving an all-positive
focus to his trip.
Media Coverage - "Hilarious Welcome"
--------------
9. (SBU) This visit dominated Cameroonian media before,
during and after the event. With the exception of the Pope's
arrival, state-run Cameroonian radio and television (CRTV)
broadcast all of the Pope's public appearances live and
rebroadcasts of his meetings ran after hours. We don't known
why the arrival was not shown live, but rumors abound that it
was yet another sabotage attempt by some within CRTV to
undermine President Biya's confidence in the embattled
General Manager of the organization. Coverage by
CRTV was universally positive, with headlines such as
"Cameroon has the Honor", "In Triumph", "Hilarious Welcome"
(a bad translation from French attempting to convey the
joyous welcome the Pope received).
10. (U) Independent media coverage of governmental actions
prior to the Pope's visit was not as positive. Headlines
such as "Many Lives Broken as Capital is Smashed to Make Way
for Pope" were common. One paper claims that thousands were
left homeless or without a livelihood after their homes and
market booths were destroyed. A cartoon in the anglophone
paper, The Post, showed President Biya and a clergyman
carrying the Pope on a litter through the streets, on the
backs of Cameroonians. One of the Cameroonians in the
cartoon comments, "Each time the Pope visits us, our misery
seems to increase."
Comment
--------------
11. (SBU) Overall, the Pope's visit went smoothly and events
were well organized. While Cameroonians were genuinely
thrilled to have the Pope here, commentators said there
appeared to be more tension surrounding this visit than
during prior papal visits, perhaps due to greater poverty
levels. The city government's destruction of illegal
properties has been ongoing for several years and has met
with mixed reactions. What surprised many in Yaounde was the
timing and extensive scale of destruction over the week prior
to the Pope,s arrival.
12. (SBU) Many Cameroonians were disappointed that the Pope
did not directly address domestic political issues such as
Cameroon's corruption and backsliding on democracy. The
Pope's visit came soon after the one year anniversary of the
February 2008 riots, which were sparked by commodity price
increases and the President's decision to amend the
constitution to do away with term limits. The trip also came
just weeks after Amnesty International accused the GRC of
extrajudicial execution, arbitrary arrest, torture and
unlawful detention. The President's recent decision to pack
the new electoral commission with party faithful was also
widely unpopular. The Pope also addressed the Cameroonian
people in French and
English, which commentators pointed out is something
YAOUNDE 00000286 003.2 OF 003
President Biya has never done. Cardinal Christian Tumi, often
outspoken in his anti-government views, openly criticized
Biya during and after the papal visit, calling on the
President (who has been in power for 26 years) to announce he
will not seek reelection in 2011, while characterizing
Cameroon as "more dictatorship than democracy". Against this
backdrop, and given the excitement about the Papal visit, it
is not surprising that the Pope appeared to get a warmer
public reception than the President.
GARVEY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/C, DEPT PASS TO USDOC FOR ITA - BURRESS
DEPT PASS TO USAID FOR DCH/DG - BILLERA/LEMARGIE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO CM VT PGOV PREL KIRF PHUM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON GIVES POPE ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME, AMID
SOME GRUMBLING
REF: A. A) YAOUNDE 224
B. B) VATICAN 038
YAOUNDE 00000286 001.2 OF 003
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Pope's March 17-20 day visit to
Cameroon went smoothly, drawing large, enthusiastic crowds.
The Pope drew criticism for his pre-arrival comments to the
international press about condom usage. Government efforts
to clean up the city (including the destruction of many
illegal buildings) raised tensions in Yaounde prior to the
visit, but they did not come to a head during the Pope's
stay. State-run and independent media fully covered the
event, with the focus on the positive aspects of the trip as
well as some coverage of the Pope,s anti-corruption message.
End summary.
Pre-Arrival Tensions
--------------
2. (U) The Government of Cameroon (GRC) went all out to
prepare for the Pope's visit. This included cleaning up all
major streets that he would travel on, as well as doing away
with decrepit and flimsy kiosks around the Central Market.
Although the Pope was not planning to travel near this
market, the
Government Delegate (equivalent of mayor) used the city-wide
clean-up to advance his personal goal of getting rid of
structures built by squatters - often market booths or
make-shift houses. This destruction of property caused
tension levels in the city to rise, just days before the
Pope's visit. People of all economic levels were dismayed by
the tearing down of these structures, and many commented that
"the Pope would not have wanted people to lose their
livelihoods due to his visit". On the day of the Pope's
public mass, street vendors and police clashed after police
told vendors that they were required to close their shops
located three kilometers from the mass for security reasons.
In the confrontation, a vendor was shot in the leg. This
confrontation was not publicized and most mass attendees were
unaware of the situation. In addition, some Yaounde
residents resented the large amounts of money spent to
beautify Yaounde prior to the Pope's arrival.
3. (U) Additional problems occurred during general
registration for the large Papal Mass held March
19 in the national football stadium. Citizens could register
at their local Catholic church or Mosque, but the event
quickly became overregistered, and parish members were told a
week before the mass that they should plan on arriving early
in order to enter the stadium. Ticket holders who were not
able to enter the stadium could listen to the event via
loudspeakers placed outside. Several Embassy employees
registered for the mass but did not receive tickets because
their parishes had already used up their allotments.
Cameroon Pulls it Off
--------------
4. (U) Although preparations were finished at the absolute
last minute (flags were still being hung as the Pope
arrived),the GRC managed to have everything in place for the
Pontiff's arrival. Most ambassadors and ministers,
regardless of their religious beliefs, were on hand to
receive the Pope at the airport and to participate in Vespers
the next day. Interestingly, Muslim members of government
chose to wear business suits to both events, rather than
their traditional robes. Thousands of citizens waited hours
in the streets to catch a glimpse of the Pope's motorcade,
most dressed in special fabric made for the Pope's visit.
Drummers, dance groups and choral groups celebrated as they
waited for his arrival.
5. (U) President Biya received the Pope on the morning of
March 18 with a private audience followed by a meeting with
the President's immediate family. The President's children
and stepchildren received rare media coverage during the
visit. Domestic and international press covered the First
Lady's clothing
and unusual hair style during the Pope's visit, which
featured large hats bearing the Pope's cross. A link to
photo coverage can be found at:
www.boston.com/news/local/articles of faith/
2009/03/quel chapeau ca.html
6. (U) The Pope met briefly with leaders from other
religions. According to media sources, the meeting was less
YAOUNDE 00000286 002.2 OF 003
of a dialogue and more a chance for each group to read
prepared remarks. The fifteen minute meeting was featured by
local media sources, but not given a lot of coverage.
One last present....
--------------
7. (U) The pope received one last (unexpected) present before
leaving Cameroon. A group of Baka Pygmies (hunter-gatherers
from the rainforest) came to the Nunciature on Friday, asking
to meet with the Pope before he departed. They quickly built
a traditional hut, then presented him with a basket, a cloth
mat, and a turtle - a sign of respect in their culture.
Corruption, not Condoms
--------------
8. (U) Media reaction to the Pope's visit differed between
international and domestic coverage. International press
centered on the Pope's comments, given during his flight to
Yaounde, that condom distribution is not the solution to
preventing HIV/AIDS, that in fact condom use actually worsens
the problem. Independent domestic press focused on the Pope's
comments on the lack of good governance and corruption in
Africa, two of Cameroon's greatest problems. The Pope also
spoke out against abuses of power. State-run press
downplayed the condom controversy, giving an all-positive
focus to his trip.
Media Coverage - "Hilarious Welcome"
--------------
9. (SBU) This visit dominated Cameroonian media before,
during and after the event. With the exception of the Pope's
arrival, state-run Cameroonian radio and television (CRTV)
broadcast all of the Pope's public appearances live and
rebroadcasts of his meetings ran after hours. We don't known
why the arrival was not shown live, but rumors abound that it
was yet another sabotage attempt by some within CRTV to
undermine President Biya's confidence in the embattled
General Manager of the organization. Coverage by
CRTV was universally positive, with headlines such as
"Cameroon has the Honor", "In Triumph", "Hilarious Welcome"
(a bad translation from French attempting to convey the
joyous welcome the Pope received).
10. (U) Independent media coverage of governmental actions
prior to the Pope's visit was not as positive. Headlines
such as "Many Lives Broken as Capital is Smashed to Make Way
for Pope" were common. One paper claims that thousands were
left homeless or without a livelihood after their homes and
market booths were destroyed. A cartoon in the anglophone
paper, The Post, showed President Biya and a clergyman
carrying the Pope on a litter through the streets, on the
backs of Cameroonians. One of the Cameroonians in the
cartoon comments, "Each time the Pope visits us, our misery
seems to increase."
Comment
--------------
11. (SBU) Overall, the Pope's visit went smoothly and events
were well organized. While Cameroonians were genuinely
thrilled to have the Pope here, commentators said there
appeared to be more tension surrounding this visit than
during prior papal visits, perhaps due to greater poverty
levels. The city government's destruction of illegal
properties has been ongoing for several years and has met
with mixed reactions. What surprised many in Yaounde was the
timing and extensive scale of destruction over the week prior
to the Pope,s arrival.
12. (SBU) Many Cameroonians were disappointed that the Pope
did not directly address domestic political issues such as
Cameroon's corruption and backsliding on democracy. The
Pope's visit came soon after the one year anniversary of the
February 2008 riots, which were sparked by commodity price
increases and the President's decision to amend the
constitution to do away with term limits. The trip also came
just weeks after Amnesty International accused the GRC of
extrajudicial execution, arbitrary arrest, torture and
unlawful detention. The President's recent decision to pack
the new electoral commission with party faithful was also
widely unpopular. The Pope also addressed the Cameroonian
people in French and
English, which commentators pointed out is something
YAOUNDE 00000286 003.2 OF 003
President Biya has never done. Cardinal Christian Tumi, often
outspoken in his anti-government views, openly criticized
Biya during and after the papal visit, calling on the
President (who has been in power for 26 years) to announce he
will not seek reelection in 2011, while characterizing
Cameroon as "more dictatorship than democracy". Against this
backdrop, and given the excitement about the Papal visit, it
is not surprising that the Pope appeared to get a warmer
public reception than the President.
GARVEY