Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, that's correct.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I would like to say that Professor Chris Roberts, who is a political scientists at the University of Calgary, has done some research on Canada's collaboration with Cameroon. It's telling, in terms of the values Canada promotes at home, in that in dealing with Cameroon it hasn't promoted the same values when it comes to contracts, government support or business.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We've been troubled by the relationship between the western governments and Cameroon, because each time you talk especially with the U.S. leadership, Cameroon is a partner. Even though they are carrying out horrific abuses, they see them as a partner because of the interests of these different western governments in Cameroon, so they look away when atrocities are committed.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Cameroon is one of the worst places for journalists in sub-Saharan Africa. Many journalists have been killed. Some are in prison. It has been a very difficult time for journalists. International media outlets have not really covered the Cameroon conflict that well.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  In the beginning, it wasn't easy. You have the media, the Southern Cameroons journalists, who want to report what's going on and they are silenced. However, you have the public media that is being used to stir up problems, a lot of hate speech even through the media, not just on social media but also the media.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Some of Cameroon's neighbours, including Niger and Nigeria, have arrested leaders in Southern Cameroon and sent them back home. They are now in jail. Nigeria supports Cameroon in what it's doing because Nigeria needs the partnership with Cameroon to fight Boko Haram. The Central African Republic has its own issues.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Gabon is another one. All of those neighbouring countries are influenced by France, and France has been indifferent to the situation or shown support for Cameroon.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  That's exactly right.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The African Union hasn't come out one way or the other. I've approached the African Union a number of times in an effort to obtain a meeting, but it has never agreed to meet with us. I think it's waiting for direction from France. The African Union tends to be a club of presidents who protect their own, and they don't want to get involved.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  While on both sides there have been atrocities committed by armed groups—some horrible atrocities—the government has committed the worst kinds of atrocities you can imagine. From the facts we have gathered, it's horrible to see what they have done. I support the idea to fight to get a fact-finding mission on the ground.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you for your question. It's a very important one. Women and children are indeed those suffering the most in this conflict. More than a million children have not gone to school in four years. It's extremely sad to watch. Children have been burned in their homes by the military.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think COVID has created a very difficult situation for the people, because the government takes advantage of that to clamp down and take away the rights of the people. Most of the people in those regions are living in the bushes in those villages where houses have been destroyed.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I will also add to what my colleagues have said. Canada can work alongside other countries. There's been some movement within the U.S. with the Senate resolution. There are some initiatives also going on in Germany. If Canada can join these efforts that would really help, because Cameroon has decided to just not care about resolution, but I think there's a need for some more pressure to happen to bring the Cameroon leaders around a negotiation table where they can discuss and settle the root causes of the conflict.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Honourable members of Parliament, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be able to share in this hearing and to be able to share what's going on in Southern Cameroons. A civil protest movement in Southern Cameroons against systemic oppression, and what most Southern Cameroonians consider recolonization, transformed into a major crisis in 2016.