Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07YAOUNDE667, KENYA AIR CRASH PUTS CAMEROON'S GOVERNANCE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07YAOUNDE667.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07YAOUNDE667 2007-05-29 11:19 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Yaounde
VZCZCXRO8586
PP RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #0667/01 1491119
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 291119Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7772
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 000667 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2015 
TAGS: EPGOV KCOR EAIR PREL CM
SUBJECT: KENYA AIR CRASH PUTS CAMEROON'S GOVERNANCE 
PROBLEMS IN STARK RELIEF 
 
REF: A. YAOUNDE 567 
 
     B. YAOUNDE 578 
     C. YAOUNDE 594 
     D. MAY 15 YAOUNDE WEEKLY E-MAIL 
     E. MAY 22 YAOUNDE WEEKLY E-MAIL 
 
Classified By: Poloff Tad Brown for 1.5 b and d. 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  The May 5 crash of Kenya Airways flight 
507 (reftels) brought to stark relief some of the worst 
characteristics of governance in Cameroon.  Although the 
event would have challenged even a capable government, 
Cameroon's response was hampered by many of the same factors 
that impede progress on development and reforms: an aversion 
to public communication, a stifling regard for hierarchy and 
protocol, a crippling regard for style over substance, and an 
inability to react to events in a timely manner.  For the few 
days when the world's attention was focused on Cameroon, the 
Government was left looking lost, uncaring, and incompetent. 
End Summary. 
 
------------------------ 
Not That This is Easy... 
------------------------ 
 
2.  (U)  The Kenya Airways crash would have been challenging 
to even a capable government.  The six-month old Boeing 737, 
registered to a foreign carrier and including 114 passengers 
from more than thirty countries, disappeared in the middle of 
a tropical storm in the deep of the night into an area that 
can best be described as thick mangrove swamp.  To further 
complicate matters, the plane's homing beacon (intended to 
guide search efforts) appears to have been destroyed by the 
impact, and signal intelligence provided by a credible 
international agency led Cameroon's limited search resources 
-- and those of France, the U.S., and South Africa -- on a 
wild goose chase far from the crash site for more than 24 
hours. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
...But It Doesn't Have to Be This Difficult 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C)  The Government of Cameroon (GRC) got off to a bad 
start by not starting at all.  During the crucial first hours 
after the disappearance of the plane, the highest levels of 
the GRC were all personally participating in the funeral 
services for a recently departed former vice prime minister. 
Phoned Saturday morning by the Ambassador with an offer to 
help, Prime Minister Inoni saiod he was required to be 
present as the representative of President Biya, which meant 
that almost the entire cabinet was too.  In addition to the 
compulsions of protocol, personal political futures were at 
stake as, with elections looming and a government reshuffle 
on the horizon, the many hours of mourning would be as much a 
ruling CPDM party congress as funeral rites.  The first 
interministerial meeting to address the crash did not take 
place until late Sunday, May 6, more than 36 hours after the 
plane went missing.  Interior Minister Marafa, to whom the 
Governor of the Littoral province (where the accident 
occurred) reports, tried to mobilize resources but could not 
do so over the Prime Minister's head.  Indeed, at our 
suggestion, Marafa convened a meeting with the Communication 
Minister and the French and U.S. ambassadors on Sunday 
afternoon, but it had no impact. 
 
---------------------- 
Who is in Charge Here? 
---------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  The GRC's efforts were further crippled before they 
began by the lack of an effective government spokesperson and 
the complete absence of the Minister of Transportation.  The 
public could be forgiven for thinking that Kenya Airways CEO 
Titus Naikuni was leading the search and relief efforts as 
his public statements--immediately issued from Nairobi and 
then from Douala where he arrived the next day--were the only 
authoritative information available to the Cameroonian and 
international public.  President Biya, off in his village, 
was entirely absent from the public eye (and, as far as we 
can tell, from internal deliberations as well) for the 
duration of the crisis and he never made any public statement 
of condolence (though he did call a day or mourning two weeks 
later).  Biya's silence appeared even worse as he did find 
time to congratulate the French and Nigerian 
presidents-elect.  Further embarrassing to Cameroon, the 
Kenyan Minister of Transport was the most visible and active 
public official on the scene.  Cameroon's Minister of 
Transport and a notorious drunk, Dakole Daissala, only 
recently emerged from his village in the Far North where he 
had been campaigning for July Parliamentary elections.  In a 
May 14 meeting with the Ambassador, Prime Minister Inoni 
 
YAOUNDE 00000667  002 OF 003 
 
 
wearily recounted having left numerous unanswered messages on 
Dakole's voice mail over the 10 days since the crash 
informing him of the plane crash and the need for his 
presence. 
 
5.  (C)  Given his incompetence, it is unlikely that Dakole's 
presence would have helped as all levels of the GRC appeared 
unable to adapt its strict hierarchical style to allow for 
the necessary decentralized, rapid decision-making for a 
proper response.  Nonetheless, his evident absence only 
served to highlight his irrelevance and had Cameroonians -- 
not to mention foreigners -- openly asking what purpose he 
serves.  Officials in the capital, up to and including Prime 
Minister Inoni, insisted that the officials in the field 
(governor and provincial delegate) were in charge of the 
operation.  But US officials in the field reported that those 
officials were paralyzed by an unwillingness or inability to 
take any decisions without first receiving instructions from 
Yaounde.  The absence of clear orders from Yaounde meant the 
absence of action or decision on the field.  For example, 
officials from Kenya Airways and their contracted mortuary 
experts were unable to access the local morgue to inspect 
recovered remains until they complained to diplomatic 
officials in Yaounde who in turn were able to pressure 
Yaounde GRC officials to order the mortuary officials to 
allow them entry.  On May 16, ten days after the crash, this 
paralysis continued to the point that National Transportation 
and Safety Board (NTSB) team leader Dennis Jones decided to 
send the rest of his team of experts back to the US because 
they had been unable to start work.  Much of the NTSB's 
frustration arose from the GRC's failure to transfer the 
"black box" voice recorder -- located just two days after the 
crash -- to an overseas processing facility.  Ambassador 
Marquardt pressed Prime Minister Inoni on May 14 to order its 
immediate shipment to Canada (the Kenyans' preference), which 
he agreed to do, but without effect.  Once a decision was 
formally made to ship the box to Canada (which itself only 
occurred after the ambassador cornered the Prime Minister, 
Deputy Transport Minister, Foreign Minister and Director of 
Civil Aviation after the mourning ceremony on May 18), the 
GRC was still incapable of quickly tackling the logistics of 
transferring the box, leaving the ambassador to intervene 
with the Canadian High Commission, for example, to help the 
box's escorts obtain Canadian visas over what had become a 
five-day weekend. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Now That It's Over, Doing the Right Thing 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU)  President Biya declared a national day of mourning 
for Friday, May 18, 14 days after the crash and 4 days after 
his Kenyan counterpart had done the same.  A commemorative 
ceremony that same day was attended by Prime Minister Inoni 
(representing Biya), the entire cabinet, ambassadors, and 
perhaps 10,000 mourners.  The event was a welcome if overdue 
gesture by the GRC, which been pilloried in the press and 
public opinion for lack of a timely and compassionate 
response to the crash, whose casualties included 34 
Cameroonian nationals.  While obviously reflecting a lot of 
work under pressure at a difficult site, the ceremony itself 
was marred by a some significant shortcomings, including an 
official program that inexplicably failed to list 32 of the 
114 victims (entirely omitting the Kenyan victims, for 
example) and the absence of any statement at all from the 
government.  Likewise, a relatively robust and effective 
effort to secure the area, recover remains and improve access 
to the remote location was overshadowed by a bureaucratic 
incompetence and/or friction with Kenya Airways that 
prevented or delayed the visit of many family members to the 
crash site.  The fact that the GRC never appointed a 
spokesman meant that even its legitimate accomplishments went 
unnoticed.  An initial sortie before the press by the 
professorial Communication Minister went over poorly (he 
appeared to be blaming the French for the initial false 
start), and was not repeated. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
Comment: Crash Crystallized Cameroon's Governance Problems 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
7.  (C)  The GRC's handling of the Kenya Airways crash is a 
metaphor for the problems that plague Cameroon's governance 
more generally and stymie even the best efforts for reform. 
Even observers steeped in the peccadilloes of African 
governments professed incredulity at what they perceived to 
be the GRC's complete disinterest and incompetence in the 
face of a terrible and enduring disaster.  The 
characteristics that manifested themselves so starkly in this 
episode -- an inwardly focused ruling elite, a President who 
takes all key decisions despite being out of touch, excessive 
deference to hierarchy and protocol, no sense of urgency 
 
YAOUNDE 00000667  003 OF 003 
 
 
(even in an emergency), over-reliance on instructions from 
the capital, an abhorence of initiative, the presence in key 
jobs of individuals who add nothing other than 
regional/tribal "balance", lack of cohesion among ministers, 
and an aversion to public communication except by turgid, 
untimely presidential decree -- are the same attributes that 
prevent Cameroon from being a much better place.  What is 
even more distressing is that the GRC, with a few exceptions, 
is probably unaware of -- and unconcerned about -- its 
lamentable performance.  Minister Marafa, one of the few 
senior actors who gets it here, told the Ambassador 
afterwards that he was "fed-up with this entire operation." 
MARQUARDT