R 051609Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9750
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY VATICAN

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000224 
 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CM PGOV PREL VT PHUM KIRF
SUBJECT: POPE'S UPCOMING VISIT TO CAMEROON DRAWS MIXED 
REVIEWS 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY : Pope Benedict XVI will visit Cameroon March 
17-20, for both a state visit and to conduct internal 
meetings with church officials from around Africa. This visit 
has met with mixed local press, including some criticism of 
the trip,s cost and church fundraising efforts.  The Pope's 
visit is expected to draw international media attention to 
Cameroon - not all of it positive.  By contrast, the ongoing 
visit by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch was given little media 
coverage or government attention. END SUMMARY. 
 
The Visit 
--------- 
 
¶2. (U) Pope Benedict XVI will visit Cameroon from March 
17-20, the third time a pope has visited Cameroon in 
twenty-four years (the last visit was by Pope John Paul II in 
1995).  The visit is in response to invitations issued by 
both President Biya and the Episcopal Conference.  According 
to the Archbishop of Yaounde, the visit will involve internal 
meetings with the Episcopal Conference, meetings with GRC 
government officials, and public masses.  The Pope will also 
meet with representatives of the Muslim Community. 
 
¶3. (U) The Episcopal Conference invited the Pope for a 
working visit, to prepare for the Episcopal Conference Synod 
to be held in Rome in October 2009.  The theme of the synod 
is Reconciliation, Justice and Peace on the African 
continent.  The Pope will distribute a working document in 
preparation of this conference.  According to Archbishop of 
Yaounde Tonye Bakot, Cameroon was chosen because the 
President had invited the Pope, Cameroon is bilingual, and 
the country has been peaceful since Independence.  Presidents 
of all fifty-two African Episcopal Conferences have been 
invited.  The Episcopal Conference is organizing 
the public masses, although details have yet to be announced. 
 In order to accommodate a larger public, the mass will be 
held at an outdoor soccer stadium rather than at a former 
airport, which had been used for previous Papal masses. 
 
Most Catholics Honored and Eager 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Reaction from church leaders is very positive.  Some 
are surprised that the Pope chose to return, and most are 
very pleased, convinced that this visit will motivate 
Catholics and non-Catholics alike.  Archbishop Tonye Bakot 
feels that the Pope's message of peace and justice are 
applicable to all Cameroonians, no matter what religious 
background they have.  The Cameroonian public is very proud 
of this visit, arguing that few developing countries have 
received three Papal visits in this short period of time. 
Cameroonian Catholics say they feel truly blessed to have 
this opportunity.  Most feel that this visit will reinforce 
Catholics' faith and augment the prestige of the Catholic 
Church. 
 
But Not All Are Pleased 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) According to press reports, some Catholics groups in 
other African countries feel that the Pope should have chosen 
another country for this visit, as his predecessor visited 
Cameroon twice.  Others reportedly feel that Cameroon is not 
"the most" Catholic of African countries, so should not have 
been chosen. (NOTE: Cameroon is 27 percent Catholic, and is 
religiously diverse and tolerant.  END NOTE.) 
 
But Seeking Funds 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Recent press articles criticized Archbishop Tonye 
Bakot for sending out mass letters to all diplomatic missions 
and prominent Catholics requesting financial support for the 
Pope's visit, arguing that the costs for such a state visit 
should be borne by the State.  The Archbishop told Poloff 
that the church needs the extra funds  to cover the 
organization and administration costs of such an event. 
(NOTE: The Archdiocese of Yaounde is reportedly in debt, and 
the Archbishop is known for his fundraising efforts. Last 
fall, he approached the Ambassador about housing Embassy 
staff in an apartment the Archdiocese is building near the 
cathedral downtown; we also received a solicitation letter 
from the bishops' conference soliciting our support of the 
visit.  END NOTE)  After several days of media 
articles criticizing the Archbishop, he announced that the 
cost for this upcoming trip will be shared by the Catholic 
Church and the Cameroonian government. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (U) The Greek Patriarch is currently visiting Cameroon for 
a multiple-week "pastoral visit".  This visit has had 
relatively little media coverage, probably because this is 
not a State visit and the Orthodox community is small.  The 
Patriarch is spending much of his time in Northern Cameroon 
and has not met with high-level GRC officials.  This 
contrasts greatly with the Pope's planned trip.  After 
recent negative media coverage over political appointments in 
Cameroon, President Nicolas Sarkozy's canceled trip to 
Cameroon and Canada removing Cameroon as a priority country 
from its development aid package, President Biya may hope 
that the Pope,s visit will generate positive international 
media coverage for him.  In preparation, the government has 
asked the media to refrain from negative 
coverage during the Pope's visit (which the independent media 
has criticized and is likely to ignore).  The Catholic Church 
in Cameroon has also asked the media to refrain from negative 
coverage.  The visit will no doubt generate some global media 
coverage, but in a year when democratic and human rights 
trends have been backsliding in Cameroon, it is not clear 
that the world media spotlight will work to the government,s 
favor. END COMMENT. 
 
 
GARVEY