Sources mentioned [translation] "President Biya's Youth" (Le Messager Jan. 2004; ibid. 24 Jan. 2003) and [translation] "President Paul Biya's Youth (PRESBY)" (Cameroon Tribune 29 Mar. 2004; Socpa 2001), which was founded in 1996 (ibid.; Le Messager Apr. 2003; ibid. 24 Jan. 2003).

In describing the circumstances surrounding the creation of PRESBY, Antoine Socpa, Executive Secretary of the Pan African Anthropological Association (PAAA) (Ethno-Net Africa n.d.), wrote in a document entitled Clientélisme et ethnicité dans le jeu politique : réflexions sur quelques mouvements thuriféraires au Cameroun (Clientelism and Ethnicity in the Political Arena: Reflections on Some Thurifer Movements in Cameroon) that [translation] "the new association . . . had just registered as one of the individual and group movements of [President Biya's] personality cult" (Socpa 2001). The author explained that PRESBY members belonged to the majority Beti ethnic group and that 75 per cent of the organization's leaders (members of the board) were not only Betis, but also members of the [translation] "Bulu tribal subgroup, to which the president belongs" (ibid.). Antoine Socpa also explained that, at the socio-educational level, overall, PRESBY consisted of members from three subgroups: [translation] "students normally enrolled at a university or professional school, students without employment in the modern sector . . . [and] former students with or without degrees who . . . roam on and around campus" (ibid.). The latter subgroup is [translation] "a reservoir of ethno-political 'militias' that instil fear on university campuses throughout Cameroon" (ibid.).

In its 24 January 2003 issue, the Cameroonian weekly publication Le Messager reported a power struggle within PRESBY, particularly between Philémon Ntyam Ntyam, National Graduate Student President, and Alexis Nkomoya, who was designated Ntyam's replacement at a meeting held in Yaoundé on 17 January 2003.

In its April 2003 issue, Le Messager reported that some members of the organized groups formed since 1990 and known as [translation] "infrastructures of violence, . . . are now members of President Biya's Youth (PRESBY)." In addition, a press review published on the Website of the Embassy of France in Cameroon noted that observers identified the [translation] "President Biya's Youth (PRESBY) and Chantal Biya's Youth (JACHABY) [named after the president's wife] associations" among those that had committed fraud during the legislative and municipal elections in June 2002 (12-18 May 2003). A memorandum signed by five political opposition parties, published on the Website of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) [one of the opposition parties], and addressed to French President Jacques Chirac at the Africa-France summit held in Yaoundé from 17 to 19 January 2001, stated that [translation] "the militias of the PRESBY, a fascistic organization connected to the RDPC [Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (Rassemblement démocratique du peuple camerounais)]," had participated in the repression of political opponents during a 13 January 2001 demonstration, in which they protested against the ONEL [National Elections Observatory (Observatoire national des élections)] and asked for the creation of the CENI [Independent National Electoral Commission (Commission électorale nationale indépendante)] (SDF 17 Jan. 2001).

No information on whether PRESBY members participated in a youth conference allegedly held in November 2003 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Cameroon Tribune [Yaoundé]. 29 March 2004. David Ndachi Tagne. "En toute sobriété : l'accueil réservé par les populations au président équato-guinéen aura été des plus sobres." http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200403290993.html [Accessed 5 May 2004]

Embassy of France in Cameroon. 12-18 May 2003. "Revue de la presse de la semaine du 12 au 18 mai 2003 : Vers les présidentielles de 2004." http://www.ambafrance-cm.org/html/camero/medias/presse/12051805.htm [Accessed 12 May 2004]

Ethno-Net Africa. n.d. "Quinzième conférence annuelle de l'Association panafricaine de l'anthropologie (APA). Yaoundé, Cameroun, 8-12 août 2005 (1ere annonce)." http://www.ethnonet-africa.org/p95bull.htm [Accessed 13 May 2004]

Le Messager [Douala]. January 2004. No. 1611. Roland Tsapi. "Les commissions Ndongo Ndongo." http://www.wagne.net/messager/messager/2004/01/1611/douala.html [Accessed 12 May 2004]

_____. April 2003. X.L. Deutchoua . "Rompre avec la fatalité de la violence : Des milices existent qui menacent la paix en cas de crise politique." http://www.wagne.net/messager/messager/2003/04/1499/extremisme.htm [Accessed 10 May 2004]

_____. 24 January 2003. No. 1466. Jacques Doo Bell. "La PRESBY en lambeaux. Comme des porcs autour de la mangeoire." http://www.wagne.net/messager/messager/1466/presby.htm [Accessed 10 May 2004]

Social Democratic Front (SDF) [Yaoundé]. 17 January 2001. "Mémorandum présenté par les partis politiques d'opposition représentés à l'Assemblée nationale au président français Jacques Chirac à l'occasion du sommet Afrique-France tenu du 17 au 19 janvier 2001 à Yaoundé." http://www.sdfparty.org/french/communiques/235.php [Accessed 13 May 2004]

Socpa, Antoine. 2001. Clientélisme et éthnicité dans le jeu politique : réflexions sur quelques mouvements thuriféraires au Cameroun. http://www.ethnonet-africa.org/pubs/crossroadssocpa.htm [Accessed 10 May 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications: Africa Confidential, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Resource Centre country file, West Africa.

Internet sites, including: Africatime, Allafrica, Amnesty International, Cameroun-info.net, Dialog, FIDH, HRW, MISNA, ReliefWeb.