Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Unauthorized Amnesty International membership cards and activities in the DRC and Cameroon

Amnesty International is an international human rights organization working for human rights globally. I was embarrassed this morning by a public statement released by the organization on 27 March 2012 that someone is misusing its name for personal gains in Cameroon, my country of origin, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to the public statement, an individual operating from Cameroon has made false claims in the DRC to be a representative of Amnesty International and the individual in question is doing two shameful and illegal things:
  • selling unauthorized Amnesty International branded membership cards
  • offering unauthorized training sessions in the name of Amnesty International in exchange for payment.
According to Amnesty International, these activities are unauthorized and the organization does not have an office in Cameroon or the DRC, neither does it have representatives authorized to speak on its behalf in Cameroon and the DRC. The statement reveals that Amnesty International does not sell or provide membership cards and its members in Cameroon and DRC are not authorized to speak on its behalf.

Personally, as a Cameroonian and supporter of Amnesty International currently working as an intern at the organization's Finnish Section, I am shocked and embarrassed by such a scam masterminded by someone in my home country.

It is no secret that there are many scammers operating fraudulent business schemes in Cameroon and they would stop at nothing to swindle money from unsuspecting individuals in Cameroon and abroad. Many will stop at nothing to defraud, but receiving money in the name of an international human rights organization represents a new low for scammers.

Scams of this nature tarnish the reputation of Cameroon and its people on the international stage. The authorities must fully investigate such actions and bring all those involved to book.

Read Amnesty International's public statement on the subject, published in English and French. Spread the word.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search this Blog

Related Posts with Thumbnails