T/1110 UNITED NATIONS United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1952 REPORT ON THE CAMEROONS UNDER FRENCH ADMINISTRATION TOGETHER WITH RELATED DOCUMENTS TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL OFFICIAL RECORDS : THIRTEENTH SESSION (28 January- 25 March 1954) SUPPLEMENT No. 5 NEW YORK, 1954 UNITED NATIONS United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1952 REPORT ON THE CAMEROONS UNDER FRENCH ADMINISTRATION TOGETHER WITH RELATED DOCUMENTS TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL OFFICIAL RECORDS : THIRTEENTH SESSION (28 January--25 ~arch 1954) SUPPLEMENT No. 5 NEW YORK, 1954 - ----------- ------------- - - - - - - - - NOTE By its resolution 867 (XIII), adopted on 22 March 1954, the Trusteeship Council decided that the reports of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1952, including its special report on the Ewe and Togoland unification problem, should be printed, together with the relevant observations of the Adminis­ tering Authorities and the text of resolution 867 (XIII) concerning the Mission's reports. Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document. T/1110 March 1954 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Report on the Cameroons under French administration submitted by the United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1952 LETTER DATED 5 MARCH 1953 FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VISITING MISSION TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL .. .. .. ..... .. ........ .. .... .. .. .......... ...... FoREWORD ..... ..................................................... ..... PART ONE INTRODUCTION •••••• 0 0 • •• 0 ••••••••• • 0. 0 •• • ••••• 0 •• 0 ••••••• 0 •• • ••• 0 •••••••••• 2 ITINERARY 0 0 0 0 0 ° 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 PART TWO CHAPTER I. POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT A. General . 4 B. Structure and development of African chiefdoms . 4 C. Rural and urban communes mixtes . 6 D. Territorial Assembly of the Cameroons . 8 E. Representation of the Cameroons in the French Union . 11 F. The right to vote . 12 G. Political parties . 13 H. Frontier problems . 15 CHAPTER II. ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT A. General . 16 B. Production . 16 C. Transport and communications . 20 D. Land and forests . 21 E. Indigenous provident societies 23 CHAPTER Ill. SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT A. Medical and health services . 24 B. Labour . 26 C. The bride-price system and polygamy . 29 D. Alcoholism . 30 CHAPTER IV. EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT . 31 CHAPTER V. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON THE UNITED NATIONS . 33 ANNEX I. Itinerary . 34 ANNEX II. Map .... .... .. .. .. ........ .. ... .. ...... facing page 34 Observations of the Administering Authority on the report of the Visiting Mission . 35 Resolution 867 (XIII) adopted by the Trusteeship Council on 22 1\larch 1954 36 iii REPORT ON THE CAMEROONS UNDER FRENCH ADMINISTRATION SUBMITTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS VISITING MISSION TO TRUST TERRITORIES IN WEST AFRICA, 1952 LETTER DATED 5 MARCH 1953 FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VISITING MISSION TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL I have the honour to transmit to you herewith in accordance with Trusteeship Council resolution 465 (XI) of22 July 1952 and with rule 99 of the rules of procedure of the Trusteeship Council, the report of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1952 on the Cameroons under French administration. I should be grateful if, in accordance with the same rule, you would allow an interval of two weeks to elapse between the transmission of this report to the members of the Trusteeship Council and its general distribution. I have pleasure in informing you that this report has been unanimously adopted by the members of the Visiting Mission. (Signed) Roy A. PEACHEY FOREWORD At its 409th meeting, tentu session on 27 March 1952, taken in respect of the provision of information about the the Trusteeship Council decided to send a mission to United Nations to the peoples of the Trust Territories visit the four Trust Territories in West Africa in 1952. under Council resolution 36 (III) of 8 July 1948 and to At the same meeting, it decided that the Mission should undertake the duties enumerated in Council resolution 311 be composed of persons nominated by Australia, Belgium, (VIII) of 7 February 1951 on the same questions ; and China and El Salvador. At its eleventh session, on 24 June to transmit to the Council as soon as practicable after 1952, the Council approved the nomination of Mr. Roy the completion of its visits a report on each of the Terri­ A. Peachey (Australia) as Chairman of the Mission, and tories visited containing its findings, with such obser­ appointed Mr. Robert Scheyven (Belgium), Mr. H. K. vations, conclusions and recommendations as it might Yang (China) and Mr. Roberto E. Quiros (El Salvador) wish to make. as members of the Mission. In addition to its functions defined above the Visiting By resolution 465 (XI) of 22 July 1952, the Council Mission was requested by the Council's resolution 424 (X) directed the Visiting Mission to investigate and to report of 3 March 1952, reaffirmed in the preamble to reso­ as fully as possible on the steps taken in the four Trust lution 465 (XI) of 22 July 1952, to investigate and submit Territories towards the realization of the objectives set a special report on the Ewe and Togoland unification forth in Article 76 b of the Charter, taking into account problem. This special report was transmitted by the the terms of General Assembly resolution 321 (IV) of Visiting Mission to the Council on 25 October 1952 and 15 November 1949 ; to give attention, as might be appro­ reproduced as document T/1034 of 7 November 1952. priate in the light of discussions in the Trusteeship Council and in the General Assembly and of resolutions The Mission, accompanied by seven members of the adopted by them, to issues raised in connexion with the Secretariat,1 departed from New York by air on annual reports on the administration of the four Trust 18 August 1952 and arrived in Togoland under French Territories concerned, in petitions received by the Trus­ administration on 21 August 1952. It visited Lome from teeship Council relating to those Trust Territories, in the 21 August to 25 August; Accra, Gold Coast, the seat of reports of the first periodic Visiting Mission to the Trust the Government of Togoland under United Kingdom Territories in West Africa and in the observations of the administration, from 25 August to 28 August ; Togoland Administering Authorities on those reports ; to accept under United Kingdom administration from 28 August and receive petitions without prejudice to its acting in to 9 September ; and Togoland under French adminis­ accordance with the rules of procedure and to investigate tration from 9 September to 25 September. on the spot, after consultation with the local represen­ tative of the Administering Authorities concerned, such 1 Mr. J. J. Cebe-Habersky. Principal Secretary ; Mr. L. of the petitions received as, in its opinion, warranted Sternbach, Miss J. Brown-Harrop, Mr. F. T. Liu, Assistant Secre­ special investigation ; to examine, in consultation with the taries ; Mr. E. Sameh, Administrative Officer ; Mr. G. Margoulies, Administering Authorities, the measures taken and to be Interpreter ; Miss P. Lacerte, Stenographer. ~t pr~pared its special report on the Ewe and Togoland to the respective governments, officers of the adminis­ umficatwn problem at n'Gaoundere (Cameroons under tration and to the peoples of the Territories visited for French administration) from 26 September to 14 October. the generous hospitality and cordial welcome extended to it. It visited the Cameroons under French administration After its return from West Africa the Mission prepared from 14 October to 10 November ; the Cameroons under its report at the United Nations Headquarters in New United Kingdom administration from 10 November to York. It has considered it convenient to divide its report 23 November ; Lagos, Nigeria, the seat of the Govern­ into five self-contained parts as follows : ment of the Cameroons under United Kingdom admi­ nistration from 24 to 25 November ; London from 26 Report on Togoland under United Kingdom adminis­ to 29 November and Paris from 29 November to tration (T/1040) ; 4 December. It returned to New York by air on 5 De­ Report on Togoland under French administration cember 1952. (T/1041) ; Report on the Cameroons under United Kingdom During its visit the Mission covered approximately administration (T/1042) ; 18,200 miles by air, 6,500 miles by road and rail and Report on the Cameroons under French adminis­ 100 miles ~y 'Y~ter. On three occasions it was obliged to change tts 1tmerary because of difficulties caused by tration (T/1043) ; tropical rains making roads impassable, and on one Report on procedures of visiting missions (T/1044). occa~ion be~~~se an airfield was unsafe for landing. All At the Mission's meetings on 4 and 5 March all these posstble facthtles were placed at the Mission's disposal. reports were approved unanimously and are hereby submitted to the Trusteeship Council in accordance with The Mission was able "to see whomever and whatever the Mission's terms of reference. it wished. It received the full assistance and co-operation of the Administering Authorities concerned. It is grateful New York, 5 March 1953 PART ONE INTRODUCTION 1. During its visit to the Cameroons under French 3. The Mission received in the Trust Territory administration the Mission received the most cordial 728 communications and memoranda, most of them hospitality and co-operation both from the Adminis­ relating to local problems and general questions. The tration and from all sections of the population.