Diplomatic intervention by a number of foreign governments allowed the evangelist to depart with his vehicles. Father Belope still is being held and was one of the Bubi prisoners transferred in March 2000 from Bioko Island to Evinayong on the mainland. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States. There generally are amicable relations between the various religious groups in the country.
Some religious groups believe that they face societal pressures within their regions.
However, no specific incidents or violence stemming from religious discrimination have been reported, and such concerns may reflect ethnic or individual as much as religious differences. The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon maintains contact with religious groups, especially American missionaries in the country, and monitors any religious initiatives during periodic visits. During the period covered by this report, embassy staff met with various religious leaders, including members of the Catholic hierarchy, Protestant missionaries, and religiously affiliated nongovernmental organizations.