Cameroon and the United States accused of having violated the rights of asylum seekers

Cameroon has committed “serious human rights violations” on dozens of its nationals expelled from the United States, who have themselves “raped” the rights of refugees by returning these asylum seekers to their country, accused Human Rights Watch (HRW), Thursday, February 10. Almost all of these nationals come from the English-speaking minority in western Cameroon, which has been plagued by a bloody conflict for five years between armed separatist groups and security forces, the UN and international NGOs regularly accusing both sides crimes and atrocities against civilians.

“Some 80 to 90 Cameroonians deported from the United States on two flights in October and November 2020, and others deported in 2021 and 2019”, were victims on their return to Cameroon “arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and other violence, extortion, unjust prosecutions”detailed HRW in a 174-page report. “Many also reported experiencing excessive force, medical negligence and other mistreatment while detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States”writes the human rights organization.

“By returning Cameroonians facing persecution, torture and other serious harm, the United States violated the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international refugee and human rights law”, believes HRW. The 2019 and 2020 evictions have been made “under the Trump administration, which has been characterized by tough immigration policies, restricted access to asylum”most « l’administration Biden »Who “made the positive decision to cancel a February 2021 deportation flight”has however “deported several Cameroonians in October 2021 […] despite conditions making return unsafe”continues the NGO.

Videos, photos and medical reports

Contacted by AFP, the Cameroonian government did not wish to react immediately. In Washington, an ICE spokesman assured AFP that this service “may have to resort to means of restraint, but only in a safe and secure manner consistent with appropriate training approved by ICE”.

In support of its report, HRW says it spoke with “41 Cameroonians expelled” and 54 others in both countries and viewing videos, photos and medical reports documenting the abuse. Washington and Yaounde “should address these abuses and U.S. authorities should offer wrongfully deported Cameroonians the opportunity to return and reapply for asylum”concludes HRW.

For five years, after the repression of peaceful demonstrations accusing Yaoundé of ostracism towards Anglophones, the conflict in the west has claimed more than 6,000 lives and forced around a million people to move, according to the NGO International Crisis Group (ICG).

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