CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
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Cameroon |
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
Deterioration of living conditions, unemployment and simply a fascination with the «old Europe», increases young peoples’ desire to emigrate. However, getting a «Schengen Visa» is a bit of a feat and the use of false documents is now common
How often does one hear the statement: «I have to leave for “Mbeng” (Europe)». About 75% of young people want to pack their bags and go. No matter whether they’re jobless or employed, leaving for the West is very tempting. Staying in Cameroon is now seen as a serious mistake, because young people think success lies in the northern hemisphere. Today, most families have at least two relatives abroad. France is a favourite destination, followed by England, Germany and Switzerland.
So, how does one make the trip? Well, there’s a number of preparations to be made. Let’s say you wake up one morning and decide to make for Eldorado. All the necessary documentation has to be processed and obtained: passport, declaration of reason for leaving, airline ticket, foreign currency etc. Cameroon’s security services have let it be known that for the last three or four years, more Cameroonians have been applying for passports than for Cameroon’s own identity cards. They also say that many citizens hold four or five passports under a different name.
Swindlers
Organising such a journey isn’t easy. You’ve got to save enough money. This can be done by making do with old clothes and eating less. Anybody planning to leave is sure to lose weight. In order to raise the necessary finance they take on any number of small jobs. This means leaving home early and returning late. So-called «travel agents» make a killing, asking anything between 500,000 CFA francs and 800,000 CFA francs for their «services». In spite of their assurances that they can get the necessary Visa for entering Europe. It’s quickly discovered that they’re nothing more than swindlers. Indeed, complaints about their swindling activities are mounting up in the police stations.
Let’s take the case of Hamidou Njoya (29 years old). He’s a woodcarver and works with his uncle, Arouna Chouibo, in Bonadibong, an old quarter of Dioula, Cameroon’s economic capital. Hamidou has only one dream: «To leave»! After five year’s work, he’s managed to save up 400,000 CFA francs. His aunt, Hadja Hazouma, an office worker, adds another 600,000 CFA francs because he’s the eldest of her nephews and hence the hope of the Njoya family. Hamidou’s relatives organise a family reunion and collect a further 475,000 CFA francs.
With this tidy sum, Hamidou contacts a «travel agent» called Gabriel Tchokonte, who tells everyone he’s a friend of the former French consul, Mr Alain Briscard, and is often a guest at Mr Briscard’s table. Hamidou hands over the 1,475,000 CFA francs to Tchokonte who tells him: «You’ll soon be saying goodbye to family and friends as you’ll soon have your Visa». It was 12 October 2002. At the time of writing it’s January 2003 and so far, nothing has happened. Hamidou went up and down the streets of New Bell, a heavily populated area of Douala where his «travel agent» lives. Nearly everyone knew him by now and they advised him to use force to get his money back. So, a month ago, fed up with the broken promises, the young woodcarver went to Tchokonte’s house whilst he was not in, and made off with furniture and other items. Tchokonte then took out a summons against Hamidou, who, because he had no written proof that he had actually handed over money to Tchokonte, found himself in jail for two weeks.
Publications’ directors
Actually, it’s relatively easy to obtain a «Schengen Visa» if you’ve got a good job. Anybody wanting to leave Cameroon for the flesh pots of Europe, knows that journalism is known to be one such «good job». A journalist is frequently called to go abroad, so the «Mbenguites» (i.e. candidates for Europe) do their very best to call on editor’s to obtain a press card, a work certificate, an assignment description, a salary sheet, etc.
Editors frequently have great difficulties in selling their papers or magazines at roadside kiosks, so they think they’re on to a good thing by also trading as go-betweens with the visa authorities. On 27 August 2002, Richard Nehela Bondol wrote in an article: «The high frequency of passport applications by editors has aroused the suspicion of the relevant immigration services». And an immigration officer said: «It’s striking to notice that there are more journalists applying for passports than anyone. I’m wondering if they are real journalists. Also, we’ve been told by Interpol, that Cameroonians arriving in Europe as victims of acts of violence, describe themselves for the most part as journalists».
The police say that about 350 people pretending to be journalists have left Cameroon. However, officials in the relevant visa departments of foreign embassies and High Commissions have already latched on to the game! Henceforth, anybody applying for a visa is closely investigated, and officials check with the relevant publications if the request really comes from a real journalist.
A month ago, a visit was organised for interested parties working with the Port of Douala, to Amsterdam. A number of journalists were included in the group. In spite of official documentation issued by the Port of Douala, the French Consulate in Douala would only grant short-stay visas for Europe, to those journalists who could provide some guarantee that on their return, they would present themselves at the Consulate in Douala, to ensure they hadn’t stayed in Europe. Joseph Dinga Pefok, the Herald‘s (an English language newspaper) bureau chief was refused a visa on the grounds that he had submitted false information. He categorically denied this.
Last hope
What happens when a visa is refused? Prospective travellers to Europe then decide to cross Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, Morocco and then cross the Mediterranean Sea into Spain. Others divert to Tunisia and so into Italy. There are thousands of people from Sub-Saharan Africa presently in the Maghreb who lack the necessary papers for getting into Europe. Few succeed and shame prevents them from returning to their country of origin. Many others leave their country determined to reach Europe. Indeed, there is a brain drain of Cameroon’s best young people!