CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEPORTATIONS OF ANY SOUTHERN CAMEROONIAN TO LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN To the Belgian: Premier Minister Vice-Premier Minister Minister of Interior Minister of Immigration Re: Forceful deportation of Southern Cameroonian (Anglophones) to Cameroun. The Southern Cameroons European Missions and the undersigned, demand that Belgian Foreign office and Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons review their policy on forced deportation and removals to Cameroon of Southern Cameroonians. The Belgian Vice-Premier Ministre et Ministre de l'Intérieur, and other organs like the foreign office (l’Office des Etrangers ) and Commissioner General should not be supporting and adopting such inhumane tactics to forcibly remove Cameroonians - vulnerable men, women and children - from Belgium to a country where the current regime is well-known for its poor record on human rights, and its corruption problems at all levels. Despite the constitution and laws of Cameroon prohibiting the practice of torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatments, according to US Department of State Human Rights Report 2008 (published 25/2/09) however, "there were credible reports that security forces tortured, beat, and otherwise abused prisoners and detainees, including demonstrators and a human rights worker arrested during the February riots. The government rarely investigated or punished any of the officials involved." This human rights report also stated that "The government's human rights record remained poor, and it continued to commit human rights abuses, particularly following widespread February riots to protest increased food and fuel costs. Security forces committed numerous unlawful killings. Security forces also engaged in torture, beatings, and other abuses, particularly of detainees and prisoners. Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening. Authorities arrested and detained anglophone citizens advocating secession, local human rights monitors and activists, persons not carrying government-issued identity cards, and other citizens. There were incidents of prolonged and sometimes incommunicado pretrial detention and infringement on citizens' privacy rights. The government restricted citizens' freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and association, and harassed journalists. The government also impeded citizens' freedom of movement. Other problems included widespread official corruption; societal violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); trafficking in persons, primarily children; and discrimination against pygmies, ethnic minorities, indigenous people, and homosexuals. The government restricted worker rights and the activities of independent labor organizations. Child labor, hereditary servitude, and forced labor, including forced child labor, were problems." • The Cameroonian constitution and law may provide for an independent judiciary; however, the judiciary remained subject to executive influence, and corruption and inefficiency remained serious problems. • Many people have been denied a fair public trial. Police arbitrarily arrested persons without warrants during neighborhood sweeps for criminal and stolen goods. The Cameroon Bar Association indicated that many inmates had been awaiting trial for five to 10 years. The high number of pretrial detainees was due in part to the complexity of cases, staff shortages, and corruption. In recent years there have been reports that some prisoners were kept in prison after completing their sentences or having been released under a court ruling. The law also provides for access to counsel and family members; however, detainees were frequently denied access to both legal counsel and family members. The law permits bail, allows citizens the right to appeal, and provides the right to sue for unlawful arrest, but these rights were seldom exercised. The Southern Cameroons European Missions appeal to all those concerned in Belgium not to ignore the concerns expressed whenever there is a forced removal being planned. The independent human rights groups' evidence supports the claim that Cameroon is not a politically stable country, it is not a country where deportees' safety will be guaranteed and it is certainly not humane to return someone to a country where human rights abuses are rife, especially if the deportee is someone who has already been a victim of such torture, abuse or detention prior to seeking safety in Belgium and other European countries. The Belgian government must do the decent thing and cancel ALL removal directions set for any Southern Cameroonians especially those in the close centers like Eric Fongwe, Enow Sammy Bessong, Mbah Daniel and others on humanitarian grounds. Every person who is at risk of being sent back must be given proper and due opportunity to present legal argument material to their case. It seems some detainees have so far not had the chance to exhaust their legal rights concerning their immigration matter under Belgian or EU laws. This is not an acceptable practice from Belgium, as it claims to be a country that values highly human rights. Don't Deport: Eric Fongwe, Enow Sammy Bessong, Mbah Daniel and all the other Southern Cameroonians whose names and identities are being withheld by the La Republique du Cameroun Ambassador to Belgium and the Belgian Foreign ministry. Never forget: Every name due on that flight is a human being, not a number. They are all someone's child. They do not deserve this treatment. Allow them to stay safe in Belgium under special reasons such as legacy process or discretionary leave to remain on humanitarian grounds. Some Background Information on ERIC FONGWE facing forceful removal ERIC FONGWE is a Southern Cameroons (SCNC) activist who fled his country to Belgium in 2004. His asylum application was finally rejected this year. Since April 2009, he has been in detention facing deportation to Cameroun. A 2nd attempt to deport ERIC FONGWE on Wednesday 12/08/2009 failed. He'll again be taken to the airport next week for a 3rd attempt. We also wish to state that the human rights abuse by the regime of La Republique du Cameroun since 1990 has be a major concern to the International Community. Sign this petition to stop the deportation of our comrade. Send all signed petitions to the Lawyer handling ERIC FONGWE’s case. Email address is:landuyt_vandenderghp@scarlet.be Thank you for your time and consideration to our plea for humanity to be shown to these individuals who will suffer untold misery and abuse on return to Cameroun. Please fairly and thoroughly review each case before dishing the aforementioned the fate of deportation. In the name of human rights, do not proceed with this forced removal of Cameroonians as we have valuable and Top security information on what will happen to any Southern Cameroonian being deported. Note should be taken that recently, another Southern Cameroonian was recently killed by Belgian immigration officials as they tried to forcefully deport him to Cameroun but the Belgian authorities ruled his death as sucide !!! - What a shame!!! For your information ‘Cameroun is one big prison with Southern Cameroonians as prisoners’ and it will be very unsafe for any Southern Cameroonian to be sent back considering their activism with SCYL, SCNC, SCAPO, Ambazonia etc in Belgium. Please Sign this petition to stop the deportation of our comrades. Many Thanks Send your petitions by e-mail and phone: Commissioner General for Refugees: roel.ghysel@ibz.fgov.be aldona.vanhaesevelde@ibz.fgov.be , peter.ide@ibz.fgov.be Benedikt Vulsteke : Benedikt.Vulsteke@dofi.fgov.be ; phone +32 (0)2 / 793.92.30 Geert Beirnaert : Geert.Beirnaert@ibz.fgov.be ; phone +32 (0)2 / 205.50.54 Séverine De Potter : Severine.DePotter@cntr.be ; phone +32 (0)2 / 793.92.31 Solicitor : landuyt_vandenderghp@scarlet.be Or by letter at the following address: 1. EMN Belgian National Contact Point, Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken, WTC II 23rd floor, Antwerpsesteenweg 59B, 1000 Brussels 2. Service de presse du Vice-Premier Ministre et Ministre de l'Intérieur Rue de la Loi 2 1000 Bruxelles

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