Some 63 Members of the National Assembly have expressed dismay over what they term “falsehood, distorted opinion, and the extremely negative characterization” of Cameroon by some the members of the United States’ Congress.
The Parliamentarians were replying to a letter that was addressed by some 40 Democratic members of the US Congress to US President, Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
In their reply, the MPs said the Cameroon described and alluded to in the correspondence of the Congressmen is “a figment of the misinformed views of certain individuals who are determined to cause further destabilization in the whole Central African Region”.
The MPs stated categorically that they are not in any way trying to interfere into the decision-making process of the US government through their reply but reject the image painted of their country.
“…we reject the views perpetrated by these Congressmen on the prevailing situation in Cameroon. We consider these remarks on Cameroon as most unfriendly, derogatory, and smacks of an attempt to tarnish our image, respectability in seeking to mislead public opinion, create confusion to justify the securing of TPS and DED status from some groups defending the rights of immigrants in the USA,” they added.
While welcoming genuine expression of concern and support for the well-being of the vast majority of Cameroonians, the MPs called on the US government to stop abetting terrorism by providing safe haven to those funding and ordering mayhem in Cameroon.
“We urge the United States Congressmen to be more vigorously engaged in ensuring the respect of international conventions against transnational crime and criminality to which the United States is a signatory and to ensure that their country is not a refuge for criminal perpetrators and financiers of acts of extreme violence and terrorism on the people of Cameroon,” the lawmakers appealed, indicating that immigration is a universal phenomenon that doesn’t warrant any nation to restrict its citizens from traveling to any part of the globe.
“Cameroon readily issues travel documents and passports to its citizens to travel to anywhere in the world and considers the right to travel, to emigrate, a fundamental human right. In situations where Cameroonians have entered a foreign country illegally or overstayed their visa, we are bound by our international obligations to corporate with a foreign government, to issue travel documents, and accept the physical return of our citizens,” they said while hailing ties between the two countries which they said has been maintained over the years in the spirit of international cooperation and mutual respect.
The lawmakers noted that government recognition of the current list of persons for removal and issuance of relevant travel documents to ensure collaboration is clear enough to reject the classification of Cameroon as “…‘recalcitrant uncooperative country (ARON)’ by the DHS which has a potentially negative impact on the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas as well as bilateral and other joint foreign policy interests in central Africa”.
They frowned at the Congressmen’s blind eye on the efforts of government in trying to resolve its internal crisis, assistance government given refugees from Nigeria and Central African Republic, continuous cooperation with many nations including the US to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, successful host an international competition within the COVID-19 environment, the positive process of decentralization and devolution of powers from the central government to Regional Assemblies and the right of Cameroonians to participate in the decision-making process in their areas of origin among others.
They urged the Congressmen men and US government not to strive to keep Cameroonians in the US at the expense of the millions of peace-loving Cameroonians who go about their business, striving for prosperity and economic development.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
No comments:
Post a Comment