Friday, May 23, 2008

Cameroon: pro-democracy activist

The Asylum Officer asked: "show me your passport!" Let's look at each page. when was it issued? when did you get visa from US Embassy? when did you last leave your country? when did you enter USA? Oh, you lived in a third country? what was your immigration status there? can you live there now? if you can live there now, you do not need asylum here in USA, correct?

Tell me about each of your brothers and sisters: where do they live, how did they suffer? how come you suffered harm, but they did not?

why are you applying for asylum? why do you fear your government? why is your government angry at you? what is your political opinion? does your government know you have that opinion? how do you know, that they know?

were you a member of any organizations in your country? what is the SCNC? what does it stand for? what is its platform? what are its goals? who is the Chair of the SCNC in your country? when did you join? why? what were your activities? what did you do as a member? you sat in a chair in a room and listened to other people talk? you talked yourself, and discussed future options? you asked people to donate funds? you distributed literature? you handed out pamphlets to people on the sidewalks and streets/

why did you protest in front of the Embassy here in Washington DC? what else did you do here in USA? you stood in front of embassy, and held a large sign? you chanted slogans? in what languages? what did you chant in English? what did you chant in French?

are you presently a member of any organizations here in USA?

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