The Asylum Officer asked:
-how did you manage to leave your country? you needed a passport, visa, and airline tickets.
-How did you get each one? you yourself get it, or someone else?
Who set up the interview at the US Embassy in Yaounde?
who answered the visa questions?
who obtained your passport? when? how?
ACTIVITIES HERE IN USA
you have strong political opinions? so strong that your government hates you?
So, you continued your activity here in the USA? why not?
Does your government know about any of your activities here in the USA?
how do you know that they know?
does your government care about your activities here in USA?
how do you know that?
Are you afraid to return? why?
Since you have been here in USA, has your government talked to anyone in your family?
Is there anything else?
Oh, you received a letter from your father? where is the envelope this letter came in?
Is there anything else?
Why did you draw pictures of your jail cell?
who says that "a picture is worth 1,000 words"?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
SCNC activist from Cameroon #5
The Asylum Officer did not get tired of asking questions:
-You say there was a protest in May 2008? what did you see with your own eyes?
people were standing? sitting? talking? walking? what did you see? what did you hear?
-At the moment of your arrest, where were you? sitting on a chair in the basement? lying on your bed in your room? walking on Main street?
when the officer touched you, did he say anything? in what language?
did he have any weapons? what weapons did you see?
what weapons did he actually use on you?
Why were you arrested?
why did the officer hit you?
How were you treated inside the prison?
the older guards did not hit you as hard as the younger guards?
did you suffer any emotional harm?
what words did the guard say? how did that make you feel?
when you saw the guard walk into your cell with the club, what thoughts went through your mind?
how did you get released? what was the conversation as you left the prison?
After release, where did you go? how did you travel? by foot? bus? train?
You say you were beaten badly in the prison? So, why didn't you see a doctor in Cameroon? why did n't you see a doctor in the USA?
Why were you imprisoned?
did anyone ever tell you why you were arrested?
-You say there was a protest in May 2008? what did you see with your own eyes?
people were standing? sitting? talking? walking? what did you see? what did you hear?
-At the moment of your arrest, where were you? sitting on a chair in the basement? lying on your bed in your room? walking on Main street?
when the officer touched you, did he say anything? in what language?
did he have any weapons? what weapons did you see?
what weapons did he actually use on you?
Why were you arrested?
why did the officer hit you?
How were you treated inside the prison?
the older guards did not hit you as hard as the younger guards?
did you suffer any emotional harm?
what words did the guard say? how did that make you feel?
when you saw the guard walk into your cell with the club, what thoughts went through your mind?
how did you get released? what was the conversation as you left the prison?
After release, where did you go? how did you travel? by foot? bus? train?
You say you were beaten badly in the prison? So, why didn't you see a doctor in Cameroon? why did n't you see a doctor in the USA?
Why were you imprisoned?
did anyone ever tell you why you were arrested?
SCNC activist from Cameroon #4
The Asylum Officer asked:
-when did you first learn about the SCNC?
did you support it? why?
is the SCNC legal?
does the SCNC have an office in Cameroon? where?
how does it do business if it has no office?
Does the SCNC have a flag? can you draw a picture of it?
Why does the flag have ten stars? doesn't the SCNC want to secede?
If you walked up to a police officer, and said, "I am a member of the SCNC, what would happen?"
Is the SCNC legal? [did you remember that I asked that same question five minutes ago?]
Can the SCNC march legally?
is it legal for the SCNC to have meetings?
What does Biya think about the SCNC and about secession?
What do newspapers say about the SCNC?
What do the French-language newspapers say?
what do the English-language newspapers say?
Does mere membership in the SCNC mean you get arrested?
Is the SCNC legal?
Are there statutes which outlaw the SCNC?
do you know what the word "statutes" means?
if you don't know, why do you answer with such confidence?
Did you ever do anything to support the SCNC?
Besides sitting in a chair at a meeting, did you ever DO anything?
did you ever DO anything that a movie camera could record?
Did you stand on the sidewalk, and hand out pamphlets when people walked by?
did you march in a parade and chant slogans?
Did you walk down the street, knock on doors, and ask for money?
Did you sit at a desk and make phone calls or send emails?
=
did you join the SCNC?
How did you join?
When you joined, where were you?
what did you do to join? sign your name to a piece of paper, pay money?
Was there a ceremony?
were you interviewed before you joined?
Can anyone join? could a member of Paul Biya's family join, and no one would know?
Did any of your friends join? Tell me three names.
After you joined, what were your activities?
Tell me all of your activities.
It sounds like you paid a little money, you sat on a chair in a room when other people talked, and that you did nothing else? is that true? Tell me all of your activities. If you did not really do anything, then say so.
-when did you first learn about the SCNC?
did you support it? why?
is the SCNC legal?
does the SCNC have an office in Cameroon? where?
how does it do business if it has no office?
Does the SCNC have a flag? can you draw a picture of it?
Why does the flag have ten stars? doesn't the SCNC want to secede?
If you walked up to a police officer, and said, "I am a member of the SCNC, what would happen?"
Is the SCNC legal? [did you remember that I asked that same question five minutes ago?]
Can the SCNC march legally?
is it legal for the SCNC to have meetings?
What does Biya think about the SCNC and about secession?
What do newspapers say about the SCNC?
What do the French-language newspapers say?
what do the English-language newspapers say?
Does mere membership in the SCNC mean you get arrested?
Is the SCNC legal?
Are there statutes which outlaw the SCNC?
do you know what the word "statutes" means?
if you don't know, why do you answer with such confidence?
Did you ever do anything to support the SCNC?
Besides sitting in a chair at a meeting, did you ever DO anything?
did you ever DO anything that a movie camera could record?
Did you stand on the sidewalk, and hand out pamphlets when people walked by?
did you march in a parade and chant slogans?
Did you walk down the street, knock on doors, and ask for money?
Did you sit at a desk and make phone calls or send emails?
=
did you join the SCNC?
How did you join?
When you joined, where were you?
what did you do to join? sign your name to a piece of paper, pay money?
Was there a ceremony?
were you interviewed before you joined?
Can anyone join? could a member of Paul Biya's family join, and no one would know?
Did any of your friends join? Tell me three names.
After you joined, what were your activities?
Tell me all of your activities.
It sounds like you paid a little money, you sat on a chair in a room when other people talked, and that you did nothing else? is that true? Tell me all of your activities. If you did not really do anything, then say so.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
SCNC activist from Cameroon #3
The Asylum Officer asked these questions of another SCNC activist from Cameroon:
-are you afraid to return to your country? why?
if you did go back, what would happen? why would you be put into prison?
What is your political opinion?
you arrived here in USA in January; why did you wait until December to apply for asylum?
YOUR PASSPORT
when did you apply for it? when was it issued? did you go yourself to get it? did you pick it up in person? when did you first get your passport into your hand?
When does it expire? where have you traveled? what does each stamp inside your passport mean? is this your first passport? did you apply at another time for a passport?
YOUR VISA : did you fill out a form to get your visa? did you answer lots of questions? what did you say was your reason for wanting to come to the USA? did you tell the truth?
At your visa interview, what did they ask you? did the man ask why you wanted to come to USA? did he ask how long you planned to stay? did he ask when you planned to return? did you buy a round-trip airplane ticket? did you tell the truth?
-did you ever apply for a visa before this time?
=
please draw a map of Cameroon! where is "Southern" Cameroon? where is the village of Tiko?
what language did you speak at home?
what language was your schooling in?
How are Anglophones mis-treated in Cameroon?
What is your view of secession? is it a good idea, or a bad idea? why?
Do French-speaking people act differently from you? how?
-are you afraid to return to your country? why?
if you did go back, what would happen? why would you be put into prison?
What is your political opinion?
you arrived here in USA in January; why did you wait until December to apply for asylum?
YOUR PASSPORT
when did you apply for it? when was it issued? did you go yourself to get it? did you pick it up in person? when did you first get your passport into your hand?
When does it expire? where have you traveled? what does each stamp inside your passport mean? is this your first passport? did you apply at another time for a passport?
YOUR VISA : did you fill out a form to get your visa? did you answer lots of questions? what did you say was your reason for wanting to come to the USA? did you tell the truth?
At your visa interview, what did they ask you? did the man ask why you wanted to come to USA? did he ask how long you planned to stay? did he ask when you planned to return? did you buy a round-trip airplane ticket? did you tell the truth?
-did you ever apply for a visa before this time?
=
please draw a map of Cameroon! where is "Southern" Cameroon? where is the village of Tiko?
what language did you speak at home?
what language was your schooling in?
How are Anglophones mis-treated in Cameroon?
What is your view of secession? is it a good idea, or a bad idea? why?
Do French-speaking people act differently from you? how?
Friday, June 26, 2009
SCNC member from Cameroon #2
More Questions from the Asylum Officer:
-why does your government hate the SCNC?
-are you in favor of secession?
have you ever been detained or harmed? two arrests? at the time of arrest #1, what were you doing? sitting in a chair? walking on the sidewalk?
why did government arrest you?
at the time of your arrest, what did the officer say?
inside prison, were you mis-treated?
One officer hit you? with what weapon? what words did he say?
Why did he hit you?
what did you sleep on?
what food did you get each day?
What was the worst thing that happened to you in prison?
how did you get out of prison? what did the guard say at the time of your release?
Where did you go, immeditately after being released from prison? did you walk there? take a bus? a friend gave you a ride in his car?
What advice did your father give you? why, according to him, was it a good idea for you to leave your country?
What did your mother say? According to her, what should you do? why did she believe that?
When you hid in the small house, what did you do all day? just sit and look at the walls?
When was your passport issued? how? did you yourself go into government office and get it?
When was visa issued? did you walk into the Embassy of the USA yourself? did you bring a photograph? fill out a form? did the man ask you what your plan was, concerning your visit to the USA? what did you say?
did you tell the truth? did you tell any lies? not even one lie?
Did you have any problems leaving the country? at the Yaounde airport, no problems?
did anyone pay a bribe to anyone at the airport?
Did anyone at the prison in Douala give information to the man at the Yaounde airport about you? if so, did the man at the airport read the information? did he care who was leaving from the airport?
When did you get this letter from your uncle? how did you receive it? where is the envelope it came in?
What is your opinion about Cameroon in general?
Is it OK if I photocopy the envelope? is it ok if I photocopy each page of your passport?
When you saw the guard with the belt, what was the first thing that came into your mind?
Later, what thoughts went through your mind?
Is there anything else? yes, there is? what?
Why do you fear your government?
are they still looking for you?
why do you think they are still interested in you? are you important? are you a big shot?
If your government hates you so much, how come no problems at the airport?
In the government of Cameroon, is there a "bureaucratic lag"? i.e. it takes time from information to go from an officer in city #1 to another officer in city #2? even if the info is sent to officer #2, does #2 actually read it and remember your name?
Is there anything else? Yes? what?
what is your opinion about Paul Biya?
is there anything else?
Why did you wait 11 months to apply for asylum? why the big delay?
-why does your government hate the SCNC?
-are you in favor of secession?
have you ever been detained or harmed? two arrests? at the time of arrest #1, what were you doing? sitting in a chair? walking on the sidewalk?
why did government arrest you?
at the time of your arrest, what did the officer say?
inside prison, were you mis-treated?
One officer hit you? with what weapon? what words did he say?
Why did he hit you?
what did you sleep on?
what food did you get each day?
What was the worst thing that happened to you in prison?
how did you get out of prison? what did the guard say at the time of your release?
Where did you go, immeditately after being released from prison? did you walk there? take a bus? a friend gave you a ride in his car?
What advice did your father give you? why, according to him, was it a good idea for you to leave your country?
What did your mother say? According to her, what should you do? why did she believe that?
When you hid in the small house, what did you do all day? just sit and look at the walls?
When was your passport issued? how? did you yourself go into government office and get it?
When was visa issued? did you walk into the Embassy of the USA yourself? did you bring a photograph? fill out a form? did the man ask you what your plan was, concerning your visit to the USA? what did you say?
did you tell the truth? did you tell any lies? not even one lie?
Did you have any problems leaving the country? at the Yaounde airport, no problems?
did anyone pay a bribe to anyone at the airport?
Did anyone at the prison in Douala give information to the man at the Yaounde airport about you? if so, did the man at the airport read the information? did he care who was leaving from the airport?
When did you get this letter from your uncle? how did you receive it? where is the envelope it came in?
What is your opinion about Cameroon in general?
Is it OK if I photocopy the envelope? is it ok if I photocopy each page of your passport?
When you saw the guard with the belt, what was the first thing that came into your mind?
Later, what thoughts went through your mind?
Is there anything else? yes, there is? what?
Why do you fear your government?
are they still looking for you?
why do you think they are still interested in you? are you important? are you a big shot?
If your government hates you so much, how come no problems at the airport?
In the government of Cameroon, is there a "bureaucratic lag"? i.e. it takes time from information to go from an officer in city #1 to another officer in city #2? even if the info is sent to officer #2, does #2 actually read it and remember your name?
Is there anything else? Yes? what?
what is your opinion about Paul Biya?
is there anything else?
Why did you wait 11 months to apply for asylum? why the big delay?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
SCNC member from Cameroon
The Asylum Officer asked:
Show me your ID/passport! can you repeat page one of Form I-589? page four?
Are you afraid to return to your country? why? whom do you fear?
why do you fear your government?
is your government still looking for you today? how do you know that? who says?
why were you in prison?
why were you arrested?
what have you done, which angers your government?
are you politically active here in the USA? why not?
were you harmed inside prison? what kind of harm? what kind of physical harm? what kind of emotional harm? what kind of economic harm?
do you have a political opinion?
why did you join the SCNC? when
=
is the SCNC legal? is it one-half legal?
-the government allows the SCNC to do somethings, but not others?
can you draw a map of Cameroon for me? where do the Anglophones live, mostly?
-are you an Anglophone? do you also speak French?
what do you have to do, to join the SCNC? file out a form and pay money? or what?
what did you do, in the year 2005, to join?
did you go to an office, and pay money?
what were your activities for the SCNC?
is it legal to carry SCNC signs on the sidewalk?
what was your first activity for the SCNC>
Besides attend meetings, did you do anything? did you do anything useful? like what?
You say you gave 30-minute lectures to prospective members. What else did you do?
you say you went to picnics? did the government interfere with the picnics?
did the government interfere with your lectures?
did the government know about the picnics and lectures?
did the government interfere in any activities of the SCNC?
Show me your ID/passport! can you repeat page one of Form I-589? page four?
Are you afraid to return to your country? why? whom do you fear?
why do you fear your government?
is your government still looking for you today? how do you know that? who says?
why were you in prison?
why were you arrested?
what have you done, which angers your government?
are you politically active here in the USA? why not?
were you harmed inside prison? what kind of harm? what kind of physical harm? what kind of emotional harm? what kind of economic harm?
do you have a political opinion?
why did you join the SCNC? when
=
is the SCNC legal? is it one-half legal?
-the government allows the SCNC to do somethings, but not others?
can you draw a map of Cameroon for me? where do the Anglophones live, mostly?
-are you an Anglophone? do you also speak French?
what do you have to do, to join the SCNC? file out a form and pay money? or what?
what did you do, in the year 2005, to join?
did you go to an office, and pay money?
what were your activities for the SCNC?
is it legal to carry SCNC signs on the sidewalk?
what was your first activity for the SCNC>
Besides attend meetings, did you do anything? did you do anything useful? like what?
You say you gave 30-minute lectures to prospective members. What else did you do?
you say you went to picnics? did the government interfere with the picnics?
did the government interfere with your lectures?
did the government know about the picnics and lectures?
did the government interfere in any activities of the SCNC?
Monday, May 18, 2009
read your own application before court!
Mr. Kueviakoe, from Togo, was denied asylum because he could not repeat his own application.
In his I-589, he wrote that he was dragged to a car. In court, he said he was dragged to a truck.
in his I-589, he wrote that when the police came, he ran away. In court, he said that when the police came, they hit and arrested him.
-in his I-589, he wrote that he was in the hospital for two days; in court, it was for three weeks.
In court, the government lawyer asked mr. K: 'you did not read your own application before coming to court? I know more about it than you do?"
In his I-589, he wrote that he was dragged to a car. In court, he said he was dragged to a truck.
in his I-589, he wrote that when the police came, he ran away. In court, he said that when the police came, they hit and arrested him.
-in his I-589, he wrote that he was in the hospital for two days; in court, it was for three weeks.
In court, the government lawyer asked mr. K: 'you did not read your own application before coming to court? I know more about it than you do?"
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