Patrick is a 32-year-old Cameroonian refugee who first arrived in Japan in 2018. Born in the Southwestern region of Cameroon – the Anglophone region of the country – he was raised with his 7 siblings by a stern yet loving mother, and an ambitious yet pragmatic father who were both respected businesspeople and politicians of status in their area. But Patrick was also born in a country where, today, the language you speak could cost you your life.
Up until 2016, Patrick followed his ambitions around Cameroon, venturing into both Anglophone and Francophone areas of his country, hoping to one day establish his own large-scale ranch business that could expand to Nigeria, Turkey, and various parts of the world. Then in 2016, the growing tensions between the Anglophone and Francophone regions rooted in Cameroon’s colonial past finally erupted into a violent civil war that continues to this day.
On the night of September 12th, 2018, Patrick received a phone call from a friend that permanently changed the trajectory of his life: his childhood home was burned, and his family was killed because of allegations of his father’s involvement with separatists. Knowing those same people would come after him, Patrick flees into the forest for 3 days, with no food nor water and only a shred of hope. He carries on until he eventually flees Cameroon and seeks asylum elsewhere as a refugee. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to go but Japan, Patrick should have the chance to start a new chapter, a new life.
However, while he may have found ‘safety’ in Japan, Patrick continued and continues to confront forces turned against him – arrest, detainment, the subhuman conditions of Japan’s detention centers, and Japan’s painstaking and excruciatingly selective refugee application process. Today, Patrick lives in Tokyo with a Karihoumen status and a pending refugee application. Approval – with a 2% likelihood – can take years. Patrick is out of the detention center but prohibited from seeking employment; he relies on the support he receives from friends and volunteers. Patrick’s is a tale of unfaltering resilience and recovery, of indefatigable faith in oneself, one’s family, and the future – however elusive or uncertain it may be.
Life in Cameroon
Patrick was born in Cameroon – a country divided between the Anglophone (English-speaking) regions and the majority Francophone (French-speaking) regions. Among at least 80,000 Cameroonians who fled amid deadly conflict and civil unrest, Patrick lived in the Anglophone region before he too was forced to leave his home and country.
Persecution Story
The Anglophone crisis altered the course of Patrick’s life in a way he never imagined. Patrick was succeeding with his business in Cameroon but his father’s involvement with the separatists consequently led to his family’s death. Facing a near-death experience himself, Patrick had no choice but to flee from the Cameroonian army.
Moving Still: The Journey from Cameroon to Japan
Patrick walked relentlessly through harsh forests, rode through narrow streets across the country, and flew around the globe to flee from the violence and persecution in Cameroon. After arriving in Japan, he had to exchange his freedom of movement for protection and now, he says the only thing moving in his life is his age.
Imprisoned for Not Being Japanese
When Patrick was finally moved from Narita Airport to the Ushiku Detention Center, all he understood was that it was a place like a refugee camp due to the language barrier. Instead, it turned out to be a prison-like place, completely different from his expectations, where he would spend the next two years of his life.
Life in Japan
Patrick was finally released from the detention center under karihoumen (provisional release), but restrictions on access to work, health insurance, and movement were still preventing him from being free. Since then, he has fought for refugee recognition in this country with a strict system and lack of public awareness.
