“The only thing that is moving in my life… is my age.”
Patrick walked relentlessly through harsh forests, rode through narrow streets across half a country, and flew around the globe… but as romantic as it sounds, this is not a story of enticing adventure… it is, though, a story of a warrior.
After being forced to leave his country, Patrick had to move from Cameroon all the way to Japan, but really, it was only inertia pushing him, as his mind and soul remained numb. After arriving, he had to exchange his freedom of movement for protection and now, as he said it, the only thing moving in his life is his age. This section of the story tells you why.
1. When “To Be or Not to Be?” Means “To Flee or Not to Flee?”
When your greatest most dangerous threat becomes your own name, you know it is time to run. It was September 2018 when Patrick came to this conclusion. Hiding in the forest, after having lost everything, He realized that his friend Franklin was true; he needed to leave the country as soon as he could. With the remaining battery on his phone, he made a few phone calls to arrange his runaway, thinking he would end up in France, England, Canada, or even America. To his surprise, the only option available was Japan. “ Somebody proposed Japan to me, because, at that moment I was in a stage where I, really all that I needed was to flee from Cameroon.”
Japan? Out of all possible countries in the world, Japan? Without ever having seen a Japanese person and not imagining himself learning such a complicated language as Japanese, Japan did not cross Patrick’s mind not even for a second, so he refused. Two days later, the man he had contacted before, popular for helping people travel within and out of the country, called him back and explained that there was a Cameroonian female volleyball team playing in Japan and that Patrick could be put on their flight as a sponsor, all Patrick needed to do was to hand the man his passport…and 7,000 US dollars.
Without thinking about it twice, Patrick instructed his friend Franklin to take out the money, retrieve his passport, and give it to the man. Franklin questioned the man’s trustworthiness and doubted his claims, fearing it would all be a scam, but Patrick did not have the mental space or the energy to worry about this, he knew he had nothing more to lose.
Franklin, then, gave the man an advance of 2,500 dollars along with Patrick’s documents. and Still hiding in the woods eating fruits to survive, Patrick waited for one more week until everything was ultimately arranged so his journey from Cameroon to Japan could begin.
Although Patrick may have been alone in the woods, he is not alone in his fate. Many Cameroonians are forced to leave their homes. As of December 31st, 2022, the UNHCR determined 20,022,101 persons of concern, this number includes 473,887 refugees and 9,265 asylum seekers (the remaining amount concerns internal displacements). Because of this, it is not all that difficult to find a visa. As Patrick described, it is not a secret for Cameroonians or authorities that there is a black market working to help people move out of the country, which is usually reached through word of mouth. Asylum seekers rely on such ‘below the belt’ methods because the dangerous and precarious conditions that they find themselves in obstruct their access to information and also prevent them from obtaining legal documentation to apply as refugees. In fact, many of them do not even know that they have the right to seek asylum elsewhere.
In other words, it is not just that asylum seekers have to decide to leave on a whim which ultimately forces them to sometimes act against regulations or even in contradiction to their own morality, but also the corrupt and treacherous system that asylum seekers are living in, which leaves them with no other option. In Parick’s own words “Sometimes you have no choice. It’s not because of us. They are the ones costing us that.” The problematic aspect to consider about this is that from a misinformed or ignorant perspective, asylum seekers are viewed as wrongdoers or trespassers, and so they suffer discrimination or detention upon their arrival into a new country. Hearing this, along with a lack of financial resources, many Cameroonians who are at risk end up staying in Cameroon despite their wishes to leave. Patrick, however, had run out of road…except for that one which would take him all the way from the woods to Yaounde.
Patrick started his way. He headed towards a village where a passerby offered to take him on a motorbike to Buea for 500 francs. There, he met Franklin who had brought him a bag with his clothes. “Really, I was so sad. I was crying and I was also dirty because I tried…I called him to please, he should bring some clothes that I would try to change. Because since two weeks I was in the bush. Just there. I could not change my clothes. I could not even take a bath, a shower somewhere there. It was so, so terrible for me.” This was the very last time Patrick saw his closest friend Franklin.
After washing up, at 2 AM, Patrick got on a bus to Youndé. How long are 6 hours when you are almost containing your breath to avoid calling any attention? When at any minute someone could recognize you and say your last name as if it was a death sentence? When your most dreaded enemies could be sitting next to you? How long are 6 hours when you are running for your life?
Patrick explained that a tough obstacle to deal with when moving across Cameroon was police control due to their unpredictability. Unlike Cameroon, In Japan, fixed checkpoints are a regular part of traffic control with police routinely inspecting vehicles and regulating the circulation. Instead, in Cameroon there are “spot checks” which are established randomly, as deemed necessary by the police with the argument of deterring criminal activity. However, the corruption that is present within the top level of decision-making inevitably percolates into all the layers beneath it, making it common for police to solicit bribes from drivers in exchange for passing without inspection. As Patrick described, “You are forced some time to…bribe them to, to go. Despite the fact that you have all what is needed. … So sometime you are forced to, to just give something and pass to go.”
To put it differently, it is not that people themselves want to participate in this illegitimate system, but rather it is so normalized that they are immersed in it without choice; corrupt foundations lead to corrupt outcomes. This also explains the reason why Patrick had to rely on a document vendor to help him get through airport security before leaving for Japan. British Red Cross, the largest refugee support organization in the UK, explains as follows: “For most people who are facing persecution it’s not as simple as buying a ticket and getting on a plane, or driving into another country. People can be forced into hiding, foreign embassies can close and airports or train stations may be inaccessible. Instead, they have to get out any way that they can. the UN Refugee Convention makes it clear that there will often be justified reasons why refugees are unable to enter a country with a valid visa.”
Patrick met the vendor at a park in Yaoundé a few hours after arriving in the city. The man, upon observing his weary state, extended an invitation for Patrick to stay at his house in order to recover and to make arrangements for the remaining necessary steps. These included settling payment for the visa, devising a plan to bribe border control officials, and determining the best approach for navigating immigration procedures.
Getting his passport with a visa meant that Patrick would finally be able to reach a place where he would feel safe and secure, or so he presumed… little did he know the reality that lay ahead of him.
From Youndé Patrick moved to the airport in Douala, where he would catch the flight to Japan along with other sponsors for the female volleyball team. It was Saturday, a day when Cameroonians would attend church, run errands, or gather with their loved ones. But for Patrick, from that moment on, ordinary Saturdays would begin to feel like a faded dream.
That day, September 29th, 2018, waiting for his flight to Haneda, he felt like he was no longer a son, a brother, or a friend. The thrill of adventure that would normally accompany such a journey was replaced by a numbing emptiness, and even though he carried only a small suitcase with the few clothes Franklin had brought for him, the weight of his loss was unbearable. Hanging by a thread, he dragged his body onto the aircraft.
2. Like Snakes and Ladders: Back to Square One
On October 1st, Patrick arrived in the Land of the Rising Sun, even though in his heart, the sun seemed to have set for good. Along with seven other Cameroonians who also came as alleged sponsors of the Volleyball team, Patrick anxiously awaited inspection at immigration, his nerves jangling like the rolling of dice in a game. He watched a woman ahead walk through the gates. He was just a few squares away from the victory space and the prize awaiting was his freedom. But as Patrick took his turn and made his move, he was faced with a harsh blow. He had hit a snake; his entry was denied, plummeting him down to square one.
Arrested without any explanation, Patrick was left stunned. Without offering him any food or water, they walked him into a room with four other Cameroonians in which he was detained for three days. No clarifications were given, and no interviews for Patrick to speak in his own defense. Just a violent silence. He tried to sleep it all away. At six o’clock it was time to shower, but since the water was extremely cold, Patrick opted to do so only once during his detention. The hardest part was the hunger he felt.
On October 4th, Patrick was abruptly issued a deportation order. Before he could open his eyes from what seemed like a cruel nightmare, he was escorted onto a flight set to land in the country which in another distant life had been his home. For Patrick, as it is for many asylum seekers, repatriation to the country they’re seeking to flee from is almost synonymous with a death sentence. For this reason, international human rights law prohibits states from sending individuals back to a place where they face a risk of harm, such as torture punishment, or any form of abuse of their human rights. Such law, drafted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Article 33 of the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, is known as the principle of non-refoulement and it applies to all individuals regardless of their status, without exception. Japan is a signatory party to the convention, yet the application of the convention’s provisions in this country can be criticized for being restrictive and not always lining up with the principles of protection. Upon arrival in Japan, Patrick was unaware of the prevalent convention, a common trait among asylum seekers, which leaves them defenseless against the host country’s directives, even if they contravene international law.
In addition to this, as if his struggles were not sufficiently weighted, Patrick was not even given the option of being eligible for a departure order instead of deportation. Compared to a deportation order, a departure order, given in a simplified procedure without detention to encourage voluntary departure, allows reentry within a year instead of five and is not considered a criminal offense. Unfortunately, Patrick was never informed by immigration authorities of the consequences of deportation nor the procedures that were to take place during the 3 days he was detained and was not given a chance to request a hearing or ask for special permission to stay in Japan. Also, Patrick was haunted by the fear that the officers would give information about him to his home authorities and things would worsen for him.
He came to find out months later, from his lawyer, that the reason for his deportation was lacking a hotel reservation and carrying only 200 dollars, which was not enough to cover life expenses. It is important to highlight that even though the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that lacking proper immigration status or providing false information on visa or entry forms can result in deportation, no law, document, or regulation clearly states that lacking sufficient funds or accommodation arrangements (the reasons given to Patrick) can result in arrest. When asking Patrick about his visa, he answered “They confirmed to me the visa was not fake even when I arrived in Japan, I was with the immigration. I asked them, is my visa fake? They say, no.” While it is common knowledge among frequent travelers that having enough money and making arrangements for accommodation is crucial for entering smoothly into a foreign country, one must recall that asylum seekers are not mere travelers, and given their situation, they are not in conditions to know or access such kind of information. In addition, it is important to note that the website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs hardly offers assistance in English, and the descriptions offered are rather vague or unclear. This makes it challenging for asylum seekers to understand their responsibilities and rights when seeking asylum in Japan.
However, the truth is that none of this even crossed Patrick’s mind. In fact, he cannot recall these days of detention clearly as his energy was drained from swimming through the colliding currents of his bitter past and of the newfound troubles, so he simply went afloat, drifting, until he found himself back in the airport of Douala, back to the start.
3. A Shot in the Dark
Arriving in Cameroon meant that the frivolous fear of being recognized would be waiting for Patrick right at the gates. However, the same immigration officer who had helped him on his journey to Japan came to his aid and let him through. Now out, he was exposed. He did not try to hide, as it all seemed to be over for him.
Suddenly, a voice called his father’s name, and the numbness in Patrick’s body was broken by an intense dread. The name was called once more. He kept his head down, hiding his shaking hands in his pockets in an attempt to conceal his distress. With each repetition of the name, the fear grew stronger as a stranger approached him. Patrick understood that all of which he tried to escape had finally reached him. He had met his death.
Or so he thought, but to his surprise, the man was kind and urged Patrick not to be afraid. He explained that he used to be a friend of his father and said that he had heard about what happened to Patrick’s family. Patrick thought about denying his identity, but he realized that he had nothing more to lose and that his physical features gave his relationship with his father nonetheless. So after some resistance, Patrick agreed to hide at the man’s house in Douala, as it was the safest option for him. Hiding in a little room at the man’s house, Patrick felt that he had become a prisoner in his own country, even though he was far from being a criminal.
Three weeks went by hiding in the room. They told Patrick that for his own good, he should get rid of his phone, so without being able to contact anyone, read news about his hometown, or read information about the possibilities he may have, Patrick passed the time by reading. The Bible was his favorite book, and he particularly found solace in the Book of Job, a story about a man who suffers great loss but remains faithful to God, despite challenges until his faith is eventually rewarded by God. This brought a bit of hope back into his life and the idea of leaving Cameroon returned to his mind. If he wanted to survive and live his life, he had to go. He considered moving into a neighboring country but his father’s friend suggested that he go back to Japan. “He said, ‘But you can go back to Japan.’ I said ‘How? I know that it’s not possible for me to have another visa now, to go back to Japan. There’s no possibility,’ He then said, ‘I think that there is a possibility, Everything, there’s always a solution. This time around, you reach there in Japan, tell them that you are a refugee,’” Patrick recounts.
This was the first time Patrick heard this term and he did not quite grasp what it meant and how it applied to him. Cut off from the internet, he was unable to delve deeper into its significance, but this was not his priority at the moment anyway. With escape at the forefront of his mind, the term gradually faded from his thoughts. It was not until months later that the word would take on new connotations for him and that he would think of himself as a refugee.
Searching “refugee” on Google yields 636 million results, including news articles, dictionary definitions, donation sites, and so on. The language of these resources is sometimes filled with legal terminology and to top it off, there are many overlapping terms like “migrant” “asylum seeker” or “displaced person” that are not to be confused with refugee. For someone who just learned the term or who may not have the energy or capacity to go through all the material, this information can be overwhelming. This, combined with the temporary nature of the term as a label that does not fully reflect one’s identity or story can lead to one’s dismissal of refugee status. In other words, It is a status that designates a single experience, one which is living it wishes for it to end. Whoever is a refugee does not wish to view themselves exclusively as such. This could be problematic because it may cause people to enter in denial or fear the social consequences of the term, which deters them from applying for refugee status upon arrival in their host country.
Ignoring the complexities of the refugee label, Patrick focused on his goal of freedom and took steps toward what he thought would be a better future. Patrick’s major concern was leaving Cameroon, so he contacted the document vendor who had helped him leave before and the mand explained to Patrick that since he already had the visa for Japan, all he would need to do was to pay for the removal of the stamp imprinted by the immigration at Haneda and arrive at a different airport this time. Patrick called Franklin and asked him to retrieve the money that he had left behind in his home about 2,700 dollars, and like magic, the deportation stamp was removed from the visa. This made Patrick greatly anxious, he was not used to doing things like that, but he had no other option if he wanted to be free. Patrick then headed for Yaoundé, where he had to pay 700 dollars to the immigration police once again to pass smoothly. After two months of hiding in the darkness, on November 30th, 2018, Patrick took his shot. Facing the uncertainty ahead of him with great bravery he got on the plane to Japan. He was headed for Narita this time.
4. He Stripped, They Stripped: A Stand Against Deportation
On December 1st, Patrick arrived at Narita airport with a mix of hope and fear. Despite being just a few steps away from immigration gates that could have granted him freedom, Patrick’s past experiences made him wary. When the immigration officer taking his finger print gestured over to another, Patrick knew what was coming. He was not surprised when they took him away and left him waiting for seven hours. It almost seemed as if the size of the Earth was gradually shrinking, contracting around him, closing all the gaps for light to filter through, as Patrick now spent most of his days in tight dark rooms. At two in the morning, he was called for an interview. He was questioned about the falsification of the immigration stamp, to which Patrick admitted.
The Japanese officers were never violent, aggressive, or discriminatory but their reserved demeanor can sometimes be perceived as unresponsive or difficult to approach. When they asked Patrick to justify himself, he explained the dangers he and his family had faced and how his human rights were violated. Despite his pleas, the officers informed him he would be sent back to Cameroon the next day. This time, they tried to convince him to go voluntarily and told him if he did so, he would be allowed to return to Japan after a year. This is known in Japan as a departure order.
The information given to Patrick was unclear because according to what is stated by the Immigration Services Agency, a foreign national is only eligible for a departure order instead of deportation if “They have requested immediate departure from Japan, their only transgression is overstaying their visa, they not been sentenced to imprisonment for theft or certain other crimes, they have not been deported or left the country under a departure order before and if it is certain that the foreign national will depart promptly.” Since Patrick had already been deported once, it was highly unlikely that permission to enter after a year would be granted to him. They also told him that in April they would start receiving more foreigners and other things like such, none of which has legitimate support.
Nonetheless, Patrick did not even have the energy to be suspicious, there was one thing on his mind only: not returning to Cameroon. The risk such action represented was enough for Patrick to prefer detention in a foreign country. Perhaps he would not be free then, but surviving meant that he at least would have the hope that one day he might be.
He denied the offer and a conclusion was reached. Contrary to the principle of non-refoulment, Patrick would be sent back to Cameroon the following day. Although he did not know anything about refugee laws and of course they were not mentioned in the interview, he was certain this was unjust and decided that he would do all that was in his power to resist. “I knew that, uh, surely only my dead body can enter the plane and go.”
A soft knock followed by “Iku jikan desu” – the polite Japanese form of saying the stinging words, “It’s time for you to go”- woke Patrick up from the first deep slumber he had had in weeks, it was 6 pm. “You know, you, you are not aware of the time. No, no watch, no phone, nothing with you. So, because they took everything so you do not even know what time it is.” After he got up the officers drove him to the boarding gate where the flight to Cameroon would depart from at 9:40 pm. It was crowded and it was the perfect setting for a little rebellion that would appall the conservative Japanese and conflict with the authorities.
Defiantly yet assured Patrick unbuttoned his jacket. Off and onto the floor, it went. He got a few looks but people may have simply assumed he was overheated. Next came his sweater. As he removed it, the officer questioned his actions to which Patrick curtly replied “None of your business.” Gradually, Patrick grabbed onto the hem of his T-shirt and began pulling it up, revealing his dark skin. After sleeping two weeks in the forest, he was not afraid of anything. And before anyone in the room could utter more than a syllable, Patrick’s shirt was off. Stunned and alarmed, the four officers accompanying him, surrounded him attempting to cover him. If he was going to be sent home, could not he go the same freeway he came into this world?
It was a striptease dance. Patrick stripped his clothes, and in response, the Immigration System stripped him of his belongings, his contacts, his sleep, and ultimately, his freedom. Once again, Patrick was taken to a small, enclosed room. There was an officer yelling at him in Japanese but Patrick remained calm. “He was just talking, shouting in my ears. I was just so calm. The truth is that at that moment, I was ready for everything. So in my mind, I, it was that whatever will happen that time…They say, you must speak. I say, okay, come and force me. I will not talk… Except if you’re trying to kill me, just go do it fast.”
5. Teaser for Tears? A Preview of Detention
“‘We put you in detention and we don’t know when you are going out.’ I said, ‘that is a good thing. At least I’ll be alive.’”
The interview went on until three in the morning. Patrick had not been given food or water and the officers continued insisting that if he did not cooperate, they would put him in detention center. However, they never told Patrick what exactly was that place, but its name and his previous experiences gave him the impression that it would be a lot like prison.
He was not wrong, and his confinement at Narita airport for 36 days would be the perfect appetizer. As Patrick was held in detention at this airport outside Tokyo, he was subjected to a relentless barrage of daily interviews, sometimes even being called twice a day. Despite the presence of translators and phones, the officers interrogated him in Japanese, leaving him feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. On top of that, no matter how attentively they appeared to listen, it seemed that the outcome of each interview had already been predetermined, with the sole purpose of coercing Patrick to return to his dangerous homeland. The repetitive questioning, which was permeated with interrogative suggestibility was not only draining but also absurd, as the authorities tended to ask the same questions daily and sometimes delved into the smallest of details like Patrick’s attire and meal choices. This obsessive scrutiny only reinforced Patrick’s belief that the authorities were using these interviews as a means to find any inconsistencies in his story and paint him as a liar. Refusing to give away any reasons for being treated like a criminal, he remained resolute in his refusal to answer their irrelevant inquiries.“That is when my stress about the detention really, really started, until I became stubborn with them….when I became stubborn with them, now they start being gentle with me.”
As Patrick pointed out, the interview process for asylum seekers and refugees in Japan can be incredibly stressful and repetitive. In Japan, applicants are required to recount their hardships and provide evidence of their need for refugee status during multiple interviews. Even if a sort of temporary permission or provisional release is granted, asylum seekers are still subject to frequent follow-up questions and visits to immigration centers.
Refugees and asylum seekers are at a higher risk for psychological disorders such as PTSD and depression. Not only their vulnerability to poor mental health is often left unaddressed, it is also exacerbated by the constant retelling of traumatic experiences that forces them to relive a painful past; traumatized refugees require time to process the trauma and build enough trust before they are able to share their painful experiences. In fact, the “duty to cooperate” that asylum seekers in Germany are required upon arrival has been identified as a postmigration stressor. The techniques applied in Japanese immigration interviews are just as triggering and mentally harmful as those in Germany and one could even argue that the frequency of the interviews Patrick had during his detention in Narita was psychologically abusive.
On December 11th, 2018, during one of the interviews, the immigration officer asked Patrick if the term refugee applied to him. Confused, Patrick asked what that meant, and in response, he was just given a form to fill out. However, it was not until after his transfer to the Ushiku Detention Center that by listening to other detainee’s experiences he understood that he was too a refugee.
“I think I’m a refugee despite the fact that Japan doesn’t recognize me because of the system. So I think normally I’m a refugee.”
New Year’s came with hope for a new life, and on January 4th, 2019 it seemed like things would be turning around for Patrick. That day he had his last interview in Narita and they explained to him that he would be transferred to a detention center where he would encounter other refugees. But as they say “Be careful what you wish for,” hopes might just end up being a double-edged sword.
“The world needs to know that in Japan, they’re putting detainees in prison.”
