World Refugee Day: UNHCR calls for empathy, solidarity to refugees

The country representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees has appealed to Cameroonians to extend solidarity to refugees in the country.

On the occasion of this year’s World Refugee Day commemorated, Sunday June 20, Olivier Beer said “…show empathy, solidarity to these people”. They should be part of our society, they want to contribute to our society, they should be included” he furthered.

He was speaking in an interview on state broadcaster, CRTV’s news magazine programme, Cameroon Calling.

Stating that their role at UNHCR is to provide immediate assistance to refugees, he emphasized that these people need more than just assistance. “We provide them assistance but more importantly, we want them included in the society to become farmers, carpenters, to work in shops and contribute to pay taxes”

Cameroon plays host to 450,000 refugees from Central Africa Republic and Nigeria while 63,235 Cameroonians in Nigeria fleeing the Anglophone crisis constitute part of the 20 million refugees worldwide.

Enters Dr. Fomunyoh

As Cameroon strives to give solace to refugees it hosts, Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria have been abandoned, Dr Christopher Fomunyoh laments.

In a visit to Nigeria lately by the joint efforts of The Fomunyoh Foundation, TFF and Community Refugee Resource Initiative, CRRI by Cameroonian-born diplomat, Dr. Fomunyoh Christopher, these « abandoned » Cameroonians regretted their brothers and sisters have forgotten them so soon.

Describing their situation as ‘‘precarious state of pain’’, Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Director of TFF was alarmed that the refugees were receiving their first humanitarian support since March 2020.

Narrating their ordeals, the refugees, most of whom are women and children lamented they barely have a single meal per day. They have no access to land where they can farm for food and children have no access to education. 

Rebecca is an old woman on wheelchair who has no career fled the hospital in Mayenmen where she was taking treatment is in dire need of healthcare. “I have no relative. There are some irons that I wear on my legs to be able to do anything, but now that I don’t have, things are not easy for me », Rebecca told the team.

This year’s World Refugee Day commemorated under the theme: “Together we heal, learn and shine” is a reminder for Cameroonians, policy makers to enact attitudes and policies which should include these people who also have dignity.

By Mokun Njouny Nelson
www.sillonpanafricain.net