Dying Through The Panama Jungle To Reach U.S.A
Migration from Africa commonly paints the picture of a continent fleeing from its evils towards the western Eldorados.
Such alarmist representations of an African mass exodus, fanned by the media and policy makers alike, are actually quite far from the real dynamics of African migration.
Contrary to popular perceptions, their findings suggest that, far from being exceptional, the size and destinations of African migration are impressively similar to global migratory patterns. In other words, African migrants too, when crossing an international border, are more likely to move to neighboring countries within their African sub-region than elsewhere, because of the higher costs of moving over longer distances. Costs which may ultimately include the loss of their own lives.
Actually, if something exceptional has to be found in African migration, it is the striking number of sub-Saharan countries each hosting over two million displaced people over the years: South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and lately Cameroon.
The west is struggling to cope with the so-called “migration crisis” that has emerged over the past few years. Designing the right policies to address immigration requires a deep understanding of its root causes. Why do Africans decide to leave their home countries? While the dream of a better life in the West is likely part of the explanation, one also needs to examine the prevailing living conditions in the large and heterogeneous sub-Saharan region.
This report investigates the actual role of political, economic, demographic and environmental drivers in current migration flows. Particular interest here is the political situation that has hit Cameroon for three years and counting. Most of the young men have either fled to the neighboring towns in the French Cameroon while some have become refugees in next door Nigeria. These young men are targeted and arrested for fear that are in support or a part of struggle as it is called.
I took interest in knowing how the intermittent journey through Mexico to the U.S is done. I caught with a brother (names withheld) who hails from an Anglophone town – a once hard hit town in Anglophone Cameroon. He says his father and brother were killed and the same people were after his life. He explained how he had to save his life by running out of the country. He added that the tension in his locality made him to run away as he had become a target. Many others have done so, some have found themselves in some countries along the way in jails, while some are robbed by death or criminals. So this how the narrative began.
I am in the U.S now and this is how the journey through Mexico looks like. Before now Cameroon was visa free to Ecuador. So someone with a Cameroonian passport could actually obtain a tourist visa from Ecuador. You will need to book a hotel online in Ecuador. You will then prepare your documents as if you are going on vacation, going for a meeting, seminar or just things like that. Then you take your flight from the Douala International Airport or for convenience sake, you can go to Nigeria.
When I planned to travel out, it was actually very difficult to get a flight from Douala. So I decided to go Nigeria through Idenau. Once I arrived Lagos in Nigeria, I got a flight from the Lagos International Airport to Ecuador
From Ecuador we traveled by bus to Colombia. Here the journey is a not easy since they are a lot of criminals on the way. A lot of African guys fall prey to these ‘badguys’ because by color they are easily identified as migrants. They know that migrants always carry dollars around. They would harass you for money, or they can go as far as kidnapping you. Once kidnapped they can only release you after a ransom is paid. All they want is to extort money from you. So the best the thing to do is move in groups while being very vigilant.
From Colombia we traveled from Turbo to Kapogana, from where we walked through the Panama forest. This is a deadly forest with wild, frightful animals and mosquitoes. Potable water here is a big challenge. Many usually fall sick and die here. This stretch of the journey is done by walking because there is no direct road linking Colombia to Panama. So it is either by air or water. It is impossible to move through the waters because for fear of pirates there is just a lot of control on the way. We had no option therefore. The Panama jungle is 05 to about 14 days to get through the forest depending on individual speeds. Some Africans have in died the waters during transits.
Once we entered Panama, we entered the first migrant camp called camp 1. There you can spend about 03 days after which we were transferred to camp 2. Here you can spend at least 05 to 14 days. You can then be transferred to camp 3 where you will spend another number of days - about 10 days. You are released with a pass.
With the pass you will travel to Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, you will receive another pass that will be necessary for you to enter Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, they will need to stamp the pass you brought from Costa Rica. This stamp is $150 about 89000FCFA. From there you will be issued another pass to Honduras. In Honduras you will be given a pass to Guatemala. You then get a pass to Mexico.
In Mexico it is a different ball game. Once in the Mexican camp, you take about three weeks - this depends on when you arrive. Before the present administration in the U.S there used to give passes for people to just continue to the U.S border. You would have to obtain a certain card. However, the card system has been blocked since August 15th, 2019 and no one is using that route again.
There are other options that are seemingly new as I learned, these options are through the Nicaraguan visa. This line is easier but it starts from the Nigeria and Benin & Guinea Bissau line to Mexico. So you can actually skip the tedious and strenuous Panama jungle. Although I have not seen a Cameroonian using any of those lines, I think it is a better option.
When you succeed to go out of the Mexican camp, you will need to obtain a pass from their immigration office. This can take a period of 03 to 04 weeks. Within this period, you will pay for your hotel and feeding. With this pass, you are allowed to circulate in the whole of Mexico. So you can go to the border and register to enter the U.S camp.
In the U.S camp you can stay there for a minimum of 01 to 18 months depending on your story. Here you will need to pass a test called credible fear. You have to prove that you are actually running away from your country because your life is in danger or you are being discriminated upon because of your political, religious, sexual etc. views. You have to show that you have a founded fear of persecution.
After this you will need to be taken to the immigration court where you will need to bring proofs or facts to support your case or claims so that you can earn an asylum grant.
If you have the money and don’t want to stay too long in that camp, you can as well apply to be released on bail. It is called removal on parole so that you can, enter the U.S work and always appear in court on your court hearing days.
That is the clue about the journey, but for now I can’t advise anybody to try the Ecuador line. This is because Ecuador is no longer visa free. It is blocked and if you get to Ecuador you will be repatriated.
You should also note that all the camps mentioned above are refugee camps sponsored by the U.S. From Ecuador to Mexico, you will have to pay your bills, water, rents, feeding, medication etc. if you are not yet in any camp. This is the most I can say.
Such alarmist representations of an African mass exodus, fanned by the media and policy makers alike, are actually quite far from the real dynamics of African migration.
Contrary to popular perceptions, their findings suggest that, far from being exceptional, the size and destinations of African migration are impressively similar to global migratory patterns. In other words, African migrants too, when crossing an international border, are more likely to move to neighboring countries within their African sub-region than elsewhere, because of the higher costs of moving over longer distances. Costs which may ultimately include the loss of their own lives.
Actually, if something exceptional has to be found in African migration, it is the striking number of sub-Saharan countries each hosting over two million displaced people over the years: South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and lately Cameroon.
The west is struggling to cope with the so-called “migration crisis” that has emerged over the past few years. Designing the right policies to address immigration requires a deep understanding of its root causes. Why do Africans decide to leave their home countries? While the dream of a better life in the West is likely part of the explanation, one also needs to examine the prevailing living conditions in the large and heterogeneous sub-Saharan region.
This report investigates the actual role of political, economic, demographic and environmental drivers in current migration flows. Particular interest here is the political situation that has hit Cameroon for three years and counting. Most of the young men have either fled to the neighboring towns in the French Cameroon while some have become refugees in next door Nigeria. These young men are targeted and arrested for fear that are in support or a part of struggle as it is called.
I took interest in knowing how the intermittent journey through Mexico to the U.S is done. I caught with a brother (names withheld) who hails from an Anglophone town – a once hard hit town in Anglophone Cameroon. He says his father and brother were killed and the same people were after his life. He explained how he had to save his life by running out of the country. He added that the tension in his locality made him to run away as he had become a target. Many others have done so, some have found themselves in some countries along the way in jails, while some are robbed by death or criminals. So this how the narrative began.
I am in the U.S now and this is how the journey through Mexico looks like. Before now Cameroon was visa free to Ecuador. So someone with a Cameroonian passport could actually obtain a tourist visa from Ecuador. You will need to book a hotel online in Ecuador. You will then prepare your documents as if you are going on vacation, going for a meeting, seminar or just things like that. Then you take your flight from the Douala International Airport or for convenience sake, you can go to Nigeria.
When I planned to travel out, it was actually very difficult to get a flight from Douala. So I decided to go Nigeria through Idenau. Once I arrived Lagos in Nigeria, I got a flight from the Lagos International Airport to Ecuador
From Ecuador we traveled by bus to Colombia. Here the journey is a not easy since they are a lot of criminals on the way. A lot of African guys fall prey to these ‘badguys’ because by color they are easily identified as migrants. They know that migrants always carry dollars around. They would harass you for money, or they can go as far as kidnapping you. Once kidnapped they can only release you after a ransom is paid. All they want is to extort money from you. So the best the thing to do is move in groups while being very vigilant.
From Colombia we traveled from Turbo to Kapogana, from where we walked through the Panama forest. This is a deadly forest with wild, frightful animals and mosquitoes. Potable water here is a big challenge. Many usually fall sick and die here. This stretch of the journey is done by walking because there is no direct road linking Colombia to Panama. So it is either by air or water. It is impossible to move through the waters because for fear of pirates there is just a lot of control on the way. We had no option therefore. The Panama jungle is 05 to about 14 days to get through the forest depending on individual speeds. Some Africans have in died the waters during transits.
Once we entered Panama, we entered the first migrant camp called camp 1. There you can spend about 03 days after which we were transferred to camp 2. Here you can spend at least 05 to 14 days. You can then be transferred to camp 3 where you will spend another number of days - about 10 days. You are released with a pass.
With the pass you will travel to Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, you will receive another pass that will be necessary for you to enter Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, they will need to stamp the pass you brought from Costa Rica. This stamp is $150 about 89000FCFA. From there you will be issued another pass to Honduras. In Honduras you will be given a pass to Guatemala. You then get a pass to Mexico.
In Mexico it is a different ball game. Once in the Mexican camp, you take about three weeks - this depends on when you arrive. Before the present administration in the U.S there used to give passes for people to just continue to the U.S border. You would have to obtain a certain card. However, the card system has been blocked since August 15th, 2019 and no one is using that route again.
There are other options that are seemingly new as I learned, these options are through the Nicaraguan visa. This line is easier but it starts from the Nigeria and Benin & Guinea Bissau line to Mexico. So you can actually skip the tedious and strenuous Panama jungle. Although I have not seen a Cameroonian using any of those lines, I think it is a better option.
When you succeed to go out of the Mexican camp, you will need to obtain a pass from their immigration office. This can take a period of 03 to 04 weeks. Within this period, you will pay for your hotel and feeding. With this pass, you are allowed to circulate in the whole of Mexico. So you can go to the border and register to enter the U.S camp.
In the U.S camp you can stay there for a minimum of 01 to 18 months depending on your story. Here you will need to pass a test called credible fear. You have to prove that you are actually running away from your country because your life is in danger or you are being discriminated upon because of your political, religious, sexual etc. views. You have to show that you have a founded fear of persecution.
After this you will need to be taken to the immigration court where you will need to bring proofs or facts to support your case or claims so that you can earn an asylum grant.
If you have the money and don’t want to stay too long in that camp, you can as well apply to be released on bail. It is called removal on parole so that you can, enter the U.S work and always appear in court on your court hearing days.
That is the clue about the journey, but for now I can’t advise anybody to try the Ecuador line. This is because Ecuador is no longer visa free. It is blocked and if you get to Ecuador you will be repatriated.
You should also note that all the camps mentioned above are refugee camps sponsored by the U.S. From Ecuador to Mexico, you will have to pay your bills, water, rents, feeding, medication etc. if you are not yet in any camp. This is the most I can say.
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