Enslaved Cameroonians in Kuwait write to Biya

Hundreds of Cameroonian girls and boys trapped in a Kuwait Government shelter have written two separate letters to President Paul Biya and the Minister Delegate in the Ministry External Relations, in Charge of Relations with the Islamic world, requesting for emergency assistance to enable them return home to their families.

The letters emerged in online forums following an ongoing five day visit to Cameroon of Kuwait members of parliament. The visit is expected to end tomorrow.

In the letter to president Biya dated since November 13, 2015, the victims say they were tricked by agents of Kuwait hiring agencies.

“We came to Kuwait to work – a majority of us intended to work as domestic servants while a few came here for other jobs. The rest of us came here for studies. We were all deceived and ended up in the same lot”, the letter read partly.

“In fact, we realized we had all been sold into slavery. Since our passports were confiscated upon our arrival at the airport, we had no choice but to stay,” they complained, adding that they have been through all sorts of inhumane treatment including rape, battery, torture and imprisonment.

It was also stated in the letter that some Cameroonian girls were killed by poisoning while other were butchered to death by their so-called employers.

They attested that videos which have been circulating on the internet were actually posted by them and depicted their suffering.

“We had to take the risk of escaping from the homes where we worked. By the grace of God we were admitted into the embassies of Togo and the Central African Republic because Cameroon has no embassy in Kuwait. They later moved us to the Shelter Expart” the girls said.

They were altogether 108 at the time the letter was written. They stated in the letter that they were twice as many as citizens of any other countries living in the camp.

“We have become a burden to the center, some of us are sick, traumatized while others still have injuries sustained while trying to flee from their employers.”, they state in the hand written letter.

They call on president Biya to find an urgent solution to the “tragic and desperate situation” in which they find themselves.

Meanwhile, the letter to the minister delegate in charge of relations with the Islamic world was written when the victims learned he was going to lead a delegation from Cameroon to Kuwait. They outlined their sufferings and needs.

Unfortunately, the Minister, Adoum Gargoum, visited Kuwait and returned without solving the problem.

In a brief interview accorded the press upon arrival at the Yaounde international airport on March 21, Saud Nashmi Alhuraiji, chairman of the first friendship group committee of the Kuwait national assembly who led a four-man delegation of MPs to Cameroon had this to say: “Our country attaches a lot of importance and respect for human rights.” He is reported to have pointed out that the United Nations considers Kuwait as a nation that respects human rights particularly those of women.

It should be noted, however, that Saudi Arabia, which is the chair of the United Nations human rights council is notorious for public execution of criminals, by chopping off their heads.