Aggrieved refugees and asylum seekers in Douala have been urged to remain peaceful while the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, studies their grievances.

The UNCHR Resident Representative for Cameroon, Khassim Diagne, was speaking in the midst of some local officials in Douala on November 27, 2015, during a crisis meeting that witnessed the participation of hundreds of urban refugees and asylum seekers.

The foreigners, who filled the Conference Hall of the Littoral Governor’s Office, were protesting what they consider gross violations of their rights.

After giving a careful ear to the complaints, Khassim Diagne advised them to voluntarily join other refugees in the refugee camps in the East and Far North Regions: “If you live in camps, you will have feeding, healthcare and education, among other concerns, fully met. We don’t have funding for urban refugees. You could, however, choose repatriation, but all this should be voluntary. We cannot force you to do so,” he pointed out.

Even so, the Resident Representative disclosed that the budget of UNHCR in Cameroon has dropped from USD 55 million in 2015 to USD 45 million in 2016, making it difficult to meet certain needs.

“We reduced our budget because we prioritise our needs and also in order to stand a better chance of getting financing with a consolidated budget from voluntary donors,” he explained. He warned against violence, fraud, ingratitude and other debasing attitudes in the host country.

The refugees and asylum seekers were asking, among others, for assistance for various social needs, including lodging, health, education, child care, feeding, as well as protection. Many of these have been taken care of in refugee camps through collaboration with the government of Cameroon, UNHCR and its partners.

However, at the end of the meeting, some people indicated their willingness to join other refugees in refugee camps in the East and Far North Regions. The President of the Association of Refugee Communities in Douala, Kalema Ngongo Jean Louis, expressed gratitude for the asylum and hospitality they enjoy in Cameroon. There are currently 400,000 refugees in Cameroon.