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Liberia: Emotions Run High Over Refugee Crisis
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ALLAFRICA BLOG
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 27 March 2008
Boakai M Fofana
Monrovia
"Why must our government apologize?" asked one caller on a local radio station in response to news that the Liberian government had sent an apology note to the Ghanaian government over recent protests by Liberian refugees in Ghana.
The response is typical of the emotions many Liberians have felt in the wake of a row between the refugees and the Ghanaian authorities over repatriation to Liberia.
Controversy began last week, when Ghanaian authorities set out to send the refugees home with a small relocation allowance from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The Liberians were to be given U.S. $100; however, they demanded U.S. $1,000 and staged a sit-in.
The Ghanaians detained 630 refugees and forcibly deported 16 to Liberia. One human rights group in Ghana is suing the government for mistreating the refugees, but the government claims the refugees' protest action was illegal because they did not give notice to the proper authorities. The NEWS, a Liberian publication, reported Tuesday that UNHCR has called on Ghana to stop the repatriation.
During Liberia's years of civil war, thousands of Liberian refugees sought refuge in Ghana, where many of them acquired education, jobs, homes and even spouses. Many Liberian refugees in Ghana regard the country as a second home.
Many Liberian returnees from Ghana lament the recent turn of events. Previously they looked upon Ghana as a development model to follow. Now, on street corners, market places, bars and the like, in Monrovia, the refugee crisis is a hot topic.
The dozen or so radio stations and other media outlets in Monrovia and surrounding areas have made the refugees' protest and the subsequent detentions the central theme of discussion. Guests phone into the stations daily expressing views which could either calm or inflame the already volatile situation further.
Why call the situation volatile? Because in a very short period many Liberians seem to have forgotten the extremely cordial relationship that existed between these two west African countries. They are now even calling for reciprocal treatment of Ghanaians in Liberia. In one Monrovia marketplace, a Ghanaian was recently harassed by hawkers.
A recent trip by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her cabinet to Voinjama, a city in Liberia's northern Lofa county, was overshadowed by the potentially explosive nature of the Ghana situation. The government quickly warned Liberians against what it called "xenophobic" messages. Ministers and presidential spokespersons have all been called on to calm citizens' reactions.
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Over the 14 years of Liberia's civil crisis, Ghanaian troops were sent here on both the peacekeeping mission of the Economic Community of West African States and that of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (Unmil). Ghana's cities hosted meetings for the signing of a number of peace accords, including the 2003 accord in Accra that ended 14 years of bloodshed. In the midst of the controversy, these are the points of which the Liberian government has tried to remind Liberians - but who is listening?
It is critical for Liberians to avoid having their emotional reactions override rational judgments. While no group of people anywhere on the globe would receive lightly the news of their compatriots being "maltreated," it is essential to remember that the rule of law is the solid pillar upon which any fledgling democracy such as ours can be comfortably built.
Let's give the government a chance to act. Sentiments can flare up easily, but reactions are what will be remembered. The refugee incident is only a small bump in the road of the years of smooth travel between Liberia and Ghana.
AS MUCH AS THE PEOPLE OF GHANA HELP HOTSED US HERE OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS NOT BEEN A BREAD AND BUTTER CASE, MOST OF US BEEN ABUSE IN SO MANY WAYS, MAYBE YOU ARE FORGETTING AS WELL, WE HAVE HOSTED GHANAIAN OVER YEARS, TREATED THEM LIKE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS COMPARE TO WHAT HAPPEN HERE,GHANAIAN HAVE THEIRS OWN BUSINESSES IN LIBERIA, THEY WORK IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES, HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS,BUT CAN YOU COUNT THE NUMBERS OF LIBERIAN IN SUCH POSITION HERE IN GHANA? NEVER, RIGHT NOW THEY ARE HOLDING OUR MOTHERS, SISTERS AND WIVES HOSTAGE IN VERY VERY POOR LOCATION CALL... [Read Full Text]
You Liberians are very ungrateful and full of calousity that is why your countyr plunged into war. No refugee is being malhandled in any way because the whole country would not allow that.
If that would happen it would have happened long ago or even Ghana would not have received you refugees in the country at all in the first place.
We are in your country trying to help you build your country after you ignorantly destroyed it by your selfish leaders for political power- now electricity is back again thanks to Ghana. You think there is anarchy in Ghana... [Read Full Text]
It does not take a brain surgeon to know that people’s rights are violated during crisis. So what is happening in Ghana, is there some kind of crisis going on? Why can’t the Liberians be respected just because they are humans.
Ghanaians are saying that we Liberians are very ungrateful. For 18 years they hosted the Liberia refugees and fed them. Now, Let me just clarify some things here. Ghanaians did not just jump out of their bosoms and welcome us in their country, with enthusiasm; it was the United Nations that made it possible for the refugees to reside in Ghana all these years. They, the Ghanaians, ought to be grateful that the U.N made this arrangement. So many Ghanaians are in the United States today because of the Liberian refugees, and thousands of them are using Liberian... [Read Full Text]
WHAT ALL OF US SHOULD UNDERSTAND IS THAT IN WHATEVER SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES, WE SHOULD KNOW THAT EVERY COUNTRY IS GOVERNED BY RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHILE WE CAN NOT DENIED THE LIBERIAN REFUGEES THEIR RIGHT TO DEMONSTRATE, THIS SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN THE CONTENTS OF THE GHANAIAN LAWS AND REGULATIONS. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE DEMONSTRATION TURNED HOSTILE. BUT, THE GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE FAULTED FOR ENSURING LAW AND ORDER. AFTERALL, THEY HAVE HOSTED THE REFUGEES FOR ALMOST 18 YEARS, WHY SHOULD NOW TURN AGAINST THEM IF THEY HAVE NO... [Read Full Text]
I am very sorry to hear that Ghana are sending Liberian back, have they for get that we Ghanaian in Liberia? what happen to African UN? I thought we are Sisters and Brothers? Shelly
I am in agreement with the author of this article because it is a shame for our government under the learedship of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to apologize to the Ghanaian government for brutalizing our people and disgracing them for doing nothing wrong. This government is not in the interest of her own people judging from its action against the citizens who were treated badly by the Ghanaian government.
Thanks
Tunateh
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