28 March 2008
Accra — The Ghanaian government said it will stop deporting Liberian refugees and made an agreement with the Liberian government to work with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to draw up a roadmap to repatriate the 40,000 Liberian refugees currently living in Ghana.
"We hope [The repatriation] can be carried through without bitterness and embarrassment to either of the two countries," Ghana's President Kufuor John Kufuor told the press following three days of talks with a high-level Liberian delegation led by its foreign Minister Mrs Olubanke King-Akerele
Ghana intends to proceed "in a way that would not harm relations between the two West African nations," he added.
End of a stand-off
The talks follow a month-long stand-off between Liberian refugees and Ghanaian authorities over their repatriation. The stand-off led to the deportation of 16 of the refugees, despite 13 of them being legally registered, and the detention of 600 others, mostly women and children.
Troubles started in late February when 500 of the refugees delivered a petition to the UNHCR and the Ghana Refugee Board with three demands, one of which was that they did not want to be integrated into Ghanaian society.
Instead they demanded to be resettled in a third country, preferably in Europe. They said they would return to Liberia but only if they were provided with US$1,000 each - ten times the amount UNHCR was offering.
The refuges held a month-long demonstration and were eventually arrested because their protest had not been authorised by authorities.
Liberia's Foreign Minister apologised to Ghana's president and his team at the presidential palace saying her government "does not condone any such acts that contravene the country's laws."
Timing
The Ghanaian government wants the refugee returns to start within six months, Ghana's Deputy Information Minister Frank Agyekum told IRIN. But he said the Liberian delegation had impressed on the Ghanaian government not to rush the repatriation process.
With Liberia's economy fragile following 14 years of civil war Agyekum said the Liberian delegation's "main concern was the negative impact the influx of 40,000 refugees will have on that country's recovering economy."
The delegation is set to return to Liberia and consult with its president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleef, before agreeing to a fixed start-date.
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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With the Refugees situation in Ghana, the Ghanaian govenment has violated the rights of the refugees and the law of (UNCHR).It shows that the Ghanaian government has no respect for international human rights law. Since the Liberian civil war the Ghanaians has enjoyed the benefit more than the Liberians has, and in fact there has been more Ghanaians coming in the US as a Liberian refugees and taking the advantage of the Liberians situation. If in any case that the refugees was demonstrating, did they destroyed any property, did they go out in the cities breaking any property, or did the refugees destroyed any property of the Ghanainan government.The Ghanaians is notices for doing these kind of things to their neighbor. There are people who are calling the Liberians ingrates, those people need to know that they are the ingrates and hpocriptes. Do not just think about allowing the Liberians refugees to stay in Ghana was a blessing for them, it has benefited both countries,Ghana has enjoyed the blessing more than the people who you called ingrates. Consider back in the 70s,80s up to the early 90s you got more Ghanians in Liberia working in better jobs and living better life,when in their own country life is hard for them. When you are a refugee it is hard to make another country your home, you just can not make that kind of decision, you are thinking that your country is going to be better. In the US you just can not make a decision base on your status,that is the reason why went you seek refuge the government will gave some time to think about your case. So do not blame the Liberians if they turn down the deceision to make Ghana their home. Therefore please talk to your government to get our brothers and sister form slums and put them back with thier parents.
I WILL LIKE TO ENCOURGE THE LIBERIAN REFUGEE TO GET READY FOR OUR RETUN TO OUR MOTHERS' LAND AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT LET THE GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT ALSO PREPARD FOR HER CITIZENS THAT ARE LIVING IN LIBERIA BY OCTOBER AND NOVERMBER 2008. DON'T THINK BECAUSE OUR LEADERS ARE ASKING YOU FOR TIME MEANS THEY ARE UNABLE TO HOST US, BUT THEY ARE ALOS PUTTING IN PLACE HOW TO GET YOUR PEOPLE BACK WITHIN THE SAME TIME. HEY LIBERIAN, IF THIS WILL UNITE US, I WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL TO THE LORD, THE GHANAINA PEACE KEEPING MISSION CAN START GETTING READY TO PACK OFF FROM LIBERIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE NO MORE WELCOME THEIR PRESENCE IN UR COUNTRY, THE SAME GOES TO AL GHANAINA NATIONAL LIVING IN LIBERIA. THANK
iam really shocked about the behaviour of liberian refugees in ghana,what do they want,1000 us dollars or liberian dollars,or to be send to an european country,funny ,may be they are ignorance ,do they know that u.s.a,even want to send them home.`why dont they like to go home-,rawanda rfugees are going back home,like wise burundi.no one likes them, the best place is your home country,ghana has done a lot f0r them,they aRE ungrateful,please go back home,if you dont want to intergrate into the ganaian society,fine ,go to your country.liberia has a small population if they go back they can rebuild their country.europe dosent like them.micky
Very well biko, I am not sure if you ever live in Ghana to face the intimedation that the rest of us went through the years. It is not the Ghanians fault, neither it was the Liberians refugee fault. We have always open up our arms to all West African and other nationals, esp. Ghana, this is while Liberians though Ghanians would have done likewise. It's ok, my people will go home, but hope Ghana remember Liberia stood there for her during her independence and at the time her people stood in queue for even sugar. After all the slaughters, rape, harassment and unfair treatment which ofcourse is an open secret on Buduburam refugee camp that Liberians have been faced with, we are now been driven out as dogs. In as much we appreciate Ghana hosting Lierians through out these years, we though we would have the same treatment as the tens of thousands who have live in Liberia well over 50 years have been treated and care for. Lets laid this to rest. What goes around comes around. After all God is just.
may-be some of you dont know about refugee law, but let me tell you little about the problem that Ghana government will face by forcing the 16 refugee back to liberia. they left liberia because of war, some of them were being hunted by the very people in power today in liberia.they were able to present their case to UNHCR and the Ghanian government before they were accepted as a refugee in Ghana.if they have done anything wrong in that country they should be taken to court according the Geniva convention. but to force refugee back to the country they left because of the protection of their lives is very ugly thing to do. for those of us that live in Nigeria as arefugee, for some eight years we are very greatful to the Nigerian and their government for the regard they have for human right and the love for other people. we have lot of Ghanian in liberia some of whom that using liberian names and pasport to travel out of Africa to the western country we will now be careful with them. May God bless Nigeria for their good gesture towards other people.
THESE LIBERIAN WOMAN WERE ONLY TREATED LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.WHERE IS THE UNITED NATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING REGUEES CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.WHEN MOTHERS WHO ARE NURSING THEIR BABIES, HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY TO AN UNKOWN DESINATION AND THEIR NURSING BABIES LEFT ON THE CAMP WTHOUT FOOD FOR MANY DAYS.COULD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY WESTERN COUNTRY WITHOUT THE UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION?THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW THAT THOSE WOMEN WERE NEVER EVER NAKED. ALL PHOTOS PROVED THAT THESE WOMEN HAD ON CLOTHES.I WAS ONEC A REFUGEE.ONE THING I WANT THESE LADIES TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS NO WHERE LIKE HOME. IF YOU CAN MAKE IT AS A REFUGEE IN ANY COUNTRY YOU CAN MAKE IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY. GO HOME AND JOIN IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF YOUR COUNTRY. IT IS ONLY YOU WHO WILL BUILT YOUR OWN COUNTRY. GOD WIL SURELY SEE YOU THROUG, MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.
THESE LIBERIAN WOMAN WERE ONLY TREATED LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.WHERE IS THE UNITED NATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING REGUEES CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN A THIR WORLD COUNTRY.WHEN MOTHERS WHO ARE NURSING THEIR BABIES HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY TO AN UNKOWN DESINATION AND THEIR NURSING BABIES LEFT ON THE CAMP WTHOUT FOOD FOR MANY DAYS.COULD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY WESTERN COUNTRY WITHOUT THE UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION?THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW THAT THOSE WOMEN WERE NEVER EVER NAKED. ALL PHOTOS PROVE THAT THESE WOMEN HAD ON CLOTHES.I WAS ONEC A REFUGEE.ONE THING I WANT THESE LADIES TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS NO WHERE LIKE HOME. IF YOU CAN MIKE IT AS A REFUGEE IN ANY COUNTRY YOU CAN MAKE IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY. GO HOME AND JOIN IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF YOUR COUNTRY. IT IS ONLY YOU WHO WILL BUILT YOUR OWN COUNTRY. GOD WIL SURELY SEE YOU THROUG, MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.
My friends be real and judge this situation dispassionately not from heart feelings. You Liberians said you were against integration into the Ghanaian society so if the government has decided to repartriate you it is on your own request.
No one is driving you out as dogs and stop blowing this issue out of proportion. For those of you who think so narrowly as to believe that Ghana has done nothing for you fair enough, its up to you- i feel very sorry for such ingrates.
You can consider sending Ghanaians home if you so wish we shall not beg you to stop. Infact you can even start right now and not in November or any other later date. If Ghanaians break the law in Liberia there are laws to deal with them and not through an act of retribution when indeed there has been none at all to seek vengeance for.
It is true that "when you feed a hungry ingrate they only tell you the food has no salt when they are full to the brim". You insulted Ghanaians when you said you were against integration into the Ghanaian community and that was really disheartening.
You dug your own grave and asked for your repartriation by your own utterances so stop moaning and stop the empty and nonsensical writings here. Whatever Liberians experience in our country is also expereinced by Ghanaians so i dont just get the sense in all this bitterness at all.