Concord Times (Freetown)
Rachel Horner
22 June 2009
Freetown — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR Wednesday concluded a two-day seminar for media practitioners on international protection of refugees.
The workshop, held at the Mamba Point Hotel, Wilberforce showcased UNHCR's activities in Sierra Leone.
UNHCR's Senior Protection Officer, Veronica Modey-Ebi said the seminar was organized to create awareness on international protection of refugees and the roles of various stakeholders.
"It would enhance the capacity of the print and electronic media in disseminating objective information relating to UNHCR and refugee protection issues in the country," she said.
Ms. Modey-Ebi said her organization's mandate is to ensure international protection for refugees and to work with the government to search for durable solutions to refugee problem.
She said refugees are people who cannot turn to their own country for protection.
Modey-Ebi said the people of concern to UNHCR are refugees, asylum seekers, internal displaced persons (IDP's) (in some cases), stateless person and returnees.
She said the office ensures refugees are settled safely, enjoy basic rights and not sent back to danger.
"UNHCR endeavors to disentangle every form of illegal immigration net," she said, adding that for one to be considered a refugee, he or she must be resident outside his country of origin, and must have a well founded fear.
"This fear must be based on the five grounds stipulated by the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees; which are race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular group and political opinion," she explained.
Modey-Ebi said the five types of refugees are Statutory, Mandate, Prima Facie, Sur Place, and Convention refugees.
She said their ultimate goal is to ensure all refugees eventually return to their places of origin, but cautioned that the organization does not cater for people uprooted by natural or man-made disaster, those fleeing bad economic conditions or seeking work, soldiers and other armed combatants.
Moreover, the Senior Protection Officer said one of UNHCR's constraints is how to get countries to keep their borders open, as according to her, the protection of refugees should be the shared responsibility of all governments, NGOs, UN agencies and the refugees themselves.
UNHCR Representative in Sierra Leone, Valentin Tapsoba while delivering certificates of attendance to journalists, said the press is among the strongest forces that shape the consciences of people.
"The media is a key stakeholder in the protection of refugees in any country," he said, adding that the UNHCR is always ready to care for half a million people anywhere in the world on 72 hours notice.
Tapsoba said collaboration is needed between UNHCR, the media, NaCSA and other stakeholders, expressing hope that the seminar would provide the opportunity for a rerenewed partnership with media practitioners.
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