The recent flare of discord between Liberian refugees and the refugee agency over resettlement allowance to either a third country or US$ 1,000.00 per head of returnee to Liberia  has intensified with the Ghanaian state Police carting away over six hundred refugees to a distant region from Buduburam, the locale of their accommodation.

The situation was awry with the government been called upon by rights activists in that country to respect the arrested refugees’ rights both under human rights protocols and refugee instruments. While these bickering clashes of views abound, the Liberian Leader, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called for the exercise of due caution by her nationals until such issues are amicably carried out.

The Analyst now tracks the contentious issues and positions tending to mar the African solidarity that hitherto prevailed in that country.

The Ghanaian Coalition of Human Rights Organizations says the government of Ghana will be subjected to lawsuit if it fails to resort to the courts in dealing with the arrested Liberian Refugees.

The coalition accused the Kuffuor administration of over reacting to the protests of refugee women and has formed an investigative team to look into the stand off between refugees and the government. Among the team are people from the Legal Resources Centre and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.

A fact finding team dispatched to both the Buduburam camp and the holding area for the over 600 arrested refugees in Kordeabe in the Eastern Region. The team claimed its initial findings revealed that the rights of the refugees had been grossly violated by the Ghanaian government.

The head of the legal resources centre, Mr. Edward Amuzu who was part of the team told Joy FM News in Ghana that the public was generally misinformed on the crisis. He said the women had not striped themselves naked as had been reported in the media and that there were no road-blocks at the Buduburam camp.

Mr. Amuzu said the government’s handling of the crisis was embarrassing to the country, saying amongst other things that it is only courts of competent jurisdiction can determine issues of repatriation of refugees.

Implicitly questioning the methods of the host country, the UNHCR Country Representative, Ms Hida Harley Mariam told the BBC that the UNHCR was concerned about the manner in which the crisis was being handled.

She said that though the UNHCR supported the government’s decision to ensure that refugees respect the country’s laws, but the commission was worried about any disproportionate action by government.

The Minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Mr. John Mahama said although the demands by the refugees could be unreasonable, it was important to protect their human rights. According to him, the Interior Minister’s anger was not to be allowed to destroy the good reputation of the country.

A Minister of State at the Interior Ministry, Nana Obiri Boahen overruled any violation of refugees’ rights, saying to Joy News that he returned from Kordeabe, where refugees are held and appropriately catered for..

The Liberian Foreign Minister, Bankie King-Akerele has accordingly gone forth with his delegation to rescind in repatriating protesting refugees.

In a related development, the Liberian leader, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is conducting a strategic cabinet retreat in Northwestern Liberia as well as consulting the people of Lofa County has added words to the ongoing difficulties in that part of west Africa, by appealing to Liberians to exercise orderliness in all their ways, while track one diplomacy takes central stage.

According to a presidential dispatch from Lofa County, President Sirleaf was speaking at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting that is finalizing discussions on the Poverty Reduction Strategy. 

President Johnson Sirleaf told her cabinet that she had urged Liberians living in the Buduburum Resettlement Center to remain law-abiding by desisting from acts that would undermine peace in Ghana.

The President informed the Cabinet of the situation at the Resettlement Center, involving Liberian refugees and said the Liberian government was in discussions with Ghanaian authorities on the situation.

The President said that a delegation had been dispatched to the Ghanaian capital, Accra to hold further discussions with their Ghanaian counterparts and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to address the situation, in the wake of an announcement that the Ghanaian authorities are preparing to expel over six-hundred protesting Liberian refugees.

In a recent telephone conversation with President Kufuor of Ghana last Sunday, President Johnson Sirleaf expressed regrets to the Ghanaian President for the incident and urged the authorities to exercise restraint, saying that the Ghanaian President was kind in his response, but firm that Ghana would not tolerate any disturbances ahead of general elections. 

She said while discussions continue, Liberia would make the necessary arrangements to receive its citizens who risk expulsion from Ghana. The President and Cabinet arrived in Voinjama, Monday night to an impressive show of support and goodwill by the people and residents of Voinjama.

Meanwhile the Interior Minister of Ghana, Mr. Kwamena Bartels has reported that the nearly 658 refugee women being held at Kodiabe in the Eastern region have expressed remorse for their action and pleaded for the government to grant them clemency.

The Minister said that he earlier had a meeting with the refugees at the Ghana International Conference Centre and warned them against continuing the strike but that the women had remained adamant which culminated in the government’s decision to detain the protesters, revoke their refugee status and repatriate them to Liberia.

Though the minister did not say why it appears that his action seems to have been a proxy fight for the UNHCR, which apparently does not seem to have the resettlement allowance either for the third country or for Liberia, he however projected the impression that relocation of peaceful protestors congregating in their camp to a distant region in what amounts to ‘divide and rule’ was a warranted gesture by a democratic government.

But some political analysts believe that while the Ghanaian authorities may be concealing their true motive, it is very likely that the well constructed Buduburam camp is now being seen as a prize trophy for utilization by Ghanaians, such control that does not seem to occur with the interminable stay of refugees in the country despite the ‘restoration’ of peace and stability to their country. 

Now these same critics say the lukewarm reaction of national authorities in Liberia also amounts to complicity in indirectly forcing reluctant refugees to return home, regardless of the unabated livelihood difficulties that face citizens and residents.

They seem to believe that the UNHCR and the Ghanaian government must work together to resolve or find needed sustenance for refugees until such times that they are empowered or see the need to either return home or migrate to other areas of their choice. .   .

David Farhat Speaks On Refugees’ Plights
By J. Nathaniel Daygbor

Opposition politician and former Standard-bearer of the Free Democratic Party, Mr. David Farhat has described as unfortunate, conditions Liberian refugees in Ghana are faced with in the wake of the demonstrations and subsequent arrest and detention.

Dozens of Liberians were rounded up Monday by Ghanaian security officers after they had staged what they called “peaceful demonstration” in demands of resettlement benefits. Among other things, the refugees demanded resettlement benefits, from US$5.00 to US$1000. 

Commenting on the situation which claimed national and international attention, the former presidential contender urged the refugees to accept whatever given by the UNHCR as resettlement benefits, and that they should be grateful for what is being provided.

There are reports that they are getting transportation and other allowances. Mr. Farhat further said after 15 years of living in refugee camps in Ghana, they should have had the second thought to return home.

“They must come home to contribute to the reconstruction exercise and then to stay in another man’s land make demands. If I had been the president, following their street protest, he would have recommended to the Ghanaian Government to have them packed sent home.

He said the refugees should have taken into consideration the constitution of Ghana, what it says regarding demonstrations and governed themselves. He said Liberia could not allow any Ghanaian to violate the organic laws; as such the decision to arrest the demonstrators was right.

Mr. Farhat noted that the treatment meted at the Liberian refugees is indicative of the fact Liberians will not be allowed refuge in other country if anything sparks off. 

“Ivory Coast is not yet free; Sierra Leone and Guinea are striving for democracy, and Ghana is the only free country, but will not allow it again because of their behaviors”, he said.

In other development, Grand Bassa Representative Gabriel Smith, commenting on the issue said the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) should see reason and increase the resettlement benefit.

He said Liberia is a founding nation of the United Nations and  Liberian citizens should be given some respect, in the case of refugees. According to him the relationship between Ghana and Liberia is very close, and at such urged the Ghanaian authorities to treat the refugees well.