Refugees Repatriation Suspended

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, 04 April 2008
THE proposed repatriation of Liberian refugees has been temporarily suspended.

A source at the Ministry of the Interior told the Times yesterday that the move is to enable the Tripartite Committee set up to draw modalities for the exercise to conclude its work.

The committee, made up of representatives of the governments of Ghana and Liberia, and the UNHCR, was set up on March 28 to oversee the implementation of decisions reached on the repatriation as well as the handling of the refugee situation.

The Interior Ministry source said in a telephone interview that "the exercise is being halted for now, but the security agencies are also collaborating with the UNHCR to ensure the security of both our country and the refugees."

On February 19, the Liberian refugees at the Buduburam settlement in the Central Region embarked on a sit-in to back their demands for an improved repatriation package from the UN refugee agency.

They were asking for $1,000 per adult, as well as resettlement in a western country.

Following weeks of unrest, the security agencies moved in to maintain order.

Representatives of the Liberian government flew in to hold discussions with Ghanaian and UNHCR officials, leading to the formation of the Tripartite Committee.