Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ACCRA800
2005-04-28 16:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Accra
Cable title:
SERIOUS REFUGEE FLOWS OUT OF TOGO BEGIN
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. ACTION PRM-00 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-00 PM-00 PRS-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 PMB-00 DRL-00 G-00 SAS-00 /000W ------------------E695AA 282222Z /45 FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA TO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8385
UNCLAS ACCRA 000800
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH TO BN PREF
SUBJECT: SERIOUS REFUGEE FLOWS OUT OF TOGO BEGIN
UNCLAS ACCRA 000800
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH TO BN PREF
SUBJECT: SERIOUS REFUGEE FLOWS OUT OF TOGO BEGIN
1. (SBU) According to UNHCR Representative Rafik Saiki, who
is based in Cotonou, some 4,000 refugees have arrived in
Benin from Togo as of 16:00 local on April 28. A number of
NGO's, including Catholic Relief Services, were assisting the
new arrivals as they crossed the border, most of whom had
fled on foot over unpatrolled stretches of the frontier.
Refugees were taking shelter in private homes, churches, and
at Camp Come. The GOB had been very cooperative, said Saidi,
but it lacked the resources to be of much help. Saidi noted
that the international border had reopened earlier in the
day, leading him to believe that even greater numbers of
Togolese could follow.
2. (U) On the Ghanaian side, some 450 Togolese have arrived
in small groups at various points along the border.
According to UNHCR Representative Thomas Albrecht, all have
found shelter in private homes and no extraordinary measures
have been required. UNHCR contacts here have heard, but have
not confirmed, that the GOT has armed its border guards with
automatic weapons and that several cross-border incidents
have occurred during which Ghanaians have been injured.
YATES
NNNN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH TO BN PREF
SUBJECT: SERIOUS REFUGEE FLOWS OUT OF TOGO BEGIN
1. (SBU) According to UNHCR Representative Rafik Saiki, who
is based in Cotonou, some 4,000 refugees have arrived in
Benin from Togo as of 16:00 local on April 28. A number of
NGO's, including Catholic Relief Services, were assisting the
new arrivals as they crossed the border, most of whom had
fled on foot over unpatrolled stretches of the frontier.
Refugees were taking shelter in private homes, churches, and
at Camp Come. The GOB had been very cooperative, said Saidi,
but it lacked the resources to be of much help. Saidi noted
that the international border had reopened earlier in the
day, leading him to believe that even greater numbers of
Togolese could follow.
2. (U) On the Ghanaian side, some 450 Togolese have arrived
in small groups at various points along the border.
According to UNHCR Representative Thomas Albrecht, all have
found shelter in private homes and no extraordinary measures
have been required. UNHCR contacts here have heard, but have
not confirmed, that the GOT has armed its border guards with
automatic weapons and that several cross-border incidents
have occurred during which Ghanaians have been injured.
YATES
NNNN