Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ACCRA828
2005-05-03 18:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Accra
Cable title:
NUMBER OF TOGOLESE REFUGEES SWELLS TO 16,000
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 031806Z May 05 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 ------------------E8CDD4 032112Z /23 FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8413 INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY
UNCLAS ACCRA 000828
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH BN TO PREF
SUBJECT: NUMBER OF TOGOLESE REFUGEES SWELLS TO 16,000
REF: A. A) COTONOU 409
B. B) ACCRA 800
UNCLAS ACCRA 000828
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH BN TO PREF
SUBJECT: NUMBER OF TOGOLESE REFUGEES SWELLS TO 16,000
REF: A. A) COTONOU 409
B. B) ACCRA 800
1. Refugees continue to surge across Togo's borders with
Benin and Ghana. According to UNHCR, the number in Benin
reached 9,874 as of 10 p.m. on May 2, an increase of 799 in
one day. Observers are bracing for another wave after Togo's
constitutional court rules some time today on the validity of
the elections.
2. In a major shift to the west, the daily exodus of
Togolese into Ghana has accelerated from 200 to about 2,000
per day. Most of these are women or children, fleeing on
foot at the Aflao border station adjacent to Lome. Although
7,438 have registered, UNHCR Representative Thomas Albrecht
put the current total number at 6,000 to account for the
double registration of refugees who have engaged in multiple
border crossings. Albrecht pointed out that many refugees
are still working day jobs in Lome but are spending the
evenings in Ghana's Volta Region, where they feel safer.
Fortunately, the mass exodus had not yet taxed the
humanitarian infrastructure; except for 100 refugees
sheltered at a school in Aflao, the large majority were
staying with family and friends and had not requested any
UNHCR assistance.
YATES
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH BN TO PREF
SUBJECT: NUMBER OF TOGOLESE REFUGEES SWELLS TO 16,000
REF: A. A) COTONOU 409
B. B) ACCRA 800
1. Refugees continue to surge across Togo's borders with
Benin and Ghana. According to UNHCR, the number in Benin
reached 9,874 as of 10 p.m. on May 2, an increase of 799 in
one day. Observers are bracing for another wave after Togo's
constitutional court rules some time today on the validity of
the elections.
2. In a major shift to the west, the daily exodus of
Togolese into Ghana has accelerated from 200 to about 2,000
per day. Most of these are women or children, fleeing on
foot at the Aflao border station adjacent to Lome. Although
7,438 have registered, UNHCR Representative Thomas Albrecht
put the current total number at 6,000 to account for the
double registration of refugees who have engaged in multiple
border crossings. Albrecht pointed out that many refugees
are still working day jobs in Lome but are spending the
evenings in Ghana's Volta Region, where they feel safer.
Fortunately, the mass exodus had not yet taxed the
humanitarian infrastructure; except for 100 refugees
sheltered at a school in Aflao, the large majority were
staying with family and friends and had not requested any
UNHCR assistance.
YATES
NNNN