UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001688

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PHUM TO BN GH
SUBJECT: SOME TOGOLESE REFUGEES REPATRIATING



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A recent UNHCR registration revealed that
the overall count of Togolese refugees who fled into Ghana's
Volta Region in 2005 has decreased from 11,900 to 6,578.
Refugees remain queasy about repatriating, despite evidence
that several thousand have quietly done so already without
incident. Although UNHCR headquarters in Geneva is not yet
prepared to authorize assisted or promoted repatriation, the
number of spontaneous repatriations is a hopeful sign that
the security situation in Togo is improving. End Summary.


2. (U) Ref Coord Assistant traveled to the Volta Region on
June 22 for a joint meeting with UNHCR Head of Field Office
Anicet Ndayisaba, Rona Rathod (Political and Economic Chief
from the Embassy in Lome), and Embassy Lome Political
Assistant Jean-Pierre Dessou to discuss the Togolese
refugees living in Ghana's Volta Region. Also attending the
meeting were Needa Jehu-Hoyah, UNHCR Public Information
Officer, and M. Ajith Sunghay, UNHCR Associate Protection
Officer. This message was prepared in conjunction with and
cleared by Embassy Lome.

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UNHCR Verification Exercise
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3. (SBU) According to the UNHCR Field Office, their
verification exercise, which concluded on May 11, accounted
for 6,578 Togolese refugees (of the original 11,900 who fled
into Ghana last year). They remain scattered throughout the
Volta region in 114 locations. The lower-than-expected
number was largely due to a sizeable number of spontaneous
returns that took place without UNHCR assistance.


4. (U) UNHCR has started distributing agricultural tools and
seeds as well as sewing machines for income-generating
purposes in the neediest rural areas and plans to extend
this program to other areas, such as Ho. While all
registered refugees still receive a monthly food ration,
eventually the food distribution will be reserved for the
most vulnerable.

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Possible Resettlement Cases
--------------


5. (SBU) UNHCR at this point has not identified any Volta
Region cases for resettlement, neither from the old caseload
dating from the early 1990's nor from the new. Needa Jeu-
Hoyah, UNHCR's Public Information Officer, ageed that a
small numbe of refugees would not beable to r

eturn to Togo
because of their involvemet in opposition politics;
although resettlement was a possible durable solution, she
didn't believe in uprooting refugees from their familiar
environment.

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Meeting with Refugees in Ho and Likpe
--------------


6. (SBU) The group proceeded to meet with refugees in the
regional capital of Ho and in Likpe, a small village within
walking distance of the Togolese border. Unfortunately,
fear of discovery by the GOT kept some refugees from
attending the meeting in Ho. Asked about their possible
repatriation, the refugees were quite clear that they did
not yet consider it safe to do so. Refugees were not
specific about any real or perceived dangers in Togo, and
said they had not had further contact with those who had
returned. However, refugees in Ho were very concerned about
the so-called "men on motos," a small group of unidentified
motorcyclists riding without license plates who had appeared
in the area three times in the past seven months, inquiring
about certain refugees and thus contributing to the general
feeling of insecurity.


7. (U) Other issues the refugees mentioned were a lack of
nutritious food (especially for children), housing and
income-generating work. Ghanaians reported informally that
the Togolese were welcome to stay as long as necessary, but
refugees have encountered difficulties finding work and
selling their produce in the local markets.

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The View from Lome
--------------


8. (U) Prior to this visit, Embassy Lome had heard that
refugees were starting to repatriate, especially from Ghana.
Togolese human rights groups confirmed this trend, but said
the refugees had chosen to maintain a low profile and had
not registered with the GOT Refugee Return Office (HCRAH)
because of lingering suspicion over GOT motives. By all

ACCRA 00001688 002 OF 002


accounts, the returnees are living unmolested in their
homes. HCRAH seems to have gotten word of the spontaneous
returns and is ramping up its campaign to encourage more
Togolese to come home, as evidenced by several large
advertisements that have appeared recently in the government-
run daily Togo Presse.


9. (SBU) Three weeks ago, UNHCR Representative Rafik Saidi,
based in Cotonou, met with Ambassador Dunn in Lome. Later
that week, Saidi returned with Ghana's UNHCR Representative
Aida Mariam Haile to discuss whether the time was right for
UNHCR to promote full-scale returns. The Cotonou UNHCR
office, which observed a repatriation trend similar to that
in Ghana, intended to facilitate the return of 350 Togolese
from Benin during the coming weeks. When asked whether it
had heard of any reports of government mistreatment of
returnees, Embassy Lome explained that through its close
contacts with some of the major opposition parties, it had
remained apprised of the repatriated refugees' situation and
was not aware of any cases of persecution or prosecution.
Lome recommended that Saidi contact Jean-Pierre Fabre,
Secretary General of the UFC (United Forces of Change),

SIPDIS
Togo's principal opposition party, for a fuller picture of
the returnees' situation. Despite spontaneous returns from
both sides of Togo, Saidi believed that Geneva would be
hesitant to promote repatriation because of a lack of
information.

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Comment
--------------


10. (SBU) Comment: In Embassy Lome's view, the primary
obstacle to repatriation appears to be a fear of personal
score-settling. This fear of personal vendettas,
particularly among those who participated in acts of
violence or vandalism against neighbors before fleeing Togo,
is exacerbated by the concern that the GOT would be unable
or disinclined to control any acts of retribution that may
occur. Accra's Ref Coord Assistant believes that an even
greater obstacle to repatriation is the fear of being
targeted because of previous association with opposition
politics.


11. (SBU) Comment continued: The fact that so many
refugees are repatriating without UNHCR assistance offers
further evidence of an improvement in the security situation
in Togo. Neither Embassy Lome nor Accra, despite their
ongoing contacts with refugees, independent journalists,
Togolese opposition parties, and interlocutors in rural
Togo, has been able to cite any recent negative reactions to
the returnees -- a hopeful sign. UNHCR has done an
exemplary job managing this difficult caseload. End
Comment.

BRIDGEWATER