Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ACCRA1523
2007-07-11 21:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Accra
Cable title:
LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANA FACE MAJOR CHANGES
how-toVZCZCXRO9914 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHAR #1523 1922105 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 112105Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4906 RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ACCRA 001523
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF GH LI TO
SUBJECT: LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANA FACE MAJOR CHANGES
REF: MONROVIA 748
UNCLAS ACCRA 001523
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF GH LI TO
SUBJECT: LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANA FACE MAJOR CHANGES
REF: MONROVIA 748
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The mood at Budumburam Refugee Camp, 25 miles
west of Accra, is somewhat tense, as the June 30 deadline for
repatriating to Liberia with UNHCR assistance has passed. A
last-minute surge resulted in over 1,000 refugees signing up to
repatriate, but change is coming even for those who elect to stay
put in Ghana. Various GOG officials have told refugees they plan to
close the camp and scatter the remaining 40,000 registered and
unregistered Liberians among various locations in Ghana, some as far
away as Kumasi, five hours to the northwest. UNHCR supports the
decision to close the camp but notes that the GOG will have to
manage the process carefully and communicate more clearly if it is
to gain the refugees' cooperation. End Summary.
A Visit to Budumburam
--------------
2. (U) Refugee Coordinator and RC Assistant visited Budumburam Camp
on June 26 as part of the RCA's orientation. Meeting with the camp
manager and refugee council president, we learned that UNHCR had
conducted another go-and-see visit to Liberia (reftel). According
to the council president, the impact of this visit was profound, as
Liberia's economic progress was much in evidence. He told RefCoord
that, while he had long resisted the idea of repatriation, he was
now very impressed with the changes taking place in Liberia.
3. (SBU) The camp manager and council president argued that
refugees needed more time to decide whether to repatriate. Ref
Coord noted that a tripartite agreement concerning repatriation had
been signed in October 2004 and that the June 30 deadline was firm,
with no possibility of an extension. When asked for numbers signing
up for the trip home, neither could provide figures, but they agreed
that interest in repatriation was at all all-time high. (Note:
UNHCR later confirmed that 1,050 refugees had signed up to
repatriate and that eight movements are scheduled during the month
of July. End note.)
4. (SBU) Ref Coord again mentioned the large number of jobs
available in Liberia, including NGO workers, policemen, soldiers,
and teachers. He told them some good-paying jobs with NGO and UN
organizations were being taken by foreigners because there were not
enough qualified Liberians to fill them. RefCord added that for
those who decided to stay in Ghana, it was likely that it would no
longer be life-as-usual.
5. (SBU) Many refugees in the camp told Ref Coord and RCA that they
could not return to Liberia because of the trauma they experienced
during the civil war. Others said they wanted vocational training
before repatriation. Ref Coord pointed out that there were many
vocational training program already set up in Liberia; newly
arriving refugees were welcome to take advantage of them.
The UNHCR Perspective
--------------
6. (SBU) UNHCR Representative Aida Haile Mariam told Ref Coord on
July 5 that the GOG had already spoken to refugees about the camp
closure and their impending dispersal. However, the GOG spokesman
reportedly used flowery language that was difficult for the
Liberians to comprehend. Haile agreed with us that the timing was
unfortunate. If the announcement of the camp closure had been made
earlier, more refugees might have signed up to repatriate, she
thought. Nonetheless, UNHCR supported the concept of dispersion in
principle, since it was preferable for refugees to integrate with
local communities rather than to concentrate in an artificial camp
setting. As long as the GOG managed the process properly, it could
prove successful, she thought.
Comment
--------------
7. (SBU) The eleventh-hour surge in repatriating Liberians is
welcome, but the local integration of the 40,000 remaining Liberian
refugees will doubtless take many months and we can expect some
bumps along the road. In the end, the good intentions of both the
GOG and UNHCR will probably secure the refugees' cooperation, who
are left with the choice of submitting to the decisions of the
Ghanaian authorities or returning to Liberia. Those who stay in
Ghana may have difficulty becoming self-sufficient, particularly if
they are not granted work/residence permits or are relocated to
rural regions with few economic opportunities.
BRIDGEWATER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF GH LI TO
SUBJECT: LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANA FACE MAJOR CHANGES
REF: MONROVIA 748
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The mood at Budumburam Refugee Camp, 25 miles
west of Accra, is somewhat tense, as the June 30 deadline for
repatriating to Liberia with UNHCR assistance has passed. A
last-minute surge resulted in over 1,000 refugees signing up to
repatriate, but change is coming even for those who elect to stay
put in Ghana. Various GOG officials have told refugees they plan to
close the camp and scatter the remaining 40,000 registered and
unregistered Liberians among various locations in Ghana, some as far
away as Kumasi, five hours to the northwest. UNHCR supports the
decision to close the camp but notes that the GOG will have to
manage the process carefully and communicate more clearly if it is
to gain the refugees' cooperation. End Summary.
A Visit to Budumburam
--------------
2. (U) Refugee Coordinator and RC Assistant visited Budumburam Camp
on June 26 as part of the RCA's orientation. Meeting with the camp
manager and refugee council president, we learned that UNHCR had
conducted another go-and-see visit to Liberia (reftel). According
to the council president, the impact of this visit was profound, as
Liberia's economic progress was much in evidence. He told RefCoord
that, while he had long resisted the idea of repatriation, he was
now very impressed with the changes taking place in Liberia.
3. (SBU) The camp manager and council president argued that
refugees needed more time to decide whether to repatriate. Ref
Coord noted that a tripartite agreement concerning repatriation had
been signed in October 2004 and that the June 30 deadline was firm,
with no possibility of an extension. When asked for numbers signing
up for the trip home, neither could provide figures, but they agreed
that interest in repatriation was at all all-time high. (Note:
UNHCR later confirmed that 1,050 refugees had signed up to
repatriate and that eight movements are scheduled during the month
of July. End note.)
4. (SBU) Ref Coord again mentioned the large number of jobs
available in Liberia, including NGO workers, policemen, soldiers,
and teachers. He told them some good-paying jobs with NGO and UN
organizations were being taken by foreigners because there were not
enough qualified Liberians to fill them. RefCord added that for
those who decided to stay in Ghana, it was likely that it would no
longer be life-as-usual.
5. (SBU) Many refugees in the camp told Ref Coord and RCA that they
could not return to Liberia because of the trauma they experienced
during the civil war. Others said they wanted vocational training
before repatriation. Ref Coord pointed out that there were many
vocational training program already set up in Liberia; newly
arriving refugees were welcome to take advantage of them.
The UNHCR Perspective
--------------
6. (SBU) UNHCR Representative Aida Haile Mariam told Ref Coord on
July 5 that the GOG had already spoken to refugees about the camp
closure and their impending dispersal. However, the GOG spokesman
reportedly used flowery language that was difficult for the
Liberians to comprehend. Haile agreed with us that the timing was
unfortunate. If the announcement of the camp closure had been made
earlier, more refugees might have signed up to repatriate, she
thought. Nonetheless, UNHCR supported the concept of dispersion in
principle, since it was preferable for refugees to integrate with
local communities rather than to concentrate in an artificial camp
setting. As long as the GOG managed the process properly, it could
prove successful, she thought.
Comment
--------------
7. (SBU) The eleventh-hour surge in repatriating Liberians is
welcome, but the local integration of the 40,000 remaining Liberian
refugees will doubtless take many months and we can expect some
bumps along the road. In the end, the good intentions of both the
GOG and UNHCR will probably secure the refugees' cooperation, who
are left with the choice of submitting to the decisions of the
Ghanaian authorities or returning to Liberia. Those who stay in
Ghana may have difficulty becoming self-sufficient, particularly if
they are not granted work/residence permits or are relocated to
rural regions with few economic opportunities.
BRIDGEWATER