Flüchtlinge wehren sich gegen Lager

Die These, es gäbe weltweit einen Prozeß durch den die Menschen in zwei grundverschiedenen Wohnumgebungen leben würden - bewachte Wohnanlagen ab der Mittelklasse aufwärts und Slums sowie Armenviertel für die Mehrheit derer darunter - läßt zumindest eine Lebensform, die sich massiv verbreitet, außer Acht: Die Lager. Für Flüchtlinge aller Art. Denn die gibt es keineswegs nur in Europa, sondern auch in all jenen Ländern - in der Regel: Nachbarländern - in denen im Gegensatz zur europäischen Propaganda der Großteil der Flüchtlinge landet. 40.000 Bürgerkriegsflüchtlinge aus Liberia, Sierra Leone und Sudan sind in Ghana gezwungen im Lager Buduburam zu leben - und werden dort, wie es Lagermenschen überall droht, unter anderem massiv von der Polizei schikaniert. Die "Petition to safeguard the rights of refugees in Ghana" wird von einem Komitee organisiert, das im März 2008 entstand, als die ghanaische Polizei in einem Raid etwa 600 Menschen festnahm, die wegen ihrer Behandlung protestierten.

PETITION

Buduburam Refugee Concerns International is a campaign led by a coalition of grassroots international NGOs and designed to safeguard and defend the rights of refugees in Ghana.

We would like to express our concern about the reports coming from the Buduburam Refugee Settlement.

Following a generally peaceful sit-in, where refugee women appealed to UNHCR mostly on the repatriation conditions, on Monday, March 17th, at about 4am local time, over 600 refugee women and children were rounded up and arrested by an armed Ghanaian police force.

While about 90 of the most vulnerable among these were released on March 21st, the rest remain in detention, their fate hanging in the balance - the government of Ghana is threatening to revoke their refugee status and deport them back to Liberia.

On Saturday, March 22nd, Ghanaian police force raided the Buduburam refugee settlement yet again, this time arresting Liberian men, in an apparently random manner. Some reports mention incidents of beating. Importantly, these incidents have spread a general sense of fear around the refugee community, adding to increasing uncertainty about the future.

A Liberian Immigration official reported that 16 refugees were flown out to Liberia in the early hours of Sunday, March 23rd - they arrived at the airport with no one to sponsor them. They were sent without warning, without their belongings, without support. They did not receive the $100 repatriation allowance that was promised by the UNHCR. 13 of the 16 forcibly repatriated individuals have since proven their official registration with the UNHCR as refugees in Ghana; thus, dispelling the government's explanation for their forced repatriation. While we understand the concerns of the Ghanaian government regarding respect for public order in the country, we are gravely concerned about the safeguarding of the rights and well-being of refugees in Ghana. Ghana has long been a leader of stability and democracy within West Africa.

We urge them not to jeopardize their reputation by acting rashly during this time of crisis - particularly after having been a reputable safe haven for people seeking refuge from war and persecution for so many years. The spirit of African solidarity and international cooperation enshrined in the African Union Convention of the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa must prevail in dealing with the current crisis.

Given the current situation, we plead for the following steps to be taken:

1.) That the Government of Ghana meets the humanitarian needs of the detained women and children, who have been in their custody since Monday, March 17th and release the detainees as soon as possible;

2.) That the Government of Ghana suspend all further action regarding revocation of refugee status and deportation until new negotiations between all concerned stake holders take place;

3.) That the UNHCR - both the local office and the international headquarters - take on a much more active role in safeguarding and defending the rights of all refugees in Ghana immediately;

4.) That the UNHCR institute a plan for disengagement of their services on the settlement and a transition to new status for Liberians and other refugees in Ghana and that sustainable solutions to the current protracted refugee crisis be developed and implemented jointly by all relevant stakeholders;

5.) That any further decisions regarding the status of refugees in Ghana be decided jointly between all involved parties - we urge authorities to allow the refugee community to have a voice in this decision making process. All options should be explored and clearly explained to the refugee community.

This crisis began with a peaceful sit-in protest held by the refugee women of Buduburam, later joined by their children and the elderly. Life on camp was disrupted by this, but violence never broke out, and the movement remained peaceful and orderly. The reasons for the sit-in protest stem from a complex reality of the refugee life. The Buduburam refugee settlement is home to approximately 40,000 refugees, mostly originating from war-torn countries and carrying profound trauma.

While the majority of refugees are Liberian, Buduburam is also home to refugees hailing from various African countries, including Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire and even Sudan. The livelihoods and well-being of this entire community are being jeopardized and threatened by the current crisis. The current response by the Ghanaian authorities does not address the underlying causes of the problems.

Media coverage of this situation is worryingly emotional and lacking analytical depth and journalistic objectivity. The complexity of the plight of refugees in Ghana is being misconstrued and misrepresented. We also urge the international community at large - including media organizations, human rights advocacy groups, public institutions and private citizens - to support the efforts of the Ghanaian government and the UNHCR in the resolution of the current crisis and demand transparency and accountability for the continued protection of the rights of refugees in Ghana.

Furthermore, we call for increased international attention through thorough and objective journalistic coverage, in order to keep all involved stakeholders honest and accountable for their actions.