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Liberia: Voluntary Repatriation Gains Momentum
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
23 May 2008
Posted to the web 23 May 2008
Monrovia
The voluntary repatriation of Liberian refugees from the region is gaining momentum with 567 persons assisted to return between 7-18 May bringing to 833 the number of those repatriated since the Agency resumed large-scale organized repatriation of Liberian refugees on 13 April.
According to a UNHCR release, over the last 11-day period, 371 Liberians returned from Ghana, 41 from Nigeria and 155 from Guinea. An extra 61 return movement has been reported from Sierra Leone while some 200 refugees spontaneously returned by road through the Liberia/Cote d'Ivoire border in Grand Gedeh County.
UNHCR and the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) have solicited the support of border guards to facilitate these returns.
Usher's main Government counterpart, LRRRC, is managing a 250-person capacity transit center on the Monrovia-Robertsfield Highway. The center is established for the processing of refugees returning home through the Roberts International Airport, most of whom come from Ghana and Nigeria.
At the transit center returnees receive hot meals, and overnight accommodation is provided for those returning to counties outside Monrovia.
"UNHCR remains confident that despite operational challenges, the process of assisting Liberians to come home will remain on course. We continue to engage with all actors, particularly the Government, to ensure that the assisted return is carried out in safety and dignity," said Renata Dubini UNHCR Representative in Liberia.
In an attempt to speed up the ongoing return movement from Ghana, UNHCR Liberia has redeployed one of its staff members from Monrovia to Ghana to assist with the comprehensive data processing of Liberian refugees at the Buduburam Refugee Camp and other settlements in Ghana.
The return process is in-line with the outcome of the Tripartite Meeting held 16 April 2008 among the Governments of Liberia, Ghana and UNHCR on the repatriation of Liberian refugees from Ghana.
UNMIL is providing a great deal of support by facilitating up to 200 seats per week to refugees who wish to return by air. In addition, the possibility of establishing dedicated flights sponsored by UNHCR is currently under consideration as well as the organization of land movements.
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The next Tripartite Meeting is scheduled to take place in Accra in the week of 26 July.
Im happy to know there is help now for many of the Refugees in Accra Ghana Buduburam Refugee Camp. I was there in October of 07 and have many children there that I have helped and continue to today. I knwo many donot want to return due to the fact that there is nothing for them to return too. What my concern is...when these people do return (that have nothing and or nobody) what happens to them..is there going to be any kind of help to get these people back on track and start their lives again? example...housing ,jobs,school,clothing ... [Read Full Text]
LIBERIA IS FOR LIBERIANS I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LEFT YEARS AGO, BUT DO NOT FORGET TO KNOW THAT IF THEY ARE IN THERIR OWN COUNTRY WITH FAMILIES OR NOT THEY CAN START FROM SOMEWHERE EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS,LIBERIANS ARE KIND PEOPLE AND THEY WILL FIND SOMEONEWHO WILL BE WILLING TO HELP RATHER THAN LIVING AT THE MERCY OF OF STRANGERS,I KNOW WHAT IT IS TAKE THE FIRST STEP TRUST GOD HE WILL HELP U TAKE THE REST.
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