Some refugees living at Buduburam near Cape Coast are demanding immediate repatriation to their home countries after clashes with the police.
This follows a week-end of local election-related-violence in which one person lost her life. The refugees accuse the police of shooting indiscriminately in a bid to stop the swearing-in of new refugee leaders.
Some of the refugees who spoke to Joy News were visibly angry at the police for what they said was the murder of their colleague. 15 refugees were arrested by the police for their roles in the violence and are due for prosecution.
Victoria Munat, one of the leaders of the refugee population at Buduburam said they are tired of the “unfair treatment” meted out to them by the Ghana government and the UNHCR. She accused the Refugee Board – representing the Ghana government, and the UNHCR of imposing leaders on the refugee population even though they have a right to choose their own leaders.
According to her, the UNHCR connived with the Board to sit on rice and other food items brought for them by donor countries. They have resolved to leave the country, but are also demanding the release of the 15 refugees who have been arrested.
The refugees mainly from Liberia and Sierra Leone have been living in Ghana for well over ten years after years of civil war ravaged their home countries. Tetteh Padi, Coordinator of the Refugee Board said allegations of interference are not true.
He explained that the Board had yielded to assertions that the Welfare Council at the camp was not representative enough and had put together an all stakeholders committee to constitute another Welfare Council.
According to him, a group wanted to impose themselves on the refugees, adding, the arrested persons would be made to face the full rigours of the law. He said they were awaiting security advise before proceeding to organize another election for the refugees.
Ewurabena Hutchful, UNHCR representative in Ghana also dismissed the refugees’ allegations. She said there had been an agreement for an election to be held in February 2011, but a group organized “its own unregulated elections and inaugurated themselves.”
On the demand for repatriation, Hutchful said the refugees were free to make such a demand, more so now that their home countries have been declared safe.