The sound of bulldozers and the sight of rubble greeted Wendell Elijah Mallobe as he returned to his home in Buduburam, Ghana. He was one of 15,000 Liberian refugees who had lived in the camp for more than 30 years, after fleeing the civil war in their country.
But last week, the camp was demolished by the traditional authorities who own the land, leaving thousands of people homeless and destitute.
“I don’t know anybody in Liberia. Nobody. They burnt the village I was living in,” said Mallobe, who arrived in the camp in 1990. “My bed, television, clothes – everything I have worked for is gone.”
A forgotten crisis
The Buduburam camp, also known as the Liberia Camp, was established in 1989 by the Ghanaian government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to host Liberian refugees fleeing the brutal conflict that killed more than 200,000 people and displaced millions.
At its peak, the camp hosted about 40,000 refugees, who built houses, schools, churches, and businesses on the site. Many of the camp’s residents were born there and had never set foot in Liberia.
In 2006, the UNHCR declared that Liberia was safe for return and offered voluntary repatriation and resettlement programs for the refugees. However, many of them chose to stay in Ghana, citing lack of opportunities, security, and connections in their homeland.
The camp lost its official refugee status in 2012, and the UNHCR handed over the management of the site to the Ghanaian authorities. Since then, the camp has faced several eviction threats from the landowners, who claimed that the refugees had overstayed their welcome and violated the terms of the lease.
The latest demolition exercise, which began on February 22, 2024, was carried out by the Gomoa Fetteh Stool, the traditional chieftaincy that owns the land. A spokesman for the stool said that the operation would continue until the entire site is cleared.
No place to go
The Ghana Refugee Board, a government body that oversees refugee affairs, said that it had tried to delay the demolition and negotiate with the landowners, but to no avail. The board also said that it was working with the UNHCR and other partners to provide humanitarian assistance and re-registration for the affected refugees.
However, many of the refugees said that they had not received any notice or support from the authorities before or after the demolition. They also said that they had nowhere else to go, as they had no legal status, documents, or livelihoods in Ghana.
Some of the refugees sought shelter in a nearby school, where they shared mattresses and blankets with other families. Others slept in the open, under trees or makeshift tents. They also faced challenges in accessing food, water, sanitation, health care, and education.
Patrelizas Prowd, who had lived in the camp since 2003, said that she was worried about the health and safety of her one-month-old niece, who slept with her on a mattress in the school.
“The cold, the mosquitoes, and the surroundings make her uncomfortable,” Prowd said. “In the afternoon, the place becomes too hot and she cries.”
Prince Kamua, a 20-year-old aspiring author, said that he had lost his books, clothes, and school materials in the demolition. He said that he had not been able to return to school since the incident, and that he feared for his future.
A call for compassion
The demolition of the Liberia Camp has drawn condemnation from human rights groups, civil society organizations, and the Liberian community in Ghana. They have called on the Ghanaian government and the international community to intervene and protect the rights and dignity of the refugees.
They have also urged the Ghanaian public to show compassion and solidarity with the refugees, who have contributed to the social and economic development of the country.
“These are our brothers and sisters who have been living with us for decades. They are not strangers. They are part of us,” said Emmanuel Wettee, the chairman of the Liberian Refugee Welfare Council, a group that represents the refugees.
He also appealed to the Liberian government to facilitate the voluntary repatriation or resettlement of the refugees who wish to return home or relocate to a third country.
He said that some of the refugees still had hope that they could find a new home, either in Ghana, Liberia, or elsewhere.
“We are not giving up. We are still hopeful that one day, we will have a place to call our own,” he said.
Source: ReutersÂ
