Ghana marks World Refugee Day

Accra, June 20, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Wednesday noted that the root cause of conflicts in the world is largely the abuse of human rights and lack of transparency by people in authority.

"Such state of affairs invariably leads to internal strife thereby forcing people to flee their homes in search of safe havens," he said, at a ceremony to commemorate World Refugee Day in Accra. The ceremony was organised by the United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ghana Refugee Board on the theme: "Humanising Refugees."

Vice President Mahama said the phenomena created refugees who were ordinary people forced to flee their homes. "The unfortunate side of this is the fact that the majority of refugees and victims of forced displacement are women and children who are innocent and are not any way responsible for the conflicts they are fleeing from."

Vice President Mahama decried the use of small arms and light weapons that had fuelled ethnic and regional conflicts, worldwide and claimed over 500,000 lives and wounded millions of people. He said Ghana was mindful of the devastation and human suffering that conflicts could bring and has resolved to leave no stone unturned to ensure the state of peace and stability required for the development of the country.

He gave the assurance that, "Ghana as a committed and dedicated member of the international community will continue to honour all obligations under the various refugee conventions," he assured.

Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Deputy Minister of the Interior, said in 2004 government signed a tripartite agreement with Liberia and the UNHCR for the voluntary repatriation of Liberian refugees in Ghana and asked them to return home to help rebuild their country. "Between 2004 and 2006 a total of 4,686 Liberians opted to return. This year out of projected figure of 19,000 only about 700 have taken advantage of the exercise.

"I wish to, however state that, the exercise is voluntary and no one will be coerced to return against their will. The Government will however, in accordance with its obligations under the international refugee law determine if those who fail to avail themselves of the protection of their governments have valid and genuine reasons for doing so," Mr Manu said.

Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, who was in political exile in Britain for 13 years,

said the phenomenon curtailed his ambition as a young Minister of Finance to advanced his career as an Economist. He however, expressed joy that he was now in a better position to serve Ghana and asked refugees in Ghana not be daunted by their problems. Mr Mensah stressed: "There is life after refugee status. There is no need for despair." Mr Emmanuel Bentil Owusu, Chairman of Ghana Refugee Board said refugees should be given respect since they did not volunteer to be

in the position they found themselves.

Dr Zelalem Birhanu, an Ethiopian refugee who came to Ghana in 1991 and managed to make it as a medical doctor and Mr Stephen Iso Paeley a former refugee with Sierra Leonean and Liberia parentage lauded Ghana for given them a save haven and called for continues support for people seeking refuge in the West African State to be able to make it in life.

There were goodwill messages from the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon and the High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Antonio Guterres which pointed out that, among other things, the world body had extended assistance to 23 countries with nearly 20 million internally displaced people. World Refugee Day is an occasion to call global attention to the millions of refugees and other displaced persons to their urgent needs such as water, shelter and protection.