Report from the Center of Youth Empowerment
"Conditions at Buduburam"
NOTE: WHILE THIS REPORT WAS MADE FOUR YEARS AGO THE
BASIC FACTS HAVE NOT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS
Camp Condition
The Buduburam Refugee Camp was established in 1990 by the Ghanian Government and the UNHCR when the war erupted in Liberia. The camp as of this date hosts over forty-five
thousand refugees according to UNHCR registration conducted. The camp is forty five minutes drive away from Accra, Ghana`s capital city. Refugees are faced with severe hardships including lack of toilet facilities, pipe borne water, sheltering, sanitation, food etc. etc.
Toilet Facilities
To serve nature is a very serious problem. The very few toilet facilities available on camp are being commercialized. They are not even sufficient to serve the ever increasing refugee populace. The use of these facilities are in categories: ordinary, special, VIP, and the flush type. The amounts of 200, 300, 500, and 1000 (all are in cedis) are paid respectively to respond to the call of nature using either of the categories. Those who cannot afford to pay the amount mentioned above are compelled to walk ten or fifteen minutes in the bushes rain or shine. Cases of snake bites have been reported and even on the increase.
Water
The lack of pipe borne water on camp results in trucks transporting water for sale. A bucket of water
(8 liters) is sold for 700 cedis while pure drinking water (400 ml) is obtained at the price 300 cedis. Those who cannot afford to buy a bucket of water go without bathing for days. sometimes water become scarce and the price obviously double.
Sanitation
The sanitation condition is very bad and yet to be addressed by relevant agencies. Drainages are clogged,
garbage not properly disposed off causing mosquitoes and flies all over. This condition poses a serious health hazard to the refugee community.
Sheltering
It is unfortunate and strange to note that refugees at the Buduburam Refugee Camp provide shelter for themselves. Refugee at present are leasing a parcel of land from their Ghanian Landlord at a very high price. To lease a parcel for single room cost the amount of 250,000 cedis, say you are building a two bed room tent with a kitchen and sitting place, 1,000,000 cedis is paid excluding the real cost of building. If the lease agreement expires, one is made to either turn the house over to the Landlord or paid an exorbitant rental fees on a monthly basis. one has to be mindful in leasing a parcel of land because of dispute between the two chiefs in and around the camp. The two opposing chiefs make claims and counter claims to control lands in and around the camp.
The month of February, 2004 recorded a fight between the two chiefs. The refugees ran amok to escape the advancing supporters of the chiefs who were armed with machetes and single barrel guns. this situation poses a serious threat to refugees.
Feeding
There is no relief assistance program for the refugees. One wonders how are they surviving? A bulk of the refugee populace largely survives at the altruistic whim of their relations and friends abroad. There are times when such assistance stalls for months. In this instance, the camp becomes a jungle where only the fittest survives. Prostitution and criminal activities become the last hope for others.
UNHCR presence on camp
Considering the numerous hardships mentioned, the struggling inhabitants of the camp are compelled to question the presence of the arm of UN responsible for refugees, UNHCR.
following the election of 1997, the UNHCR withdrew from the camp with the thought that real peace has returned and Liberians would have been repatriated. In 2003, the UNHCR resurfaced on camp by hosting its flag for the first time since the camp was established in 1990. most regrettably, Liberian refugees had been appealing to UNHCR to be given refugee status and were always between the offices of the Ghanian Refugee Board and the UNHCR. The Ghanian Refugee Board always told the refugees that the UNHCR must play their part while UNHCR on the other hand said the ball was in the court of the Ghanian Government, so no one knew what was happening?
Not until the end of 2003, both the UNHCR and the Government conducted a joint registration. This exercise raise the hope of many of getting the long awaited refugee status. Sadly enough, after the exercise, UNHCR provided an identity card to all refugees stating frankly that the card is in no way a refugee status or entitled the refugees to any benefits from the UNHCR. What a discouraging thing!
So the presence of UNHCR has not been felt by most refugees, they are not addressing the most cardinal issues affecting the refugees. In the face of tough economic conditions prevalent in Ghana today and felt by the working class of this country, UNHCR authorities on camp has failed to address the life saving issues of water, feeding, shelter, sanitation, thus leaving the solutions to these problems to the poor, struggling, and jobless refugees.
Therefore we will highly appreciate any intervention that will bring positive relief to the suffering refugee populace.
Slabe Sennay, President, Liberian Refugee Youths for Sustainable
Development.
April 2004
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