Men support women's demonstration

By O’Burphy Richlue

The County Heads and Stakeholders in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement have met to discuss the peaceful demonstration of the Concern Liberian refugee women. The meeting was held March 2 at the Dominion Christian Academy in Buduburam.

Chaired by the Head of the County Heads, Erol Madison Gwion, the meeting was called as a result of a request made by the Settlement Manager Honorable Cal Afun, who asked the men to remove their women from the field to bring an end to the peaceful demonstration exercise. The manager also asked for the way forward to be determined by the men.

However, it was agreed upon by the men that the women’s points should first be taken to the appropriate authorities for redress before their women can be asked to leave the streets. They said this because they think their women are fighting for a a worthy cause.

As part of their response, they came up with position statements to the Ghana Refugee Board and the UNHCR Ghana and copies to be sent to UNHCR Geneva. The statement is to reinforce the positions of the women against integration into the Ghanaian society and repatriation with a $1,000 cash package or resettlement into a third country of asylum.

The document to be prepared by the stakeholders and signed by the Christian and Muslim Councils, as well as the fifteen County Heads of Buduburam, is to get the appropriate authorities involve promptly. The group of more than 100 men and a few women wants the Liberian Refugee Welfare Council Chairman (LRWC), Honorable Varney B. Sambola III, to affix his signature to the letter and his company and presence with the committee during the delivery.

A second position statement was suggested to be sent to the Settlement Manager regarding their lost of confidence in the authority of the Liberian Refugee Welfare Council. The body present at the meeting said the Council ill-represented them by presenting a secret statement to the UNHCR without their input and wrong statement to the media. And also their inability to withdraw the statements in the 72 hours that was given them by the stakeholders.

In addition to the suggestion, they are requesting the Settlement Management to give the stakeholders the mandate to set up an electoral college to elect the executives of the LRWC instead of his appointment. To them, Liberian refugees are capable of electing their own leaders. Appointment will cause the appointee to be more loyal to the person appointing them. And this should be done in 72 hours.

The meeting came to a close with parents consenting to stay away from everything that brings happiness and boycotting normal activities. This includes giving their women the approval to carry their children on the field to be part of the peaceful demonstration exercise. This means stopping their children from going to school to attend classes.

All businesses are also expected to be closed down in the Settlement until a redress can be given the women of Buduburam including the community market but from 12:00 midday. Anyone could guess what this will mean in Buduburam for as long as the women actions will not be given a redress in their best interest.

The Liberian Refugee Women for Refugee Concerns have been on their peaceful demonstration exercise for about 18 days on the open field at the entrance of the settlement. They have been enjoying the support of their children and husbands, brothers and fathers. Their enthusiasm has turned everything in the settlement outside down but they have not been addressed by the appropriate authorities.