In early March of this year (2011), Ivorian Refugees were settled on a piece of real estate property that used to be Cuttington College Campus and later on became Bishop Ferguson High School Campus. This beautiful landmark sits right top a hill to overlooks the entire City and its vicinty. It lays back in the woods in the belly of the northern part of Harper City.
It is a good thing to help people fleeing persecution and/or war from other countries. In fact, as far as refugees question is concerned, The United Nations makes it a duty and responsibility for every member of its Body, that signed on to its conventions, to help and assist others humans who fall in this particular category.
And so there’s no question for any country to host refugees.
What makes it more compelling is that those refugees that we will be dealing with in this post are our African brothers and sisters. So it becomes more binding on Liberia to host Ivorian refugees.
But there is something we all agreed upon in this world. And that is for all of us to live by laws that govern our lives as a people and nation. Because, in the absence of laws and obedience to laws, friendship could turn into enemyship. And anarchy could prevail.
There’s where things at in Harper City, Maryland County (Liberia) in specific reference to the Ivorian refugees and our citizens living in that particular area.
The Ivorian refugges are settled on the Bishop Ferguson Campus. Who settled them there? I believe it is the Liberian government as host and its international partners. But several mistakes have been since their arrival. And those mistakes, in my personal opoinion, are made by those who are clearly responsible for the refugeesin that particular area.
1st, they did not inform the residents of the area that refugees were on their way or they had arrived impromptu. At least, they knowe fully well that refugees situation is always troubling and touchy. And so had they informed the residents of the area and prepared their minds to be ready to understand their responsibilities under the Laws of Liberia and Liberia’s role under The Refugee Convention, I’m quite sure these Liberian citizens living in the area who are now victims of erefugees destruction, would have known what is expected of them.
2nd, those who are responsible for the refugees suddenly shut down the Jaloukudi Elementary and Nursery School. This is a school the people of that area used to educated their little ones. As a result of the sudden closure of the School, the kids are completely out of school. And there's no sign they will ever return to school very soon.
3rd, those who are responsible for the refugees sat and watch refugees destroy the farms and crops of the villagers in the area who have habitated the area more than a century now and did nothing. To date, ten (10) sugar farms producing revenue of $1500 United States dollar annually for the peole are no more in existence. Out of the ten farms that have been destroyed, eight of them have been completely burned to the ground. And that's what we call "arson." Evidently, the villagers have no access to revenue generation to meet their full human conditions.
4th, the refugees continue to defecate in the drinking ponds of the villagers creating an environmental hazard and pollution.
Essentially, the villagers children will not go to school very soon. For they have no school building. Refugees are using their building as residence. In as much as this is a violation of the children's right to education, it is appaling that educated Liberians sit and watch these kids stay out of school against their will without any help. The villagers suffer a serious dillema. They are mothers and fathers of the kids that have been kicked out of school. And they are owners of the land and their farms they have worked hard and diligently to build, are all destroyed. And worse of all, the environmental catastrophe waiting to happen by refugees defecating in the villagers' drinking ponds, is scary. Consequently, the villagers have no safe drinking water and are vulnerbal to anything catastrophic.
To whom can they run? GOL or UN?
Upon hearing this sad development, Hon. Supt. J. Gblebo Brown of Maryland County and some UN humanitarian agencies visited the victims. GOL and UN expressed regrets and apologies. At the end of the meeting, the GOL and UN promised this destruction of their farms SHALL cease and surely discontinue, thereafter.
Unfortunately, when the GOL and UN left the meeting, the next day, destruction continued and has since then reached an alarming stage. Humanitarian catastrophe responsible for serious human suffering is waiting to explode in the area very soon.
In an effort to find a lasting solution to the problem and prevent human suffering, on May 16, 2011, a delegation from the Bishop Ferguson Belt including Clan chief Wade Harris, Speaker of the People’s Parliament, youths, and elders came to meet with me for me to help. They were all in tears and despair. I joined them to meet with the Acting superintendent along with LRRRC’s (the Liberian agency responsible for refugees in Liberia) officers in charge, Messrs. G. Wamle Elliott and Thomas Joken.
The meeting ended up in a rather sad manner. Messrs. Elliot and Joken of LRRRC expressed their unbelief that the villagers need compensation. Because, they (LRRRC) feel, any damage caused by refugees is an “international issue.”
That's it?
I forced to strongly disagree with them. Because this is a Liberian issue. Liberia plays host to the refugees. And Liberia has laws that the refugees must live by. More so, if such human catastrophe occurs, the Liberian government must have the moral fiber to help its citizens. Otherwise, instead of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, we will reduce our people into beggars.
Prior to leaving the meeting, we proposed to the Government to set up a Commission of Inquiry in the matter. By so doing, we will all know the truth and learn from our mistakes (if any were made) in order to impove our approach to alliaviating the plight of our people.
Until yesterday, the Clan Chief of the area said two young persons went in the area. They told the Chief they were there to "investigate." I don't know whether or not this is the Commission of Inquiry. One cannot know. Because both the GOL and UN are not communicating with the rest of us on the matter.
When we contacted Cllr. Weatonia Barnes, executive director of LRRRC, she was very furious. Because as far as she is concerned, during her vist on the campus, no one told her there was ever a school that has been shut down. And that no one should ever believe refugees are above the law. However, she reserve any decision without knowing the facts. She promised an immediate investigation in the matter. Upon conclusion of the investigation, she then will act.
Well, time waits for no man! The people in the area are undergoing serious emotional distress and psychological tiorure from the refugees. And so, if the Liberian government and its partners in progress do act appropriately and immediately in resolving the pending crisis wiating to explode in the Ferguson belt, sooner not later, we will have Ivorian refugees and Liberians Internally Displaced people in the area. And this will call for double expense to the Liberian goverment - something that can be avoided. Carelessness on the part of those in charge of refugees in the area should not create humanitarian catastrophe in Cape.
The decison is on the Liberian government. Whatever it does will determine what happens in the Ferguson Belt in Cape! The GOL needs to hurry!
I am Thomas G. Bedell speaking and working on the ground in Liberia.
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