Liberia Returnee Network Pleads to Government and Humanitarian Organizations to Support the Return of Liberians Living in Refugee’s Camps

Monrovia – Emmanuel T. Marshall, the Executive Director for the Liberia Returnee Network is calling on the international community and the Liberian government and other philanthropic organizations to sponsor Liberians who are still living in refugee camps to come back home.

It is almost two decades since the civil war that caused many Liberians to flee into refugee camps ended. Although some Liberians have returned, there are still good numbers of Liberians who are yet to return because of fear of being neglected by society.

Over the weekend, Liberia Returnee Network and the Better Future Foundation in collaboration with the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation was able to host, a one-day dialogue to brainstorm the way forward in solving the issue when it comes to the return of Liberian refugees. Also, it was a reflection to mark the Unification Day Celebration.

At the event, a documentary was shown, depicting a difficult situation confronting Liberian refugees, especially in Ghana. In the documentary, Liberian refugees stressed that despite they have spent many years in Ghana and other countries, citizens of those countries are yet to recognize them as compatriots.

Also, they want to come back home but are worrying about being rejected or reintegrated into the Liberian society.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Liberia Returnee Network said Liberian refugees want to come back home but are worried about being accepted in their motherland after so many years of being in exile.

“It is a fear of having a place called home back home. This is the most difficult part that Liberians in exile and refugees are finding it more difficult to return because there is no place called home back home,” Mr. Marshall said.

According to him, many basic social services are not available for the smooth arrival of refugees.

“There are not many programs that they can access when they come back home that will make them be able to reunite with their family and other Liberians here in Liberia. And so, these are issues that are holding Liberians back in refugee camps and I feel that the international community and the government and other philanthropy organizations can look into these directions and see how best they can sponsor Liberians to come back home,” he said.

“The documentary we have shown here and the responses from the audience and panelists have stated to us that our advocacies will not go in vain and there is a way forward from here that Liberians can return home in peace, insanity, and dignity,” Mr. Marshall said.