If ever there existed any group of people who deliberately brought upon themselves ‘refugeeism’ - that remains an unimaginable figment of thought which invariably seem far from a dot of speculation or better still a semblance of truth.
Although the actions and inactions of man coupled with their attendant ramifications could amount to approximate indicators for possible outburst or looming tenterhooks, an iota of conjecture with proximity to the latter cannot be ignored.
So was the case of Liberia - that despite despotism, political patronage, cronyism, nepotism, single domination by an insignificant minority of the population, saw itself at each other’s throat in a ruthless, barbaric and uncivilized bid for power.
Then the unforeseeable happened resulting to families being torn apart, homes shattered, brothers and sisters pursuing a belligerent path, destruction worsened, diseases became prevalent, displacement abound and life in exile considered an option for and dozen others.
To put it mildly, what currently obtains as Buduburam Camp originally hosted a psychiatrically related facility, which was apparently deserted. But thanks for the kind courtesy of the Government of Ghana, which after the brief stay of the initial batch of Liberian refugees at the Tema Harbor in September 1990, relocated them to Buduburam - 30km outside of Accra.
The lack of inadequate infrastructure to house refuges at the time made the option as to the use of tents compelling. Like all others who experienced the tragic consequences of war, Liberian refugees of course had to form queues daily for meals, wash-down and visit the lavatory. Those days could be empathetically described as rough-ride moments - there were scrambles for almost everything.
However, the dynamics associated with man in an attempt to conform to, improve upon, maintain or surmount the challenges of any new environment began to take roots. The refugees temporarily adjusted and started to learn by the ropes - as it were the hard way. The role of religious and civic bodies cannot be over-emphasized given the huge level of humanitarian inflows to Liberian refugees.
As the combination of physical, social, psychological and physiological adjustment started to inundate the refugees; the need to expand their firmaments, infuse comfort and attract convenience took on their resilience.
With the advent of increase possibilities and opportunities to make their stay cozy to say the least, skills, especially of vocational relevance took the center stage in the construction of affordable mud-brick styled structures by refugees’ standards were built. These houses were poorly roofed with ‘roofing fell’ not meant to take the role of corrugated roofing sheets. Anyway, a staggering population was making do to blaze the trail. Worth noting, a systematic evolution of the refugees from tents to manageable dwelling - at least this time with corrugated iron sheets is almost predominant.
Folks on the other hand with a background in education and who once stood in the vanguard along the frontier of knowledge reckoned the need to begin what set off as tutorials on a voluntary basis and laboriously germinated into the present Buduburam Refugee Community School with a population of over 800 pupils. The UN Refugee Agency through its implementing partners, the Christian Council of Ghana has contributed significantly to bringing BUDUSEC to its current status.
Seizing the strategic initiative to prepare some refugees for constructive re-absorption into a new, stable and peaceful Liberia, the UNHCR has since 1992 provided educational assistance to a trickle of the refugees - which a number of critics regard as negligible amidst the task of reconstruction. Some of the beneficiaries are to date contributing to the emergence of a new Liberia, some journeyed across the Atlantic while the rest are yet to make a final determination but continue to exert their presence through meaningful contributions in a number of areas.
The survival question is one of serious concern for refugees in particular. While some tend to attach great deal of unease to ecumenical preoccupation in the name of faith in God, to the contrary, there are some who believe that the days of ‘manna intervention’ are no more and that one must take his/her destiny into his/her own hands.
A few are edging on to venture into a diversity of business initiatives. Although some might not be as economically prosperous and profitable as could have been the case in a normal environment - the tendency to be positively engaged is a worthwhile end product. On the whole, those who have and continue to make it per the micro-economics and its slow returns vis-à-vis the market forces operating in the refugee camp deserve a pat on the back.
About 15%, of the population at the camp is relying on either regular or intermittent remittances from relations, friends and the alike. Insignificant as beneficiaries of remittances are to non-beneficiaries, most refugees remain resolute in doing whatever profitable an undertaking that would reap for them credible capital. The majority relies on small-scale back yard gardens.
Entering the Buduburam camp as a first-time visitor; the euphoric gestures and seemingly jiggy fiesta of many a hyper-trigger youth tend to present an all-jolly-good-time bunch of folks. What’s the big deal about merriment and the craze of youthfulness? That’s no condonation or justification for a 360-day nice-time spree.
The track-record of some refugees could be nothing to write home about though but as in any society, the taint of so irrelevant a fingerful of chaps take precedence over the dignified majority.
Life may not be all that burgeoning if you like but a firm determination to rise to the occasion gracefully and assertively are cornerstones and crucial proponents that have helped immensely to motivate the human spirit of Liberians.
The attendant fortunes of refugeeism that culminated into family reunion and possibilities for political asylum-seekers to get resettled to America and parts of Europe, it is hoped would bring about substantial human resource and developmental returns to Liberia in years to come - given the foresight of beneficiaries, especially the youth who would be expected to assume the mantle of statesmanship. It is hoped they would attach meaning to the huge opportunities that would unfold.
For most Liberians, the signing of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement brings glamour of hope, prospect and challenge towards the birth of a new Liberia. Sustaining that goodwill on the part of parties to the Accord is a sacrifice worth pursuing in the supreme interest of lasting peace.
Notwithstanding, while there has been an element of impressive showing and yearning to embark on voluntary repatriation to Liberia, a significant proportion of refugees think the outcome of the October 11 General and Presidential Elections in Liberia could inform mass return after a little over a decade in exile.
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