By Paul G.Rancy, LINA Southeastern Region Correspondent
ZWEDRU,June 21 (LINA) – The UNHCR Field officer in Grand Gedeh County, Mrs. FartunataNgonyani, says the level of support provided refugees and the LiberiaRefugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) by the people andgovernment of Liberia is worth commendation.
Deliveringthe keynote address on behalf of the UNHCR High Commissioner during thecommemoration of World Refugee Day in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County on Wednesday, shesaid the celebration reminds Liberians of the plight of refugees around theworld.
Accordingto Mrs. Ngonyani, there are about three million refugees around the world andthat according to statistics, most of them are from Africa, a situation shedescribed as « pathetic. »
Shereiterated the UNHCR’s continued support to addressing the plight of refugeesin Liberia.
TheLRRRC, UNHCR and partners on Wednesday, June 20, commemorated World Refugee Dayin Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
Theprogram which was held at the PTP Refugee Camp outside Zwedru, brought togetherover 5,000 refugees, community members and representatives of the countyadministration.
Therefugees, who were in jubilant mood during the celebration, sang songs of joyand expressed happiness during the occasion.
Inremarks, Grand Gedeh County Coordinator for LRRRC, Mr. Momolu N. Freeman,expressed thanks and appreciation on behalf of the government of Liberia to allpartners for their support to the refugee programs in Liberia.
Mr. Freemandisclosed that there are currently over five thousand Ivorian refugees inLiberia, including women and children.
Hedisclosed that some refugees desire to voluntarily return to their homecountry, while others want to take advantage of the local integration programwhich will begin shortly.
Momoluurged refugees that benefited from training and other educational programs toengage in sustainable ventures as they move towards the local integrationprogram.
Also in remarks,the Central Chairman of the PTP Refugee Camp, Mr. Gbay Hanri, an Ivorianrefugee, thanked the government and people of Liberia, UNHCR and all partnersfor the goodwill and support accorded the refugees over the years in the areasof healthcare, education, vocational training and general welfare.
He disclosedthat there are no new cases of influx of refugees.
Also inremarks, the Commander of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in the camp saidthere is improvement in the overall security situation of the refugeecommunity.
He saidthere are no new cases of imprisonment and arrests and detentions of refugees,noting that there is a good working relationship between the police, hostcommunity and refugees.
The PTPRefugee Camp is one of the largest in Liberia currently hosting over fivethousand refugees from Ivory Coast.
It islocated about four kilometres south of Zwedru City, the capital of Grand GedehCounty.
The campwas founded in 2011 by the LRRRC and sponsored by UNHCR in collaborationwith several other partners.
LINA PGR/TSS/PTK
