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Liberians Go naked•Over $1000 |
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Armed Police personnel numbering over 80 yesterday stormed the Budumburam Refugee Camp and carted away over 500 women refugees to Kordiabe in the Eastern Region. |
Hordes of policemen stormed the refugee camp at dawn when most of the striking women, who were demanding that they be paid $1,000 each and repatriated to the United States, were fast asleep on mats outside.
Immediately the Police begun the operation, some women refugees were said to have stripped naked to resist arrest, while others collapsed in a heap on the ground.
The swoop was over the role of the female refugees in the recent hunger strike and the accompanying riotous demonstration to back their demand for a review of the repatriation package which they claim was promised them by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
The policemen shepherded the refugees into the long queue of waiting buses, as their male counterparts who had been woken up from their bedrooms by the commotion outside joined in solidarity and chanted in chorus: “We want to go! We want to go!!”
The full-fledged operation witnessed in action, both uniformed and plain-clothes cops wielding AK47 rifles, and also had in tow seven water canon trucks.
The Commander of the platoons did not oblige a request for an interview when contacted by DAILY GUIDE.
Even after driving away the busloads of refugees, some Police personnel were still on guard at the refugee camp and they said that the vehicles would return to cart away more inmates if need be.
Hordes of other refugees had turned out on the football pitch, but without banners, in what appeared to be a sit-down protest over the non-acceptance of their allowance review demand.
A week ago, the Interior Minister, Hon Kwamena Bartels warned the demonstrating refugees to stop their action because it was illegal and a contravention of the Public Order Act, Act 491.
The refugees did not budge and continued with their action, which was why it appeared the police moved in to effect the arrests.
The refugees were asking for $1,000 each to enable them resettle in Liberia, with others putting forth a special request to be assisted to settle in other countries like the United States of America, since they were apprehensive of returning to Liberia, their former strife-stricken country. |
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