Hi Everyone!
First things first - I know many of you have been worried about my safety over the course of the last month because of the situation on camp. But I assure each of you that I am safe. I am not even on camp anymore. I am safe and sound with Prosper and his family in Accra. And yes, I fly home at the end of April. Couldn't be soon enough, because this country is headed into chaos.
THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD IS STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE ATROCITIES OCCURING ON CAMP, BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH. I FEAR THAT IF THE GOOD PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD DON'T STEP UP SOON, BLOOD WILL FLOW ON CAMP AND MANY INNOCENT LIBERIANS WILL DIE.
The Refugee Women for Refugee Concerns are holding peaceful demonstrations every day to bring attention to the situation on camp. They stay on the field all day and sleep on the field at night. Many women have fallen ill due to extreme heat, no food, and no water. The NGO's on camp have all raised money for the women to purchase water and food. Many nights, the Government sends armed Police out to the camp and they surround the women on the field. They come to intimidate the Refugee Women in the hopes of shutting them up, however, the Liberians are desperately tired of the situation on camp. Many of the women personally told me that they are willing to give their lives for the truth to be known.
The Refugee Women are demonstrating against forced Integration by the Ghanaian Government. They simply want to return home, but the United Nations High Commission for Refugee's will not grant them the $1000 that is required for their transportation home. The UNHCR is currently only providing each refugee with $5 US to return home. Tell me, as a war refugee who has lived in asylum for 18 years and has nothing, how can you be asked to return home to Liberia with five dollars. You have no home in Liberia (rebels burnt it down in the civil war), you have no job, you have no food, and many of your family members are dead from the civil war, so you know nobody in the community. How are you suppose to start a life?? As one young Liberian refugee told me, "the five dollars given to you to return home is like a slow bullet to the head."
I have many more pictures - many including child victims of sacrificial murders being carried out by Ghanaians. However, BLOGGER will not even allow them to be published on my blog. Better anyway because I want you all to remember my blog as one filled with pictures of beautiful, smiling children!!
I am currently creating a Human Rights Abuse Package to send to various African governments, the UN in New York, my own Canadian Government, Geneva, Italy, France and the various NGO's and Human Rights groups that have stepped up in the Congo and Darfur. I am sending a package to Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and George Clooney (all the Hollywood actors that have been vital in addressing Darfur) You know, the world sat back and watched innocent men, women and children be hacked to death in Rwanda, starved to death in Somalia, and now perish in Kenya. The good people in our world must step up and stop the violence. We are all dead wrong if we think this is simply Africa's problem. When our brothers and sisters suffer anywhere in this world, we all suffer! We must stand together and fight the tyranny and oppression so many innocent lives still face in our world.
Peace to All of You!
Love Heather
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