Ghana: expulsion of refugees from Burkina Faso

More than 500 people, including women and children, have been expelled from Ghana, Burkina Faso authorities have said. Although international organizations are acting for the moment cautiously, they highlight in their communications to the Ghanaian government the need to respect the refugee status of people of Burkinabe who have entered the country.

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According to some Human Rights activists and representatives, the Burkinabe are being identified as economic immigrants, and therefore treated as a threat to the internal security of the country.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR voiced concern after reports about "deportations of hundreds of Burkinabe citizens, mainly women and children, who sought safety and protection in Ghana.” "UNHCR calls on the Government of Ghana to cease these expulsions, which amount to a violation of the non-refoulement principle, and guarantee access to the territory and asylum to nationals of Burkina Faso seeking international protection," the statement said.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has issued an urgent plea to the government of Ghana, urging it to immediately halt the expulsion of refugees from Burkina Faso. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the UNHCR has expressed its readiness to provide enhanced support to Ghana in addressing the pressing needs of these refugees.

The deportations seem to have started on July 11, and according to reports these deportations are affecting children, women, and the sick persons.

The government and media of Burkina Faso have also expressed concern about the immigration and the treatment they are receiving in Ghana. Several of the country's ministers traveled to South Dakola to visit the deported Burkinabe arriving at the country's southern border.

National Solidarity Minister Nandy Some Diallo said the Burkinabes had been repatriated since Tuesday into three different regions along the border.

“Our compatriots have been sent back by Ghana without any real official information,” she said on Thursday.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) also showed concerns in this regards: “Non-refoulement is a fundamental principle enshrined in international law, which prohibits returning an asylum seeker or refugee to countries where their life or freedom is threatened," said Seydi Ba, UNHCR regional spokesperson for West and Central Africa.

Burkina Faso has become one of the most insecure countries on the African continent. The situation worsened especially last year, when the country witnessed two coups d´etat. These coups arose from the population's discontent with the government's lack of effectiveness in confronting jihadist attacks linked to Al Qaeda. Army officers took advantage of this situation of popular discontent and took the power of the country. First under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo.

On 30 September a coup d'état took, removing Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba over his alleged inability to deal with the country's Islamist insurgency. He was overthrown by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who is the current president of the country.

The level of social and economic intractability generated by these two consecutive coups d'état, the terrorist group's attacks on the civilian population, and their confrontation with the country's army, has initially displaced many Burkinabe inside the country. They flee these areas looking for safer ones. In a second phase they migrate to neighboring countries such as Ghana.

The actions of international organizations contrast with the protests that many sectors of the Ghanaian population have expressed to the media and the government. They have called the massive arrival of Burkinabés to their towns an invasion. "We have registered more than 1,000 Burkinabe who have actually gone through the correct process, but we also know that many others are entering in an illegal ways" said the secretary of the Ghana Refugee Board told local media.

Burkina Faso, like several other countries in Africa's Sahel region, is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis.

An Islamist insurgency has forced over two million people in Burkina Faso to flee their homes, seeking safety and shelter from the relentless violence.

The magnitude of the crisis necessitates immediate attention and concerted efforts by neighboring countries to provide assistance and protection to those displaced by the conflict.

The security situation in this African country is not expected to improve in the short or medium term. The terrorists have become strong in the country. In addition to that, Burkina Faso marks the official end of French military operations on its territories. The current government does not have high levels of popular acceptance.