SOME 200 LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANA WERE FLOWN HOME FRIDAY BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR), THE GHANA NEWS AGENCY (GNA) REPORTED. THE EXERCISE WAS CARRIED OUT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA, THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM). IT IS THE FIRST CHARTER FLIGHT TO LIBERIA SINCE UNHCR'S POLICY SHIFT TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO LIBERIA. GNA SAID THE REFUGEES, INCLUDING WOMEN, CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSONS WERE RETURNING TO VARIOUS COUNTIES IN LIBERIA AFTER HAVING SOUGHT REFUGE IN GHANA FOR PERIODS RANGING FROM FOUR TO SIXTEEN YEARS. UNHCR IN ACCRA SAID THE DECISION TO INITIATE ACTIVE PROMOTION OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS TAKEN IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER ANTONIO GUTERRES AFTER A CAREFUL REVIEW OF CONDITIONS IN LIBERIA. THIS DECISION WAS PROMPTED BY THE POSITIVE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN LIBERIA SINCE THE DEPARTURE OF CHARLES TAYLOR IN AUGUST 2003. UNTIL MID-FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, UNHCR WAS FACILITATING VOLUNTARY RETURN, BUT WAS NOT ADVOCATING IT, IT SAID. --More
