Jamaican News

Ghana to take in 2 former Guantanamo Bay detainees, tried Rwandans and Syrian refugees

By Francis Kokutse

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ghana's foreign ministry

ACCRA, Ghana _ Two former Guantanamo detainees of Yemeni origin will be settling for two years in Ghana at the request of the United States, the foreign ministry for the West African nation said Wednesday.

The two “have been cleared of any involvement in any terrorist activities” but are unable to return to Yemen, the foreign ministry said in its statement, adding that they will be able to leave the country after the two years.

Two other people from Rwanda who were tried by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda will also be allowed to settle in Ghana. The foreign ministry said the two were part of a group of people who had been acquitted, or sentenced and served time, but didn’t want to be resettled in Rwanda.

The U.N.’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda closed its proceedings in December after nearly 20 years of pursuing and prosecuting “persons responsible for genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law,” during the 1994 Rwanda genocide which killed more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Ghana’s foreign ministry said that all those being allowed into the country will have their activities monitored.

“We are aware of the need to protect the security and safety of our own residents and are taking all the necessary steps to make sure that is done,” it said.

It said the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East means it will also provide refuge for some displaced Syrians with relatives in Ghana, but didn’t specify how many.

Ghana’s foreign ministry said it is taking these actions in recognition of its responsibility as a member of the international community.

 

www.mfa.gov.gh

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