Reference :
V-P-LR-E-00548
Date :
01/02/2012
Caption :
Grand Gedeh county, near the border with Côte d'Ivoire, refugee camp. Young people from Wainsue internment camp are reunited with their relatives.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website, Photo gallery, 24-04-2012
Liberia: from internment to release
On 13 March 2012, the Liberian authorities released 69 Côte d’Ivoire nationals from an internment camp in Liberia and the ICRC transported them to a refugee camp near the Ivorian border. After the post-electoral violence in Côte d'Ivoire, thousands of Ivorians took refuge in Liberia. Some of them were detained by the Liberian authorities under a special regime: internment. An ICRC delegate, an internee and the manager of the camp tell their stories.
Internment, or administrative detention, is an exceptional measure that allows national authorities to deprive people of their freedom who have not committed any crime, but are nevertheless seen as posing a threat to state security or public order.
"The network of Red Cross volunteers rapidly located the families of these young people and re-established contact between them and their families. When the Liberian authorities decided to release them, we were able to organize their transport and reunite them with members of their families who were living in Liberia as refugees."
"These moments are highly emotional. The whole community was singing, dancing or crying. Everyone was elated to see the children back with their families. After a while, you know them all and you share their joy and sadness. It’s really satisfying for us humanitarian workers when people are reunited with their families.
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
4256x2832
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
