FW: AI 1st update on UA 251/10 GHANA: Thousands facing forced eviction - please send letters of appeal

Fri Jan 28 00:25:27 GMT 2011

PUBLIC        Index:
AFR 28/001/2011

        26 January
2011

1st Update on UA 251/10

THOUSANDS FACING FORCED EVICTION IN GHANA

GHANA

Thousands of people living and working next
to railway lines in Accra, Ghana face imminent forced eviction to make
way for the redevelopment of the railway system. Known as the Railway Dwellers,
the men, women and children who live and trade in kiosks and small structures
built along the railway lines face homelessness and destitution if they
are forcibly evicted from their homes following a renewed eviction threat
on 21 January 2011.

On 21 January 2011, officials from the Accra
Metropolitan Authority (AMA) and Railway Development Authority visited
communities along Accra’s railway lines. They took measurements of the
distance between structures and the little-used railway lines and issued
fresh eviction notices to those people living within 160 metres of the
tracks. 

The eviction notices did not tell people
the date that they would be evicted. However, the Chief Executive of AMA
stated that the AMA would ensure that homes and businesses were demolished
in order for construction work to begin in February. On 25 January, buildings
were painted with the words “Remove by January 25 2011 by AMA”. The evictions
are part of nationwide plans to revamp Ghana’s railway network following
the signing of a US$6 billion contract with a Chinese company for the construction
and expansion of railway infrastructure and as part of Ghana’s “Better
Ghana Agenda” which aims to improve living standards for all Ghanaians.

Many of those at risk of eviction simply
have nowhere else to go and will be left homeless and destitute if the
eviction goes ahead. Some residents have lived along the railway lines
in Accra for over 17 years. The authorities have failed to put in place
legal protections and other safeguards to prevent forced eviction such
as consultation with the affected residents. They have not provided any
alternative housing to residents, and have no plans to do so after the
evictions. These are all required under Ghana’s international human rights
obligations.

The visit follows announcements on 1 December
2010, by a van with a megaphone, that residents of the same areas had two
weeks to vacate their homes and businesses or else they would be destroyed.
That eviction did not take place. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

On 1 December, vans with megaphones visited
informal settlements located next to railway lines in Agbogbloshie, Accra.
The van ordered people to dismantle their homes and businesses and vacate
the area within two weeks. The announcement warned that any structure not
removed within two weeks would be demolished. Some structures have previously
been marked for demolition with crosses and instructions to vacate by 11
November 2010. On 7 December, the Accra Metropolitan Authority stated on
their website that structures along the railway lines in Accra would be
demolished as part of nationwide plans to redevelop Ghana’s railway system.
These evictions did not take place. 

The Ministry of Transport and state-owned
Ghana Railway Corporation have previously given notice of demolition for
structures along the railway of 15 October 2009 and 11 November 2010, but
these demolitions were never carried out and residents are still living
there. 

Previous demolitions have been accompanied
by an excessive use of force by police and other security forces. In September,
two people were killed and 15 others seriously injured after police and
soldiers used live and rubber bullets and tear gas on a crowd of people
protesting against the demolition of their businesses at Canoe Beach in
Tema. Residents of the neighbouring Tema New Town were also injured in
the incident. 

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY
 in English or your own language:

* Calling on the Chairman of the Railway
Development Authority and the Chief Executive of Accra Metropolitan Authority
to immediately halt the planned demolition of structures along the railway
lines in Accra, 

* Urging them to adopt a moratorium on all
evictions until all necessary safeguards are put in place to ensure that
evictions are carried out in accordance with international and regional
human rights standards, including the development of a resettlement plan
to provide adequate alternative housing to residents.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS TO:  (Time difference
= GMT as UK / BST - 1 hrs)

Chief Executive of AMA

Hon. Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije

Accra Metropolitan Authority

P.O Box GP 385

Accra, Ghana

Fax:        +233
302 667299

Email:        accrametro at ama.gov.gh

Salutation:        Dear
Honourable Chief Executive

Chairman of the Railway Development Authority,
Daniel Markin

Ministry of Transport

Accra, Ghana

Fax:        +233
302 689 654

Email:
       graildeva at hotmail.com

Salutation:        Dear
Chairman

And copies to:

President John Atta Mills

Office of the President

The Castle, Osu

Accra, Ghana

Fax:        
+233 302 676935

Email:
        castle at idngh.com

Salutation:        
Your Excellency

PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEAL TO:

His Excellency Professor Kwaku Danso-Banfo,
Office of the High Commissioner for Ghana,
13 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PS. 

Fax:        
020 7245 9552 

Email:
        ghmfa31 at yahoo.com,

         ghmfa31 at ghc-uk-org

PLEASE CHECK WITH THE UK SECTION IF SENDING
APPEALS AFTER 12 FEBRUARY 2011.

Individuals At Risk Programme

* including Urgent Actions

Tel: 020 7033 1572

Fax: 020 7033 1503

Email: iar at amnesty.org.uk

Web: www.amnesty.org.uk/cases

Amnesty International UK

Human Rights Action Centre

17-25 New Inn Yard

London

EC2A 3EA 

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