Thousands living alongside railway lines in Ghana face forced eviction © Petr Kosina
By Kathryn Achilles, Ghana campaigner for Amnesty International
Amnesty International has been calling on the Government of Ghana not to forcibly evict thousands of people from their homes alongside railway lines in Accra, the capital city, since December 2010.
This week, a number of organizations, including Amnesty International, signed a joint public statement urging the government to refrain from carrying out the evictions. The signature collection was coordinated by Amnesty International delegates attending the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal, and our colleagues from the organization Women in Slums Economic Empowerment, Ghana (WISEEP) with whom we’ve worked very closely in opposing the forced eviction plans.
WITNESS, one of the organizations who signed the joint public statement have a great post on their blog on events in Dakar, including footage of a demonstration outside the Ghanaian embassy in the city on 7 February, organized by the International Alliance of Inhabitants. They’ve also interviewed Fredrick Opoku from WISEEP.
These actions by so many organizations are vital in order to prevent the planned forced eviction of people from their homes, in connection with plans to redevelop the railway lines across the country.
On 21 January 2011, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly announced it would demolish all buildings built next to the railway lines in order for the construction work to begin in February. Although no forced evictions have yet been carried out, we’re worried they could happen at any time- even as soon as this week. You can take action with us by emailing the authorities to voice your concerns.
I’m quite confused…I read the article and I don’t know why we don’t want these people moved. Public transport in Ghana needs to be updated and improved in order for us to compete on the world market with our goods able to reach across the country. Also improvement of transportation will mean the cities and towns will be easily accessible and would mean people opting to stay in their towns and villages if they can come to cities when they want.We should be asking the government to re-house them and move them to safer places. Even in places like the UK where technology and infrastructure is very advanced, people still get killed by trains quite frequently. Keeping the people in their probably illegal (common in Ghana) dwellings does not do them any favours. Campaign for safer affordable housing!
With regard to my previous post, I read another article which made things a bit clearer. I understand that we are asking for these people to be relocated and rehoused and want to know if we have any proposals to put before the Ghanaian government on this. A friend of mine has some brilliant plans (drawn up and ready to implement) for affordable, sustainable and environmentally friendly housing utilising locally sourced materials and using local artisans. It will be a good idea if we could put some of these proposals before the government to steer them in the right direction of seeing to the people’s human rights needs while working towards building a better Ghana.
The eviction will not be by force if those who live along the rail lines move off themselves. They have been given notice some as far back as 2009. In Ghana 50-100 feet on either side of rail lines are acquired by the rail authorities. Squatters build temporary shacks in these spaces and in time build more permanent structures when not checked. The environmental hazard these squats and shacks produce is enough to move them off let alone the risk of death if there is ever a de-railment. Amnesty international should give a more balanced view of the issue. These people are suqatting on public land with no sanitation amenities. A few richer folk have abrogated such lands to themselves when no one was looking and corrupt railway officials have themselves sold parts of this land and pocketed the proceeds.
With this economy getting a note to get a home could be a risky purchase. Rent to buy ahome is a great alternative.
We hope the government of Ghana will give justice with mercy. I dont think does staying around the railway lines would still be around if they have better places to stay. Though it is not the right place for them, measures must be in place before they are evicted. Some have children who can barley walk and this eviction will affect them drastically.