Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has noted that the root cause of conflicts in the world is largely the abuse of human rights and lack of transparency by people in authority. “Such state of affairs invariably leads to internal strife thereby forcing people to flee their homes in search of safe havens,” he said at a ceremony to commemorate World Refugee Day in Accra. The ceremony was organised by the United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ghana Refugee Board on the theme: “Humanising Refugees.” Vice President Mahama said the phenomena created refugees who were ordinary people forced to flee their homes. “The unfortunate side of this is the fact that the majority of refugees and victims of forced displacement are women and children who are innocent and are not any way responsible for the conflicts they are fleeing from.” Vice President Mahama decried the use of small arms and light weapons that had fuelled ethnic and regional conflicts, worldwide and claimed over 500,000 lives and wounded millions of people. He said Ghana was mindful of the devastation and human suffering that conflicts could bring and has resolved to leave no stone unturned to ensure the state of peace and stability required for the development of the country. He gave the assurance that, “Ghana as a committed and dedicated member of the international community will continue to honour all obligations under the various refugee conventions,” he assured. Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Deputy Minister of the Interior, said in 2004 government signed a tripartite agreement with Liberia and the UNHCR for the voluntary repatriation of Liberian refugees in Ghana and asked them to return home to help rebuild their country. “Between 2004 and 2006 a total of 4,686 Liberians opted to return. This year out of projected figure of 19,000 only about 700 have taken advantage of the exercise. “I wish to, however state that, the exercise is voluntary and no one will be coerced to return against their will. The Government will however, in accordance with its obligations under the international refugee law determine if those who fail to avail themselves of the protection of their governments have valid and genuine reasons for doing so,” Mr Manu said. Source: GNA