Sierra Leone: 'massive' return from Guinea reported

Briefing notes

Sierra Leone: 'massive' return from Guinea reported

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

24 January 2000

Since late Monday, the UNHCR regional office for West Africa in Abidjan has been receiving persistent reports from local NGOs in Sierra Leone of a "massive" spontaneous return of Sierra Leonean refugees from the camps of Guéckédou in Guinea. No numbers are available at this stage. The reports were difficult to confirm immediately. UNHCR has presence in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown but we have no staff in the areas abutting Guinea. UNHCR staff in Guéckédou are now trying to check out the reports.

Guinea currently hosts 305,000 Sierra Leonean refugees and 66,000 Liberian refugees in the Guéckédou area.