GABON: Disabled Squatters Highlight The Plight Of The Homeless

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Antoine Lawson

LIBREVILLE, Jun 21 1999 (IPS) - Several thousand disabled squatters have moved into empty government buildings to highlight the plight of the homeless in Gabon.

The sight of disabled squatting in habitable houses or apartment building is a common sight in the Gabonese capital of Libreville, and its surroundings.

The former building of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) was taken by force several months ago by a group of disabled people belonging to the Association of Motorically Handicapped People of Gabon (ANPHMG).

Also young people, unemployed and prone to drugs and prostitution, take up residence in these dwellings.

“Another group of disabled people found refuge five kilometers from Libreville, in a government-owned building that had burned down but was rehabilitated by their families. But this building has no water or electricity”, a policeman says.

“The only choice we’ve got is to occupy these buildings. The Minister of Social Services doesn’t care about finding us housing”, says Jacqueline Biteghe, a member of ANPHMG.

She defended her association’s actions that the disabled do not have enough income to pay for housing.

Justin Bakita, the organisation’s spokesperson, agreed. “The reason for the occupation of these vacant building is that rents are out of reach not only for us, but also for all neglected segments of the population,” he says.

“We, the rejected members of the society, are getting better and better at organising ourselves now,” he says. “As a result, we want to put greater emphasis on the negotiation process”.

The disabled are also asking for access ramps at department stores, hospitals, and some government buildings so that they can become more independent.

“We don’t have access to taxis or buses, and the drivers never stop when we signal them. We’re a burden on their time, and we annoy them with our scooters”, says Marc Ona, who runs the association.

Ona is known for having successfully organised a sit-in of handicapped people in front of the Presidential Palace a year ago.

“This mobilisation came after government officials promised to build access ramps and provide us with a monthly subsidy to help us improve our living conditions”, Ona told IPS.

The association’s treasurer, Sheilla Mengue Mba, says, “The government promised us scooters and after waiting several years, they provided us with standard scooters which were inappropriate for most of our conditions.”

“In addition, the scooter’s braking system was not appropriate as some of us constantly got into situations where we could cause an accident,” he adds.

Another disabled person told IPS that, “The government has never given the signal that they want to help the handicapped, and we’re fighting every day to integrate ourselves into society.”

“We are unwelcome and poorly tolerated in spite of our attempts to be discreet in situations where they’d rather prefer we weren’t visible”, he says.

“As a result, we feel excluded, just by the way people look at us”, he adds.

The problem of access to public buildings has never been resolved, in spite of a few attempts by the authorities.

At the University of Libreville, a building with an access ramp, was installed, thanks to efforts by the Ministry of Social Services.