US embassy cable - 04ACCRA1241

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, CASC, OEXC, GH 
SUBJECT: VIOLENT ROBBERY OF AMCIT WITH STUDENT GROUP IN 
GHANA 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. Begin summary. A group of 6 students and their staff 
leader from the University of Maryland were "welcomed" on 
their first night in Ghana by the appearance of a thief armed 
with a machete at the door of the trip chaperone's room at 
university accommodations. The man stole several items from 
the trip leader's room and slightly injured her before 
fleeing. The student group did not utilize regular foreign 
student accommodations, which have better security. The 
Embassy and its counterparts at the University of Ghana-Legon 
will continue its coordination to increase security measures 
for visiting American scholars and students. End summary. 
 
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VIOLENT ROBBERY: A COLD WELCOME TO GHANA FOR VISITING STUDENTS 
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2. At 23:57 on Friday, June 4, the Embassy duty officer was 
contacted via Post One by AmCit Kelly Mack, who informed the 
officer that she was the victim of a robbery at the 
University of Ghana-Legon. Ms. Mack stated that she and a 
group of students (whom she was supervising on a trip to 
Ghana) had just arrived in country June 4. She was settling 
into her room at the university "guest house" (hotel-style 
lodging on the university's campus) when someone claiming to 
be with "guest services" knocked at her door. When she opened 
the door, a man wielding a machete forced his way into her 
room, stealing her bag with her passport, cash, traveler's 
checks, and credit cards inside. In recounting the details to 
the duty officer, Ms. Mack stated that she was "cut in the 
scuffle" but not seriously injured and did not require 
medical attention. 
 
3. The duty officer, RSO, and local law enforcement officials 
worked with the student group from June 4-8 to assist with 
filing a police report, replacing the stolen passport, and 
assessing the circumstances surrounding the robbery. 
 
4. Ms. Mack had originally intended to stay in Ghana for two 
weeks, and the students were planning to stay for two months 
to work with the Nogochi Minority International Research 
Training Program. As of the night of June 5, the group's 
plans were changing; Ms. Mack stated that she intended to 
leave Ghana as soon as her passport was replaced, and 
according to Ms. Mack, four of the students intended to leave 
with her while two students wanted to stay. Ms. Mack noted 
that the students' plans were "changing by the hour". By COB 
on June 7, the Embassy was informed that the University of 
Maryland was ordering the entire group to return to the 
United States on June 8 once Ms. Mack's passport was replaced. 
 
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SECURITY FOR UNIVERSITY VISITORS: WHAT'S BEING DONE 
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5. On June 7, after being assisted by Post's ACS section to 
replace her passport, Ms. Mack met with the RSO to discuss 
the nature of the incident. Ms. Mack confirmed that the 
University of Maryland had not notified the Embassy of this 
group's trip to Ghana. As such, RSO and PAS had no 
opportunity to advise the arriving students on security 
matters. The RSO told Ms. Mack that, in the future, the 
University of Maryland should inform the PAS of individual 
students or groups who are coming to study in Ghana so that 
Post can assist them in finding the most secure accommodation 
options possible. Ms. Mack replied that she would take this 
message back to her university. Additionally, PAS and RSO are 
updating the Embassy website to explicitly advise student 
groups intending to come to Ghana to register with the 
Embassy and receive a security briefing on arrival. 
 
6. There have been past incidents involving the security of 
American students studying and Fulbrighters at the University 
of Ghana-Legon. In the past year, RSO and PAS have worked 
closely with university officials to heighten the security 
standards for visiting American students, observing that they 
are naturally at greater risk for thefts and other petty 
crimes in this context. Since these discussions took place in 
October 2003, one dormitory has been designated as a 
higher-security facility for international students and no 
incidents had occurred until June 4. This was not the place 
at which the group visiting from the University of Maryland 
stayed on June 4. The "guest house" at which the group 
visiting from the University of Maryland stayed on June 4 is 
just a regular facility for Ghanaian students. 
 
7. Another weakness lies within the university's 
communication network. According to university officials 
charged with the responsibility for international students, 
the institute hosting the University of Maryland group - 
coordinated by Ghanaian Professor Mike Wilson - did not 
notify these officials about the group's plans. If Professor 
Wilson had notified the appropriate officials, he would have 
been advised about the more secure international student 
dorm. Embassy personnel have urged improved communication 
among university staff regarding the arrival of international 
visitors and groups. 
 
8. Ambassador Yates tried June 9-11 to meet with the 
Vice-Chancellor of the university to discuss the issue of 
student security and to engage the university at the highest 
possible level to underscore the importance of this issue, 
but he was out of town. Instead, the RSO consulted with the 
Dean of International Students on June 11 to assess security 
at campus accommodations. The Ambassador will continue to 
pursue a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9. The group of students and their staff leader were quite 
traumatized by the incident. Better planning by University of 
Maryland staff prior to arrival, and better procedures for 
ensuring all foreign students are channeled to the foreign 
student dorm, might have averted the incident. Post will 
continue to encourage the University of Ghana to provide a 
secure environment for American students and will redouble 
efforts to ensure that students receive a realistic 
assessment of security concerns before arriving in Ghana. End 
comment. 
Yates