Washington D.C. (UNHCR) – Today the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) commemorates the life of Clover Graham, UNHCR Honorary Liaison in Jamaica, who was abducted and murdered over the weekend.
Clover worked with UNHCR on refugee and asylum rights in Jamaica since 1998. She was a dedicated volunteer whose spirit exemplified humanitarianism.
Clover Graham. Photo courtesy ieyenews.com
On the heels of World Humanitarian Day, UNHCR is saddened by the loss of Clover and her tireless and generous spirit.
“It is a tragic loss for her relatives, friends and UNHCR. Clover was a passionate human rights activist. She was always ready to give her time, energy, legal expertise and even her personal money to assist destitute refugees and asylum seekers in Jamaica,” said UNHCR Regional Representative Vincent Cochetel.
UNHCR deplores the brutal murder of Clover and urges the authorities to do their utmost to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime against a well know and widely respected human rights advocate.
Clover was born in Jamaica and was a dual citizen of Jamaica and the United Kingdom. As UNHCR Honorary Liaison, she was involved with counseling asylum seekers, assisting with refugee status and resettlement procedures and helping refugees find shelter and jobs.
She worked closely with Jamaican Immigration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of UNHCR to monitor the processing of asylum claims received by the Jamaican Government, advocating for more efficient and fair treatment of claims, and lobbied on behalf of individuals for refugee documents, work permits, and other refugee rights.
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, in January 2010, Clover helped UNHCR monitor the situation of, and provide protection to, Haitians in Northern Caribbean countries.
Clover contributed not only to refugees’ physical wellbeing and their legal security, but she helped refugees have a sense of safety and connectedness. She made refugees feel that they mattered and reminded them that they had value as human beings.
She advocated for their capacity to help themselves and not solely rely on assistance. She believed that they deserved to find stability, a community and a permanent home.
She embodied the human qualities of a true refugee advocate. Clover was truly beloved by the asylum seekers and refugees that she helped in Jamaica. Prior to her death, Clover had been assisting Haitian refugees in Jamaica with their naturalization process. She will be sorely missed.
“As the UNHCR Honorary Representative in Jamaica, Clover was a volunteer and represented all the core values of what is a humanitarian aid worker. She was caring, committed and proactive,” said Representative Cochetel.
Clover is survived by two daughters, Arusha McKenzie, 26, and Zakiya McKenzie, 23, who is eight months pregnant, her husband Rex McKenzie, and a large extended family who live in Jamaica, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada.
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