Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Update - Liberia - Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
Appeal: AFLR11
Geneva,  25 May 2001


The situation of Internally Displaced (IDP's) in Liberia has become very
critical. Urgently needed are shelter materials, clothing and blankets,
high protein biscuits (BP-5) for people on the move, and transport to move
people away from the fighting area. All efforts must be made to assist the
affected people.

Below is a situation report from an NGO worker who just visited Belefanai,
the town on the border between Lofa and Bong county.

People on the run are crossing the bridge on foot, after having gone
through rigorous army scrutiny on the Lofa side. Most of those who pass
through are women and young children. It is rumored that young boys of
above 12 years and able bodied men are afraid to go through the army
checkpoints for fear of being conscripted into the army.

Five trucks are operating to haul people from the bridge to transit camps
at some 2 and 10 km away from the bridge. From there the IDP's are being
moved to an abandoned agricultural research institute (CARI) some 65 km
into Bong county. There are several aid agencies involved in the
operations, working closely together with the little means they have. Low
funding of activities and needs in Liberia is becoming a chronic
situation, paralysing those trying to help. The NGO's involved in the
operation have officially briefed the UNDP Representative in Liberia on
the situation.

Most of the IDP's have been on the way for four to six weeks, trekking
through the bush while heading for Belefanai. St Paul's river is quite big
and only few people attempt to cross on self-made rafts. When reaching
Belefanai, IDP's are scared to go into town for fear of being harassed,
and raped. They wait in hiding until a group of IDP's has crossed the
bridge and then go into town to be screened by the soldiers. Aid agencies
are not allowed to be present.

Those that come out are tired, hungry and very depressed as they are being
shepherded into the make-shift camps where conditions are dismal. With the
little bit of plastic sheeting from ACT-LWF and a few others, huts are
built and leaking roofs on abandoned buildings repaired. Every covered
space is crammed with people and many end up staying outside, even when it
rains. One can imagine the sanitary conditions in this situation. Food is
provided by WFP. But no supplementary food is available.

Lofa county, with a population of around 60.000 people, is emptying and
the stream of IDP's continues. Some 15 - 18.000 have come out via the
bridge and the aid agencies are estimating that a further 12.000 or so may
choose this route to come out. Another 6.000 people have come out on the
western side into Grand Cape Mount county and are safe for now at
Jenemana. In this area a group of 5.000 is caught at Fasama and need
assistance to be able to come out. Once the rains have started it will be
impossible to reach that area. Others are fleeing into Ivory Coast and
UNHCR has confirmed that several hundreds of Liberian refugees are being
refouled by the Guinean armed forces, when trying to flee into Guinea."

On March 30, 2001ACT issued an appeal for Liberia - so far it is only 17%
funded. We appeal to ACT funding members to reconsider their funding for
the Liberia appeal. The ACT implementing member in Liberia is Lutheran
World Federation Department for World Service.


Thank you for your attention.

For further information please contact:
ACT Co-ordinator, Thor-Arne Prois (phone ++41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone
  ++ 41 79 203 6055)
ACT Appeals Officer, John Nduna (phone +41 22 791 6040)


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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of 
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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