OCHA Situation Report No. 56
Liberia
9 October 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

General Situation

The situation remains calm in Monrovia. Security has been further enhanced
through an UNMIL arranged agreement intended to ensure that Monrovia is a
'arms-free' zone within 72 hours. Fighting in other areas of the country
has, however, continued. In addition, the UNMIL Force Commander, Lt.
General Daniel Opande undertook a familiarization visit to Gbarnga and
Buchanan and particularly to meet with the LURD and MODEL factions. The UN
Country Team is currently planning an assessment mission to Voinjama in
north west of the country. An influx of Liberian refugees into Guinea
mainly from the Lofa and Nimba Counties has also been reported.

Humanitarian Activities by Sector

1. Food aid

WFP and implementing partners continued distributions in two IDP camps
Plumkor and Perry Town (Montserrado) as shown:

|------------+--------------+-----------+------------|
|            | Implementing | Estimated | Estimated  |
|            | Partner      | Caseload  | Quantities |
|------------+--------------+-----------+------------|
| Plumkor    | UMCOR        |     6,590 |      109.7 |
|------------+--------------+-----------+------------|
| Perry Town | UMCOR        |     9,432 |      141.5 |
|------------+--------------+-----------+------------|


Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is continuing distribution in Harbel where
3,200 IDPs will receive 48.5 Metric Tons of assorted food commodities in
the Multilateral camp (one of the five 5 camps in the vicinity). An
interagency mission to Kakata reports that food distribution is currently
underway.

2. Internally Displaced Persons

The relocation of IDPS from Firestone has commenced and on 8 October, the
first movement to Fendell (115 IDPs) took place. Work on the site has
continued and UNMIL has worked to establish a presence in the camp.

3. Water, Sanitation, Shelter & NFIs

UNICEF is developing a template for WATSAN interventions in the camps to
identify gaps in the sector. International Rescue Committee has
constructed 108 of 22 block latrine and 69 bathhouses in shelters in
Monrovia and Careysburg, Montserrado. Action contre la Faim (ACF) is
currently completing test drilling of boreholes in IDP settlements in
Unification Town in Harbel. ACF is also assessing water and sanitation in
the districts of Paynesvilles Red Light, Soul Clinic, ELWA Junction and
Wood Camp. In collaboration with Merlin, UNICEF has carried out a
chlorination program in Buchanan. In Monrovia, some 5,500 open wells
benefiting 400,000 people were chlorinated during the sixth round of the
mass chlorination campaign (UNICEF, WHO, MLM&E, MOH and local NGOs).

4. Education

An inter-agency assessment mission comprising UNHCR, ZOA and OCHA visited
Kakata and Totota on 7 October. The registration of students is ongoing at
the Lango Lippay High School in Kakata in preparation for the start of
school on 20 October. The mission recommends that school feeding
programmes be instituted in Kakata. Finally the first shipment of school
supplies for UNICEF's Back to School Program are scheduled to arrive in
Monrovia on Friday, 10 October.

Common Services

4. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

The UNJLC website: www.unjlc.org/home/liberia


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