OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Liberia Humanitarian Briefing
13 October 2003


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

I. GENERAL SITUATION

The situation in Monrovia has stabilized, though there are reports of
fighting and clashes between government troops and rebel factions in
North/Central Liberia (Nimba and Bong Mines). UNMIL is currently
investigating the reports and is advising caution in personnel movement.



II. KEY DEVELOPMENTS

The ECOWAS mediating team arrived in the country over the weekend and will
remain here until 17 October.  The team is led by General Abdulsalami
Abubakar, who mediated the recently signed Accra Peace agreement.

An UNMIL liaison officer is now working actively with the humanitarian
community and participates in the daily humanitarian briefings held at
WFP's Humanitarian Operations Centre.

Security in Monrovia has been further enhanced through an UNMIL arranged
agreement intended to ensure that Monrovia is an 'arms-free' zone.
Fighting in other areas of the country has, however, continued.

The UN Country Team is currently planning an assessment mission to
Voinjama in north west of the country.



III. PRIORITY ISSUES

a) Health and Nutrition

UNFPA's community-based awareness campaign in Montserrado is set to begin
in the coming weeks.  Information and education activities on Bushrod
Island and in IDP camps cover sexual-gender based violence, safe sex,
family planning, prostitution and HIV/AIDS.

b) IDPs

The relocation of IDPS from Firestone has commenced and on 8 October, the
first movement to Fendell (115 IDPs) took place. At the time of writing,
approximately 800 IDPs have been relocated.  Work on the site has
continued and UNMIL has established a presence in the camp.

c) 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.  The first shipment of school supplies
for UNICEF's Back to School Program arrived in Monrovia on Friday, 10
October.

d) Food aid

On 6 October, the WFP resumed distribution of food to the Montserrado
Camps and up country following the suspension of its activities due to the
clashes between LURD and government militias in the Paynesville Red Light
District (1 October). A ship carrying 328 Mt. of CSB and 1,634 Mt. of
bulgur wheat arrived in Monrovia on 11 October 2003.

e) Water and Sanitation

UNICEF and other Relocation Committee partners undertook an initial IDP
site assessments in Harbel (3, 000-5, 000) and Fendell (8,000-10,000).  
The process also involves identifying suitable sites for 20,000 people in
both Harbel and Fendell where the humanitarian community can provide
proper health, water and sanitation and support in camp layout, movement
of IDPs and distribution of shelter materials.

UNICEF is developing a template for WATSAN interventions in the camps to
identify gaps in the sector.  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 Paynesville 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, Ministry of Lands, Mines & Energy,
Ministry of Health and local NGOs).



VI. COMMON SERVICES

a) Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)
b) UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)
c) Civil Military Coordination



VII. FUNDING

The Consolidated Appeal for Liberia 2004 is being finalized through the UN
Country Team.  The Appeal will be launched in Canada on 19 November 2003.



For more information:

Rosemary Musumba, Public Information Officer/Spokesperson, OCHA Liberia,
rosemary.musumba@undp.org +377 47 530 048
John N. Clarke, Media/Information Officer, OCHA John.Clarke@undp.org  +377
47 530 435


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