OCHA Situation Report No. 59
Liberia
16 October 2003


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

GENERAL SITUATION

Monrovia remains calm following the 14 October inauguration of C. Gyude
Bryant as Chairman of Liberia's transitional government.  MERLIN, an
International NGO reports that the road to Buchanan remains secure and a
small number of IDPs have begun to trickle back to that city. They were,
however, advised not to continue beyond Tapeta for security reasons.
MERLIN indicates that there have been skirmishes in the area between
regular troops where command and control is breaking down and MODEL.  
They have, however, set up a functioning office in Zwedru.  Another NGO,
Caritas will conduct an assessment of destroyed buildings in Bomi County
with a view to further defining their programming in the coming week.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Food aid

WFP and implementing partners have nearly completed the first cycle of
food distributions in IDP camps in Montserrado and in accessible areas
up-country.  A residual caseload of 6,000 beneficiaries will be served (16
October) in Sawegbeh and Harbel.  Plans are being finalized for the next
distribution to begin in a week's time.  WFP held discussions with
implementing partners including Ministry of Education, UNICEF and NGOs to
prepare for implementation of the Emergency School Feeding (ESF)
programme. Key issues discussed included objectives for the ESF criteria
for school selection as well as provision of non-food items. The Technical
Committee on Food Aid (TCFA) has informed the Committee on Food Aid (CFA)
about the preparation of a draft policy paper on targeting of
beneficiaries in Monrovia.  When the document is finalized it would be
submitted to the CFA for review and endorsement in the coming days.  The
Vulnerability Assessment Mapping (VAM) qualitative report was finalized
(15 October).

2. Internally Displaced Persons

OCHA and UNHCR visited some of the Montserrado camps (16 October) to
assess possible expansion aimed at accommodating additional population
caseload from the Monrovia shelters.  UNHCR reports the arrival of an
unspecified number of IDPs in Saclepea who are fleeing fighting south of
Gbarnga-Ganta highway. The relocation of IDPs from the Monrovia temporary
shelters to Fendell was temporarily suspended, pending registration of
additional candidates for relocation.  WFP and UNHCR are to conduct
registrations in six (6) schools for relocation to resume before the end
of this week.

3. Education

Training of UNMIL peacekeepers on child rights/protection began on 14
October.  A similar training for for French speaking troops is scheduled
for 17 and 21 October.

4. Health & Nutrition

UNICEF is finalizing plans to conduct rapid nutrition assessments in
Buchanan and Monrovia.  The WHO reported a reduction in Cholera cases in
the current week compared to previous four weeks, noting that the
incidence is still high.  Attempts to identify localities where most
cholera cases are reported will be further explored in collaboration with
health agencies.

COMMON SERVICES

5. Civil-Military Coordination

>From 14 October all NGO requests for assistance from UNMIL are to be
submitted through OCHA's Civil Military Coordination Officer.

6.  United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

UNJLC has now conducted a survey of 60 warehouses in Monrovia and 40 in
the Freeport of Monrovia.  They have also finalised a draft customs and
immigration guide for the humanitarian community.  This will be circulated
for comment.  Further information is available at the UNJLC website:
www.unjlc.org/home/liberia.

For further information and contributions contact Rosemary Musumba, Public
Information Officer/Spokesperson OCHA Liberia + (377 47) 53 00 48 Email:
rosemary.musumba@undp.org, John N. Clarke, Media/Information Officer, OCHA
Liberia + (377 47) 530 435 Email: John.Clarke@undp.org.


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