OCHA Situation Report No. 63
Liberia
3 November 2003


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

GENERAL SITUATION

The Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, C. Gyude
Bryant today launched the 'Back to School' program in support of free and
compulsory primary education in Liberia. The official launch was conducted
at Kingsville Public School in Montserrado County. Among the dignitaries
who spoke at the occasion were the SRSG, Mr. Jacques Paul Klein, the
Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, UNICEF Regional
Director for West Africa, Dr. Rima Salah, the US Ambassador in Liberia,
Mr. John Blaney and members of the national, regional, international
organisations and children.

A local NGO has reported, arson and large population movement fleeing
fighting in Grai, Kpatuo and outlining the state of affairs on villages in
Tapeta district Nimba County. The UN Mission in Liberia has responded by
sending 2 air patrols to the area to investigate the matter.

According to the NGO, Helping hand Liberia, who had travelled with another
NGO Equip to carry out assessment of Ganta and Saclepea over the week-end,
further reported that the refugee camp in Saclepea was overcrowded and the
local school premises have many IDPs.

A joint team of MSF-CH and MSF-Holland travelled by road to Ganta,
Saniquelle, Yekepa and Saclepea (24 october) delivering medical supplies
on that visit.

A team of UNHCR security and field officers travelled to zwedru and harper
on a five-day mission (30 October).  An inter-Agency security Mission to
Bong and Nimba counties of (31 october) will try to reach Gbarnga, Zorzor,
Ganta and Saclepea by road on a two-day mission.

OCHA held a meeting with Liberian NGOs (31 October).  It was agreed that
in order to better coordinate their activities with those of international
NGOs, local NGOs should consider the possibility of establishing a
coordinating body.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Food aid

The second cycle of distributions in IDP camps by outside of Monrovia
began in Jartondo (30 October).  14,364 IDP plus 1,003 new arrivals are
beneficiaries of a month's ration of cereals, pulses, oil and salt.  WFP
implementing partner, CRS would conduct a verification exercise in
Buchanan and provide update figures to WFP.  During the mission to
Buchanan, WFP observed small plots of vegetables and maize along the route
where UNMIL has deployed indicating there is urgent need for seeds and
tools.  WFP reports that farmers are eager to participate in Food-for-Work
(FFW) programmes that could be launched shortly in areas secured by UNMIL.

2. Internally Displaced Persons

As of (30 October), 5, 191 IDPs were relocated from Twenty-nine (29)
irregular shelters including schools in Monrovia and its environs.  A
joint WFP/CRS assessment mission to Buchanan (28 October) reported that
most of the 12 irregular shelters occupied by IDPs in September were now
empty. The majority of the 33, 000 IDPs assisted by WFP in September have
relocated to a single camp on the outskirts of the city.  An estimated
residual 2, 500 people remain in the shelters. UNHCR reported that 232
IDPs were relocated to Fendell from Paynesville Community Academy and
Mozee High School.  Some IDPs have moved out from schools and are believed
to have gone to other irregular shelters including the SKD Stadium and
Soul clinic.

3. Shelter and NFIs

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that it had
concluded the distribution of non-food items (NFIs) to IDPs in Montserrado
Camp, conducting its last exercise at Ricks IDP Camp. about 2,323 families
at this camp have received NFI kits of blanket, kitchen sets, buckets,
soap and mats. It has also carried out distribution of NFIs in Blamasee
and Plumkor. UNHCR is also carrying out NFIs distribution to the remaining
camps, through a number of partner agencies.

World Vision International (WVI) reported that it has been distributed
NFIs to a number of IDP camps that include Jartondo, to 3,000 families;
Masonic Temple, 150 families; Kendeja, 100 families and Morris farm, 100
families. The agency has also identified some 609 families in Sinje '3'
camp to benefit from its NFI distribution.

The Concerned Christian Community, a local NGO has reported the arrival of
a 40 ft container consignment of food and NFIs from the Netherlands to be
distributed to elderly and other vulnerable persons in camps it supports
mainly Perry and Sergbeh. They also hope to extend its distribution to
camps in Totota and Sinje '3.'

Intersos, an international NGO disclosed that it had been carrying out NFI
distribution to IDPs in Buchanan, putting the caseload there at about
15,000. The agency also reported that a significant number of IDPs had
returned to their pre-war communities because of the marked improvement in
security.

4. Health & Nutrition

UNICEF has signed an agreement with EQUIP-Liberia to carry out health
care, supplemental feeding and immunization. EQUIP has already begun
vaccinating children six (6) months to fifteen (15) years in Nimba county.

On the basis of the great nutritional needs observed at screenings in the
past weeks in the areas of Saclepea, Bahn and catchment communities, EQUIP
began expanding the number of beneficiaries in its outreach supplemental
feeding targeting up to 300 children.  So far, 120 children have been
receiving supplemental feeding per day in EQUIP targeted communities in
Nimba. UNICEF and partner agencies have also reached a total of 426, 795
children in the measles supplemental immunisation activities in all
accessible areas.

5. Protection

The Child Protection Network (UN agencies, NGOs, the Government,
Children's groups, etc.) has constituted a sub-committee on communication.  
As part of its terms of reference the sub-committee is developing a draft
communication strategy on DDR for child combatants.  In this connection,
UNICEF and other child protection agencies are designing response
strategies for children who are demobilising spontaneously.

6. Education

By (30 October), 2, 957 UNICEF School-in-the-box kits had been delivered
within Montserrado, Margibi, Bong and Grand Bassa Counties, providing
school supplies for a total of 236, 560 children.  The County Education
Officer of Grand Bassa indicated to a joint WFP/CRS assessment mission
that there were 250 public schools in the county with only 150 being
accessible. Most of the public schools visited by the team do not comply
with WFP basic requirements of cooking space, store-room, PTA, etc. for
participation in the Emergency School Feeding (ESF) programme.

COMMON SERVICES

7. Civil-Military Coordination

It worth noting that through the intervention and close liaison of the
Civil-military coordination mechanism and UNMIL, looted vehicles belonging
the humanitarian community are being recovered.

8. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

THE UNJLC WEBSITE: www.unjlc.org/home/liberia

9. Humanitarian Information Centre

Website: www.humanitarianinfo.org/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


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
comments/suggestions/requests to incident@cidi.org