OCHA Situation Report No. 50
Liberia
25 September 2003


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

GENERAL SITUATION

A pattern of instability, characterised by persistent sporadic weapons
fire, looting and human rights violations is emerging across
northern-central Liberia (Bong, Lofa and Nimba counties).  Reports that
militia are pillaging and committing human rights abuses have been
received from Sanoyie (87 kilometres northeast of Monrovia) in Bong
County.  The situation north of Gbarnga also remains fragile with reported
clashes between Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD)
and Government militia around Palala, resulting in population movements in
the region.  UNHCR have reported several thousand new Liberian refugees
who have fled into the southern Guinean town of Fassankoni, fearing
renewed combat in Lofa.  Testimony from an influx of Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) - initial estimates suggest 1,200, arriving in Totota,
indicates the looting and acts of physical violence against civilians is
widespread. ECOMIL have undertaken to send a patrol to the area.  There
are also reports of significant populations movements resulting from
clashes between Government and MODEL forces in Nimba County.  The United
Nations, with our implementing partners in Bong, Lofa and Nimba counties
will continue to monitor the situation closely.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Education

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is continuing collaboration
with, and support to, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in the
revitalisation of the country's education system.  A National Task Force
on the Back To School (BTS) Campaign has been formed and has held its
first meeting. Members include MOE, UNICEF, United Nations World Food
Programme (WFP) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  A
sub-committee of the BTS Task force on Rapid Assessment of Learning Spaces
will meet and hold a two part one-day workshop for supervisors and
enumerators tomorrow at the Ministry of Education.  The BTS Sub-Committee
on Communication has developed a three-month media strategy for awareness
and information dissemination.  A forum to sensitise the media about the
BTS and the role of the media is planned for Friday 26 September 2003 at
the Ministry of Education.

2. Health and Nutrition

a) Monrovia: Since the 10th of September 2003, Save the Children UK has
been actively engaged in a mass measles immunization campaign in 33
communities.  Save the Children UK has now vaccinated a total of 70,821
children aged between 6 months and 15 years.  Vitamin A supplementation
has also been administered to 23,123 of these children.  A total of 173
supervisors, vaccinators, registrars and mobilisers are working in the
various sites on a daily basis in order to make a success of this
campaign, which will continue for another 10 days.

b) Buchanan: The weeklong emergency measles immunization and Vitamin-A
supplementation campaign launched by the United Nations World Health
Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and MOH in rebel-controlled city of Buchanan
last week had to be extended by a day, ending on Saturday 19 September.
The team vaccinated 19,000 children while only 15,000 were targeted.  
This was due to the fact that the partners discovered that there were more
children in the area then planned and were committed to reaching all
children.  This included MODEL's child soldiers who also received
vaccinations and Vitamin-A supplement.  UNICEF supported the initiative
through the provision of key supplies, including vaccines, safety boxes,
auto destruct syringes and cold boxes.  Meetings of the Immunisation
Coordination Committee will take place later this week to expand this
campaign to reach at least 350,000 Liberian children by year-end.

3. Water and Sanitation

The Water and Sanitation Group have developed a matrix on who is doing
what, where, in both water and sanitation interventions against the
existing needs.  This will be used to determine gaps in meeting current
needs.  The matrix will be made available through the HIC.

4. Protection

UNICEF is planning to hold a brainstorming meeting with NGO partners on
Thursday 25 September to reach a common position on the early release of
child soldiers - should any be released prior to the commencement of the
official DDR programme.  Arrangements must be made to ensure children are
protected after being disarmed, and to ensure military groups themselves
can, and are willing, to disarm the children to enable them go to school.

COMMON SERVICES

5. United Nations Joint Logistic Centre (UNJLC)

UNJLC and the National Port Authority of Liberia have created the only
up-to-date map of the Freeport of Monrovia.  This map, along with
surroundings and warehousing details, is being reproduced in UNJLC
headquarters and will be available soon.  UNJLC continues to organise the
transportation of vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from
shelters in Monrovia to camps outside of the city.  The UNJLC has been
advised that WFP have completed a Port assessment of Harper port which
will be available on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).

6. Civil Military Coordination

The arrival in Monrovia of 20 UNMIL Staff Officers from the Standby High
Readiness Brigade is anticipated tomorrow [24 September].  These Officers
will establish the interim UNMIL Force Headquarters, with the designation
of the Force Commander before 1 October.  Permanent UNMIL staff (160) will
receive training in Sierra Leone 11-12 October, after which they will
replace the members of the Standby Brigade phased starting from 13-20
October.  A Battalion from Bangladesh is scheduled for deployment in the
Monrovia area next month.  Further information on deployment will be
available next week.

7. Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

The HIC continues to work on gathering data and information on the
humanitarian situation in Liberia, and a range of orientation and thematic
maps are being prepared for distribution.  The HIC would like to make a
particular request to humanitarian organisations to share their assessment
reports with the entire community.  Reports sent to the HIC will be made
available on the HIC website, raising awareness of both sectoral needs and
organisation activities.  Please submit to the HIC office or to
HIC-ME-01@un.org


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