OCHA Situation Report
Liberia: IDP Return
15 September 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

1. Status of Return

>From November 2004 to date, a total of 213,308 IDPs have received their 
return assistance representing a total of 41,218 families.


2. Field Movement

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| Figures and Categories             | Type of Assistance                 |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| 43,426 Facilitated by IOM from the | These IDPs received transport      |
| 8 November 2004 through 17 March   | assistance from IOM to the transit |
| 2005                               | or distribution center closer to   |
|                                    | their area of return plus secondary|
|                                    | transport allowance, plus 2 months |
|                                    | initial WFP food rations and non   |
|                                    | food items                         |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| 45,279 Returned on their own and   | These IDPs received their return   |
| also linked to the International   | assistance, secondary transport    |
| Organization of Migration (IOM)    | allowance, food and non food items |
| facilitated IDPs movement above.   | through one member of the family   |
|                                    | while others traveled to their     |
|                                    | communities of return.             |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| 124,603 Accelerated movement phase | This category of IDPs received     |
| of the return beginning the 11 of  | their primary and secondary        |
| March 2005 through August 19 2005. | transport assistance along with the|
|                                    | two months food ration from WFP and|
|                                    | NFIs from UNHCR through the        |
|                                    | agencies implementing partners in  |
|                                    | the camp.                          |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| 14,547  Total Vulnerable IDPs moved| These vulnerable IDP groups were   |
| by IOM                             | transported to the nearest drop-off|
|                                    | point to their destination and     |
|                                    | provided with secondary            |
|                                    | transportation allowance, food and |
|                                    | non-food items.                    |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|
| 213,308 This figure represents IDPs| These IDPs have received all their |
| assisted to resettle to their      | return assistance from the         |
| respective communities.            | humanitarian community.            |
|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|




3. Margibi and Montserrado County IDP Camps

Distribution of return assistance started in two spontaneous settlements 
and one camp this week. The Two spontaneous settlements are located in 
Margibi County and the IDP Camp is located in Montserrado County. This 
is the first time distribution of return assistance has been provided to 
IDPs located in Spontaneous Settlements in Liberia. Distribution of 
return assistance will continue next week.

The Field Staff of the IDP Unit, together with the LRRRC and ARC held 
information and sensitization meetings with the IDPs last week. The IDPs 
informed the staff that they were very happy that they were now 
receiving their assistance and that they wanted to return.

4. Facilitated Return of Vulnerable IDPs

As of 7 September International Organization of Migration (IOM) has 
registered 25,087 vulnerable IDPs for return and has facilitated the 
movement of 14,547 vulnerable IDPs to their return areas.

This week IOM continued to facilitate the return of vulnerable IDPs from 
Siegbeh, Sinje and Sinje III IDP Camps in Montserrado, to their areas of 
return. Additionally, vulnerable IDPs in Ricks IDP camp have received 
their return assistance and will be moved later on. In Montserrado 
County, IOM continues to inform and register vulnerable IDPs in Soul 
Clinic, Catholic Compound and the Morris Farm IDP Camps.

5. Second Trench Food Distribution

As of beginning of September 2005, 171,560 IDPs are qualified to receive 
their second two months food tranche and out of this 142,328 IDPs (83%) 
have received their food in the districts of return.

Distribution of second trench food to former IDPs in Bong County was 
carried out by WFP through their implementing partners during the period 
under review. Distribution was made at Suakoko from the 6-8 September 
and in Zota on the 6 & 7 September. One thousand and fourteen (1,014) 
former IDPs received their second trench food at Suakoko whereas 500 of 
them received it at Zota.

It is confirmed that WFP will distribute second food trenche to the IDPs 
in Voinjama Town as scheduled.

6. Hut Demolition

Cumulatively, the number of huts that have been demolished since the 
movement of IDPs commenced in November of 2004 is 33,959 which accounts 
for about 53 % of the 64,000 huts in the 22 formal camps and 13 
spontaneous settlements.

7. Protection

NGOs stated that vulnerable IDPs were trucked to Voinjama town center 
and not dropped off in their villages of return. In a meeting with IDP 
UNIT IOM was questioned about these claims. IOM informed us that 
facilitated return to Voinjama Town was halted on the 17 August, thus 
road conditions between Zorzor and Voinjama were rapidly deteriorating.

Nonetheless, 482 vulnerable IDPs were trucked in convoys on the 19 and 
24 August from Bong to Voinjama. This was done based on a request from 
the IDP Unit to IOM. The camps in Bong were emptied because distribution 
of return assistance was finalized. The vulnerable IDPs and their 
families were offered to be transported to Voinjama by IOM but road 
conditions prevented any movement to their villages. IOM informed that 
they could be transported in November thus all of them expressed that 
they wanted to return to Lofa without further delay.

Presently IOM informs the vulnerable IDPs that facilitated return to 
Voinjama/Lofa before November is not possible because of poor road 
conditions.

8. Salala IDP Camp

Sensitization meeting,

On September 9, 2005, UNHCR Gbarnga with LRRRC, IDP Unit, NEC and WFP 
went on a sensitization mission in response to threats and protests 
reported by an UNMIL electoral team regarding their repatriation and the 
forthcoming elections.

The NEC informed the IDPs of their voting options stating that those who 
registered to vote in the camp or county of return can vote for all 
candidates in those areas, whereas those that registered to vote in 
their counties of return but are not able to go back before the election 
can vote for the president and the vice president in the camp but not 
the senators and representatives. IDPs were also informed that they have 
the option to go back to their county of return and collect their return 
package. Other issues such as hut destruction of rain and the closing of 
camps schools were raised.


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