OCHA Situation Report Update 36
Liberia: IDP return in Liberia
14 October 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

1. Status of Return

>From November 2004 to date, a total of 228,674 IDPs have received their 
return assistance representing a total of 43,031 families.

2. Field Movement

|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|   Figures and Categories   |     Type of Assistance     |
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|43,426 Facilitated by IOM   |These IDPs received         |
|from the 8 November 2004    |transport assistance from   |
|through 17 March 2005       |IOM to the transit 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    |These IDPs received their   |
|own and also linked to the  |return assistance,          |
|International Organization  |secondary transport         |
|of Migration (IOM)          |allowance, food and non food|
|facilitated IDPs movement   |items through one member of |
|above.                      |the family while others     |
|                            |traveled to their           |
|                            |communities of return.      |
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|139,969 Accelerated movement|This category of IDPs       |
|phase of the return         |received their primary and  |
|beginning the 11            |secondary transport         |
|of March 2005 through       |assistance along with the   |
|September 30 2005.          |two months food ration from |
|                            |WFP and NFIs from UNHCR     |
|                            |through the agencies        |
|                            |implementing partners in    |
|                            |the camp.                   |
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|19,341 Total Vulnerable     |These vulnerable IDP groups |
|IDPs moved by IOM           |were transported to the     |
|                            |nearest drop-off point to   |
|                            |their destination and       |
|                            |provided with secondary     |
|                            |transportation allowance,   |
|                            |food and non-food items.    |
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|----------------------------+----------------------------|
|228,674 This figure         |These IDPs have received all|
|represents IDPs             |their return assistance     |
|assisted to resettle to     |from the humanitarian       |
|their respective            |community.                  |
|communities.                |                            |
|----------------------------+----------------------------|


3. Movement in Montserrado County IDP Camps

WFP continued de-registration and NFI distribution activities in Ricks 
and Seigbeh IDP camps during the reporting period and is reported to be 
near completion, however there is a remaining caseload of about 1,992 
individuals specifically within Seigbeh waiting to be de-registered. The 
remaining caseload within Seigbeh will be de-registered after 19 October 
2005 when repatriation activities are scheduled to resume. In Sinje III 
IDP camp, deregistration has been completed and a number of IDPs are 
waiting for their transportation allowance because they were not present 
during distribution. Itwas also reported that the landowner of Sinje III 
IDP camp demanded that the remaining IDPs vacate the land as soon as 
possible. The distribution of resettlement cards is ongoing at the 
Morris' Farm IDP camp. WFP was in Ricks, Plumkor, and Seigbeh and Sinje 
III IDP camps during the reporting period and have nearly completed 
distribution of the food ration within these camps. All IDPs within 
Massaquoi and Horton Farm IDP camps in Margibi County have also received 
their food ration.

4. Distribution of the 2nd Food Ration

The latest scheduled distribution of the second food ration from 
Voinjama transit-center was on Thursday 29 September. WFP has informed 
the IDP Unit that the distribution of food will halt during the election 
period, however, IDPs have been provided with an extra ration in the 
month of September to cover this period.

Trucking of Vulnerable IDPs by IOM

During the reporting period, registration and trucking of vulnerable 
IDPs continued in Montserrado and Bong Camps by the International 
Organization of Migration (IOM). As of 7 September 2005, IOM had 
registered a total of 26,452 vulnerable IDPs and transported 19,341 to 
their area of returns. These IDPs are included in the overall return 
figures.

Monitoring and Sensitization of IDPs in Margibi County

GTZ has completed distribution of NFIs in both Massaquoi and Horton Farm 
IDP camps. Cash payment has also been completed by UNHCR and NRC in 
Massaquoi and Horton Farm on 21 and 22 October except for one family of 
three in Massaquoi that were provided with assistance on 28 October due 
to a problem with the distribution log at the time.

5. IDP Election Sensitization

Leaders from seven IDP camps from Lower Montserrado visited the National 
Electoral Commission on October 3, expressing their support of the 
electoral process. "We are here to say that in no way will be a hinder 
for the elections....We are willing to take on the election, no matter 
what." This was a result of an intensive sensitization campaign lead by 
the Director of RRR and the leader of Inter-Religious Faith. The leaders 
continued to show their dedication to the elections, emphasizing the 
importance of all Liberians being a part of the process of rebuilding 
Liberia. The IDP leadership present at the NEC received on-the-spot 
training on voting steps and on how to mark the ballots and were given 
posters and civic education materials, such as rulers, stickers and 
plastic bags, to take them back to their camps. The NEC Commissioners 
appealed to the IDP leaders to continue to encourage the IDPs in their 
camps to join them in their decision, stressing the important role the 
leaders have in promoting positive attitudes towards the electoral 
process. Civic education is being conducted within many of the IDP camps 
to prepare voters for Election Day.

6. Protection Issues within Montserrado County IDP Camps

Project for Protection and Security -- Police Sub-Station

A project has been submitted to provide protection and security for a 
community of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people including 15,500 IDPs 
living alongside the local community. The Soul Clinic camp and the 
surrounding community which is located near the Red-Light District in 
Montserrado County has for some time been notorious for high levels of 
crime. Both IDP leaders and Community representatives expressed concerns 
regarding the security situation and this week, after a series of 
meetings, a project was submitted to have a police sub-station 
established in the camp and community.

The IDP Unit, Civil Affairs UNMIL with CIVPOL and the Liberian National 
Police (LNP) together with the IDP Leaders and the Community 
Representatives agreed that establishing a sub-police station would be 
the best way to provide protection and security to the IDPs and the 
community. The local church donated an existing structure and 
surrounding land for the project. The project calls for the renovation 
of the structure which will eventually house the LNP sub-station. It is 
expected that the implementation of the project will take some four to 
five weeks. A signed Memorandum of Understanding between the church and 
the LNP that facilitates the donation of the structure and surrounding 
land to the LNP for a period of 10 years. The LNP and CIVPOL will patrol 
the camp by day and night until the projectbegins. UNMIL Peace Keeping 
Forces will also patrol the area surrounding the camp and community. 
Additionally, the LNP and CIVPOL will begin the Community Policing 
program in the camp and the community shortly.

General Protection Issues

Sanitation and hut conditions within most of the Montserrado IDP camps 
remain in a deplorable state. Many of the latrines and bathhouses have 
been damaged by the ongoing rains and the health risks associated with 
these conditions have worsened. Furthermore, individual shelters have 
also been damaged exposing families to the rains. MSF has been 
circulating a mobile health clinic within Ricks and Plumkor IDP camps 
which provides some relief from the camps dilapidated state. IDPs have 
been calling for service providers to return to the camps.

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