OCHA Situation Report No 60
Liberia: IDP Return
25 March 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

1. Status of Return

There are currently about 9,000 IDPs who are still receiving their 
assistance packages in the last camp (Basaymah). i.e. some have received 
their NFIs and food but are still waiting to receive the transportation 
allowances or vise versa. It is estimated that all these remaining IDPs 
will have received all the three assistance elements (food, NFI and 
cash) early next week thereby bringing to a close the return and 
reintegration exercise that begun 18 months ago.

As of March 24, 2006, a total of 313,856 IDPs representing 60, 477 
families had received their return and reintegration assistance 
packages(1) It is expected that all remaining distributions will be 
completed by 31st March 2006 in all the camps way ahead of the current 
schedule.

2. Movements in Montserrado, Bong, Margibi and Grand Bassa County IDP 
Camps .

General

As the return and reintegration process gradually winds to a conclusion, 
the IDP Unit field staff continues to focus more effort in the 
monitoring and coordination of various activities both in the former IDP 
camps and the return communities. On the other hand the security 
situation in the camps and some return communities visited during the 
week remains calm and stable according to the IDPs, security personnel 
and NRC protection monitors interacted with by the IDP Unit field teams. 
UNHCR and WFP through their respective partners continue to provide the 
return assistance packages to enable IDPs to return home before the 
rainy season. Distribution of assistance to problematic cases which has 
now been validated continues in camps in Montserrado, Margibi and Bong 
counties (eg. Catholic Compound, Wilson Blamacee, Conneh and Maimu I, 
II, & III etc). Major activities are now concentrated on the last camp 
in Buchannan called Baysamah camp which was host to over 11,000 IDPs 
before the commencement of the return process.

The Country Representatives of UNHCR and WFP paid a day's visit to the 
camp to witness first hand the ongoing operation and also speak to the 
IDPs prior to their departure. This visit and solidarity with the plight 
of IDPs was very much welcomed by the IDPs.

Food, NFI and Transport grants Distribution

Regular food distribution to the deregistered IDPs in Conneh camp has 
been completed; however, there are few cases of IDPs with missing 
tickets which has now been validated by the WFP. Distribution of NFI has 
been completed except for a few cases with missing cards. Transportation 
grant distribution commenced on the 16th March has also being completed 
as well. The majority of the IDPs have started moving out of the cam 
while others are awaiting transportation which is currently low in 
supply.

3. Situation in the Camps

Salala IDP Camp

IDPs in Salala camp continue to leave the camp in large numbers. Except 
for the front part of the camp where there are about 500 individuals 
left and the rest of the camp resembles a ghost town with nobody to be 
found. This camp has experienced one of the most dramatic movements 
primarily because most of the IDPs were from Lofa County and were only 
awaiting the return and reintegration assistance to move out en mass. 
Because of this very dramatic movements, the is camp is virtually empty 
with thousands of abandoned and partly demolished structures. The IDP 
unit is now negotiating with the LRRRC and host community for the 
complete and total demolition of the abandoned structures for fear of 
criminal hideouts. The transport situation has improved with many more 
vehicles transporting the IDPs in large numbers. The security situation 
in the camp is calm. Thou there is no longer the camp watch teams that 
once patrolled the camp, the LNP and CIVPOL are reported to be 
patrolling both the camp and the communities regularly.

Conneh IDP Camp

Conneh camp was is calm during the reporting period. Food, NFI and the 
transport grants distribution has been completed; except the few cases 
of missing tickets which are being gradually responded to by the 
agencies involved. Most of the IDPs who have received the return 
assistance packages have begun returning to their home areas in large 
numbers. Many of the structures once occupied by the IDPs are now left 
abandoned due to the mass movement. Like Salala camp, the IDP unit field 
staffs are now negotiating with the community as well as the LRRRC for 
the immediate demolition of the structures so that they do not serve as 
hideouts for undesirable persons.

Basaymah IDP Camp

Basaymah which is the last of the 35 formal and spontaneous settlements 
to receive humanitarian assistance has been completed with the 
deregistration of bona fide IDPs. i.e. 2,316 family heads or a total of 
11,358 individuals. During the week under review, WFP and the GTZ 
commenced the distribution of both the first 2 months food rations and 
the NFIs respectively. These agencies were later joined by the NRC in 
distributing the transport grants. It is expected that the entire 
distribution will be completed by the 28th March way a head of the 
current schedule.

The UNHCR Representative in Liberia and the Head of the IDP Unit who 
were visiting the camp held a meeting with the IDP leadership to resolve 
some of the concerns raised by IDPs especially those related to their 
transportation allowances. The IDPs were very appreciative of this 
dialogue.

4. Second food ration distribution (in areas of return)

A total of 242, 691 former IDPs have received their second food ration 
in the return areas of return since the return process began in November 
2004. This figure represents 77.32% of the total number of IDPs who have 
been assisted to return to their communities. It is a good indicator of 
the number of people who have actually gone back.

5. Demolition of Huts/Camp clean-up

Demolitions of abandoned huts/structures in the various camps are still 
ongoing. During the reporting period, a total of 84 structures/huts were 
demolished; bringing the cumulative figure of huts demolished to 49,719 
or 77%. The teams are currently experiencing difficulties in this 
respect especially in former camps like Salala where almost 98% of the 
IDPs have departed all at once and also taking into consideration the 
fact that there are no cash payments for demolition being offered.

6. Return Community Monitoring (Cape Mount and Gbarpolu Counties)

During the week, a team from the IDP unit conducted monitoring in some 
communities of return with the objective of looking at the general 
situation in term of Security, availability of basic social services to 
sustain the return and the humanitarian gaps. The communities visited 
were, Sinje, Bo waterside, Vonzula and Gohn in Grand Cape Mount County, 
Gedema and Bopolu in Gbarpolu county respectively. The team held 
discussions with a cross-section of people including local government 
officials, health workers, women and youth groups, teachers, students, 
UNMIL, Civil Affairs, former IDPs, Security officers and NGOs operating 
in these communities. Security situation in these communities was 
reported and confirmed to be calm and stable, and that there are no 
signs of security threats to the residents. During the visit, the team 
observed amongst many other things the following;

- Populations are increasing in some of these communities due to the 
return of former IDPs thus posing more demands on the little available 
services. The available basic social services can not cope with the 
growing demands as a result of the soaring populations.

- Many reconstruction activities are ongoing in communities (ie. Gedama, 
Henry town and Sinje) by the return population through the assistance of 
local and International NGOs, (NRC, CCF, AHA, WVL, ICRC etc.)

- Health services are gradually opening up and providing 24 hrs. health 
services in some communities, (Bopolu, Sinje, Bo waterside, Jenneh etc)

- Schools have been rehabilitated, beautifully painted but there are no 
seats for the students.

- Out of five (5) districts in Gbarpolu county, two (2) (Bokomu and 
Fassama) are not easily accessible.

- ICRC and Save the Children were seen providing seeds and tools in 
Gbarpolu County.

- CCF was also reported to be distributing seeds and tools in Gbarpolu 
County.

- Another observation was state of the roads and bridges which is 
hampering the free flow assistance to the communities.

- There are 24 functional schools in Bopolu districts ( 0ne High School, 
two Jr. High, 21 Elementary schools)

- CCF is constructing hand pumps and latrines in 19 communities in 
Bopolu; 13 communities in Gbonkomu and 6 communities in Kongbor 
districts respectively.

- Before the civil crisis, Gbarpolu County had 27 health facilities, but 
there are only 10 functional health facilities now and two under 
renovation.

Notes:

(1) As has been reported in the past SITREPS, this figure includes 9,732 
refugee returnees (who had arrived from Sierra Leone before the 
beginning of the crisis. This group is also referred to as the 
"displaced returnees" in the Community Resettlement and Reintegration 
Strategy paper) who were repatriated from camps during the IDP 
repatriation process. They are not part of the 314,095 registered IDPs. 
In this regard, at the end of the current process a total of 323,827 
IDPs and returnees will have been assisted.

IDP Unit

25/03/06

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -