Liberia - DHA-38: 29 August - 4 September 1996
Liberia - DHA-38: 29 August - 4 September 1996
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT ON LIBERIA
No. 38, covering the period
29 August - 4 September 1996
HIGHLIGHTS
The Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation, H.E.
Minister Jan Pronk, held discussions with the UN Country
Team on 1 September, informing the UN Country Team that his
government might favorably consider prioritised programmes
that aim to underpin the Abuja Peace Process, such as
disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. Emergency
food pledges and the capacity building of national NGOs
were also cited as priority items for funding
consideration.
H.E. Madam Ruth Perry, was inducted as the new Chairperson
of the Council of State, on 3 September in Monrovia. All
Council of State members, with the exception of Charles
Taylor--reported to be attending the 27th Anniversary
Celebrations of the Libyan revolution in Tripoli - were
present. In her address, the Chairperson urged all
Liberians to commit themselves to the implementation of the
peace process. She hoped that the international community
would give Liberia one more chance and would continue to
support the country. However, she stated that she was aware
that humanitarian organisations are justifiably and
understandably suspicious of doing business in Liberia.
The ECOWAS Chairman, General Sani Abacha, was represented
at the ceremony by his Foreign Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi,
who stated that the previous lack of international
community support to ECOMOG had resulted in both the attack
on ECOMOG in Tubmanburg and the April hostilities. He
further stated that the international community had
contributed to, and participated in, the drawing up of the
new implementation schedule. Therefore, excuses from the
international community could no longer be accepted for not
supporting the peace process.
The SRSG made reference to the massive looting of assets
from the international community and underscored that, in
its resolution extending the mandate of UNOMIL, the
Security Council has requested the Secretary General to
report by 15 October on the progress being made to recover
these assets. He urged that disarmament and demobilisation
be carried out in a transparent and orderly fashion.
The NPFL leadership claims that it has retrieved 13
vehicles from its fighters which are to be returned to the
international community. However, they cautioned that the
vehicles need repairs and that tool kits and spare parts
should be available to facilitate their movement. Despite
previous permission to do so, a UN Team has been unable to
retrieve the vehicles so far.
The Special Envoy of the former ECOWAS Chairman, Ambassador
Victor Gbeho, departed Monrovia for Ghana on 4 September on
completion of his tenure of office. While awaiting his
permanent replacement, the Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia
will act as the Special Envoy.
HACO met with representatives of the international NGO
community for a round table discussion to address various
issues. The following was agreed upon: that institutional
policy issues, such as food aid strategies, for example,
will be addressed as focus issues during the weekly UN-NGO
Coordination meetings, a reaffirmation that joint
assessment missions will continue to be on a voluntary
basis, a joint courtesy call will be made with the new
Chairperson of the Council of State with national,
international and UN agency representatives of the
humanitarian community, and that all members of the
community would continue to use the Program Violations and
Compliance Committee to bring warranted cases to the
attention of the authorities.
A two-person team from the UN Department of Political
Affairs and UNDP conducted an assessment visit to Liberia
to determine means for the international community to
effectively support the peace process, including
demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration.
POPULATIONS-AT-RISK
HACO is facilitating a joint humanitarian assessment
mission to Tubmanburg to depart in the next few days from
Monrovia. HACO representatives have met with field
commanders of the various factions, including the Deputy
Chairman of ULIMO-J, Madison Wion, the overall ULIMO-J
Commander for Tubmanburg, Major General Totaye, ULIMO-J
leader Roosevelt Johnson, the ULIMO-K's Liaison Officer,
Colonel Alieu Jaboteh, and representatives of the Lofa
defense forces, to coordinate and receive assurances for
the safe passage of the mission. Two ECOMOG patrols have
travelled safely to and from Tubmanburg in the past week
and HACO was provided with a statement from General
Roosevelt Johnson committing to a disengagement of
checkpoints and the free movement of humanitarian personnel
and supplies along the Bomi Highway, which is under the
control of ULIMO-J. The national NGO, Concerned Christian
Community (CCC) operating in Tubmanburg, has provided photo
evidence of the desperate humanitarian plight in the
region. Reports indicate that the hospital has been
completely looted, only one water pump is functional, there
is little food or medical services and that there are
300-400 'severely thin' children requiring immediate
therapeutic feeding assistance.
SHELTER
Relocation efforts at the former UNOMIL headquarters
continue with only 11 families having been relocated so
far. Relocation efforts will shift to SKD Stadium and St
Mary's Compound next week and schools will also be targeted
in an effort to open these facilities for the 15 September
government-school starting date. Pending LRRRC's resolution
of the land use issue in Kamara Town IDP centre, TEAR Fund
announced that efforts will be shifted to developing
Dixville as a relocation site.
An IDP Chairman in the Baptist Seminary has refused to
allow national NGO, SELF, to conduct a registration to
assist in relocating IDPs to their neighbouring villages.
The shelter committee has determined that food should only
be distributed once these IDPs have returned to their
villages. LRRRC will speak to the individual concerned who
allegedly has personal motivations to obstruct this effort.
Service operations have begun expanding to up country
areas. UNICEF and UNOPS announced that they had resumed
water and sanitation activities in the Bong County IDP
centres in Zeanzue, Satala, Totota, Mimo, and Gbondio.
SCF-UK reports they have distributed non-food items to
Totota IDPs.
LRRRC announced that it will use alternative means to
respond to the request by the Minister of Education for
LRRRC to assist in the clearing of IDPs from school
facilities. LRRRC felt that a public announcement would not
be in the Governments interest. Regardless of their
decision, the shelter committee advised LRRRC that they
must develop the plan to clear the schools and propose a
mechanism and schedule for its implementation.
RESETTLEMENT
The resettlement committee accepted the HACO-drafted
resettlement data collection form. HACO, UNHCR and LRRRC
will develop a workshop for training data collectors on the
use of the form. The workshop will be conducted in the
second week of September. LRRRC was assigned the task of
screening national NGOs participating in resettlement
planning efforts for those who have credible records and
practical experience in resettlement activities.
Resettlement registration-enumeration activities are being
planned for Buchanan. A working group was formed to develop
implementation modalities for conducting this exercise. It
was clarified that the purpose of the registration would be
for eventual resettlement, hence the level of detail should
not seek to conduct a census type operation.
Concern was voiced over the ability of IDPs to circumvent
the registration process in order to seek ways of
maximising the supposed benefits that registration will
provide. Basic agreements reached include the use of an
ECOMOG enforced daylight curfew, training workshop for
pollsters, and the need for mixed (INGO, LRRRC, National
NGO) registration teams. The entire population of Buchanan
will be registered in order to avoid problems of perceived
favouritism to IDPs over comparable numbers of residents,
and to provide a check on registered numbers for the
proposed general food distribution in Buchanan and rural
Grand Bassa county. UNOPS is drafting a project document
for discussion during the Resettlement Committee meeting.
UN and NGO partners will be approached to support the
activities as necessary.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
WFP distributed 228 MTs of assorted food commodities to
34,350 beneficiaries at the VOA-1 and Memeh Town
displaced shelters and 122 MTs were distributed to 18,024
beneficiaries residing in Perry Town, Fumba Compound,
Dixville and Nyei Compounds.
13.45 MTs of bulgur wheat was distributed as Food For
Work (FFW) to 60 beneficiaries engaged in the emergency
mobile cholera vaccination and sanitation volunteer teams
in various displaced shelters around Monrovia. 1.2 MTs of
bulgur wheat was distributed through FFW to 50
beneficiaries involved in ongoing body exhumation and
disposal programmes, supervised by WHO. 48 MTs of bulgur
wheat was distributed through FFW to 4,857 participants
in the third phase of the joint WFP and Monrovia City
Corporation clean-up exercise of the city of Monrovia.
A convoy carrying 244 MTs of assorted food commodities
for 36,540 beneficiaries residing in shelters in Upper
Margibi and Lower Bong left Monrovia on 30 August and
returned on 1 September with no security incidents.
On 23 August, at the SKD displaced shelter, 21.11 MTs of
assorted food commodities were distributed for 3,186
beneficiaries and the balance (for 900 beneficiaries)
stored for distribution the following day. Overnight,
this balance was stolen. WFP's implementing partner, the
Liberian lslamic Union for Reconstruction and Development
(LIURD), has accepted full responsibility and will
restitute the food accordingly. Additionally, LIURD has
taken the necessary measures to strengthen its monitoring
and warehouse security and it has dismissed the staff
responsible. Considering LIURD's past performance as an
implementing partner, WFP has agreed to continue
collaboration with the NGO.
The vessel, 'MV CMBT Oceana' arrived at the Freeport with
18.5 MTs of canned fish and 17 MTs of high-protein
biscuits, a gift from the Norwegian Government that will
be used for vulnerable group feeding programmes.
ACF reports the following feeding operations for the
period, 18-25 August:
Monrovia, Montserrado County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 185
Moderately malnourished children supported
through dry ration distribution3,524
TOTAL3,709
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 160
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (wet) 1,633
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (dry) 1,162
TOTAL2,955
Gbarnga, Bong County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 232
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (wet) 310
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (dry) 427
TOTAL969
Kakata, Margibi County
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (dry) 69
WFPreports the 2 September market prices of basic
commodities as follows:
COMMODITY PRICE-BAGCOMMODITY
PRICE-GAL
Indian Long
Grain RiceUSD 23.05GasolineUSD 0.97
American Long
Grain RiceUSD 26.62Fuel OilUSD 1.30
Bulgur WheatUSD 18.83Engine Oil USD
3.90
Vegetable Oil USD 2.40KeroseneUSD 1.75
WFP stock balances as of 4 September were:
Bulgur wheat 4,155MTs
Vegetable oil 595MTs
CSB34 MTs
Pulses193MTs
Miscellaneous 9 MTs
TOTAL 4,986MTs
The rate of exchange on the parallel market is LDD77.00
to USD1.00.
HEALTH
According to reports received from the five cholera
referral facilities from 25 August to 1 September, a
steady decline in the frequency of cholera has been
observed. However, the Surveillance Team operating in the
ten high-risk communities in Monrovia, reports that in
seven of the ten high-risk communities in which fatality
surveys were completed, of 98 cases, 16 were fatal. The
Ministry of Health epidemiologist suspects that the
improper home use of oral rehydration salts, the lack of
access to toilet facilities and unprotected sources of
water to be the major causes of the relapse. He
recommended the establishment of oral rehydration therapy
corners in the high risk communities. However, it was
agreed that a more thorough survey must be conducted in
the course of the week to isolate the causes. An
enhancement of the information, education and
communication program will be examined. Currently, public
health information is disseminated via radio and print
media, and through door to door public health education
team visits in the high risk communities.
In response to the call by Ministry of Health for support
to the anti-cholera campaign, ACF has decided to start
provision of health care services in Buchanan. MSF
reports that in the past three weeks, 10 percent of all
cases have been fatal in Buchanan and that MSF will be
providing support to the Buchanan hospital.
UNICEF participated in facilitating in-service training
sessions for 93 staff at the 5 referral cholera units at
JFK, Swede relief, MSF-I Greystone Clinic and Island
Clinic. Sessions included topics on the proper diagnosis
of dehydration status and the proper management of drugs.
UNICEF reports it will provide support to SCF-UK for
Expanded Programmes of Immunisation (EPI) services in
health clinics, Phebe Hospital, and in the shelters at Po
River. The SCF-Phebe project will provide daily EPI
services to 18,200 children and 27,000 women, while the
Po River Project will benefit 3,000 children and 12,000
women. UNICEF is also providing support to ACF for
Therapeutic and Supplementary Feeding Centres in Monrovia
and Gbarnga.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS-ADVOCACY
To further enhance HACO's advocacy role, copies of the
Principles and Protocols for Humanitarian Operations
(PPHOs) and the Mechanisms for Ensuring Compliance with
the PPHOs, and complete sets of The Liberian Humanitarian
Community Newsletter are now distributed by HACO
personnel to all meetings with government, factional,
embassy, and visiting officials and representatives to
highlight humanitarian policies, issues and concerns.
HACO issued an international press release entitled
Enough is Enough, regarding the issue of the disarming of
child soldiers in Liberia. The release described the
situation of the 15,000 child soldiers in Liberia, how
their predicament violates various Child Rights
declarations, charters and conventions and the urgent
need for them to be disarmed and allowed to return to
their families and schools. The release was distributed
internationally through both the Agence France Press and
the German Press Agency and locally, The National
newspaper in Monrovia expressed interest in publishing it
in its next edition.
The sixth issue of The Liberian Humanitarian Community
Newsletter was published and distributed on 2 September
featuring humanitarian issues addressed at Abuja, a
profile on the international NGO, Midecins du Monde, the
peace process implementation schedule, a profile on
DHA-HACO, an article on the European Charter for
Humanitarian Action, and notes from an AFP article
outlining the UN Secretary General's statement warning
the factional leaders to ensure the holding of free and
fair elections or face being abandoned by the
international community. The Newsletter was distributed
to media, Council of State members, government ministers,
donors, ECOWAS, ECOMOG, embassies and members of the
humanitarian community.
The Liberian Humanitarian Community Radio Report was
produced and broadcast daily on national radio station
ELBC, featuring 4, five-minute reports, each broadcast
twice on: Humanitarian Community activity highlights,
humanitarian issue highlights from Abuja, the NGO
activities of LWF-WS and NACORP, and the cholera update
and prevention report.
During his visit to Monrovia, the Dutch Minister of
Cooperative Development requested a report on the media
situation in Liberia in an effort to determine possible
future support of Liberian civil societies. He was
briefed by HACO on the current operating status of the
Liberian Print, radio and television media and on current
public affairs initiatives of HACO on behalf of the
Liberian Humanitarian Community.
The UNDP Information Officer provided, and HACO
distributed, UNDP Flash newsletters and various UN public
information documents to national print and radio media.
The weekly Liberian Humanitarian Community Activity
Highlights report was distributed to all media, featuring
the efforts of the following national and international
NGOs, UN Agencies and donors: ACF, LWF-WS, UNICEF, USAID,
CAP, SDB, COHDA, Don Bosco, NARDA, UNOPS, Tear Fund,
LUCE, WFP, WHO, MERCI, MSF. NDS and DHA-HACO over the
past week. Other activities included weekly reports to UN
Radio.
WATER AND SANITATION
ICRC, in collaboration with the Liberian National Red
Cross (LNRC), chlorinated 172 wells (153 open and 19
equipped with hand pumps) located in New Kru Town, Point
Four, Jah Tondo and Plumkor. The Liberia Water and Sewer
Corporation (LWSC), in collaboration with the EU,
chlorinated 148 wells equipped with hand pumps in
Monrovia and its environs from 13 to 28 August 1996. The
Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Lands,
Mines and Energy, and various community groups supported
by UNICEF, chlorinated 740 open wells in Monrovia and its
environs from 23 to 30 August 1996. A total of 3,116
wells have been chlorinated since the campaign started on
6 August 1996.
Hygiene and health education information, including self
chlorination was disseminated at the Moulton Corner and
Jones Town IDP shelters where six garbage pits were also
dug. A clean-up campaign was held at Kamara Town and
Kpeakor IDP shelters. LNRC disseminated hygiene and
health education messages at Zwannah Town and Memeh Town
and 125 oral rehydration salt sachets were distributed
from 25 to 29 August 1996.
Humanitarian Emergency Relief Builders (HERB) completed
the construction of three pit latrines, while garbage
disposal and latrine spraying activities continue at the
MVTC shelter. HERB completed an assessment of the
sanitation facilities at the old Government Hospital on
Nelson Street. Future intervention will depend on the
recommendations of the Shelter Committee.
The large LWSC vacuum truck is now operating and the
dislodging of shelter latrines has commenced at the
Ministry of Health IDP shelter. Repair work on the small
vacuum truck continues. The United Methodist Committee on
Relief (UMCOR) community latrine dislodging proposal is
being reviewed by both OFDA and UNOPS for an approval of
funds.
SCF-UK, in collaboration with Monrovia City Council
(MCC), collected and disposed of 575 cubic yards of
garbage from 22 skips positioned around Monrovia. 432
cubic yards of solid waste were cleared along Jallah Town
Road, UN Drive, as well as Water and Front Streets.
CHILDREN AND EDUCATION
Operations have commenced at the offices of the local,
educational NGO, Church Related Educational Development
Organisation (CREDO). CREDO implements a UNICEF-supported
project which distributes low cost educational materials
and supplies to community schools. On 27 August 1996,
UNICEF discussed with Bishop Michael Francis the
possibility of reopening Catholic schools with UNICEF
assistance, and the return of the Benedict Menni Hospital
Sisters to their rehabilitation project, which caters for
children physically injured by the war.
The Board of Accreditation of Welfare Institutions (BAWI)
held a one day workshop for 75 persons from 30 orphanages
in Monrovia and environs. The Catholic Relief Services
(CRS) sponsored workshop discussed criteria for the
establishment and management of orphanages, modalities to
meet the needs of orphaned children and the Convention on
the Rights of the Child.
The UNICEF consultant on child soldier disarmament,
demobilisation and reintegration, continues to meet
various role players, including HACO, in preparing for a
draft plan of action for their rehabilitation and
reintegration.
Four implementors of the War Affected Youth Support
(WAYS) Project have submitted proposals to UNICEF for 6
months of activities. The WAYS project is funded by USAID
and caters to war affected and disadvantaged youths who
are taught literacy and vocational skills such as
agriculture, tailoring, soap making, graphic arts,
carpentry and furniture making. COHDA implements the
project in Gbarnga, Sustainable Development Promoters
(SDP) in Bong County and Child Assistance Programme (CAP)
in Buchanan and Monrovia.
UNICEF and the National Readjustment Commission (NRC)
have agreed to conduct a survey in five locations
controlled by all warring factions to determine the needs
of child soldiers. Survey results will provide
information crucial to the demobilisation process.
DEMOBILISATION
The significance of disarmament and demobilisation of
fighters as an essential and integral part of the peace
process received prominent coverage in the speeches that
were delivered in the induction of the Chairperson for
the Council of State. Additionally, factional leaders are
expressing intentions to unilaterally begin to disarm and
demobilise their fighters. So far in doing so, they have
not asked for any kind of assistance from the
international community. While any effort to remove arms
from the hands of the fighters are welcomed, the question
arises as to whether unilateral factional disarmament is
in conformity to the agreements signed.
Owing to the ceremony for the induction of the
Chairperson of the Council State, the first meeting of
the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Task
Force was not held on 3 September 1996 and has been
postponed for one week.
As the peace process gathers speed and the time for
disarmament and demobilisation draw near, HACO has drawn
the attention of DHA and DPKO to speed up the process of
recruiting demobilisation staff to arrive in country to
plan for the exercise. Presently, HACO's Demobilisation
Unit has only two staff members.
SECURITY
The ECOMOG Field Commander has ordered the deployment of
the Airborne Unit of ECOMOG to be stationed at the
Roberts field International Airport. The troops have
orders to search any aircraft that lands there in an
effort to prevent illegal arms from coming into Liberia.
Monrovia and its environs remains calm and no security
incidents were reported.
==============================================
Mr. Tesema Negash
UN Humanitarian Coordinator - Monrovia
Tel.: (231) 224 603
Fax:(874) 150 57 46 (sat.)
Complex Emergencies Division (CED) - New York
Mr. Peter Due
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1731
Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Ms. Deborah Saidy-Mr. Chris Kaye
Tel.: (41 22) 788.6384-788.6385
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856
Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex:414242 DHA CH
E-Mail:dhagva at dha.unicc.org