Liberia - DHA-41: 19-25 September 1996
Liberia - DHA-41: 19-25 September 1996
LIBERIA
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT
Period covered: 19-25 September 1996 - No. 41
The information contained in this report was provided by
the Office of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator
for Operational Activities in Liberia UN Agencies,
International Organisations and NGOs
HIGHLIGHTS
A humanitarian community emergency needs assessment mission
reached Grand Cape Mount County for the first time in six
months on 25 September. Access has been denied due to
continued factional fighting in the region.
On 24 September, a memorandum of understanding was signed
between the chiefs of defense staff and field commanders of
therival ULIMO factions, calling for: an immediate
cessation of armed hostilities, withdrawal of forces to
positions occupied in November 1995, and, guaranteeing the
humanitarian community the freedom to visit the areas under
control by the two factions without preconditions.
Humanitariancommunityrepresentativesmet with the
Chairperson of the Council of State on 20 September to
congratulate her on her recent induction and to discuss
issues of humanitarian concern including: the paramount
importance of security and access in all parts of Liberia
for the humanitarian community, the requirement for the
unconditional freedom of movement of civilians and the
humanitarian community in those areas, the difficulty in
dealing with government officials who place factional
interests over those of suffering civilians, continued
efforts to build the capacity of national NGOs, and, the
importance of the Principles and Protocols of Humanitarian
Operations were reiterated.
POPULATIONS-AT-RISK
On 25 September, thousands of civilians lacking basic
foods, medicines and safe drinking water, were finally
reached in Grand Cape Mount County, by representatives of a
humanitarian community emergency needs assessment mission,
led by the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs (UNDHA)
and the Humanitarian Coordinator. The mission stopped at
varioustowns in Grand Cape Mount including Madina,
Vonzuan, Sinje, Wangekor, Tiene and villages in between.
The humanitarian community, comprising UN Agencies and
national and international NGOs, conducted the mission to
Grand Cape Mount marking the first visit to the County by
relieforganisations in six months. Access has been
impossible due to heavy factional fighting in the region.
Of 250 children examined in Vonzuan, medical doctors
determined that 50 were severely malnourished and 200 were
moderately malnourished. In the other towns, numerous
children, women and elderly persons were suffering from
degreesofmalnutrition,aswell as from serious
complications of malnutrition and skin infections. It is
clear, however, that the assessment mission did not see
much of the population as most people are still living in
the forests, hiding from the long months of fighting. It is
believed that more and more malnourished children and sick
persons will appear from the forests in the next few days
as word spreads that the humanitarian community has finally
been allowed to return back into the County.
At Tiene, the mission could not proceed 10 km further to
Bo-Waterside, the last town before reaching the Sierra
Leone border (120 km from Monrovia), due to reports of
skirmishes between the rival ULIMO factions that morning.
Four wounded soldiers were found in Tiene, which is now
under control of ULIMO-J. No civilians were seen - all are
reported to have fled the town due to fighting. Fighters
were observed looting palm oil from their vacated homes.
Thehumanitarian assessment mission - which included
medical doctors and relief experts in food, nutrition,
public health, shelter and engineering - brought 480 kilos
of high protein biscuits, oral rehydration salts (for
dehydration), and chlorination tablets to purify water.
These relief supplies were immediately distributed to the
populations in Madina, Vuanzon, Sinje, Wangekor. The first
to receive the high protein biscuits were children who sat
patiently as the food was distributed. While death rates
over the past months cannot yet be confirmed, a local NGO
in Sinje reported 403 deaths related to malnutrition since
April, and in the village of Mani, one child died of
malnutrition in the few hours between the arrival of the
mission at the village and its subsequent return on its way
back to Monrovia.
The medical clinic in Sinje is completely looted and
abandoned and in all the towns, there are no medical
services, little food and scarce safe drinking water and
few operating hand-pumps. The population has been surviving
by foraging in the forests for palm roots, cabbage and
nuts, as the area is rural in nature, cassava, potatoes and
plantains are also grown in small quantities, although
fighters reportedly steal most of these crops.
All members of the humanitarian assessment mission are now
examining every aspect of the humanitarian situation and
are preparing to deliver the most effective and quickest
possible response to assist the suffering Grand Cape Mount
population.Thisresponsewilllikely include the
deliveries of requisite and urgently needed relief supplies
including food, medicines and drugs, water purifying kits
and other items in the next few days.
Followingthe recent desperate humanitarian situation
discovered by the humanitarian community in Tubmanburg, it
is essential that the humanitarian community be allowed
continued unconditional freedom of movement throughout
Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties, and in the rest of
Liberia,toassistthousands of innocent Liberians
suffering as a result of the six years of civil war in the
country. UNDHA will continue to ensure the free and safe
movement of humanitarian personnel to conduct their relief
operations in Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties and will
continue to negotiate for humanitarian access to other
regions of Grand Cape Mount County and the rest of the
country which have been cut off by factional fighting.
Representatives of the humanitarian community participating
in the needs, an assessment mission included: UNDHA,
Liberian National Red Cross (LNRC), World Food Programme
(WFP), World Vision International (WVI), UNICEF, Lutheran
World Federation (LWF), Tear Fund, Medical Emergency Relief
Cooperative International (MERCI), Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO), UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS),
Liberian Islamic Union for Reconstruction and Development
(LIURD), United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR),
Oxfam, Concern, the Ministry of Health, and an UN security
officer.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Accessto Grand Cape Mount has been denied to the
humanitarian community since March 1996 due to regional
factionalfighting which completely cut the civilian
population off from humanitarian lifesaving assistance.
This resulted in the reported deaths of several hundred
innocent children, women and the elderly, who perished
needlessly for want of food and medicine. Accessibility was
furtherexacerbatedby the April-May hostilities in
Monrovia and by the refusal of the factions to allow access
byrelief organisations despite many appeals and an
agreed-upon 5 July cease-fire by the two rival factions.
Instead, reports of fighting continued to be received up
untilthisweek and despite promises to allow the
humanitarian community access on both 14 and 15 September,
these were both denied. However, following a continued
series of negotiations in the past week between UNDHA
representatives as well as diplomatic officials and the
leaders and field commanders of the rival factions to
coordinate and ensure the free and safe passage of the
humanitarian community to Grand Cape Mount, a memorandum of
understanding was signed on 24 September between the Chiefs
of Defense Staffs and Field Commanders of the rival
factions. The memorandum called for an immediate cessation
ofarmed hostilities and guaranteed the humanitarian
community the freedom to visit the areas controlled by the
factions without preconditions.
SHELTER
RELOCATION
Destination site transit facilities are fast approaching
their capacity and the constraints of moving families out
of the transit facility into single family units remain
the major unresolved land use issue. The Liberian Refugee
Resettlement and Repatriation Committee (LRRRC) admits
frustration over legal efforts to date to resolve the
issue and is promising a resolution soon.
The Coffee Farm internally displaced persons (IDP) centre
has the additional problem of local residents maintaining
vacant shelters in the hopes of remaining eligible for
free food assistance. The use of these shelters would
significantly alleviate the current housing shortage for
relocated IDPs. The LRRRC will investigate the matter
this week in order to make these structures available as
soon as possible. Another problem encountered includes
demands by IDPs for Food for Work (FFW) to build their
own family units.
LIURD conducted a night verification of Coffee Farm which
resulted in a total population of 3,569 versus the 9,000
claimed by the centre's chairman. This figure included
those relocated from Greystone-UNOMIL and SKD Stadium.
Reports have been received from persons who have begun
accumulating around Fendall Campus and claiming it to be
an IDP centre. LRRRC will visit the population to begin
sensitisation on the need to return to their homes. The
Catholic Church has now requested assistance to relocate
IDPs in their schools. LRRRC will conduct a sensitisation
on the relocation options. It will be stressed that no
food aid will be provided as a precondition for movement.
SUPPORT CAPACITY
The shelter committee reviewed the humanitarian
community's ability to address eight essential services
to IDPs and refugees in centres. Fifty percent of these
needs are not currently being met nor can they be met
with existing resources. Needs which are being addressed
adequately are: food, water, shelter and Expanded
Programs of Immunisation (EPI). Needs which are not being
addressed at all or are insufficiently supported include:
sanitation, health, nutrition and non-food items. The
shelter committee encouraged NGOs that can provide these
services to expand their services where they can or to
pool their resources with other NGOs. New NGOs are also
welcome to meet this shortfall in essential services
capacity.
In an effort to more effectively direct reduced support
capacity, it was suggested that, those regular IDP or
refugee centres with a much reduced population be closed
and the resident caseload relocated to other sites.
RESPONSE IN BOMI AND GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTIES
The shelter committee agreed that reestablishment of IDP
shelters should be discouraged. The humanitarian
community should move rapidly to access civilian
populations and encourage them to remain in their
villages. Where possible, services should be delivered
directly to the villages and-or combined with outreach
programs utilizing local NGOs to the greatest extent
possible.
RESETTLEMENT
Ongoing arguments over resettlement program leadership
between the LRRRC and the National Housing
Authority-Ministry of Planning, have resulted in the
international community's withdrawal from the
resettlement committee's membership until the government
can provide clarification in writing on this issue.
The national NGO, Self Help Development and Relief
Agency, (SHDRA) was able to conduct a registration in
seven of fifteen Buchanan centres using the resettlement
data collection sheet with following results:
CentrePopulation
Current
as of 1-4-96 Population
FDA28,7307,126
UMC4,280 1,305
God Bless You 3,036 1,357
Louza Hotel4,870 1,809
SDA5,400 1,934
Bassa High Sch.5,779
2,521
Christian High Sch.6,705 2,638
World Wide Mission2,397 0
New Testament 1,318
Annexed
Centres not covered were Catholic Mission (1,800 as of
1-4-96), Water Tower (3,638), White House (5,000), Mother
Dukuly (2,530), and B-Demonstration (3,277).
FOOD AND NUTRITION
A WFP food convoy carrying 29.18 MTs of assorted food
commodities for 4,374 beneficiaries left for Suehn on 19
September. Distribution was completed on the same day and
the convoy returned without any security incident.
Representatives of Action Contre la Faim (ACF)
accompanied the convoy and identified 21 severely
malnourished children in Suehn who were brought back to
Monrovia and are now benefitting from therapeutic
feeding.
During the reporting period, WFP distributed 245 MTs of
assorted food commodities to 80,156 beneficiaries
residing in IDP shelters at MVTC, Jones Town, Kamara
Town, Coffee Farm and Ricks Institute. WFP also
distributed 4.41 MTs of assorted food commodities to 661
refugees residing in Pasamol.
WFP conducted a needs assessment exercise in Giah Bills
(6 miles from Tubmanburg) and other surrounding villages
and found the plight of the residents to be desperate.
The implementing partner, Concerned Christian Community
(CCC), has registered a total of 2,000 beneficiaries
residing in these communities. An initial WFP food convoy
is scheduled to depart for the area on 27 September.
WFP continues to provide FFW support to the Monrovia City
Council (MCC) for cleaning up the city. During the
reporting period, 82.85 MTs of bulgur wheat were
distributed to 7,902 beneficiaries residing in Sinkor and
Bushrod Island. 0.245 MTs of bulgur wheat were
distributed to 398 FFW participants in sanitation
programmes in the Fumba Compound Displaced Centre.
WFP reports the 16 September market prices of basic
commodities as follows:
COMMODITYPRICE-BAGCOMMODITY
PRICE-GAL
Indian Long Grain RiceUSD 20.31Gasoline
USD 0.94
American Long Grain Rice USD 24.06Fuel Oil
USD 1.13
Bulgur Wheat USD 16.25Engine Oil
USD 3.75
Vegetable Oil USD 4.38Kerosene
USD 1.88
The rate of exchange on the parallel market is
LDD 80.00 to USD 1.00.
WFP stock balances as of 24 September were:
Bulgur wheat 3364 MTs
Vegetable oil 503 MTs
CSB---- MTs
Pulses166 MTs
Miscellaneous 36MTs
TOTAL 4069 MTs
The M-V Vinland Saga arrived at the Freeport of Monrovia
on September 24, carrying 500 MTs of CSB, 600 MTs of
pulses and 300 MTs of bulgur wheat. As of September 25,
345 MTs of CSB and 386 of 500 pallets had been
discharged.
The recently concluded nutritional surveys carried out by
ACF in Bong and Margibi Counties indicate a 26.8 percent
global acute malnutrition rate and a 9.7 percent severe
acute malnutrition rate. ACF has recommended a one-off
general distribution in the area. This unanticipated
situation, requiring the distribution of 2,437 MTs of
assorted food commodities, has put a serious strain on
the food pipeline. Based on projected needs and the three
planned transhipments, October requirements will fall
short by 2,066 MTs of Bulgur Wheat.
On 25 September an inter-agency assessment mission to
Grand Cape Mount County, WFP and UNICEF distributed over
400kg of high energy biscuits to over 1,000 children
suffering from varying degrees of hunger. WFP plans to
provide a two-week safety net ration to the civilian
population residing along the main road on 27 September.
WFP will also support nutritional NGOs in establishing
therapeutic feeding centres in Vonzon and at the Guthrie
Hospital where nutritional conditions of the children are
considered critical.
ACF reports the following feeding operations for the
period, 15-21 September:
Monrovia, Montserrado County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 611
Moderately malnourished children supported
through dry ration distribution
3,377
TOTAL
3,988
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 162
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (wet)
1,441
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (dry)
1,080
TOTAL
2,683
Gbarnga, Bong County
Severely malnourished children supported
through therapeutic feeding 282
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (wet)
411
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (dry)
570
TOTAL
1,263
Kakata, Margibi County
Moderately malnourished children
supported through supplementary feeding (dry)
83
Bomi County
Severely malnourished children
supported through therapeutic feeding
542
Moderately malnourished children supported
through supplementary feeding (wet)
400
TOTAL
942
The WVI therapeutic feeding centre at Government Farm
reports that from 21-25 September, 252 severely and
moderately malnourished children have been registered and
are now benefitting from the therapeutic feeding program.
No mortalities were reported during the reporting period.
UNICEF is assisting with the supply of drugs to the
centre.
LOGISTICS
UNDP has signed a project with the Government of Liberia
for the provision of a mobile air traffic control tower
for the Spriggs Payne Airport to improve safety at the
only operational airport in the country. The project will
be implemented by the International Civil Aviation
Organisation.
In response to an appeal by the JFK Medical Centre for
assistance, UNOPS provided materials and technical advice
to conduct an emergency repair to the roof of the
maternity wing. After six years of war, the maternity
wing is the only functioning part of the government-owned
JFK Medical Centre, catering to daily case loads of 100
patients daily in the Out Patient Department (OPD) and to
50 inpatients.
UNOPS initiated a project to respond to an emergency
request from M,decins Sans FrontiSres (MSF) to assist in
the establishment of a therapeutic feeding centre in
Tubmanburg by providing 2,000 blankets. As blankets in
this quantity were not available on the local market,
UNOPS provided the blankets through its liaison office in
Freetown, Sierra Leone with airlift assistance from
United States Assistance to ECOMOG (USAE) helicopters.
HEALTH
For the period, 23-26 September, UNICEF reports that in
Montserrado County its mobile team continued vaccinations
in displaced shelters and vulnerable communities,
vaccinating 2,082 children and 2,221 women. UNICEF
provided stationery to the Ministry of Health for the
diarrhoea management committee for data collection of
diarrhoea cases at the clinics.
An agreement was finalised with the International
Commission of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide EPI
services in five shelters in Monrovia. Vaccines, cold
chain equipment and related medical supplies will be
provided by UNICEF.
Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) corners in Montserrado
health facilities are functioning well with a reported
reduction in the number of diarrhoea cases.
An agreement for the provision of health services at 10
clinics in Monrovia by MERCI was finalised during the
reporting period. Under this agreement, UNICEF will
provide training costs, vaccines and medical supplies to
the institution.
In Bomi County, vaccines, cold chain equipment and
medical supplies were supplied to MSF for the measles
vaccination campaign in Tubmanburg which started on 23
September.
On the emergency needs assessment mission to Grand Cape
Mount County, UNICEF distributed six cartons of high
protein biscuits to about 600 children, noting that
malnutrition and a shortage of drugs and medical
equipment are the major problems in the county.
In Grand Bassa County, the measles vaccination campaign
is still in progress and there are reports that measles
and diarrhoea cases are decreasing in the communities.
UNICEF distributed a total of 700 packs of Oral
Rehydration Salts (ORS) and 28 yards of clear plastic
sheets to be used as table cloth on 25 September to nine
ORT corners at the 28 regular IDP shelters in the Po
River and Monrovia areas.
Sessions on diarrhoea control and self-chlorination were
held on 23 September with representatives at the Menneh
Town Displaced Centre for 12 persons by the Community
Organisation and Human Development Agency (COHDA), with
support from UNICEF.
Public health and hygiene messages on diarrhoea
prevention, personal hygiene and self-chlorination were
disseminated in New Kru Town and in Mombo Town West for a
total of 652 persons. The activities were carried out by
community volunteers of the LNRC with support from
UNICEF.
The Cholera Control Committee reports that from 11-20
September, 1883 cases of cholera-severe diarrhoea were
reported in the referral hospitals, with three deaths
reported. Of the cases reported, 263 were children less
than five years of age.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS-ADVOCACY
UNDHA issued a press release regarding the first
humanitarian emergency needs assessment mission conducted
to Grand Cape Mount County in six months. The release
resulted in international wire service coverage of the
findings of the mission and future assistance via
Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Presse, German
Press Agency, etc.
UNDHA conducted a detailed interview with BBC Focus on
Africa highlighting the findings of the mission,
assistance provided and the concerns of the humanitarian
community with regard to security and access to the rest
of the country. Video footage filmed by UNDHA was shipped
to Reuters Television, Abidjan for worldwide broadcast
use via their satellite feeds.
UNDHA issued a press release following the meeting
between humanitarian community representatives and the
Chairperson of the Council of State. The release drew
attention to the importance of insecurity on the ground,
the requirement for the unconditional freedom access and
of movement for both the humanitarian community and
civilians, the Principles and Protocols of Humanitarian
Operations and efforts to build the capacity of national
NGOs. UNDHA also conducted an interview with national
radio ELBC following the meeting with the Chairperson
addressing the same issues.
The National ran an editorial cartoon under the caption,
Seriousness in our behavior would let others help us . .
. The cartoon related that despite its willingness to do
so, the humanitarian and international community face
great difficulty in providing assistance to Liberians in
need while factional fighting continues in various parts
of the country.
The Liberian Humanitarian Community Radio Report was
produced and broadcast daily on national radio station
ELBC, featuring four, five-minute reports, each broadcast
twice on: an update on humanitarian activities being
conducted in Tubmanburg, the Geneva Conventions related
to relief operations and conduct in relation to
civilians, a profile on UNDHA, and, cholera prevention
and treatment. Humanitarian community members featured
were: WVI, CCC, ACF, UNICEF, WFP, NDS, UNDHA, SCF-UK,
WHO, MERCI, MSF, UNHCR, LWF, UNOPS, LNRC, HOPE, IFRC,
WAG, UNOPS and UNDP.
The Humanitarian News publication, distributed widely by
UNDHA-New York, carried a feature article on the Liberian
Humanitarian Community's response to the situation in
Tubmanburg, as well as noting efforts and difficulties
encountered in negotiating access to Grand Cape Mount.
WATER AND SANITATION
For the period 18-25 September, the following water and
sanitation activities were reported:
Save the Children-UK (SCF), in collaboration with the
Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and with support from
UNICEF, collected and disposed of 635 cubic yards of
garbage from 22 skips positioned around Monrovia
utilising two skip trucks. The mass clearing of solid
wastes was completed at Gurley and Centre Streets, Logan
Town, Caldwell Road and other areas, resulting in the
disposal of 756 cubic yards of waste resulting in a total
of 1,391 cubic yards of solid wastes collected and
disposed during the week.
277 wells were chlorinated during the week by the
Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), the Ministry of
Lands, Mines and Energy (MLM and E) and community groups
in various parts of Monrovia and its environments with
support from UNICEF. A total of 4,294 wells have been
chlorinated since the campaign started on 6 August.
Three latrines were dislodged, one at MVTC and two at the
VOA1 displaced centre, by the Liberia Water and Sewer
Corporation (LWSC) utilising its big vacuum truck with
support from UNICEF. A total of 12 latrines have been
dislodged since the project started on 29 August.
Thirty participants from local NGOs and communities in
Buchanan were trained to implement the mass chlorination
of open wells in Buchanan and its environments as part of
a two day Well Chlorination-Diarrhoea Control workshop
organised by UNICEF on 19-20 September.
Under the reactivated joint UNOPS-UNICEF water and
sanitation project for IDP shelters in Bong County, UNOPS
started to deliver the required materials for wells and
latrines at various shelters on 25 September. The project
will be implemented in phases with national NGO,
Liberians United to Save Humanity (LUSH).
DEMOBILISATION
The Secretariat of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and
Reintegration (DDR) Task Force, has continued to revise
the three DDR documents to conform to the realities of
today. It has completed the revision of the flow of
activities at demobilisation sites and has begun to
revise the reintegration programme. The issue as to
whether or not an initial assistance package should be
given to ex-fighters continues to be debated.
CHILDREN AND EDUCATION
UNICEF met with members of the Interfaith Mediation
Committee to finalize plans for a workshop to be held on
22-24 October, which will focus on the status of
war-affected children, the child soldier, disarmament,
demobilisation, rehabilitation and reintegration.
Participants will include UNDHA, NRC, ECOMOG, UNHCR and
UNOMIL.
On 25 September, UNICEF, UNDHA, SCF-UK, NRC, CAP, UNDP
and UNOMIL met to develop a practical plan of action for
the impending Disarmament, Demobilisation and
Reintegration process, including the special requirements
for child soldiers.
UNICEF presented a budget breakdown to USAID for the War
Affected Youth Support (WAYS) Project for the period
August 1996 - March 1997.
The Seeds project is being revisited due to the acute
need for the availability of quality and affordable
education materials. The project was shelved due to the
April hostilities, however, now that some schools in
Monrovia and in Grand Bassa and Margibi Counties are now
open attempts are being made to reactivate the project.
The School-In-A-Bag education kits are scheduled to
arrive in early October and schools approved by the
Ministry of Education and the Church Related Educational
Development Organisation (CREDO) will receive the kits to
help meet the needs of 10,000 students in 100 schools.
SECURITY
There are reports of continued fighting in parts of Grand
Cape Mount County, particularly beyond Tiene toward
Bo-Waterside as well as in the southeast region of the
country.
UNDHA continues to monitor the security and access
situation in and around Tubmanburg and in the areas of
Grand Cape Mount County accessed to ensure the freedom of
movement for the humanitarian community to conduct its
relief operations.
Monrovia and its environ remains calm and no security
incidents were reported.
---------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Tesema Negash
UN Humanitarian Coordinator - Monrovia
Tel.: (231) 226 041-042
Fax: (874) 175 46 27 (sat.)
Complex Emergencies Division (CED) - New York
Mr. Peter Due
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1731
Fax: (1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail: dhagva at dha.unicc.org
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Ms. Deborah Saidy-Mr. Chris Kaye
Tel.: (41 22) 788.6384-788.6385
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
E-Mail: Deborah.Saidy at dha.unicc.org
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