Liberia - UNHC-49: 14-20 November 1996
Liberia - UNHC-49: 14-20 November 1996
LIBERIA HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT
Period covered: 14-20 November 1996 - No. 49
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 reconnaissance team comprising representatives of UNOMIL,
ECOMOG, UN-HACO, the warring factions, the National
Disarmament and Demobilisation Commission (NDDC) as well
as the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), has been visiting
various locations earmarked for the disarmament of
combatants. Sites visited during the reporting period
included Voinjama, Tubmanburg, Camp Naama, Zwedru, Camp
Sheifflin, and the Barclay Training Centre (BTC). The
visits are part of preparations for the disarmament and
demobilisation process.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has
appointed a new Special Envoy to Liberia. The new envoy,
Ambassador Alhaji Balarabe Tafawa-Balewa, who has a
distinguished career in Nigeria's diplomatic service,
replaces Ambassador Victor Gbeho of Ghana who recently
ended his tour of duty.
SHELTER
Relocation: Twenty-six families comprising 65 persons who
had registered at the VOA-1 shelter and the World Wide
Mission for relocation, have been transported to the
Plumkor transit shelter. Elsewhere, 192 IDPs at the
Benndict Menni Clinic who are desirous of returning home in
the Bong Mines area, have appealed to the Liberia Refugees,
Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) for
assistance with transportation to facilitate their
relocation. The LRRRC is to estimate the number of trucks
required and submit a request for transport assistance to
the Lutheran World Federation World Service (LWF-WS) and
the UNHCR.
The number of irregular shelters to be cleared of IDPs,
including Catholic institutions, is increasing. The
relocation of this category of IDPs, is of serious concern
to the various agencies dealing with IDPs, as the owners of
the various premises are mounting pressure on the IDPs to
vacate. The issue of relocating such IDPs is to be reviewed
by the relevant agencies, as the institutions were not
listed among the original list of irregular shelters.
The concerned agencies are exploring the possibility of
carrying out voluntary relocation of some of the IDPs from
central Monrovia to recognized shelters. IDPs who are still
apprehensive about relocating to the designated regular
shelters will have to make their own arrangements for
relocation.
Food: The LRRRC has suggested providing food rations to
IDPs in central Monrovia as an incentive to encourage them
to find accommodation with relatives in areas considered by
them to be safe. From past experience, the Shelter Sub-
Committee has cautioned that approving such a request could
set a precedence that would in future make the provision of
food a pre-condition for relocation.
Buchanan: The Bassa Teachers Association (BTA) has asked
IDPs to move out of schools being used as shelters. The
Buchanan Task Force is to address the issue at its next
meeting. It will also discuss requests made by IDPs for
assistance to return home.
FOOD AND LOGISTICS
WFP led an inter-agency assessment mission (comprising of
representatives of UNICEF, WHO, FAO, CARE, ACF, LNRC, SELF,
LRRRC) to the Harbel Corridor on 14 November. The purpose
of the mission was to assess food security, health as well
as water and sanitation. The mission has advised that no
general food distribution should be undertaken in the area.
Instead, it recommended that targeted interventions aimed
at reactivating the school system, stimulating food
production through supply of seeds and tools, revitalising
the health delivery system, and improving water and
sanitation facilities in the area. The mission's report
will be presented to the UN-NGO meeting on 21 November.
The WFP Country Director, and the UN Humanitarian
Coordinator, travelled on 16 November to Phebe (the scene
of the recent looting of WFP food), to obtain a security
guarantee from the local authorities, and to reaffirm WFP's
demand for the case to be thoroughly investigated and
culprits speedily brought to justice. The team also used
the occasion to warn local leaders that any repetition of
the incident would have serious implications for
humanitarian activities in the area.
As part of its emergency response strategy to tackle food
shortages in Bomi County, WFP, in collaboration with CCC
and ACF, is to undertake a joint reverification and
registration exercise in Tubmanburg on 19 November as a
prelude to any food distribution in future. The
reverification exercise will include, among other things,
putting bands on the hands of the bonafide beneficiaries in
order to track the population as accurately as possible.
Meanwhile the reverification and registration exercises
have been completed in other areas of Bomi and distribution
will proceed on 20 November as planned.
The M-V Appledore discharged its cargo of 5,289 MTs of
maize meal on 18 November, and sailed on 19 November 1996.
WFP is ready to actively participate in the demobilisation
programme scheduled to commence on 22 November despite
delays in the identification of sites and resources.
United Nations Volunteer V.A.K. Komwihangiro who was
relocated to Abidjan in April, returned to WFP Liberia on
15 November to assume his duties. The Port Captain, Mr.
Hans Madsen is scheduled to leave WFP Liberia on 9 November
for about 3-4 months and his replacement is scheduled to
arrive on 2 November. This will provide an interfacing
period of one week.
WFP's Implementing Partner, Concern World Wide, conducted a
nutritional survey at 12 displaced camps in the Po River
region from 14 - 17 November. These shelters receive
regular WFP monthly food rations. More than 10,000 new
displaced persons arriving from Bomi and Cape Mount are
living in these shelters.
WFP conducted a beneficiary survey on the acceptability of
maize meal which was recently included in the WFP food
basket. Preliminary results indicate widespread beneficiary
acceptance. A publicity campaign (including recipe trial)
to popularise the commodity, is being planned.
WFP delivered a cumulative total of 1,278 MTs of assorted
food commodities to SCF for onward distribution to about
76,000 beneficiaries residing in Upper Margibi. The
nutritional situation there is picking up. Distribution
monitoring reports indicate that the crops are ripening and
coping mechanisms are becoming more diversified. However,
ten days after the completion of the distribution exercise,
SCF and WFP will jointly undertake a post- distribution
monitoring exercise. The population in the area has started
to request for seed rice and tools.
MSF has phased out its therapeutic feeding programme in
Tubmanburg. The supplementary feeding programme catering to
4,200 beneficiaries, is however continuing. MSF has
requested from WFP a consignment of 18 MTs of CSB and 4 MTs
of oil. Negotiations are in progress between ACF and MSF
about the eventual transfer of MSF programmes there to ACF.
During the period under review, WFP delivered about 5.88
MTs of assorted food commodities, including BP5 and HEB for
200 beneficiaries at the TFC in Vonzoula, Grand Cape Mount
County. Another 24 MTs of assorted commodities were
delivered there for 800 beneficiaries at the SFC programme.
WFP's food distribution plan for the month of November for
the IDP shelters, is being finalized. It is estimated that
1,494 MTs of bulgur wheat and 183 MTs of edible fat will be
required for an estimated 246,000 beneficiaries.
Weekly market prices of basic commodities as at Wednesday,
20 November, 1996, are as follows:
COMMODITIES PRICE-
Weight-KG LD USD LD USD
Indian Long
grain rice 50 1,350.00 19.57 27.00 0.39
American Long
grain rice 50 1,973.00 28.59 39.46 0.57
Bulgur Wheat 50 550.00 7.97 11.00 0.16
Vegetable Oil
(net gallon) 3.67 375.00 5.43 102.18 1.48
Petroleum Products PRICE-Gal
Weight-Kg LD USD
Gasoline 4.5 100.00 1.45
Fuel Oil 4.5 100.00 1.45
Engine Oil 4.5 300.00 4.35
Kerosine 4.5 175.00 2.54
WFP stock as of 19 November is 6,608 MTs of assorted food
commodities
Bulgur Wheat 2,708 MTs
CSB 2,727 MTs
Pulses 1,718 MTs
Vegetable Oil 10 MTs
Biscuits 44 MTs
Canned fish 25 MTs
Compact food 6 Mts
These figures excluded cargo brought by Antartica and M-V
Manley Appledore (502.516 MTs edible fat and 5,289 MTs
maize meal respectively).
HEALTH
Montserrado County: UNICEF participated in planning a
National Vaccination Campaign and has mobilized supplies
for the refresher training of health personnel in the
counties. Three hundred health workers participated in
the refresher course from Montserrado, Margibi and Bomi
Counties.
Details have been finalized for the provision of
logistics, cold chain equipment, vaccines, training and
campaign dates, as well as public awareness activities in
each county, following meetings of the Expanded Programme
on Immunization (EPI) Task Force .
Grand Bassa County: Vaccination teams have been selected
and trained in Buchanan for the upcoming vaccination
campaign in Grand Bassa County. Sixty health workers will
participate in the campaign.
UNICEF participated in a mission to Buchanan, accompanied
by the Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health
(MOH), and the County Health Officer. The team met with
the Superintendent, the Mayoress, health workers and a
cross-section of the citizen, as part of community
sensitization for the implementation of a modified
version of the Bamako Initiative planned for the county.
Bong County: UNICEF visited Bong County and held a
meeting with the County Health Team (CHT)concerning a
proposal for the reactivation of health services in the
County. The proposal has been submitted to UNICEF for
funding. The activities will lead to the reactivation of
five clinics in the county.
Nimba County: UNICEF travelled to Sanniquellie and Ghanta
in Nimba County to discuss with health staff there the
possibility of reactivating health services, as well as
implementing plans for the pending one week vaccination
campaign.
Sinoe County: UNICEF participated in a joint mission to
assess health services in Greenville and Lexington. The
team has reported that health workers are available and
the hospital's structure is also still intact, though
extensively looted. Despite reports of some diarrhoea
cases in the area, there is no outbreak of disease or
severe malnutrition.
Vaccination Campaign: Due to the very low immunization
coverage in Monrovia, a vaccination campaign is to be
conducted by an EPI Task Force chaired by the Ministry of
Health. Members include UNICEF, WHO, the Medical
Emergency Relief Cooperative International (MERCI), the
National Drug Service (NDS), World Vision International
(WVI), and Medecin Du Monde. The campaign is scheduled to
be launched on November 25, 1996, and will cover all
accessible parts of the country. The campaign, which will
operate from 25 static and 9 mobile clinics, will last up
to January 1997. Health mobilization has already begun in
the communities, with elders, sanitation workers, markets
as well as supermarkets, are to be reached to ensure
maximum awareness and cooperation. Mobilization at the
county level will carried out by the County Health Team
in each area. REMORS, a local NGO, has started Health
Education at the SKD Community, which is one of the 158
communities selected for the exercise in Monrovia. A
request has been made to NGOs to provide vehicles to help
ensure effective mobilization in the various communities.
REMORS
The local NGO, REMORS, has undertaken an assessment
mission to Madina and Mecca in Grand Cape Mount County,
with assistance from World Vision International (WVI).
The clinic was found to be in good condition, with 150
patients awaiting treatment by MERCI's mobile clinic team
which visits the area on Tuesdays and Thursdays. REMORS
has recommended that the clinic in Madina be reactivated.
OXFAM
OXFAM and World Vision are to conduct an assessment in
Rivercess. The Nutritional, Health and Immunization
status of the residents will be considered. As assessment
is also being organised for Greenville.
MOHandSW
The Director of the TB and Leprosy Control Programme at
the Ministry of Health, Dr. Freeman, and Dr. Nathaniel
Bartee of MERCI, attended an Inter-Regional Workshop on
Tuberculosis at Displaced and Refugee centres.
Participants at the workshop, which was held in Egypt,
stressed the need for regional coordination in
accommodating returnees and displaced persons within the
region.
The Ministry of Health has announced that the Hospital at
Tubmanburg has been reactivated, and is staffed by a 15-
member health team, along with sanitation and vaccination
teams as well as Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).
NDS
The National Drug Service (NDS) has complained that since
the April 6 crisis, support to the institution has
declined. It has requested the European Union-AEDES to
conduct an assessment in order to resume aid to the
programme.
Catholic Hospital
The St. Joseph's Catholic Hospital in Monrovia, is
inviting health institutions in need of Potassium
Chloride to contact the hospital for a share of its
present stock which are reportedly nearing their expiry
date.
Concern World Wide
Concern World Wide has set up a supplementary feeding
centre and is also providing EPI services in Gba, while
another international NGO, World Vision International,
plans to conduct a nutritional survey at the Po River
displaced shelter.
Monrovia Counselling Agency
The MCA is continuing its trauma healing and stress
management programme, and is appealing to International
NGOs for help.
WHO
WHO has announced plans to organise health care delivery
services at disarmament sites. Nine cities have been
earmarked for disarmament and demobilisation, and a
committee comprising WHO, UNICEF, UNDHA, MERCI, NDS and
MOHandSW, has been set up to formulate a concept paper
for action.
There are reports of an increase in jaundice cases in
some communities. Residents have been advised to report
known cases to the Ministry of Health.
Liberia National Red Cross
LNRC and Medecin Du Monde have established a clinic in
Gabah Town. Chlorination of wells and construction of
latrines are to be carried out in the town.
WATER AND SANITATION
Hygiene: Sessions on environmental sanitation, personal
hygiene and the importance of vaccination were conducted
through music, in four local dialects (Kpelle, Gola, Vai
and Mendi), and a massive clean-up campaign was carried
out by sanitation workers and residents in Vonzon
shelter. Six garbage pits were dug by sanitation workers
and residents of Blocks B and D in Kamara Town shelter.
These activities were coordinated and supervised by
COHDA, with support from UNICEF.
Environmental Sanitation: Save the Children - UK, in
collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC),
with support from UNOPS and UNICEF, collected 840 cubic
yards of garbage utilizing two skip trucks, while 524
cubic yards of garbage were collected under mass clearing
operations. A total of 1,364 cubic yards of garbage and
burnt vehicles were removed during the week.
GWSI, with support from UNICEF, has completed collar
beams and plastering concrete lining for two (2) out
three shelter latrines under construction in Moulton
Corner. WSI, with support from UNICEF, completed collar
beams for two (2) shelter latrines under construction in
Perry Town, and has started the construction of one
shelter latrine in Kamara Town. Help Our People Exist
(HOPE), with support from UNICEF, started the
construction of two (2) shelter latrines in Minty
Allison.
Desludging: LWSC, with support from UNICEF, desludged two
(2) shelter latrines in Moulton Corner. The activity
resumed on 18 November 1996.
Wells and Hand Pumps: HOPE, with support from UNICEF,
started the construction of one shelter well in Minty
Allison. The construction of hand-dug wells in all of the
targeted shelters have come to a standstill pending the
arrival of 2-inch suction and discharge hoses, from
Freetown, for the dewatering pumps. WSI, with support
from UNICEF, has completed the repair of two (2) Well-
head aprons in VOA-1.
Upcountry: LUSH completed one latrine in Totata, Bong
County with joint support from UNICEF and UNOPS. A total
of six wells and five latrines have been completed with
Bong County since the project activities were resumed
after 6 April 1996. Hand pumps have been installed over
five of the wells (2 in Gbondoi, 2 in Totota and 1 in
Zeansue).
CHILDREN AND EDUCATION
UNICEF and AMEZCC have entered into an Agreement to
conduct interviews and initial counselling for a USD 7,
000.00 programme for the Demobilisation and Reintegration
of Child Soldiers Programme. Under the agreement, AMEZCC
will provide eight trauma counsellors and a supervisor
for the project. The counsellors will be assigned to Bo-
Water Side, Camp Naama, Camp Schiefflin, The Barclay
Training Centre, Tubmanburg, Voinjama, SOS Children's
Village and Zwedru. For the next two months, AMEZCC will
provide one project manager and a team leader to monitor
the demobilisation sites, in conjunction with UNICEF
Staff.
UNICEF and the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia
(AFELL) have been meeting to finalize arrangements for
the implementation of a project for the improvement of
prison conditions for minors. The meeting was intended to
discuss activities and to approve a proposed budget of
USD 60,000.00 to run the project for six months.
Activities to be carried out under the project will
include the reconstitution of juvenile courts,
rehabilitation of imprisonment sites for minors,
workshops and community sensitization and programmes for
the reintegration of released children.
The Inter-Sectoral Team for Bong and Nimba Counties has
made a 3-day trip to Bong County to assess educational
facilities in the area. During their visit, the team
members met with the County Education Officer and
identified the following needs for schools in the area:
school feeding, renovation of school premises,
establishment of a curriculum-material production centre,
clothing for teachers, and distribution of educational
kits and educational equipment. It was agreed that the
Lutheran World Service (LWS) and Liberians United to
Serve Humanity (LUSH), will collaborate in the two
Counties. The team inspected facilities of the War-
Affected Youth Support (WAYS) and Community Initiative
Schools project targeted at soldiers that are stationed
at check points.
CREDO is continuing the distribution of educational kits
to an estimated 10,000 students at 54 primary schools in
and around Monrovia.
The Concerned Christian Community (CCC) has taken
delivery of supplies for distribution to 250
unaccompanied children through families in Tubmanburg,
Sasstown, Klay and the Government Farm area. Registration
of children and families is already in progress, and
distribution of the items will begin on 25 November 1996.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY
Most activities this week have centered on preparations
for the pending Disarmament and Demobilisation process
slated to commence on 22 November. As part of the public
awareness campaign aimed at sensitizing faction leaders
and their fighters as well as the general public about
this all-important exercise, UNDHA-HACO issued an
educational write-up defining the process of disarmament
and demobilisation and pin-pointing the responsibilities
expected of the various actors. In the article entitled:
-Disarmament and Demobilisation: the Solution for Lasting
Peace in Liberia-, UNDHA- HACO underscored the importance
of disarmament and demobilisation in the process of
restoring peace to the war-torn nation, and called on the
Liberian people and their leaders to -take the lead in
restoring their beloved country to normalcy-. The write-
up was broadcast extensively both as an editorial and as
a special feature on the national radio station, ELBC,
and the private KISS-FM station. It was also published
full page in five local newspapers.
The -News- of 18-19 November reported that a delegation
comprising the UN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator and
the Representative of the World Food Programme held a
meeting with ECOMOG to discuss preparations for the
disarmament and demobilisation process. During the
discussion, the Humanitarian Coordinator appealed for the
continuous assistance of ECOMOG, particularly in the area
of security, transportation and communication and in
facilitating operations during the disarmament and
demobilisation exercise.
In an artice captioned: -UNDHA Lauded-, the newly-
established weekly -Heritage- newspaper reported on a
recent speech to the Transitional Legislative Assembly
(TLA)in which Health Minister Vamba Kanneh commended
UNDHA for its coordinating role in the humanitarian
community in Liberia. The Health Minister stressed that
the work of UNDHA had -greatly strengthened relief
services than ever since the onset of the war-, and added
that he was certain that the coordinating role of the
organisation would yield a reliable and maximum result
for the war-plagued people of Liberia.
Production and broadcast of the Liberian Humanitarian
Community Radio Report, has continued. All segments this
week's programme have been dedicated to the broadcast of
the UNDHA-HACO write-up entitled: -Disarmament-
Demobilisation: the Lasting Solution to Peace in Liberia-
which was produced as part of efforts to sensitize
faction leaders, fighters and other Liberians about their
responsibilities in this important aspect of the peace
process.
DEMOBILISATION
Final preparations are being made for the start of the
Disarmament and Demobilisation process which is scheduled
to officially take off on 22 November 1996. According to
figures submitted by the various factions, a total of
about 59,000 fighters belonging to the six main warring
factions, are to be disarmed and demobilised over a
period of about two months that ends on 31 January, 1997.
The disarmament will be carried out by ECOMOG and
certified UN military observers, while UNDHA-HACO along
with various other agencies of the Humanitarian
Community, will register the disarmed combatants as part
of the process of preparing them for returning to resume
civilian life.
SECURITY
With the tight security put in place by ECOMOG, in
preparation for the disarmament and demobilisation
process, residents of Monrovia have enjoyed a measure of
security during the week. Similarly, there has been a
lull in reported skirmishes between the rival factions in
both the western as well as south-eastern regions which
have been the scenes of almost continuous military
confrontation.
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: due@un.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@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@dha.unicc.org