Sierra Leone - DHA-11: 19.Nov-16.Dec.96
Sierra Leone - DHA-11: 19.Nov-16.Dec.96
SIERRA LEONE BI-MONTHLY INFORMATION REPORT No. 11
Period covered: 19 November - 16 December 1996
This report has been prepared by the office of the United
Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Sierra Leone
1. Assessments by many different organisations have been
made to determine humanitarian needs throughout much of
Sierra Leone during the past month. Some of the areas
visited include: Zimmi (UNHCR, UN-HACU, MSF, Food for
Peace, CRS, ICRC), Pujehun, Bandajuma, Potoru (MNRRR, Food
for Peace, CRS, ACF, UN-DPA, UN-HACU, MSF, CCSL, British
Military Liaison Officer), Moyamba (MSF, Food for Peace,
UN-HACU,Care).Thislistis not intended to be
comprehensive but is merely an indication of ongoing
activities in parts of Sierra Leone which were previously
inaccessible due to insecurity. Visits by Government, UN
Agencies and NGOs to districts such as Bo, Kenema, Kono and
Tonkolili, which have benefited from the permanent presence
of a variety of relief organisations throughout 1996, have
also continued. The objective of these visits is to compile
a series of Rapid Assessment Survey Forms which will
contain information on demography, community organisations,
shelter, health, water, food stocks and logistical support
in each of the areas assessed. These Rapid Assessment Forms
will be used as a tool to prioritise needs throughout
Sierra Leone so that the 1997 DHA Interagency Consolidated
Appeal will be as focused as possible in identifying the
outstanding humanitarian needs which must be met prior to
rehabilitation.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
2. The Peace Agreement between the Government of Sierra
Leone (GOSL) and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra
Leone (RUF) was signed in Abidjan on 30 November, 1996 by
President Kabbah and Corporal Foday Sankoh. The signing of
the Agreement was witnessed by the President of the
Republic of C"te dIvoire, the UN Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General, theOAUandtheCommonwealth.
Significant progresshasbeenmadetowardsthe
implementation of some of the key components of the Peace
Agreement. Article three specifies that a Commission for
theConsolidationofPeace,whichwillcomprise
representativesfromGOSLandthe RUF, should be
established within two weeks of the signing of the Peace
Agreement (i.e., by 15 December, 1996). The Commission will
be a -verification mechanism responsible for supervising
and monitoring the implementation of and compliance with
all the provisions contained in the Agreement.- In order to
fulfil this task the Commission will establish six bodies
namely,a Socio-Economic Forum, Citizens Consultative
Conferences, a Multi-partisan Council, a Trust Fund for the
Consolidation of Peace, a Demobilisation and Resettlement
Committee (to be established within one month of the
signing of the Agreement) and a National Budget and Debt
Committee. Negotiations between the GOSL and the RUF over
the composition of the Commission for the Consolidation of
Peace have been ongoing during the past week and on 13
December it was announced that the GOSL representatives on
the Commission would be Dr. Sama Banya, Mr. Desmond Luke,
Dr. A.F. Joe Jackson and Mr. Sheka Mansaray and that the
RUF representatives would be Mr. Ibrahim Deen-Jalloh, Mr.
Faiya Musa, Mr. Philip Palmer and Mr. Mustapha Allieu. It
was also announced that the Commission would meet during
the week beginning 16 December.
3. Article 11 of the Peace agreement envisages the creation
of a Neutral Monitoring Group (NMG) from the international
community which will be responsible for monitoring the
implementation of the Peace Agreement and the disarmament
and demobilisation plan. Important progress has been made
in this regard as both the GOSL and the RUF have requested
that the UN Security Council authorise the deployment of
military observers to Sierra Leone. The UN Department of
Peace-KeepingOperations(DPKO)is currently making
preliminary investigations into the logistical feasibility
of this request.
4. Article 12 states that -Government shall use all its
endeavours, consistent with its treaty obligations, to
repatriate other foreign troops (i.e., the Nigerians and
theGuineans) no later than three months after the
deployment of the Neutral Monitoring Group or six months
after the signing of the Peace Agreement, whichever is
earlier.- Article 12 also states that Executive Outcomes
shall be -withdrawn- within five weeks of the deployment of
the NMG.
5. On 4 December the UN Security Council issued a statement
welcoming the signing of the Peace Agreement. The Security
Council noted in particular the -need for a successful
process of demobilisation and reintegration of former
combatants- and intimated that it was ready to assist in
this process. The Security Council also stressed the -
importanceofa coordinated international effort to
alleviate the humanitarian situation- in Sierra Leone.
SECURITY
6. Since the signing of the Peace Agreement on 30 November,
1996 there have been several instances in Kailahun and
Torikolili districts when small groups of RUF have attacked
local villagers motivated primarily by a desire to obtain
food. Lacking clear direction from the RUF leadership,
hungry and increasingly desperate, these small groups of
RUF will remain a threat to rural populations unless
immediate action is taken to address their particular
circumstances.
7. Kailahun District: On 2 and 3 December 1996, there was
allegedly a fracas between kamajors and RUF in the Segbwema
region resulting in five casualties and four injured
kamajors. On 9 December, two RUF were apparently killed by
kamajors in a village 10 miles North-East of Segbwema for
attempting to steal food from their families.
8. Tonkolili District: There has been much speculation over
recenteventsinTonkolilidistrict fueled by an
irresponsible piece of journalism which falsely claimed
that 150 civilians in the area were recently killed by the
RUF. The report was subsequently vehemently refuted by both
the GOSL and the RUF. The British Military Liaison Officer
(BMLO)visited Makeni, Magburaka and Matatoka on 13
December to determine the precise sequence of events in
Tonkolilidistrictsincethe signing of the Peace
Agreement. The BMLO consulted a wide cross section of
military and civilian sources during his visit and his
findings are summarised as follows: On 9 December 58
civilians were kidnapped by the RUF near Matatoka in Yoni
and Taneh chiefdoms to act as food carriers. 23 of those
were released later that day due to intervention by the
kamajors. Since the signing of the Peace Agreement an
estimated 15 civilians had been killed by the RUF in
several different villages in Yoni and Taneh chiefdoms for
trying to prevent the RUF from stealing food. There are
still believed to be 1,500 RUF (the vast majority of whom
are captured civilians) in the Kangari Hills, a well-known
RUF stronghold which was visited by Foday Sankoh prior to
the signing of the Peace Agreement. It is the small numbers
of bona fide RUF combatants who are creating the problems
although a handful have given themselves up. The BMLO also
reportedthat 300 kamajors had moved into Tonkolili
district since the Peace Accord had been signed (although
there were only 48 in the area as of 13 December) and that
many of the new recruits were ill-disciplined and behaving
in an irresponsible manner by, for example, setting up ad
hoc road blocks.
DEMOBILISATION
9. The fourth monthly Consultative Forum on Disarmament,
Demobilisation and Reintegration was held on 10 December by
the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)
office of MNRRR and was attended by UN Agencies, donors and
NGOs. Several interesting points were made.
9 a). As at 23 November (MNRRRs most recent figures) DDR
had screened 1,200 RUF ex-combatants-captives (-
returnees-). Of those 140 were children and 158 were ex-
combatants. Only 169 had not yet returned to their areas
of origin and the majority of those who were still being
detained were those who were classified as ex-combatants.
It should be noted that the official MNRRR figures do not
include the -returnees- who had recently arrived in
Largo, Zimmi, Makeni and those who fled into Liberia
following the kamajor offensive in Pujehun district
during the last part of November 1996. (See refugee
section below for more details).
9 b). DDRs demobilisation field officers have been
deployed to their posts in Bo, Kenema and Makeni. They
will work closely with the MNRRR regional coordinators in
these areas and the UN-HACU field officers in Bo and
Kenema to improve DDRs capacity to screen RUF -
returnees.-
9 c). The identities of the NGOs responsible for
managing the four reception centres for RUF -returnees-
are now available for public consumption. They are:
Kenema:Africare (international NGO)
Bo:CRS (international NGO)
Mile 38: EFSL (local NGO)
Makeni:Association for Rural Development (local NGO)
9 d). The contracts for these managing agencies have been
drawn up but not yet signed for two reasons. First, the
Demobilisation and Resettlement Committee to be
established by the Commission for the Consolidation of
Peace (see point one above) will comprise representatives
from the RUF as well as from the GOSL. In essence, this
means that the RUF must now give their approval before
these contracts can be signed. Second, on a more
practical level, the managing agencies received their
contracts on 10 December and are having them reviewed by
their respective legal departments prior to signature.
9 e). The World Bank funded studies entitled Social and
Economic Reintegration and Resource Management: Study on
Conflict and Reconciliation and Reintegration of war-
affected youth and ex-combatants, a study of the social
and economic structure in Sierra Leone have now been
completed and are being reviewed by MNRRR. These studies
will help to shape MNRRRs disarmament and demobilisation
programme. It is anticipated that the third study on the
RSLMF will be completed by the end of December 1996.
10. There is increasing concern in Kenema district over
the role being played by the kamajors vis-a-vis ex-RUF
captives. On 23 November, Africare and Merlin
registered-medically screened 31 ex-RUF captives in Largo
(North of Kenema town) who were brought to the area by
the kamajors following a skirmish with the RUF which also
resulted in 10 ex-captives (mainly women and children)
suffering from shotgun wounds being admitted to hospital.
Merlins medical screening revealed that eight child ex-
captives were severely malnourished and should be
enrolled on their therapeutic feeding programme. Others
needed medical treatment. The kamajors, however, refused
to permit those in need of medical and nutritional
assistance to be transported to Kenema unless they were
paid 28,000 leones or two cartons of shotgun ammunition.
In effect, these ex-captives were being held hostage so
that the kamajors in Largo would receive recognition for
their exploits from the Local Defense Office in Kenema, a
state of affairs which is completely unacceptable on
humanitarian grounds. The matter was raised at a
district level by MNRRR, UN-HACU and NGOs operating in
Kenema with the result that 17 of the children in Largo
were subsequently brought to Kenema for treatment. The
issue has also been raised with the Deputy Minister of
Defense in Freetown and it is hoped that the kamajors in
Kenema will not be so intransigent in the future.
RESETTLEMENT
11. Approximately 1000 displaced people from Masimera
chiefdom in Port Loko district were finally resettled to
their area of origin from the Western area during the
past week. 660 people were moved from Clay Factory camp
and approximately 330 from Grafton. ADRA and German Agro
Action provided transport and Childrens Aid Direct and
ADRA registered and conducted a one-off emergency
distribution of WFP food to these people at the point of
their return. The displaced from Masimera chiefdom
originally fled from their homes in August 1996 due to
increased insecurity in their home areas and they have
effectively been living as squatters in the Freetown
camps for the past four months receiving no assistance
with the exception of one emergency food distribution.
Although there was universal acceptance that the Masimera
residents should return to their homes as soon as
possible, their eventual return was delayed by continued
insecurity in Masimera. While there was much discussion
over the possibility of transporting the people from
Masimera to the vicinity of Port Loko town as a transit
point to alleviate pressure on the Freetown camps, a
consensus on this proposal was never reached.
Ultimately, it was infinitely preferable that the people
from Masimera were returned to their home chiefdom as it
will enable them to rebuild their lives as quickly as
possible. Those involved deserve much credit as this
particular issue has been the bugbear of the relief
community in recent months. ADRA and Childrens Aid
Direct are investigating the possibility of distributing
seeds and tools in the immediate future.
12. The Ministry of National Reconstruction, Resettlement
and Rehabilitation (MNRRR) has finalised its resettlement
plan after extensive consultation with a wide cross
section of the relief community through the auspices of
the Resettlement and Repatriation Planning Committee.
The plan identifies five groups to be targeted for the
resettlement programme namely: Internally Displaced
People (camp and non-camp), Sierra Leonean refugees in
Guinea and Liberia, ex-combatants and their relatives
(both RUF and RSLMF), released persons (i.e., Ex-
captives) and locally displaced persons (those displaced
in the bush). The food component of the resettlement
package will be based on the recommendations made by the
National Committee on Food Aid. The non-food component
will include: cooking pots, one large kitchen knife, two
buckets, two sleeping mats, two plastic plates, two
plastic spoons, two plastic cups and two cooking spoons.
Families consisting of 1-3 people will receive one set of
the above items, families with 4-7 people will receive
two sets of the above items and families with more than
eight people will receive a combination of the above.
The exact composition of the package of agricultural
implements including items such as cutlasses, hoes and
axes will be determined by the Agricultural Technical
Committee.
FOOD AID
13. In a creditable effort to provide a flexible response
to the continually changing circumstances of those in
needs, the Committee on Food Aid has endorsed a strategy
whereby implementing NGOs of agencies providing foods are
authorised to provide one-off emergency rations to the
vulnerable. People eligible for assistance of this kind
include the displaced in rural areas who have recently
become accessible to aid agencies, newly-released ex-
captives (providing they are not classified as ex-
combatants) and those who are not registered. The
Regional Food Aid Technical Committees will act as
watchdogs by cross-checking the identities of those
included in these emergency assistance programmes. The
provision of this emergency ration will cease when those
concerned are physically able to return to their areas of
origin (when they will be eligible for the resettlement
package) or when they are incorporated into other food
targeting schemes.
14. Plans are underway to start collecting data on
vulnerable households at chiefdom level so that those
eligible for the -safety net ration- in rural areas can
be targeted. It is envisaged that households will be
identified using the same household scoring criteria
currently being used in Bo, Kenema and Makeni. (See
point three, sitrep dated 6-18 November for more
details). Parties involved unanimously agreed that local
communities should be included at every stage of the
process so that transparency is guaranteed. In practice,
this means that local leaders and chiefdom
representatives will: identify the households which
should be assessed, monitor the entire process, and
exchange information and share grievances at public
meetings which any member of the community will be free
to attend.
15. Plans are afoot to undertake an Interagency
vulnerability survey of the camps in the Western area
with a view to facilitating the return of the displaced
to their areas of origin during the first quarter of
1997. The Camp Management Sub-Committee, in
acknowledging the Committee on Food Aids decision that
general food distribution will cease in January 1997, has
recommended that the provision of all other services to
camp populations in the Western area be terminated in
February 1997 to encourage the displaced to return to
their home areas in March so that they can prepare for
the upland rice planting season. Vulnerable groups
eligible for assistance through therapeutic and
supplementary feeding programmes will not be affected.
AGRICULTURE
16. FAO has received USD 750,000 from the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
through the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal to
provide emergency assistance to 17,000 war-affected farm
families in Sierra Leone. FAO is in contact with the
relevant NGOs in Kono, Kailahun, Bo, Kenema, Pujehun,
Bonthe and Moyamba districts to discuss implementation
modalities.
17. At the most recent Agricultural Emergency Relief
Committee meeting, a joint decision was taken to
subdivide the committee into three smaller, more focused
committees. These are:
a) Advisory Committee: which will meet on an ad hoc
basis to advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural
Resources (MANR) on issues of concern
b) Resources Committee: which will meet on a weekly
basis to discuss maximising the geographical coverage of
agricultural inputs.
c) Technical Committee: which will meet weekly to discuss
technical issues such as germination rates, seed
varieties, use of fertilizer, etc.
CHILDREN IN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
18. There have been several meetings in the past two
months, facilitated by UN-HACU, and attended by
representatives from the Government, UN Agencies and NGOs
to develop an interagency strategy for unaccompanied
children. Unaccompanied children are defined in an
excellent report by a UNICEF consultant as -minors who
are living without an adult relative or usual carer.-
Unaccompanied children are further categorised as street
children, children in substitute families, children in
welfare institutions such as orphanages and child
soldiers. UNICEF estimates that there are currently 8,
500 to 9,500 unaccompanied children in Sierra Leone.
19. Despite the creation of the Child Welfare Forum, an
inter-agency body which has an Unaccompanied Childrens
Unit, there has, nevertheless, been difficulty in
developing a coordinated and unified approach to the
implementation of an effective nationwide family tracing
mechanism. To rectify this situation a workshop to
develop and draft policy guidelines for unaccompanied
children have been scheduled for January 8, 1997.
Specifically, the workshop hopes to develop a common
strategy, to recommend minimum programme standards for
unaccompanied children and to recommend an inter-agency
and inter-ministerial coordinating mechanism for
interventions targeting unaccompanied children. The
UNICEF report states that -without a highly structure
central tracing office, and very able management, a
national or regional tracing system is doomed to fail.-
It is hoped that the workshop will succeed in laying
inter-ministerial and inter-agency rivalry in this high
profile but crucial sector to rest.
REFUGEES
20. It has been reported that approximately 2,000 Sierra
Leoneans, a proportion of whom are RUF, crossed the
border into Liberia following the kamajor offensive in
Pujehun district during the last part of November 1996.
As of 13 December, ICRC had registered 1,700 Sierra
Leoneans in Bopolou (many of whom are believed to be RUF
ex-combatants) but the total number of newly-arrived
Sierra Leonean refugees-ex-combatants has not been
confirmed.
NEW ARRIVALS
21. The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), which is
part of USAIDs Bureau for Humanitarian Response, has
recently established a permanent two-year presence in
Sierra Leone with a budget of USD 3.5 million. OTI
perceives its two most important roles as empowering
civilians to prevent the recurrence of violence and
beginning the process of long term reform to address the
causes of the conflict. OTI also aims to consolidate the
peace process and accomplish the transition of
humanitarian relief to a) support for resettlement, while
maintaining emergency readiness and b) support for
reintegration of the demobilised population (both RUF and
RSLMF). OTI will implement its programme through NGOs
currently operational in Sierra Leone, namely Africare
(in Kenema), World Vision (in Bo) and Care (in Moyamba
and Tonkolili).
Ms. Elisabeth Lwanga
United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Tel.: (232 22) 22 53 46 - 22 53 11
Fax: (232 22) 22 32 50 - (871) 151 31 21
United Nations Humanitarian
Assistance Coordination Unit (HACU)
Information Office
Mr. Robert Painter-Mr. David Carden
Tel.: (232 22) 22 77 59 (Direct) or
(232 22) 22 97 67 (Switchboard)
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Ms. Kaoruko Seki
Tel.: (1 212) 963.9072
Fax: (1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail: seki@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- 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