Sierra Leone - DHA: 16-21.Jul.97
Sierra Leone - DHA: 16-21.Jul.97
DHAGVA 97/0306
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE
16 - 21 JULY 1997
SECURITY
1. Freetown has been relatively quiet during the past week. There has been a
reduction in shooting during the night and little movement of military
vehicles through the town. There have also been fewer radio broadcasts by
the AFRC.
2. The balance of power between the RUF, AFRC and the kamajors in the Eastern
and Southern provinces of Sierra Leone remains fluid. As a general rule, the
degree to which AFRC and RUF cooperate in rural areas is dependent upon the
strength of the relationship between local military commanders and the
kamajors prior to the coup. For example, it is clear that local military
commanders and the RUF work closely together in the townships of Bo and
Kenema and support the AFRC. Consequently, the newly-formed Peoples Army
controls these towns. However, in many parts of Pujehun district and some
chiefdoms in Bo district, local military commanders have good relations with
the kamajors and do not support the AFRC. In the rural areas of Kenema
district, it is extremely difficult to determine which faction controls a
particular area as reliable and neutral sources of information, such as aid
agencies with operations in these areas have been unable to assess rural
areas due to security constraints.
3. There is considerable uncertainty over the solidity of the alliance
between the AFRC and the RUF in Freetown as the majority of Peoples Army
casualties have been sustained by the RUF. In rural areas, shifting
allegiances are common and are often shaped by local factors more than
dictates from Freetown. In Makeni, cracks are believed to be appearing in
the relationship between the RUF and the local military.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
4. From 17-18 July, the ECOWAS committee of four met a 12-member delegation
from Major Koroma in Abidjan, even though Major Koroma himself, to whom the
invitation was originally extended, did not attend. Led by Dr. Pallo
Bangura, the Foreign Minister, the Sierra Leone delegation included two
well-known politicians, namely Dr. Kareta-Smart, the UNPP candidate who lost
the election run-off to President Kabbah in May 1996 and Dr. Abass Bundu,
former Secretary-General of ECOWAS and candidate in the 1996 elections. The
RUF were represented by S.Y.B. Rogers, Acting Secretary of Lands and
Environment.
5. The ECOWAS Foreign Ministers presented their mandate which included: early
reinstatement of President Kabbah, the return of peace and security and the
resolution of the issues of refugees and displaced persons. The AFRC
delegation expressed deep regret at the loss of lives on 25 May and expressed
readiness to work towards a peaceful resolution of the present crisis,
including restoration of constitutional government, through dialogue and
within an agreed time frame.
6. The meeting decided, inter alia, that a cease-fire should be immediately
established throughout Sierra Leone and that efforts should be made to work
towards the early restoration of constitutional order, consistent with ECOWAS
mandate. It was agreed that the meeting would reconvene in Abidjan on 25th
July, 1997. The content of the Freetown regimes fifteen page Position Paper
on Negotiation, presented to the ECOWAS ministers before the meeting, was not
discussed.
7. A statement from the Nigerian Defense Ministry on 15 July said that
Nigerias role during the clash between ECOMOG and the Peoples Army at Jui on
12-13 July was defensive. The statement added that quote, ECOMOG will
continue to take defensive action as long as the attacks continue. However,
unless directed by ECOWAS, ECOMOG will not go on the offensive, unquote.
8. The AFRCs 19 member cabinet (see points 8 and 9, sitrep dated 8-14 July)
have been sworn into office. Four Freetown newspapers critical of the new
regime have been closed down after receiving threats.
HUMANITARIAN DEVELOPMENTS
9. From 14-20 July, ECOMOG severed road links between Freetown and the rest
of Sierra Leone by enforcing a road blockade on the outskirts of Freetown.
On 20 July, the blockade was lifted allowing large numbers of vehicles access
into Freetown. There have been many unconfirmed reports that a fuel vessel
docked in Freetown on 17-18 July despite the presence of Nigerian warships
off the coast of the Western area.
10. Several different Freetown sources have indicated that the increase in
the price of rice (see point 16, sitrep dated 6-14 July) has replaced
security fears as the most significant source of concern for the local
community. This state of affairs has negative implications for the future
health and security of the civilian population.
11. NGOs in Kenema estimate an influx of approximately 20,000 - 25,000
displaced into the town since the coup due to continuing insecurity in Geura,
Koya and Tunkia chiefdoms in the Southern part of Kenema district and
Nongowa, Lower Bambara and Kandu chiefdoms in the North of the district.
5,230 displaced residing at the Rural Training Institute (RTI) camp in Kenema
town have received an emergency distribution of CRS food through the Kenema
District Diocesan Organisation.
12. According to Action Aid, there are currently 21,671 displaced in Kambia
district. Although these figures are unverified, Action Aids registration
process was the most comprehensive to have been done since the coup as
figures have been compiled on a chiefdom by chiefdom basis. Magbema
chiefdom has the largest number of displaced in the district (7,861) as
Kambia town falls within this chiefdom. Samu chiefdom has the second largest
number of displaced (5,590) as it is situated adjacent to the Guinean border.
13. The Rapid Assessment Survey form which prescribes a standardized format
for the collection of data from humanitarian assessment missions into Sierra
Leone is complete and available for distribution on request. The final
product is the result of extensive consultation among UN Agencies, donors and
NGOs under the guidance of UN-HACU. Although UNHCR has been particularly
instrumental in the preparation of the final draft, all humanitarian agencies
deserve praise for their technical input and cooperation.
FOOD AID
14. CARE International has distributed food for agriculture to approximately
5,000 families and emergency relief to 5,000 beneficiaries since the coup.
Recipients in Tonkolili district (near Matatoka) and Moyamba district (near
Taiama) have been targeted. CAREs remaining food stocks in Moyamba town
(approximately 115 MTS) have been looted during the recent occupation of its
warehouse by the kamajors and thereafter by the RUF/AFRC. CARE reports that
106 people were feared killed and 80 houses burnt during the week of 7-14
July in which Moyamba was under control of the Peoples Army. At the time of
writing, the Peoples Army had left the area.
15. Efforts continue to be made by food agencies to transport existing
supplies from Freetown to more secure locations in up-country Sierra Leone to
minimize exposure to theft. Consequently, trucking companies for food
agencies have been given blanket authorization to move food out of Freetown
whenever possible without having to seek approval on a case by case basis.
16. A request from the Freetown food aid technical committee to feed
approximately 6,500 war widows have been turned down by the Committee on Food
Aid for security reasons.
17. ECHO has designated Danane, which is strategically located in the West of
Cote d'Ivoire near to the Guinean and Liberian borders, as a logistics base
for food, medical and other supplies.
18. The Health Sub-committee in Conakry has requested that food agencies give
food for health workers in Sierra Leone in accordance with the incentive
scale currently being used by MSF and ICRC. It is recommended that only
operational health workers supervised by an international organization should
qualify for this scheme. The Committee on Food Aid is currently reviewing
this request.
HEALTH
19. The most critical health issue to emerge in Freetown during the past week
is the rising rate of malnutrition among children. ACFs caseload at its
therapeutic feeding center in Kissy has risen from 58 to 76 from 8-15 July,
although this rise is partially attributable to ACFs increased number of home
visits. MSFs four clinics in Freetown are currently seeing an average of 200
patients per day. Morbidity data has revealed that malaria (for both adults
and children) followed by Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) are the most
common complaints. The incidents of diarrhoea remains low. 204 patients
received surgery at Connaught hospital between 7 June and 7 July. 175 were
war-related with 41 cases of bullet wounds.
20. Water and sanitation programmes remain a key area of focus for health
agencies due to their importance in preventing the potential outbreak of
cholera during the rainy season. During the week under review, UNICEF and
government health officials conducted an assessment of the islands of
Yeliboya, Rokai and Kotimor in the southern part of Kambia district. These
are the areas in which the cholera outbreaks in 1994 and 1995 were first
identified. The assessment revealed that water facilities were poor and
UNICEF subsequently chlorinated 648 water storage facilities in Yeliboya, 129
in Kotimor and 3 wells in Rokai in response to this situation.
21. Merlin successfully transported 1.5 MTS of medical supplies to Kenema by
air from Monrovia on 16 July.
CHILD PROTECTION
22. There is increased concern over attempts by the RUF to enlist Children
into their ranks. During the past week, armed men visited the
UNICEF-supported J.P. Grant Center in Freetown with a view to conscripting
the 60-80 children who use the center. UNICEF has drawn up an agreement with
the Freetown City Center, which runs the center, to support non-residential
interim care and accelerate efforts to reunite the children with their
families. The 16 remaining child ex-combatants at Grafton have also been
moved to the Children Associated with the War (CAW) home in Wellington,
Freetown, given the fact that 8 of the original caseload have already
re-enlisted.
REFUGEE
23. There continues to be movement of Sierra Leonean refugees back and forth
across the Guinea/Sierra Leonean border in the Gueckedou area to the East of
Guinea despite the fact that the border has been officially closed by Guinean
authorities. Refugees who return to Sierra Leone do so primarily due to
increased harassment by Guinean authorities and a lack of food security (many
cannot afford to lease land to grow food after the cessation of general
feeding programs in January 1997). Those who flee Kailahun district in
Sierra Leone into Guinea do so for fear of possible RUF reprisals in the wake
of possible ECOMOG military intervention in Freetown.
24. The large numbers of Sierra Leonean refugees currently camping at the
Sierra Leonean embassy in Conakry are becoming a source of concern for the
Guinean authorities. The UN Coordination Office in Conakry, established by
the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sierra Leone, is planning to alleviate
this situation by helping the Sierra Leonean embassy to manage the influx of
Sierra Leonean asylum seekers. Assistance will be provided in the areas of
information management and dissemination, family tracing, counseling and
security.
25. 3,500 Sierra Leonean refugees have been registered in Bo Waterside in
Liberia by UNCHRs local implementing partner after fleeing across the border
in the wake of the recent fighting in the Zimmi area.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
Complex Emergency 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
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Mr. Chris Kaye
Tel.: (41 22) 788.6385
Fax: (41 22) 788.6389
Registry E-Mail:Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@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: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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