Sierra Leone - DHA/HACU: 23.Aug-01.Sep.97
Sierra Leone - DHA/HACU: 23.Aug-01.Sep.97
SIERRA LEONE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT
Period covered: 23 August - 1 September 1997
This report has been prepared by the office of the United Nations
Humanitarian Coordinator for Sierra Leone in Conakry, Guinea
SECURITY
1. There have been two security incidents of significance in the Western area
during the week under review. On 23 August ECOMOG troops shelled People's
Army locations in the vicinity of Lungi causing some casualties. On 28 August
the Nigerians fired warning shots at two commercial vessels to prevent them
from entering the harbour in Freetown.
2. On the surface the security climate in Freetown and other urban areas have
been relatively stable during the past week even though sporadic looting has
continued. However, the constant threat of gratuitous harassment by armed
groups is exerting immense psychological pressure on local people and
apparent indications of the return of normality in some urban areas are
superficial, particularly in the Western area and the Eastern and Southern
Provinces. In rural areas fighting between the People's Army and the kamajors
continues to the south of Bo town and in the vicinity of Zimmi and Tongo
field in the Eastern Province.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
3. On 29 August ECOWAS issued a recommendation on the application of
sanctions against the AFRC following the recent summit in Abuja. Article two
indicates that ECOWAS states would impose a general and total embargo on all
supplies of petroleum products, arms and military equipment to Sierra Leone
and abstain from transacting business in that country. Military equipment
earmarked for the exclusive use of ECOMOG would be exempted from this
provision. Article four broadens the scope of the embargo by stating that
ECOWAS states would prohibit the -importation of any commodities and products
originating in Sierra Leone and the exportation of other goods to that
country.- Article 10 states that the Committee of Four would solicit
assistance from the UN Security Council to render the sanctions universal and
mandatory, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
4. Humanitarian assistance items will be exempt from the embargo when
authorised by the Authority of the Heads of State through the Committee of
Four Foreign Ministers. Article five states that ECOWAS states will abstain
from shipping humanitarian goods to the AFRC, except with the prior approval
of the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. Article 8
(3) says that request for permission to import goods for humanitarian
purposes into Sierra Leone would be considered by the ECOWAS Committee of
Four which would make the necessary recommendations to the Authority of the
Heads of State. The statement gives no details on the mechanism which the
Committee of Four will use to implement this function.
5. On 25 August the US state department issued a statement supporting ECOWAS'
efforts to restore President Kabbah through mediation and the use of
sanctions. The statement added: -If negotiations do not succeed rapidly, we
are deeply concerned that force may be used instead. We deplore the abuse and
brutality to which the people of Sierra Leone have been subjected by the
military regime and call for an immediate end to such practices and for
greater respect of human rights.-
6. A second attempt to arrange a meeting between President Conte of Guinea
and Major Koroma on the weekend of 23-24 August in Conakry did not
materialise as Major Koroma was unable to attend.
HUMANITARIAN DEVELOPMENTS
7. Increasing numbers of expatriate NGO staff members are returning to Sierra
Leone. In addition to recent missions by the Country Representatives of World
Vision and Care to Freetown, Merlin have established an expatriate presence
in Kenema, ACF in Freetown and Bo and World Vision in Freetown. MSF has
strengthened its capacity with the deployment of 2 nutritionists to Freetown
and ICRC has been rotating its staff to maintain a continuous presence.
8. On 24 August the AFRC announced over state radio the establishment of a
task force mandated -to seize all relief food sold in markets and other
places, and to arrest offenders.- In the announcement the Secretary of State
for Development and Economic planning accused NGOs of -diverting- duty-free
waivers for the distribution of humanitarian aid.
FOOD AID
9. Local NGOs in Freetown have written a letter to the Secretary of State of
the Department of Development and Economic Planning (DODEP) expressing
concern at the creation of the task force responsible for countersigning all
delivery vouchers for relief food from WFP stores. NGOs requested that the
former regulatory procedure be adopted, namely the monitoring of food
agencies by the Food Aid Secretariat of DODEP.
10. There are currently estimated to be 12,300 MTs of relief food available
in Sierra Leone. Due to security limitations it is not possible to conduct
regular physical stock checks. The Committee on Food Aid estimates that
existing supplies in Sierra Leone are sufficient to meet the needs of
beneficiaries of existing programmes for two months under optimum security
conditions. There are, however, shortages of types of commodity such as Corn
Soya Blend (CSB) in some parts of the country and agencies continue to
experience delivery and distribution constraints due to insecurity. 11,000
MTs of relief food is also prepositioned in Conakry and the Committee on Food
Aid is investigating the necessary procedures-clearances for conducting cross
border operations within the remit of the ECOWAS embargo.
11. A one-off emergency distribution has been completed for 26,000 newly
displaced in Kenema district using WFP food commodities. The Committee on
Food Aid has endorsed the strategy that new influxes should receive a one
month ration and thereafter be screened for eligibility on the vulnerable
group feeding scheme. 2,224 vulnerable families in Makeni have also received
the safety net ration.
12. As at 25 August 1997, a caseload of 92,471 individuals has been
registered and verified for eligibility on the vulnerable group feeding
programme in Sierra Leone.
HEALTH
13 (a). From 13 to 15 August 1997, MSF conducted a survey to establish the
nutritional status of 6-59 month old children in six different areas of
Freetown. Samples from 621 children were analysed. Acute global malnutrition
is defined by a weight - height index <-2Z scores (weight - height index < 80
percent and-or presence of the oedema. Severe acute malnutrition is defined
by a weight - height index <-3Z scores (weight - height index <70 percent
and-or presence of the oedema. The results are as follows:
Global acute malnutrition (August 1997) 8.9 percent (Z score) Severe acute
malnutrition (August 1997) 1.8 percent (Z score)
13 (b). The survey also revealed that children in the age group 6-29 months
were significantly more malnourished than those in the 30-59 month category.
No cases of the oedema were recorded. Acute malnutrition has increased since
the previous nutritional survey in Freetown conducted by ACF in December
1996. ACF's survey revealed:
Global acute malnutrition (December 1996) 5.7 percent (Z score)
Severe acute malnutrition (December 1996) 0.8 percent (Z score)
13 (c). It should be noted that the geographical areas covered by the two
surveys are not identical even though there is a degree of overlap. The ACF
nutritional survey (December 1996) targeted central and eastern Freetown
whereas the MSF survey (August 1997) only covered the eastern part of town,
which is the poorest part of Freetown. The methodology is identical for each
survey. MSF will continue to monitor the nutritional status of 100 children
on a regular basis.
14. It has been reported that there has been an outbreak of measles in
Koinadugu district and parts of Bombali district. A total of 52 measles
fatalities has been confirmed since the coup on 25 May (12 in Port Loko
district and 40 in Tonkolili district) but the real figure is believed to be
far higher. It is clear that the Northern province of Sierra Leone is
disproportionately susceptible to the outbreak of disease as five out of the
six outbreaks of measles in 1997 have occurred in this province. This is
attributed to the fact that the Northern province has received relatively
poor vaccination coverage. Some confirmed cases of tuberculosis have also
been reported.
15. There is a serious concern over the future availability of cold chain
facilities in Sierra Leone. In Freetown, there are currently sufficient fuel
and gas cylinders to store vaccines for three months. UNICEF is providing
diesel to run the generators for the central storage facility in Freetown.
In rural parts of Sierra Leone, frequent power shortages have been a severe
impediment to the efficient functioning of the cold chain and UNICEF has
provided 70 gas cylinders to maintain EPI refrigeration in Kambia, Port Loko,
Bombali, Koinadugu, Bo and Pujehun districts. It is essential that gas
cylinders be retrieved whenever possible as they are expensive to replace.
16. Health agencies have endorsed the weekly mortality and morbidity reports
created by UNICEF for the collection of accurate and standardized data. The
forms will be distributed to key peripheral health units throughout Sierra
Leone to facilitate the analysis of trends throughout different parts of the
country. UNICEF has identified 10 strategic health units in Kambia, Port
Loko and Bombali districts which will serve data collection points for the
purpose of this exercise. Merlin will adopt similar mechanisms in Kenema and
MSF in Bo and Pujehun. Concern universal has suggested using clinics through
the catholic mission network in Bo, Makeni and Kenema. It is intended that
the data collection exercise will start on systematic basis in September.
17. The number of patients infected with HIV-STD is increasing in Sierra
Leone. In Freetown, HIV infections and AIDS cases recorded in Connaught
hospital have increased as follows: 1994, 58, 1995, 86, 1996, 143, 1997
(January-July), 110. Health Agencies believe that HIV-AIDS-STD need to be
monitored during emergency situations as armed conflict causes increased
incidences of sexual abuse which is exacerbated by population movements.
AGRICULTURE
18. Attempts are being made to evaluate the potential harvest in Sierra Leone
to gain a better understanding of future agricultural needs. UN-HACU in
collaboration with agricultural NGO's is currently plotting a map giving
details of quantities of rice distributed and numbers of beneficiaries
throughout Sierra Leone for the current planting season. Harvest estimates
will be calculated after receiving technical input on issues such as
germination rates from operational agencies. When the exercise has been
completed, agricultural agencies will have a clearer picture of future
agricultural shortages.
19. ICRC has completed a distribution of seeds and tools to 21,016
beneficiaries in former RUF-held areas in Kailahun district. This is the
first time that these chiefdoms have been targeted since the beginning of the
year.
CHILD PROTECTION
20. The regional coordination mechanisms for child protection are functioning
effectively in the Western area (lead agency, ADRA) and in Kenema (lead
agency, Kenema District Diocesan Office). In Makeni ADRA and Children
Associated with the War (CAW) are currently investigating ways of reunifying
unaccompanied children as well as advocating for the use of the child
demobilisation planning frame work. There is a dearth of information from Bo
and UNICEF will visit the area in the near future to receive an update from
Christian Brothers, which has been designated lead agency for child
protection issues in the area.
21. There is a general consensus that low-profile child soldiers
demobilisation initiatives being adopted by the Catholic Church in Makeni and
by ADRA-CAW at the Benguema barracks in Freetown have the greatest chance of
success in the current political and security climate in Sierra Leone. The
Catholic church is investigating establishing similar mechanisms in Kenema.
22. From 22 to 25 July, the Boys Society of Sierra Leone conducted a survey
to determine how many youths between the age of 10 and 18 had been recruited
into the People's Army in the Greater Freetown area since the coup on 25 May.
The survey revealed that 85 youths had joined the military-People's Army
since the coup, most of whom lived in areas in the vicinity of Juba,
Wilberforce, Cockerill and Murray town barracks. Although it is impossible
to determine the accuracy of these figures, they do appear to indicate that
allegations of large-scale recruitment of youths into the People's Army since
the coup are exaggerated.
REFUGEES
23. From 12 to 24 June, a census of Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees in
Guinea was conducted by UNHCR in collaboration with the Guinean government.
The results, which were publicly released on 26 August, revealed a reduction
in the combined Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugee caseload from 660,000 to
401,000. The new figure comprises 231,000 Liberians and 170,000 Sierra
Leoneans. The press release gave three reasons for the drop in the caseload:
first, the spontaneous return of refugees, particularly Liberians, to their
countries of origin, second, the cessation of general food distribution,
third, the fact that the census was conducted when the border was closed
preventing those refugees who had temporarily returned to their countries of
origin from registering.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
Complex Emergency Division (CED) New York
Mr. Stephen Johnson
Tel.: (1 212) 963.3044 - Fax: (1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail: johnsons@un.org
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Shahwar Pataudi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1403 - 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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