wfn.org | ACT International Desparate Liberian Needs

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACT International: ccl@act-intl.org
http://www.act-intl.org

ACT News Update

Liberia 0903

Desperate needs of fearful and battle-weary Liberians

Geneva, June 16, 2003

Report after report from Liberian members of the global alliance Action by 
Churches Together (ACT) International detail not only the horrors brought 
on by the most recent clashes and battles between government and rebel 
forces, but also a rather anxious hope for a cease-fire, a longing for 
peace and the desperate needs of the tens of thousands of people caught up 
in this protracted civil war.

The recent military assault on the city of Monrovia by the Liberians United 
for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels, has clearly, according to 
the ACT members based in Liberia, "taken the humanitarian situation to a 
dangerous and disastrous level for the million and half residents and 
displaced people of this city."

Although Monrovia is now back under government control, fighting continues 
in the rural areas. As for humanitarian conditions, as bad as they are in 
the capital city, ACT member Lutheran World Federation-World Service 
(LWF-WS) writes that conditions are certainly not better in the rest of the 
country.

An assessment conducted by fourteen international non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) including LWF/WS, has recorded more than 71,000 
internally displaced person (IDPs) in five of the seven centers (hosting 
the current influx of IDPs into central Monrovia) since the recent 
fighting. 58,000 alone are being sheltered at the Samuel K. Doe Sports 
Stadium (SKD).

Humanitarian conditions at these centers are quite desperate. At the SKD 
stadium, 45 toilets are reported blocked. There are only 3 open wells. IDPs 
are fetching water from gutters, while making use of latrines in the 
surrounding area. Only one of the other four centers has a hand pump (for 
water) - and this for a total of 1,032 people.

At least one NGO has started distributing treated water in limited 
quantities at the SKD stadium.

The UN's World food Program (WFP) has reported that it has opened its 
warehouses, which contains enough food to cater to those in need during the 
current emergency. The Government of Liberia has also begun distributing 
rice donated by Taiwan at two of the centers. Healthcare is being dealt 
with by humanitarian agencies specializing in this field. Vaccinations are 
a high priority.

Of concern too is the protection of people. Humanitarian agencies have 
recorded a number of unaccompanied blind persons and children in two of the 
centers. At least 400 children among the IDPs are orphans, with no one to 
care for them.

There is an acute shortage of basic humanitarian relief items in the stocks 
of the intervening local and international agencies in Liberia. Combining 
relief items amongst themselves, the agencies have come up with a tally of 
341 bales of mixed clothing, 4,900 blankets and 300 mats, 2,500 buckets, 
2,500 pots and 350 lanterns. The lanterns will be distributed to provide 
protection and security at SKD stadium.

LWF-WS will immediately distribute their limited stocks. The 75 cartons of 
BP-5 biscuits, 43 bales of men's clothes, 38 bales of women's clothes, 10 
bales of overcoats, 316 cartons of Japanese clothes and 69 cartons of 
Japanese biscuits will be distributed amongst the most vulnerable persons, 
which include the several hundred displaced orphans, blind persons, the 
many elderly, as well as persons with disabilities. Urgently needed are 
tarpaulins and/or plastic rolls, high protein biscuits (BP-5 and BP-4), 
clothes and blankets, mats, footwear, containers to store water and cooking 
utensils.

LWF-WS will also collaborate with other agencies by repairing damaged 
windows of public buildings and other facilities where the displaced are 
currently seeking shelter.

Reverend Brown who heads up Concerned Christian Community (CCC), an ACT 
partner in Liberia, reports that his own home has been looted, as well as 
his church, the CCC container warehouses and a clinic in the area, adding 
that the doors of the buildings were forcibly removed.

He writes, "a lot of dead bodies left lying in the area have been buried by 
displaced persons cut off by the fighting." Also, that "IDPs from camps 
such as Seigbeh, Voice of America #1 (VOA#1), Perry Town, Plumkor, who were 
cut off by the fighting, remained in these camps through the resurgence in 
conflict. However, most of the IDPs from VOA#1 fled the camp when 
government forces took the area back from the LURD forces and ran through 
the camp firing indiscriminately."

Financial institutions have been closed since Monday, June 9, three days 
after the fighting came within kilometers of Monrovia. Rumors have it that 
the banking executives have left the country. The upshot of this has been 
that LWF-WS has been able to meet only half of the emergency payroll for 
its staff, as there is no way to obtain the balance from the bank. Added to 
this is the increase in the cost of living, which LWF-WS says is happening 
at "an alarming rate". Looting is also becoming a problem in the city.

Meanwhile, the president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, at a press conference 
held on Sunday in Monrovia, emphasized that any peace deal should be 
"comprehensive" or in other words, include him, his family and supporters. 
The president has also been reported as insisting that charges brought 
against him by a special United Nations-backed war crimes court in Sierra 
Leone be dropped, as part of a deal.

Thousands of battle-weary Liberians are now pinning their hopes on the 
peace talks in Ghana. However, President Taylor is reported to have 
instructed the army to continue fighting the rebels until a cease-fire 
agreement is signed, a move that many believe bodes ill for the country 
right now.

(ends)

For further information please contact:
ACT Communication Officer Callie Long (mobile/cell phone +41 79 358 3171)
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org

ACT is a world-wide network of churches and related agencies meeting human 
need through coordinated  emergency  response.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches 
(WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF)  in Switzerland.

Callie Long
Communications Officer
ACT International Coordinating Office

Tel: +41 22 791 6039/6033
Mobile: +41 79 358 3171
Fax: +41 22 791 6506