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Home , Bopolu District, Garwula District, Gbarpolu County, Grand Cape Mount County, Lofa County, Maryland County

BULLETIN Bimonthly published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - Liberia

1 October 2004 Vol. 1, Issue No. 4

Voluntary Repatriation Started October 1, 2004

The inaugural convoys of 77 Liberian refugees from and 97 from Ghana arrived to Liberia on October 1, 2004, which marked the commencement of the UNHCR voluntary repatriation. Only two weeks prior to the beginning of the repatriation, the County Resettlement Assessment Committee (CRAC) pro- claimed four counties safe for return – Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbarpolu and Margibi. The first group of refugees from Sierra Leone is returning to their homes in Grand Cape Mount. UNHCR is only facilitating re- turns to safe areas. Upon arrival, returnees have the option to spend a couple of nights in transit centers (TC) before returning to their areas of origin. At the TC, they received water, cooked meals, health care, as well as a two-months resettlement ration and a Non- Signing of Tripartite Agreement with Guinea Food Items (NFI) package. With the signing of the Tripartite Agreements, which took place in Accra, Ghana, on September 22, 2004 with the Ghanian government and in , Liberia, on September 27, 2004 with the governments of Si- erra Leone, Guinea and Cote d’Ivorie, binding agree- ment has been established between UNHCR, asylum countries and Liberia. WFP and UNHCR held a regional meeting on Septem- ber 27, 2004 in Monrovia and discussed repatriation plans for Liberian refugees and IDPs. WFP explained that despite the current food pipeline constraints, the repatriation of refugees remains a priority for the Country Office. Signing of Tripartite Agreement with Cote d’Ivorie

Signing of Tripartite Agreement with Ghana Signing of Tripartite Agreement with Sierra Leone

This document does not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations 1

EDUCATION

Grand Cape Mount In Gola Konneh District currently six schools are operational, while in Porkpa District two schools are cur- rently open. In , four schools are running. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is carrying out Emergency Educa- tion Program in 15 different areas in the county. To reach the ade- quate educational coverage in the county, additional 52 schools will be rehabilitated. Two schools operational in the county, and 70 more to be rehabili- Lango Lippaye School , Margibi , renovated by UNHCR and Liberian government tated to provide adequate educa- tion in the area (Bokomu District - Kongba District - Kungbor Clinic 33, Bopolu - 25, Belleh - 6 and both 70% rehabilitated. SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP Gbarma - 11). Bomi County Currently, three clinics, mainly Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), with mobile, operating in the county. During the repatriation exercise, UNHCR funding, is currently reha- Returnees to this county will be UNHCR will ensure that special bilitating the Zorzor Central High using Sinje and Teneh transit needs population is given an ap- School. centers for medical activities and propriate attention. Community medical escort under the co- services have already completed HEALTH ordination of the African Humani- workshops for their field staff tarian Action (AHA). during which they were sensi- Lofa County tized on treatment of special In - Borkeza Clinic needs groups. Similar workshops In , Sinje Health is fully operational. Luyema Center 90% rehabilitated. Gola Clinic, also in Zorzor District, is are being organized for all part- Konneh District - Lofa Bridge Clinic undergoing rehabilitation and ners involved in the repatriation is 80% rehabilitated, in Porkpa - should be open by mid-October. exercise in collaboration with Damballh Health Center 80% reha- Bolahun Health Center in Kolahun other agencies such as UNICEF bilitated and in Talla - Sombehum District is fully operation, but cur- and Save the Children Fund Clinic and Robertspot Clinic are rently inaccessible due to poor (SCF). The first of its kind was providing medical services. Further- road conditions. organized in the Grand Cape more, rehabilitation works have al- County. Mount County where the first fa- ready started on more health facili- In Borobo District - Glofakeh cilitated movement of Liberian ties. Clinic provides basic services,. In returnees is expected to take Gbarpolu County Harper District - Cavalla Health place on October 1, 2004. In the In - Henry Town Center, Fish Town Clinic and Rock course of the repatriation, Clinic 70% rehabilitated, and Town Clinic all providing basic UNHCR and its partners will en- Bopolu Health Center 95% rehabili- health services. In Kurluway - sure that people with special tated. In Bokomu District - Gbangay Karloken Clinic has basic services, needs are identified and assisted Clinic 70% rehabilitated, in Gbarma and in Pleebo - Pleebo Clinic and upon their arrival. Once they District - Tarkpoima Clinic and in Little Wleebo Clinic basic services. reach the transit center, the

2 identified community services enough so that two people can HOUSING AND partner will disseminate informa- loaded onto a truck. If you have a PROPERTY tion on returnee entitlements, lot of livestock, then discuss with available services and the trans- UNHCR field staff beforehand. COMMITTIES port arrangements to their final Will I receive food while at the destination. way station and during the UNMIL Civil Affairs has been initi- Separated children, with or with- trip? ating the establishment of the out foster parents, will be identi- Yes, every refugee will be served Housing and Property Committees fied, assisted and referred to the cooked food at the way stations. in all 15 counties in Liberia upon child protection agencies for fol- There will be bread and sardines the completion of the DDRR proc- and water during the convoy. ess. So far, the committees have low-up monitoring, tracing and Will women receive any sani- begun operating in Grand Bassa, reunification. Child Protection tary kits? Bong, Grand Cape Mount and Gba- agencies like UNICEF,SCF-UK, Refugee women between the ages rnga counties. ICRC and IRC will be fully in- of 12 and 50 will receive sanitary The Committees serve as mediat- volved. kits with the Non-Food Items ing bodies in the cases when prop- UNHCR will ensure that the Ex- package (NFI). erty of community members treme Vulnerable Individuals My district has not yet been (including refugees, returnees and (EVI) are assisted and accompa- declared safe, what do I do? IDPs) is illegally occupied by ex- nied to their final destination. UNHCR and the government will combatants. Before the Committee Follow up and monitoring of the only facilitate movement to the becomes involved in property dis- same will be done in collabora- areas that have been declared putes, owners of the property are tion with the UNHCR partners. safe. Also, UNHCR will make sure encouraged to attempt to negoti- to inform you of decisions related ate with the illegal occupier the FREQUENTLY ASKED to the declarations of safe areas. property return. If the owner fails QUESTIONS What is medical screening? to reach a peaceful solution with

What can I take as hand lug- gage? You are advised to pack your hand luggage with essential items you may require for overnight stay at way stations, particularly for chil- dren (i.e. sleeping mats, blankets, change of clothing etc). What can I take home? You will receive a travel bag per person and you will be allowed to take 50 kg. of luggage per person. To protect your belongings, the luggage truck will be sealed and won’t be opened until arriving to Liberia. No luggage will be taken off the truck at the way stations. Can I take my live stock (i.e. Refugees traveling by road can take 50 kg. and by air 30 kg. chicken, goat, sheep)? Yes, you can. UNHCR will carry This is the general medical check the illegal occupier, the next step livestock as long as the animals that will be provided to all refu- is to contact the superintendent or are properly caged and provision gees at the transit centers. Also UNMIL Civil Affairs office, who will for feeding en route are made by serves to identify sick people and then organize a meeting between the owner. The cage should be big provide appropriate care for them. the Committee and the illegal

3 occupier. During the meeting, the Committee requests from the illegal occupier to vacate the property within two to four weeks, after veri- fication of both parties claims. If the illegal occupier still refuses to leave the property, the case is then referred to the court and they have the authority to involve the police for eviction purposes. So far, how- ever, the Committees’ decisions have been upheld and housing dis- putes have been resolved peace- fully. The Committee is equally dedicated to helping community members as well as ex-combatants. Ex- combatants who vacated the prop- erties voluntarily were assisted by the Committee in re-locating.

GENERAL SECURITY UNMIL training for the new police recruits in Paynesville SITUATION once a week to Lofa Bridge. EMPLOYMENT DDRR completed in this county. Security Council session voted OPPORTUNITIES unanimously on September 17, The DDRR exercise to commence 2004, to extend the UN peacekeep- on September 30, 2004. The food “The UNMIL International Police ing mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for distribution to MODEL ex- Service (IPS) in collaboration with another year. combatants in the Harper District the National Transitional Govern- Grand Cape Mount County has begun. ment of Liberia is offering the UNMIL’s presence in the County, youth of Liberia employment op- and their troops are based in Gbah, The DDRR started in Sanniquellie portunity to join the police. Take Sinje, Robers Port and Bo Water and is expected to be completed up this challenge and join the new Side. Daily patrols along the main by the beginning of October. The Liberia Police now! If you are Libe- highway between 08.00 and 20.00 DDRR operations will continue in rian and have sat for the West Af- hours. Disarmament was completed Nimba officially until 31 October rican Examinations Council on September 10, 2004. for residual caseloads. (WAEC) exams recently, then you Bomi County River Cess County are the right candidate to apply. UNMIL’s presence in the county, As of recently, the security phase Simply obtain an application for and their troops are based in Tub- in this county has been down- from our Information desk located manburg and Clay. Regular patrols graded from level V to level IV. at greater Diamond Building, 3rd between Tubmanburg and Poo- Lofa County Street, Sinkor, Monrovia, or at any River Bridge on the main highway The DDRR process continued as of our Zones or Depots outside of (24 hrs), and also in Bopolu and planned although at a slow pace. Monrovia and submit it after com- Lofa Bridge. Disarmament on- The cantonment sites occupied at pletion to your nearest Interna- going. full capacity, meaning that large tional Police Service office. We will Gbarpolu County numbers of ex-combatants are process your application and ad- Currently, no UNMIL presence in disarming. vise you of the outcome without this county, but plans are underway delay.” (Advertised by UNMIL to deploy by the end of October The security situation remains International Police Service in local 2004. Patrols twice a week in relatively calm, but unpredictable. Liberian newspapers.) Bopolu and plans to start patrolling 4 UNHCR Interventions by Counties

UNHCR SACLEPEA MONROVIA TUBMANBURG HARPER OFFICES

Grand Gedeh, Montserrado, Margibi, Gbarpolu, Bomi, Grand Maryland, Grand Kru, COUNTIES Nimba, Rivercess Lofa Bong Sinoe Grand Bassa Cape Mount River Gee

Soleyea TRANSIT Ganta Zwedru Pleebo Voinjama Perry Town Sinje Gbarnga CENTERS Saclepea Toe Town Harper Zorzor

Ganta Yekepa under con- WAY Bopolu struction Salayea STATIONS Bo Water Side Loguatuo under con- struction

Rehabilitated 80% 1)Borkeza Clinic Gorwrogba Town Basic services: Operational: 1)Methodist Hospital operational Clinic, Kumeh Town Glofakeh Clinic, Cavalla 1)HCR provides two ambu- Bopolu Health Center, in Ganta operating. 2)Rehabilitation Clinic, Polar Gber- Clinic, Fish Town Clinic, lances. Henry’s Town Clinic, Gban- 2) Catholic-run clinic of Luyema Clinic zon Clinic, Janzon Rock Town Clinic, Kar- 2) UNHCR IP supporting gay Clinic, Tarkpoima Clinic, 1) Needs adequately cov- HEALTH in Tappita operating. starts mid- Clinic, Putu Jai- loken Clinic, Pleebo Clinic, health activities in Perry Kungbor Clinic, Sinje HC, ered by health agencies. 3) Saclepea commu- October wodee Clinic, Toe Little Wleebo Clinic Town and Seighbeh Lofa Bridge Clinic, Damballa nity clinic to be reha- 3) Kolahun Hos- Town Clinic, Zai camps. Clinic, Sembehun Clinic and bilitated by MERCI pital rehabili- Town Clinic, Zleh Barraken Clinic being Robertspot tated Town Clinic, Putu rehabilitated Pennokon Clinic

1)Over 54 hand pumps to be reha- 1)Hope Int. Mission com- 1) Over 30 wells 1) 15 wells to be rehabili- 1) Three hand pumps bilitated in 13 prior- pleted rehabilitation of 4 wells identified for rehabili- tated in key districts of constructed in Karn- 1) Assessment ity villages. and 7 (two room) latrines in 1) Water points and sanita- tation. Montserrado County and weaken. in Lofa for Wat- 2) Several hand Totoquelle. tion facilities have been WATSAN 2) Six hand pumps will be involved in commu- 2) ICRC installed 3 new san activities pumps/few private 2) ADEN and JPF will be rehabilitated in five primary available. nity training and slab mak- pumps in Harper. completed. wells available. constructing wells and la- schools. 3) Several private ing for individual family 3) In Fish Town 4 hand 3) 18 hand pumps trines in 6 districts in Grand toilettes rehabilitated. latrines. pumps being repaired identified for reha- Cape Mount bilitation.

1) Several 1) One public school schools rehabili- in operation. 1) Seven primary schools, tated as a part 1) Gorpuldoloboi Primary 2) Mempa and Belle- 1) 28 schools identi- 1) UNHCR partner to reha- including education offices in 1) One govt. school in of the UNHCR School in Belefenai under- waley community fied for rehabilitation bilitate seven schools to in Tubmanburg and Robert- Karnweaken EDUCATION school renova- going rehabilitation schools under con- by community and Montsserado County with sport, identified for rehabilita- 2) Little Wlebo elementary tion project. 2) Rehabilitation of 5 struction. local authorities. community involvement. tion by UNHCR implementing school under construction 2) 10 Schools to schools 3) PWJ rehabilitating partner. be rehabilitated 5 schools in Lofa. 5