Monthly publication of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees– Liberia December 2004 Vol. 1, Issue No. 7 HIGHLIGHTS OF SECURITY AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS WARRING FACTIONS October. However, due to DISBANNED bad roads and the late com- mencement of DDRR in some remote areas of Libe- The three Liberian warring fac- ria, particularly the northern tions – Ex-Government of Libe- and southeastern regions of ria (Ex-GOL), Liberians United the country, UNMIL had to for Reconciliation & Democracy extend a grace period to (LURD) and Movement for De- those still in possession of mocracy in Liberia (MODEL) weapons to turn them. have been formally dissolved. UNHCR facilitates the voluntary return To date, only seven out of 15 of Liberian refugees This is within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agree- counties in Liberia have been POLICE REDEPLOYMENT ment (CPA), which calls for the declared safe for the return IN LIBERIA dissolution of the factions fol- of the refugees who fled lowing the end of disarmament abroad and about 500,000 The National Transitional Govern- on 31 October. A ceremony to more people who were inter- ment of Liberia (NTGL) and the mark the disbanding of the three nally displaced. United Nations Mission in Liberia factions was held in Monrovia. (UNMIL) have begun the redeploy- ment of Liberian police officers to LIBERIA/GUINEA SIGNED PACT the regions. CALM RETURNS IN MON- The redeployment is a significant ROVIA-CURFEW LIFTED step taken towards restoring civil In a bid to live in peace and har- authority in the counties. The UN mony, north-eastern Liberia and mission in Liberia has since July southern Guinea both signed a re- Following the gradual return been training new cadets as part of gional non-aggression pact to of calm to Monrovia and its the new police service, which will, guard against cross-border activity that could destabilize the two West environs, the NTGL an- by the end of next year, comprise of nounced the lifting of the some 3,500 officers. African countries. Liberian offi- cials traveled to Nzerekore in curfew hours. The Govern- The Liberian government is bank- Guinea to sign the agreement. In ment said the decision to lift ing on the new recruits to be the the past, Guinea and Liberia have the curfew hours is predi- new phase of a much-needed over- accused each other of fueling insta- cated upon the gradual sta- haul of the police force. Meanwhile, bility. bilization of the situation in the United Nations Mission in Libe- the capital following days of ria (UNMIL) Civilian Police and DISARMAMENT FINALLY rioting in the city. Normal ENDS the Liberia National Police have business activities have re- launched the community policing The United Nations has finally sumed, and life has returned strategy to jointly fight the high rate wound up its disarmament pro- to the streets of Monrovia of crime and promote peace and gramme in Liberia on 31st again. stability in Liberia. This document does not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations UNHCR/FAO Assist Farming Activities port to ensure that the inputs are of The UN refugee agency and The Liberia Agriculture good quality and meet the standard the Food and Assistance Or- Reintegration Project will specifications. It will also facilitate ganization, FAO, have also enable vulnerable the distribution of farm inputs to the signed a multi-year project farmers to resume their target beneficiaries and conduct train- to provide basic agricultural livelihoods and to make ing sessions on improved farming inputs to an estimated the transition from de- methods. UNHCR will in the mean- 20,000 war-affected farmers pendency on relief aid to time ensure the protection and wel- by end 2005. self-sufficiency and effec- fare of Liberian returnees, IDPs and tively contribute to the ru- other war-affected populations return The project, called Liberia ral economy as well as to in safety and dignity to their original Agriculture Reintegration increase local subsistence towns and villages in a sustainable Project (LARP), will be im- food production. manner. plemented in five counties The project will prioritize returnees Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Mont- An initial 7,500 farm with farmland who have recently ar- serrado and Grand Gedeh families, mostly war- rived, communities in which return- counties, which are the main affected and vulnerable ees have been reintegrated and ex- area of return. The project is farmers will receive kits of combatants who have been demobi- to enhance preparedness and assorted vegetable seeds lized and willing to farm. facilitate the return and rein- and basic tools during the tegration of 340,000 Libe- current farming season. Meanwhile, in efforts to enhance col- rian refugees to their coun- The distribution will be laboration at the county level, Transi- try. followed by training ses- tional Recovery Teams have been set sions on farming methods up to ensure an active role in the co- It aims to bolster the pro- to refresh their memories ordination of agricultural activities ductive capacities of war- on agricultural techniques and facilitate the process of speeding affected households by sup- and on new technical in- up the recovery process. plying emergency agricul- novations for enhanced The teams have been founded ini- tural inputs and training in production. tially in Lofa, Nimba and Bong sustainable and improved FAO will provide techni- Counties. Additional teams will be agricultural technologies. cal and operational sup- appointed for more counties in the second phase of the project. Collabo- ration with Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, UNHCR at counties level is crucial to ensure a successful imple- mentation of the project. Meanwhile, the two organizations conducted a joint field mission to es- tablish operational modalities to start the Agriculture Reintegration Pro- gramme (ARP). In these counties, FAO consultants have worked out in- formation sharing, reporting and monitoring mechanisms with UNHCR sub/field offices. UNHCR will release tools and FAO vegetable Representatives of UNHCR and FAO signed Joint Agriculture Re- seeds for the 2004 vegetable farming integration Project season. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 7 Page 2 This document does not necessarily reflect the official position of the United Nations PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE RETURN Town elementary School. As- women’s groups have benefited The Minister of Education of sessments have been carried out from a US$16,200.00 grant to Liberia, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai on other schools including the start CEPs in four districts – visited the Voinjama and La- Kolahun High school targeted Voinjama, Kolahun, Zorzor and walazu Public Schools reha- for renovation in early 2005. Salayea in Lofa County. The bilitated by UNHCR’s imple- assistance is provided within the Under UNHCR rehabilitation menting partner Peace Winds 4Rs framework, which is bene- program, Liberian returnees are Japan. fiting Liberians in 11 of Libe- given access to micro credit ria’s 15 counties. Minister Kandakai also vis- scheme, skills training and agri- ited the Selega Primary culture. Agriculture tools and In the Kolahun District, signifi- School, currently being reha- farming implements were dis- cant progress has been made in bilitated. She went to observe tributed in 26 communities in the implementation of 54 new first hand the contributions Voinjama, Kolahun, Zorzor and Community Empowerment Pro- being made to Liberia’s edu- Salayea. Community Empower- jects (CEPs) in the areas of agri- cation recovery program. ment agriculture related projects culture, skills training, shelter UNHCR in the meantime, are being implemented in four and water and sanitation. continues with rehabilitation districts. activity at the David Selmah Also, 324 persons from 18 local jungle. We are in dire need serve their needs. Peace of everything, Korlu sadly Winds Japan builds the capac- added. Lofa County is one of ity of the community by pro- the areas of high return. The viding basic training on needs scars of war are everywhere. identification and priority set- Stubbles of concrete poking ting as well as management of through dense forest are indi- projects carried out in the com- cation that there once stood munities. Peace Wind Japan schools, hospitals and basic also has a shelter program for facilities. Under a joint the most impoverished. The Shelter Construction in Lofa County UNHCR/UNDP reintegration shelter program involves the initiative, programmes to distribution of galvanized iron provide basis services are un- roofing, tools, nails and As Liberians grow confident in the derway. UNHCR’s imple- kitchen sets. peace process, many of them have menting partner, Peace winds Prior to the distribution, Peace begun to go back home, not wait- Japan (PWJ) is engaged in winds Japan provides basic ing for ideal conditions to return. the construction of schools, tools such as wheelbarrows, They are however, finding out that wells and latrines. cutlasses, and diggers to enable the task of rebuilding is enormous families to begin the construc- and many of them are left with the PWJ relies on the services of tion of their shelters. PWJ en- challenge of starting their lives local contractors and invari- courages the involvement of from scratch. able provides job opportuni- the community at every stage Korlu Beyan, a 45-year-old mother ties to the returning popu- of the shelter construction. of six children, returned to Zorzor, lace. This group employs the “From start to finish, we re- Lofa County in northern Liberia on community-based approach, ceive assistance, Korlu ex- her own initiative. “It was difficult which abolishes the tradi- plained. PWJ also helps the to locate the spot where my house tional treatment of benefici- community with safe drinking once stood”, explained Korlu aries as passive recipients, water and the provision of pointing in the direction of a thick and instead galvanizes the sanitation facilities.