Refugees warn of potential massive influx

Liberian refugees who crossed over the border to Guinea's southeastern province of Nzerekore at the beginning of the week have warned that up to 10,000 more refugees may be on their way, UNHCR reported on Tuesday. Some 3,500 Liberians fleeing fighting in Bong County between government forces and armed fighters belonging to Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), arrived in Guinea on Monday. Guinean local authorities said that Monday's influx, one of the largest single refugee movements into the country in years, crossed the border at Yomou, some 40 km southwest of Nzerekore. LURD have been fighting to overthrow President Charles Taylor's government since April 1999. The large population displacement followed recent fighting between LURD and government troops around Gbarnga, Liberia's second largest town. Clashes were also reported this week in Arthington, less than 20 km north of the capital Monrovia, and Klay junction, a further 20 km north. Liberian Defence Minister Daniel Chea said on Wednesday that government forces had driven rebels out of Arthington, had cut off the rebels' retreat on the main road to Gbarnga and were attacking them from three different locations, the BBC reported. UNHCR's Representative in Guinea, David Kapya, after meeting with government authorities in the capital, Conakry, on Tuesday, obtained approval to open a new camp at Laine, 60 km northeast of Nzerekore to accommodate the new arrivals. Kapya said that UNHCR also hoped to re-open Nona transit centre in Yomou prefecture where new arrivals would be registered before transfer to Laine. The refugees, mainly women, children and the elderly, were in "fairly good physical condition, although still panic-stricken," UNHCR said. On a recent visit to Macenta, northwest of Nzerekore, Kapya said that refugees told him that many men had been conscripted by rebel forces as fighters or porters. UNHCR travelled to the border areas on Wednesday to register new arrivals and to distribute emergency aid. Since the beginning of the year more than 27,000 Liberian refugees have sought asylum in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Sierra Leone, UNHCR said. Nearly 300 entered Cote d'Ivoire at the weekend close to the southwestern border town, Danane.