UNHCR repatriates nearly 11,000 Liberians since August 99

UNHCR has repatriated nearly 11,000 Liberian refugees from Cote d’Ivoire since last August, according to a statement from UNHCR in Abidjan. Just under 5,000 Liberian refugees returned in December, UNHCR said. During the first two months of the new millenium just over 2,000 refugees were “assisted to repatriate with transport plus returnee package”, UNHCR said. The repatriation of Liberian refugees from Cote d’Ivoire was not affected by the violence that erupted in Liberia’s northern Lofa County last August, UNHCR said. UNHCR cites the government of Cote d’Ivoire as saying that there about 140,000 refugees in the country as of 31 December 1999. Most of them are Liberian, UNHCR said.