UNHCR plans to evacuate tens of thousands

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plans to evacuate an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Liberian refugees trapped by fighting in Cote d'Ivoire's western region. "Ideally, we would like to take them to a third country in the region, and we have approached a number of countries in this regard," UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Kamel Morjane told journalists in Geneva on Friday. "But as a first step and while we wait for a positive response, we will temporarily relocate them to relative safety in the south of Cote d'Ivoire," he said. He said the agency was in negotiations with the Ivorian government to identify a safe place for the refugees in the southern coastal region, west of the commercial capital, Abidjan. UNHCR had also approached the French government, which has a contingent of troops in Cote d'Ivoire, to provide security for a possible evacuation, he added. Earlier last week the agency sent emergency teams to Cote d'Ivoire to work on the logistical arrangements for the move. One team travelled to Nicla camp in the west and reported that the camp's population had nearly doubled after frightened refugees from surrounding areas rushed there for safety. It said there were about 8,000 people in the camp. Morjane said the camp's residents were the most vulnerable and had to be evacuated first but warned that any evacuation would require the consent of both the Ivorian government and rebel groups. "It is also essential that the different parties at war agree to guarantee access and safety for the humanitarian operations in the conflict zones," Morjane said. According to UNHCR, it was difficult to tell how many Liberians remained in the west of Cote d'Ivoire. An estimated 32,000 went back to Liberia since the fighting spread in the western area from 28 November. Some 16,000 Ivorians have also fled to Liberia. "The fact that these people are seeking refuge in a country like Liberia, itself unstable and torn by fighting, gives you an idea of present conditions in that part of Cote d'Ivoire," Morjane added. However, the number of people fleeing western Cote d'Ivoire had decreased in recent days, the agency noted. Some 100 to 200 refugees were now crossing the borders each day into Liberia and Guinea compared to 2,000 to 3,000 immediately after the outbreak of fighting in late November, UNHCR said. It added that the number of refugees transported home from inside Liberia had also decreased, dropping to 100 to 200 per day. Morjane said the agency needed US $6.1 million in emergency funds to provide assistance to those who had already fled the war and to enhance UNHCR's preparedness should the situation deteriorate further. In a related development, the World Food Programme (WFP) last week continued its distributions to vulnerable populations in western and central Cote d'Ivoire, the agency said in an emergency update on Friday. A month's food ration was distributed to about 6,000 Liberian refugees in Nicla camp last week while the distribution of food to some 42,000 families and their children aged under five years in the central town of Bouake was completed on Friday. In Korhogo, although food was available in the market, many families lacked money as banks remained closed and many businesses were not operational, WFP said. Public and private workers, town dwellers and petty traders were affected by the gradual decrease in economic activities, the agency noted, but added that there were no displaced people in camps in or around Korhogo as they had reportedly crossed to Burkina Faso. So as to be closer to thousands of people who need assistance, WFP hoped to open an office in Korhogo in addition to two it already has in Yamoussoukro and Bouake. Meanwhile, the European Commission (EC) will give 1.5 euros (about US $1.5 million ) in emergency assistance to help people affected by the internal conflict in Cote d'Ivoire, a statement from the EC said. The money would be channeled through the EC Humanitarian Aid Office and would help provide basic health assistance, including drugs and medicinal supplies, as well as supplementary food rations for the most seriously affected populations, it said.