Instability in Makeni worries aid agencies

Aid agencies have expressed concern that instability in the northern town of Makeni could have severe implications for the implementation of humanitarian programmes throughout the north of Sierra Leone.

“Makeni is the gateway to northern and north-eastern parts of the country,” a humanitarian source in Freetown told IRIN. “If relief agencies are unable to access Makeni town activities over a far larger area will have to be curtailed.”

Another humanitarian source told IRIN that on Monday ECOMOG was not allowing aid agencies to travel north of Rogberi Junction, which is about half way along the road from Freetown to Makeni.

Freetown-based humanitarian agencies with operations in Makeni have had difficulty establishing radio contact with their staff since Friday, raising concerns for their safety.

In the absence of concrete information, there was much speculation on Tuesday about events in Makeni, humanitarian sources in Freetown told IRIN.