WFP concerned about increase in numbers of displaced

The World Food Programme has expressed concern about the continuing increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in the suburbs of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, Totota and CARI which reached 183,900 people on 23 October. This trend may indicate that in addition to those who fled conflict areas, there may be people who were gradually finding it difficult to sustain their life in Monrovia and preferred to settle in the camps where assistance was being provided, the agency said in its weekly emergency report on Friday. "Should this movement intensify it might result in a dramatic explosion of the current caseload," it said. "As poverty and lack of minimal services intensify in Monrovia town, people may also be tempted to register in the camps, obtain ration cards, build their shelter in the camps but continue to reside in town. They would then report to the camps only at times of distribution or in case of need for other services," WFP said. According to the agency, the continuing increase in caseload and declining food security would contribute to an increased need for food assistance and impact on WFP's available resources. The food harvest which normally starts in October was expected to be poor this year since farming activities were disrupted by fighting and population displacements, it said. Reliance on food assistance in the immediate future was a "very likely scenario" for which WFP was preparing itself, the agency said. Meanwhile, fighting was reportedly continuing in the northern Lofa County causing new displacements of civilians, WFP said. An estimated 3,000 people were forced to cross the border into neighbouring countries and an undetermined number of IDPs were hiding in the forests or walking towards relatively secure parts of the country.