Humanitarian agencies worried over scarce resources

Continuing displacement of people from central Liberia due to fighting between government and rebels could quickly overburden the scarce resources of humanitarian agencies, the UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in New York on Tuesday. "Fighting between Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels and Liberian government forces, which has spread from western to central Liberia this week, has resulted in a new wave of displacement of civilian populations from their homes," OCHA said. "The sharp increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) raises concerns as to whether there will be enough food, water, and health materials and that health and food security among IDPs could deteriorate rapidly. Aid agencies fear overcrowding in the camps could lead to heightened public health risk." While existing facilities were still adequate to absorb the new influx, OCHA said, the current population movement to camps in Montserrado and Bong Counties could over stretch existing water and sanitation facilities, which could lead to epidemics. Montserrado County includes the capital, Monrovia. Bong is northeast of Montserrado. "With the rainy season fast approaching, there were IDPs in camps at Bong and Montserrado without tarpaulin sheets. The influx of new arrivals places further strain on stocks of shelter material that were already insufficient," OCHA said. "Food security has become a critical issue as food aid stocks are being depleted quickly. Unless resources are found to cover the needs pending the arrival of shipments scheduled to arrive in May, a break in the pipeline is anticipated in April for pulses and in May for cereals." Aid agencies, it added, would provide immediate assistance to the new arrivals. WFP was providing food aid to residents of eight IDP camps near Monrovia and others in Bong County. It was also working with inter-agency teams to register influxes. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and some NGOs were installing additional water bladders and increasing the number of sanitation facilities. Several other NGOs were working to expand shelters to accommodate additional influxes, bolster health clinics in Totota and Maimu, and supply food and water for people trekking towards Totota. Totota is a few km from Gbarnga, the administrative centre of Bong County, which was overrun by rebels last week. "Humanitarian agencies are being forced to meet emergency needs on a shoe-string budget," OCHA said. "To date, the UN Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal for 2003 has received just 1.5 percent of the total requirement of US$ 42.6 million." Meanwhile, the Liberian parliament has passed a controversial presidential bill amending the country's elections law to allow IDPs to vote in camps during the 14 October general and presidential elections. The bill was passed by the Senate on 13 March in a closed door session. The House of Representatives had passed it earlier this month in another closed session. Senate opposition leader Lamark Cox protested saying the senate lacked a quorum at the time the bill was passed. Out of the 26 members, only eight attended the session and two, including Cox, walked out after the bill was introduced, he said. A quorum requires 15 senators. On Monday, opposition spokesman Abdulai Kamara told IRIN that the opposition would study the bill carefully to see if it contravened the constitution.