WFP wants security guarantee for food distribution

In the wake of insecurity around IDP camps in Liberia, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) wants the Liberian government to provide security guarantees before it conducts the distribution of relief food to vulnerable groups. "We clearly see that there is link between attacks and food distribution," WFP Country Representative in Liberia Justin Bagirishya told IRIN on Thursday. "There have been several attacks by armed men before or during food distribution". Such attacks, he said, were staged in Bopolu, Sinje and Kley in the west and Phebe in central Liberia during 2002. In 2003 there have been similar ones on the Jah Tondo, Ricks and Wilson Corner camps for displaced persons, all located west of the capital, Monrovia. "Protection of UN staff, NGOs, beneficiaries of relief food distribution is the responsibility of the government," Bagirishya said. "We do not have police and we do no work under military escorts. We work under a guaranteed security situation created by the host government." He added that WFP had a consultative meeting with its NGO implementing partners on the provision of a security guarantee by the government. That meeting, he said, was attended by the head of the Liberia Refugees, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, a state body. "A message was sent to the government from the meeting which is: 'If there is no security gurantee minimizing the risks or further attacks, it will be impossible for further assistance," Bagirishya said. Commenting on the avaliability of food for IDPs, Bagirishya said there was a strong food pipeline for Liberia up to the end of December 2003. He, however, appealed to international donors to provide food for 2004. "We are expecting exactly for the months of April and May, 950 metric tonnes of peas, 3050 metric tonnes of bulghur wheat, 100 metric tonnes of salt and 5500 metric tonnes of maize meal," Bagirishya said. "Already, we have 3,865 metric tonnes of food stored." He said the increase in new arrivals in IDP camps had raised average monthly food consumption, which now stood at 3,900 mt. Meanwhile, after weeks of fighting between rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and government troops at displaced persons camps and other areas near the Liberian capital Monrovia, the government have regained control and calm is beginning to return to the areas, the World Vision said in an update on Thursday. Displaced persons who had fled mainly to Monrovia for safety had begun returning to their camps, including two of the worst affected, Wilson Corner and Jahtondo, a World Vision Liberia emergency health intervention centre. With almost all their belongings and support facilities, including the WV Liberia clinic in Jahtondo looted, and many shelters burned, the uprooted people are going back to a life of uncertainty, it noted.