UNHCR reduces relief effort in southwest

UNHCR has again reduced its relief effort in southwestern Guinea following reports of renewed rebel attacks near locations where hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leonean refugees urgently need aid, UNHCR's Peter Kessler said on Tuesday. "Most of UNHCR's staff operating from the regional base in Kissidougou have been withdrawn northwards, with only several dozen international and national staff remaining," the UNHCR spokesman said. According to the reports, the attacks resumed on Sunday in the southwestern town of Guekedou. This, Kessler said, has dashed hopes for quick access to an estimated 250,000 people stuck in the Parrot's Beak region, a piece of Guinean territory that juts into Sierra Leone. Kessler said the refugees needed help urgently because of reports of beatings and torture by the Guinean army in the Guekedou area. In addition, he said, dissidents have attacked refugees who tried to walk back home. "Refugees who have crossed areas of Sierra Leone controlled by the RUF rebels speak of rape, abduction and murder," he said. New Camps Despite these problems, Kessler said, UNHCR is building camps in Borea and Kuntaya, respectively 60 km and 82 km north of Kissidougou, to house refugees who are to be relocated from Guekedou and the Parrot's Beak. UNHCR said that by the end of this week, it would start transporting the 30,000 Sierra Leoneans and Liberians from Nyaedou camp, 17 km north of Guekedou. On Monday, UNHCR airlifted from Copenhagen to Conakry 8,100 jerry cans, 7,000 blankets and 500 rolls of plastic tarpaulin for use in the new camps.