Relocation of Liberian refugees resumed

UNHCR has resumed the relocation of Liberian refugees in Guinea from a transit centre near Gueckedou, near the border with Liberia, to locations farther inland.

UNHCR spokesperson Kris Janowski said on Tuesday that 845 refugees were transferred on 8 and 9 November from the Tekoulo transit centre to the relative safety of two camps in the Albadaria area. The refugee transfers had been interrupted on 25 September to allow time for road repairs and security screening of refugees, Janowski said.

He said the refugees had spent more than a month in the Tekoulo transit centre, which had limited health facilities, no schools and no activities for children. There had been cases of malnutrition and skin diseases at the centre, which still had a few hundred refugees, according to UNHCR, which said it would complete the transfers this week.

The insecurity in Liberia, plagued by fighting between rebels and government forces since 1999, has prompted nearly 40,000 Liberians to flee to Guinea, 50,000 to Sierra Leone and 17,000 to Cote d'Ivoire. UNHCR said it was requesting an additional US $3.8 million this year, on top of US$ 10.4 million already received, to help Liberia's neighbours cope with the new arrivals.

UNHCR also said the repatriation of Sierra Leoneans from Guinea had been suspended at least until the end of the year due to financial constraints. Since September 2000, 50,000 Sierra Leoneans had been repatriated from Guinea, leaving about 40,000 in camps there, UNHCR said.