Dateline ACT

Liberia 24/03

Threats to security jeopardize humanitarian assistance

Geneva, September 11, 2003--ACT International member in Liberia Lutheran World Federation-World Service (LWF-WS) on Tuesday had two of its vehicles seized by militia. While all vehicles had been recovered by Wednesday morning two had been stripped of their high frequency radios.

No staff from ACT International’s members were threatened or harmed but the prevailing insecurity presents further operational challenges for the ACT Network Liberia and NGOs at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are in need of aid.

LWF-WS representative Charles Pitchford reports that LWF staff in Salala have been hearing the sounds of small arms and heavy weapons fire north of Totota in the LURD held territory of Gbangar south. All hospital patients and most of the staff at the Phebe facility were evacuated despite eight major surgeries having been performed in the hospital the day before.

"The convoy (8 vehicles, 2 trucks) destined for Salala escorted by ECOMIL is still in progress. We pray that the situation will soon be stabilised by ECOMIL," said Mr Pitchford. He added however, that ECOMIL soldiers accompanying the convoy have serious transportation and communication problems.

Over 30,000 IDPs who fled the Totota Camps last week are now beginning to return. ECOMIL are still in the process of positioning themselves between the government forces and LURD. "We await the report from the excursion to Salala in order to get a better sense of the situation. Should the situation continue to deteriorate, all staff will be pulled back to Monrovia along with the returning convoy," Mr Pitchford said.

LWF-WS has also been distributing BP5 to three hundred persons who were forced by LURD to act as load bearers. LURD left them in Kakata when they retreated.

LWF-WS in Liberia is coordinating its humanitarian response with the other local members and partners of: Concerned Christian Community (CCC), the Lutheran Church in Liberia, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Lutheran World Federation, the Presbyterian Church in Liberia, the United Methodist Church, Christian Health Association in Liberia (CHAL), World Hope International and YMCA-Liberia ACT through the Liberia Council of Churches.