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Liberia

Liberia: UNMIL Humanitarian Situation Report No. 60


20 - 27 June 2006

Highlights

- Liberia's TRC formally launched.

- DFid (UK) contributes US$ 562,852 to Humanitarian Air Operations

The President of Liberia Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, formally launched Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) at a colourful ceremony held in Monrovia on 22 June 2006. Similarly, ceremonies were held in all the 15 counties to involve Liberians throughout the country in the launch of this important process of truth seeking and reconciliation.

Highlighting the importance of healing and uniting the people of Liberia, the Chairman of the TRC, Cllr Jerome Verdier, explained the TRC's principle objective: “to find out the truth of the past and establish a firm basis for reconciliation, lasting peace and development in Liberia,” and added that the process will be open, transparent and accountable. To aid the work of the Commission, he called on all Liberians and non-Liberians to submit memorandums and petitions on the root causes of the Liberian conflict; historical issues in need of public discourse and clarifications; human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. He also asked the people to come forward with recommendations on issues and approaches for reconciliation and how Liberia can transcend its bitter past and build a future of sustained peace, unity and development based on the rule of law.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations family in Liberia, UNMIL Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Operations and the Rule of Law, Mr. Luiz Carlos da Costa said: “Today is another landmark in the process of seeking truth and justice, both of which are necessary for genuine peace and reconciliation in Liberia.”

The Regional Humanitarian Air Operations received a generous contribution of US $ 562,852 from Department for International Development in UK (DFID). More donor contributions are needed to avert the outstanding shortfalls of USD $ 940,000. The Regional Air operations facilitate movement of humanitarian personnel in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire.

In support of the Government of Liberia's national statistical and information systems and institutions, UNDP will take up the stewardship of the UN Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) Liberia from the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, established to meet information coordination and management needs in the immediate post-conflict period and facilitate its transformation into an integrated information management centre.

Using the UNDP Afghanistan Information Management Service as a model, the new centre will build the capacity of the government while meeting its own information needs and that of the wider development/humanitarian community. The centre will support the monitoring and tracking of progress of the MDGs, the iPRSP and other development frameworks in Liberia. In parallel, the new information centre will work closely with the government to build its capacity in information management, with the aim of eventually handing operations over to the appropriate government body, LISGIS. The transfer is expected to take effect on 1 July

A. HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

Efforts of the Government of Liberia to attract skilled Liberians within and outside the country to contribute to the national reconstruction and development process have reached another significant milestone. This is underscored by the signing of the Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) project document between the Liberian Government and the United Nations Development Programme The TOKTEN programme has been designed by the Government to facilitate the short term recruitment of professional (including lawyers, doctors, engineers etc.) expatriate nationals and local professionals to serve in key national positions and institutions that are critical to the national development process. The project will also address the serious brain drain the country has suffered as a result of the 14 years of civil war by filling critical human resource gaps

The programme is also intended to help in the consolidation of democracy and peace building as well as ensuring the sustainability of government's operation through the availability of required manpower in key institutions.

To guarantee the smooth implementation of the TOKTEN project, UNDP in partnership with the Government of Liberia and other partners is expected to mobilize resources amounting to US$2.1 million dollars for the recruitment of 20 professional expatriate Liberian nationals and 15 local professionals who will be compensated under the project for the period of 18 months.

A Project Implementation Committee (PIC) chaired by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and Co-chaired by UNDP will monitor the execution of the project to ensure transparency. Other members include the Governance Reform Commission, Civil Service Agency and two representatives of donor institutions.

As a way of specifically contributing to the project, the government of Liberia will provide office space for the Project Coordinator and support staff. The government will also consider the granting of appropriate privileges to expatriate nationals to facilitate their return to Liberia

Health & Nutrition

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with its partners including UNICEF, WHO, and UNMIL, announced the launch of a nationwide tetanus vaccination campaign. The campaign is scheduled to be launched on June 25 in Grand Bassa County. The three-phase campaign targets the vaccination of more than 800,000 women of child-bearing age across the country and aims to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus from Liberia, protecting mothers and newborns from a deadly but vaccine preventable disease.

UNICEF provided facilitation and funding support to a five-day training in logistics management for 65 health workers from across the country, including cold chain technicians and Expanded Programme of Immunization and Maternal and Child Health supervisors.

Water and Sanitation

In partnership with a local NGO Water and Sanitation, Inc. (WSI), UNICEF constructed seven new wells and rehabilitated four others in Todee District in Montserrado County.

Repatriation and Resettlement

Up to 279 returnees who arrived from Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire during the week received first tranche resettlement package totaling to 10 Mt of assorted food commodities at the various transit centers before departing to their preferred areas of return. Distribution of the second tranche package continued, with a total of 282 Mt of food distributed to over 5,924 de-registered IDPs and 1,955 returnees located in the various Counties. Over 60% of the beneficiaries who received second tranche rations during the reporting period turned up in Lofa Country. WFP estimates that only 40,673 (13%) of the de-registered IDPs (321,634) are remaining to receive their second tranche rations. The Country Office plans to complete distribution of the food second tranche rations to de-registered IDPs by end of July 2006.

Emergency School Feeding (ESF)

A total of 614 Mt of food was delivered to schools to provide daily hot meals to some 132,429 school children, including 21 Mt to be distributed as take home rations to 833 girls. The monthly take home ration is provided to girls in upper primary as an incentive for their parents to keep them in schools.

Food Support for Local Initiatives (FSLI)

A total of 15 Mt of assorted food commodities was distributed to 442 people involved skills training (56 people) and agricultural activities (386 people) in Bong Country.

The Project Approval Committee in Monrovia approved 77 new FSLI proposals received from various sub offices. The projects will benefit 8,659 beneficiaries; with a total food commitment of 787 Mt. Forty-five per cent of the beneficiaries are women.

B. FIELD COORDINATION

Monrovia

HCS has completed the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) in collaboration with over 35 organizations consisting of UN Agencies, UNMIL Sections, National and International NGOs. There were 95 proposals submitted for a total of US$ 80,521,734 to address the most urgent humanitarian needs in Liberia. A breakdown by Projects per Cluster / Sector and Funds Requested can be viewed below.


Tubmanburg

The distribution of seed rice donated by the Government of Liberia and tools donated by the Chinese Government continues in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbapolu. The following amount was stated: Bomi -- 18,122 kg; Grand Cape Mount- 20,272kg and Gbarpolu -- 23,233kg. Pakbatt has assisted in the transport the items to the communities. The 1st Phase is distribution to communities involving individual farmers while the 2nd Phase will involve farming groups. The tools are distributed to communities as a whole and not on an individual basis. It was reported by implementing NGOs that communities have been sensitized to give the County back 25kg of rice at the end of the harvest season in order to assist other farmers and also help the Counties in sustaining seed banks which would increase food security.

In Bomi the County Health Team (CHT) reports that funding for the Maternity Ward in the Tubmanburg hospital has been secured and contractors will start renovation next week. The funding, provided by the UNFPA, also covers the running cost of the ambulance that was donated to the county two years ago. The Maternity ward will accommodate approximately 20 women at one particular time. This will help to minimize mother and child mortality rates as this was one area that needed urgent attention. It is hoped that within two years the government will have put mechanisms in place to sustain the running of ambulance services.

The Bomi County Education officer reports that training courses for Head Teachers in the Suehn Mecca District has been launched. The course will be for 5 months and it is hoped that communities which have voluntary teacher who are generally untrained and unqualified will benefit from these training. Getting these teachers on government pay rolls will also help build the morale of these volunteer teachers. The long term benefit will be quality education for the children.

Voinjama

The following agriculture tools were donated by the GoL and have arrived in Voinjama transported by the Chinese convoy: diggers, shovels, axes, and hoes. In addition, 180 bags (25 kg each) of rice seed were also included.

The Ministry of Agriculture delivered and stored the goods. Distribution plans are to be finalized soon as possible.

UNMIL Legal & Judiciary have summarized in a report the number of reported rape cases in Lofa County. Over the past seventeen months, 18 cases been reported to the justice system and none of the cases has been taken to trail. The most likely outcome for a case of reported rape in Lofa County is for the defendant to enter the criminal justice system after referral to the court by police. They might be remanded into custody at the time, but then shortly after they are released without prosecution and often without even due process.

UNDP/RR program officer reported to HCS and UNMIL security on the 23rd June that 300 beneficiaries in the ADA project in Voinjama and Lawalsu are complaining they have not received their incentives for the last 5 months. Last week representatives from the group went to the commissioner of Labor in Voinjama to complain and informed that if they don't get their money they will take over the projects themselves.

Zwedru

In Zwedru during the period under review, 300 demobilized children received certificates of achievement and tool kits following completion of a 9 months vocational skill-training program. The graduates were 233 males and 67 females under the age of 18. They were trained in agriculture, carpentry, masonry, tailoring and tire repair. The training was provided by a local NGO, the Sustainable Development Promoters (SDP) and funded by UNICEF. It was the first graduation exercise for Children Associated with Fighting Forces (CAFF) in the South-eastern region of Liberia since the resumption of the RR phase in the county. Psychosocial care and reintegration activities were part of the reintegrated support for the capacity building of the children. They were oriented on the HIV/AIDs prevention, sexual reproductive health, and hygiene promotion, SGBV, peace building messages, drugs/ substance abuse, rule of law and other relevant life skills to help them become productive citizens.

The CIMIC Meeting took place on June 22, 2006 at the HCS Conference Room, with HCS facilitating. In attendance were UN Agencies, national & international NGOs, and substantive units of UNMIL, the Chinese Engineering, CIMIC from Sector 3 (Gbarnga) and CIMIC in Zwedru. The meeting was the fifth meeting in sequence since the CIMIC approach was introduced in the sector. This special meeting was intended to make the CIMIC mechanism operational in the sector. It included UN agencies such as UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF and NGOs for the first time.

The purpose of the meeting was to give an overview of the CIMIC approach to the new members and to raise awareness of the CIMIC mechanism. The meeting was also intended as an information sharing activity in order to know what each agency is doing in the sector and how can they work with the military. Participants to the meeting made brief presentation on of their mandate, activities, challenges, progress and future plans to enhance the coordination and collaboration process to the communities in Grand Gedeh and in the entire sector.

The CIMIC activities reported were the provision of vocational training opportunities and tools kits to the communities. The skills taught are computer literacy, masonry, agriculture carpentry, tailoring, and mechanics.

CIMIC also reported assistance on roads initiatives and medical services being provided as well as social activities organized for the communities. The agencies welcomed the CIMIC approach as a brilliant idea and expressed participation, but they did not make commitment on their contribution. It was agreed that each agency would come up with its commitment at the next session.