Liberia: Two more IDP camps attacked

(New York: 11 April) - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Liberia reports that attacks on two camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Montserrado County, Liberia have killed four civilians and displaced thousands more.
On 9 April the Wilson and Jartondoh IDP camps, which are both located in the same county as the country's capital, Monrovia, were attacked by groups of armed men. Three civilians are known to have been killed in gunfire in Jartondoh camp and an elderly resident of the Wilson camp was killed when her shelter caught fire after a mortar attack.

The majority of Jartondoh camp's 18,000 residents have fled, as have many from Wilson Camp.

At least one non-governmental organization (NGO) aid worker was injured in the attacks, others were forced to help the armed groups carry away looted items and two vehicles belonging to NGOs were stolen.

"These attacks on civilians are outrageous and are violations of international humanitarian law," said Ms. Carolyn McAskie, the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator. "All parties to the conflict must ensure that attacks on civilians do not occur, and we call on the Government of Liberia to do everything in their power to protect civilians."

The violence comes only two weeks after a similar incident at another IDP Camp in Montserrado drove some 25,000 displaced people out of their temporary shelter. UN staff continue to receive reports of looting and raping that have occurred in IDP camps recently.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Liberia is also receiving reports of fighting between Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels and Government forces in Ganta, near the border with Guinea Thousands of civilians in that area have been cut off from humanitarian assistance.

The UN estimates that humanitarian workers can access only 30 per cent of Liberia.

To date, donors have provided just 2 per cent of the $42.6 million in funding required under the 2003 UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Liberia. Critically important programmes in the food, shelter, emergency health, and human rights protection sectors have not received any donor contributions.

For further information, please contact: New York: Brian Grogan (212) 963-1143