AFRICA/LIBERIA - Africa: pouring of refugees from one state to another continues to threaten stability in countries such as Liberia, trying to recover from a dramatic civil. At least 13,000 Ivorians have fled to north eastern Liberia

Monrovia (Fides Service)- “So far the flow of Ivorian refugees has not caused tension although local radios have appealed to United Nations forces in Liberia to be on guard to prevent Ivorian militia from recruiting among the refugees” Father Mauro Armanino, SMA provincial in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, where at least 13,000 Ivorians have fled to escape violence in their own country. “It would not be the first time that Liberia is used by Ivorian factions as a rearward base” said Father Armanino. “In the past Ivorian militia recruited in Liberia and viceversa, and Ivory Coast supplied arms and support to Liberian militia. In effect these are people of the same ethnic group living on both sides of the Liberia/Ivory Coast border”.
Humanitarian agencies operating in north east Liberia are intensely engaged in assisting thousands of refugees coming from Ivory Coast. In the last two weeks an estimated 13,000 crossed the border mostly in canoes across the River Cestos, which marks the border line.
The main concerns are guaranteeing clean water supplies and security: clean water is not available and people use and drink river water; the national police force is not present in the border area. There is urgent need of food and medicine, already scarce among the locals even before the arrival of refugees. However food distribution and assistance is difficult in an area where infrastructures are non existent and roads and bridges were destroyed by 14 years of civil war.
In the meantime UN workers and NGO personnel are on a joint fact finding mission to assess the needs of both refugees and locals and how to meet them.
About 900 of the new arrivals are Liberians who until two weeks ago were among the estimated 70,000 Liberian refugees in Ivory Coast. Most of the Ivorians come from western Ivory Coast, mainly the towns of Guiglo and Danane, near the so-called 'Zone de confiance' guarded by the UN troops to keep peace between rebels in the north and government troops in the south. Danane is slightly north of the zone and Guiglo lies to the south of it.
Many refugees told UNHCR workers that they left Ivory Coast fearing more fighting between the rebels and government troops. New arrivals over the past few days said they heard shooting, while other said they fled because government troops tried to enlist them.
UNHCR has opened two transit centres along Liberia’s north eastern border at Butuo and Logatuo. It is considering opening another centre 35 km in land from the border to use in case the situation deteriorates. However the transfer of thousands of people would be extremely difficult with roads in such poor conditions and the bridges in the area destroyed. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 22/11/2004 righe 44 parole 571)