Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Monrovia (Fides Service) – “The humanitarian situation gets worse every day” a missionary in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, told Fides Service. Over the past weeks Monrovia has been the scene of heavy fighting between troops loyal to president Charles Taylor and the LURD rebels (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy). “In only a few months Monrovia’s population has grown from 350,000 to over one million” the missionary said. “The state of insecurity in many parts of the country pushed people to leave rural areas and search for some sort of safety in the capital. Many have found shelter with family or friends or just ordinary people, Liberians are very welcoming. But this has created difficult situations with families hosting as many as 10 to 15 newcomers.”
“The economic situation is critical. For months state workers have seen no wages and the only paid jobs in town are offered by the few remaining NGOs. People find it difficult even to draw from meagre savings or receive money from abroad because the banks rarely open. To be brief, they have no means of subsistence” the missionary said. “The Church is often the only institution able to offer some help. Caritas Liberia has set up a food distribution network with the parishes. This is done under difficult conditions due to lack of infrastructures and services and a situation of insecurity. Many NGOs left Liberia after being sacked and raided several times. People anxiously await the arrival of an international peacekeeping force to guarantee a minimum of security.” The situation is difficult also in the rest of the country. “Yesterday – the missionary said- I visited a camp 100 km from Monrovia where more than 40,000 live in terrible conditions. They have received no food rations from NGOs for months and survive only on the little they manage to grow on the land around the camp”.
At the political level there is still uncertainty after Taylor announced on July 6 that he would leave the country accepting the invitation from President Olusegun Obasanjo to go to Nigeria, although he set no specific date. The missionary said: “People are confused and afraid for the future. Perhaps Taylor too is waiting for the arrival of the international troops before he leaves the country. He fears retaliation from his supporters who would feel abandoned. LM (Fides Service 15/7/2003 EM lines 34 Words: 423)
