Christian Aid is responding to the growing
humanitarian crisis in Liberia by supporting the emergency relief work
of Action by Churches Together (ACT). Christian Aid is also helping partners
in neighbouring Sierra Leone to cope with the influx of Liberian refugees.
The arrival of the Nigerian-led peace
keeping troops this week has led to a lull in the fighting, but there are
massive humanitarian needs, especially in the capital Monrovia and other
government-controlled areas. People are desperate for water, food, medicine
and shelter as indiscriminate shooting and shelling has left the capital
in a state of chaos. Diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea are on the
increase.
ACT is working through the Lutheran World Federation, which is distributing high protein biscuits and non-food items to sick children and the elderly in the JFK hospital in Monrovia and to children in a nearby orphanage.
Thousands of people have fled the country, many of them to neighbouring Sierra Leone, where Christian Aid has partner organisations. UNHCR states that there are about 75,000 refugees living in camps and thousands more living with host populations.
Christian Aid has funded the Relief and Development Agency (RADA) to carry out a rapid assessment of the refugee situation in the border areas with Liberia. An emergencies officer from Christian Aid's office in London will join this assessment team on Monday 11 August.
Mohammed Koroma, of the Sulima Fishing and Community Development Project, said that the coastal village of Sulima in the south has been a major entry point for about 1,500 Liberian refugees. He said: 'some of them are living with Sierra Leonean families who have taken them in and the rest are sleeping rough on the beach. There are food and water shortages as there is no fishing in this season and only one well for the whole village'.
Another Christian Aid partner, the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone (MCSL) reported that about 2,800 refugees are staying in the Segwebema area in eastern Sierra Leone. Francis Nabieu, President of MCSL said: 'we are in the middle of the rainy season now and this is exacerbating food shortages and health problems. Sierra Leoneans, themselves, are just recovering from a ten-year conflict and it is difficult for us, but we want to be able to help,' he added.
As soon as the results of the assessment are available, Christian Aid and partner organisations will draw up a plan of action to provide relief to the refugees and host populations in the operational area.