LRRRC, MIA, Others Assess Refugee Situations

The Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), Rev. Festus Logan along with Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf, Chairman of the Board of Directors LRRRC and other humanitarian actors is currently in the south east to assess the refugee situation.

Speaking in Butuuo Nimba County, Minister Varney Sirleaf said the mission is to assess the situation for prompt intervention by government and partners. He said there was a need for serious intervention in the area of food, shelter, sanitation and health; something he said the partners have come to assess. 

For her part, UNHCR Country Representative to Liberia Madam Roseline Okoro said there was a serious humanitarian situation that needed serious intervention.

She said for the past five to ten days, the UNCHCR has been receiving up to one thousand refugees a day.

Also speaking, LRRRC Executive Director, Rev. Festus Logan said Liberia was under obligation to provide international protection for people fleeing conflict, but  strictly warned the refugees not to go back to the Ivory Coast to cause problem.

The team also visited the PTP Refugee Camp in Grand Gedeh and was met with huge number of the refugees.
The refugees through their leadership asked for food, shelter health care, water and sanitation among others
In response, Minister Sirleaf and Madam Roseline Okoro, Country Representative of UNHCR assured the Refugees that the government and the UN agencies assessment mission is to assess the situation and provide assistance to the Refugees.
Also speaking, LRRRC Executive Director Rev. Festus Logan warned the refugees to be law abiding.
“I can assure you that Liberia as a country will provide you international protection, but if you go back to the Ivory Coast and cause confusion we will not keep you here,” the LRRRC ED told the Refugees.
Currently, there are over ten thousand new arrivals of Ivorian refugees in Liberia

The joint assessment mission was headed by Internal Affairs Minister Varney A. Sirleaf, Chairman of the Board of directors LRRRC. Organization on the mission were; UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM WFP amongst others.

Among the new arrivals, women, children and the elderly dominate the new arrivals.

Some of the refugees told the Minister their coming to Liberia was due to the post election violence.