UNJLC LIBERIA BULLETIN 19
16 December – 23 December 03

The aim of the UNJLC bulletins is to provide a concise weekly overview of UNJLC activities and the present logistical situation in regard to the crisis in Liberia. In addition sector/country specific reports will be released regularly in order to provide in-depth coverage of priority areas.

CONTENTS

• 1. HIGHLIGHTS
• 2. SECURITY
• 3. AIR OPERATIONS
• 4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS
• 5. CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
• 6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
• 7. LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATION
• 8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
• 9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / COMMODITY PRICES
• 10. LIBERIA UNJLC INTERNATIONAL STAFF
• 11. OTHER

1. HIGHLIGHTS

The Disarmament Demobilisation, Relocation and Reintegration (DDRR) Programme is suspended until 20 January 2004. This date is awaiting final confirmation.

UNMIL deployment to TUBMANBURG (PAKBATT) and GBARNGA (BANBATT) will commence on 25 December 2003.

Initial IDP re-location activity was conducted under the auspices of UN OCHA as an inter agency activity.

2. SECURITY

The security situation in and around Monrovia has improved, therefore curfew hours have been revised for UN staff (both national and international) to 2400 hours to 0500 hours. The curfew does not apply to local inhabitants. 

UNMIL in conjunction with the Government had planned to pay about 600 members of the Anti Terrorist Unit (ATU) of the former Government on 22 December as part of the Disarmament Demobilisation, Relocation and Reintegration (DDRR) Programme. Payment to the ATU personnel was planned at the Vamoma House in Monrovia, near the Corina Hotel on the way to the German Embassy. However, due to a misunderstanding between the commander of the group and the recruits, over 2000 persons turned up for the event. This led to a certain degree of chaos in the area. UNMIL responded by increasing its deployment at the location and controlled the situation.

The DDRR Programme has been suspended from 16 December until 20 January 2004. The Programme commenced on 7 December at Camp Schiefflin, the first disarmament camp set up to receive former fighters. Camp Schiefflin had been set up with a capacity to register only 400 fighters daily, but the response has been much larger than expected. Also, the large turn out resulted in security incidents in the Camp, ELWA Junction and certain suburbs of Monrovia. Since then, the situation has calmed down.
To date, these are the figures of the DDRR Programme for weapons collected and the registration of ex-combatants:

Weapons collected                                                   8,683
Ammunition (Mortars, Hand grenades, rockets, etc)     573
Ammunition (AK 47)                                                 38,200
Magazines                                                              6,000
Weapons destroyed                                                 3,273
Ex-combatants registered                                         13,195
Cash payments                                                       12,126

A convoy of two vehicles is no longer required for travel to Roberts International Airport (RIA). UN staff can proceed with one vehicle. 

Monrovia and key roads to TUBMANBURG and GBARNGA remain at UN Security Phase IV, while the rest of Liberia continues to be designated as Phase V.

3. AIR OPERATIONS

WFP is operating with one aircraft LET 410, with a 13-passenger capacity, in the West Africa Region servicing all missions in the region (Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Ginuea).  

As a result, the WFP Air Service Passenger schedule has been revised from 22 December to 18 January. It is available from every WFP Air Service office and on the UNJLC website.

The RIA administration is currently carrying out demarcation of its boundaries so as to prevent illegal encroachment of its property. A map of the airport is available on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/content/index.phtml/itemId/12016. 

Several regional and international airlines are operating to and from RIA. The airlines include:

Carrier    Destinations

Ghana Airways Accra, Freetown, Abidjan, New York, Baltimore, London, Rome, Brussels, Monrovia
SN Brussels   Brussels, Banjul, Dakar, Monrovia
SATGUR Air Transport  Abidjan, Freetown, Monrovia
Weasua Air Transport  Freetown, Abidjan, Monrovia
Belview    Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Monrovia

Carrier    Contact (Monrovia)

Ghana Airways    
KLM Building 56 Broad Street
+377-47-518791
+377-47-511980-RIA

SN Brussels Ecobank Plaza
Ashmun & Randall Streets
+377-47-510991
+377-47-512467

Weasua Air Transport  
KLM Building, 56 Broad Street
+377-47-516275
+377-47-531181
+377-47-554081-RIA
+377-47-515944-RIA
+377-47-550133-RIA

SATGUR Air Transport  
Randall Street
+377-47-511084
+377-47-550937

Belview    
Broad Street
+377-47-514584

Contacts: WFP West Africa Air Service contacts are as follows:

4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS

Below is a summary of imports and exports in through Freeport Monrovia (Sep to Dec 2003). The figures are given in numbers of containers. This information was provided by the National Port Authority at Monrovia Freeport.

Exports:
September:  95 containers (20’), and 1 container  (40’)
October:      136 containers (20’)
November:   279 containers (20’)

Outlined below is a summary of the UN vessels that arrived at the Freeport of Monrovia from 1 November to 16 December:

Contacts for the Ghanian Security contingent (UNMIL) at the Freeport are as follows:

- Commanding Officer – Lt Col James Adoinama: +377 47 530 657
- Operations Officer – Major Louman Gbetanu: +377 47 530 654
- Military Intelligence Officer – Capt Errigton Commil: +377 47 530 649

5. CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION

Last week, the Commissioner of Immigration officially wrote to the Humanitarian Co-ordinator to confirm the re-activation of the United Nations’ privileges and immunities.  United Nations staff travelling on National Passports is now exempt from payment of all charges related to immigration. Additionally, official forms no longer need to be purchased and completed by United Nations staff; rather details are transmitted to the Bureau of Immigration via a Note Verbale. Those travelling on a United Nations Laissez Passer continue to enjoy exemption from all immigration procedures apart from the presentation of their Laisser Passer upon entry to and departure from Liberia.

The second draft of the UNJLC Customs and Immigration Guide is available.

A Customs consultant seconded to UNJLC will be arriving in Liberia in the second week of January to carry out a study of the customs and immigration procedures, following by recommendations for policy proposals to the Government of Liberia.

6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

The UNJLC road assessment project continues. Full results have been received for Monrovia to Gbanga, Gbarnga to Yekepa, Gbarnga to Loguato, Gbarnga to Foya, Monrovia to Bo, and Sinje to Robertsport.  Assessments are about to start for the remainder of lower Lofa Country, as well as Gbarnga to Buchanan. Additionally, two assessments continue to cover the major routes in the South East of Liberia. A database of assessment information and photos along with maps of GPS data collected are expected to be available from the first half of January 2004.

UNJLC will chair a Joint Task Force committee to recommend priorities for road rehabilitation and repair (in accordance with Agencies requirements) and a handover of responsibility to those Agencies and organisations that have allocated funds.

7. LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATION

The next meeting of the Joint Logistics Working Group will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the WFP Conference room on 7 January 2004.

UNJLC is providing technical support to the drafting of a critical MOU for the use of UNMIL assets and facilities by the humanitarian community. This MOU includes cost recovery plans.

UNJLC is planning assistance for asset identification and support to a general evacuation plan.

UNJLC will sponsor the creation of a Joint Task Force committee with donors, UN Agencies, the Government of Liberia, EU, UNHCR, and OFDA in order to plan the implementation of the recommendations from the recent Strategic Fuel Study and determine the contractual priorities. The Fuel Study will shortly be available on www.unjlc.org 

The LOCOMOC Cell in the HOC conducted co-ordination tasks by organising and coordinating vehicle convoys travelling to Roberts International Airport (RIA) last week. LOCOMOC sourced additional logistics resources and planning support for the SKD IDP re-location. The Cell has developed an interim MEDEVAC procedure awaiting finalisation of an MOU. LOCOMOC, working with FITTEST, has proposed a quick impact inter-agency communications plan to link all UN Agencies into one communication network at a minimal cost – the UNCT has requested detailed costs. 

Mr. Momo Larmena has joined the HOC as the NGO liaison officer. He has commenced his outreach and liaison with the Liberian NGOs.

The points of contact at the HOC are as follows:
- General: Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: stephen.hiscock@wfp.org
- Logistics Coordination & Movement Control: Steven Eames, Tel: + 377 47 530 468, E-mail: steven.eames@wfp.org 
- Civil-Military Coordination: Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: stephen.hiscock@wfp.org,  Major Noel Duffy, Tel: + 377 47 532 516, E-mail: Monrovia.guest8@wfp.org
- Liberian NGO Liaison: Momo Larmena, Tel: + 377 47 530365
- Security: Arve Skog, Tel: + 377 47 529 616, E-mail: arve.skog@undp.org
- Humanitarian Information: Varney Kawah, Tel: + 377 47 521 726, E-mail: varney.kawah@undp.org

The HOC is located on the ground floor of the WFP building.
The opening hours are: Mon-Fri: 08:30 – 18:00. Sat: 10:00 – 15:00.

8. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION

UN Agencies are currently restricted to two UNMIL supported mission simultaneously.

The movement of 3799 IDPs from the SKD Stadium to camps in Montserrado County was undertaken under the overall co-ordination of OCHA with HOC Planning Support. UNMIL CIMIC assisted in the coordination of security and the provision of trucks. The numbers of IDPs taken to the various camps is as follows:

Mt Barclay:      1800
Fendel:           21
Unification:     31
Seigbei:         101
Blamasee:      1122
Ricks:            704

The total strength of the UNMIL Force Headquarters is now 103 (out of 165), including a dedicated "Civil Military Cooperation" (CIMIC) section. Next to the 1st Brigade, 102. Military Observers are now deployed in the country. The Force Brigade's total strength is 7,082. There are 38 CIVPOL officers.

UNMIL Emergency Response HOTLINES:
Duty Officer HQ Sector 1:  + 377 47 530 173
Duty Officer HQ UNMIL :   + 377 47 532 313

UNMIL Force Commander – Lieutenant General Opande, Kenya.

Sector 1 Commander – Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, Nigeria.

Civil-Military Co-operations Officer – Major Duffy: + 377 47 532 516                                                                 

UN Civil-Military Co-ordination – Stephen Hiscock: + 377 47 530 434

WFP Civil-Military Liaison – Albert Fiawosime: + 377 47 530 209

UNJLC Civil-Military Liaison – Oleksandr Grebenyuk: + 377 47 532 378

9. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / COMMODITY PRICES

The exchange rate to the USD $ is LD $ 47.

10. LIBERIA UNJLC INTERNATIONAL STAFF

• Peter Schaller: peter.schaller@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 090

• Matthew Dee: matthew.dee@wfp.org, m_dee99@yahoo.com Mobile: +377 47 530 187

• Oleksandr Grebenyuk: oleksandr.grebenyuk@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 532 378

• Steven Eames steven.eames@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 468

• Farzana Rasheed: farzana.rasheed@wfp.org Mobile: +377 47 531458

• UNJLC Offices are located on the ground floor of the WFP building, UN Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia.
• UNJLC Fax: + 871 763 467 061.
• UNJLC Tel:  + 871 763 467 060.

11. OTHER

Below is information collected on communication within Liberia:
- GSM service provider: Lone Star Communications Corp
- Telephone companies: Liberia Telecommunications Corporation; government-owned Telephone Company; and, Altantic Wireless Inc.
- Internet service providers: Data Technology Solutions (Datatech); Atlantic Wireless Inc. (AWI)
- Internet Cafés: There is a large number and these are served by Datatech and AWI. The Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) provides Internet service for the humanitarian community.
- Postal/mail services: DHL; UPS/TNT/AIR Services Corp; Federal Express; Expedited Mail Services/EMS. (Contact details will be provided in the next Bulletin)

   
ABOUT UNJLC

UNJLC is an inter-agency facility reporting, in the current emergency, to the Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia, and overall to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Its mandate is to coordinate and optimise the logistics capabilities of humanitarian organisations in large-scale emergencies. UNJLC operates under the custodianship of WFP who are responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Centre. UNJLC is funded from voluntary contributions channelled through WFP. The UNJLC project document for Liberia can be viewed on the UNJLC website (www.unjlc.org).