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creation Date:

Mar 24, 2004

UNJLC LIBERIA BULLETIN 32
17 - 23 March 2004

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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. Infrastructure
• 6. Logistics Co-ordination
• 7. Civil-Military Co-ordination
• 8. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / Commodity Prices
• 9. UNJLC International Staff

1. Highlights

The main body of the UNJLC mission in Liberia will phase out by Wednesday, 31 March 2004. A Logistics Planning Team, consisting of a of an international Logistics Planning Officer and a national Logistics Assistant, will be provided by UNJLC for a further three months in order to assist the UN Agencies in planning their deployment outside of Monrovia. This Planning Team will be situated in the Humanitarian Coordinator’s office.  

Violence broke out in Buchanan on Saturday 20 March between MODEL fighters and civilians. Combatants looted and harassed the local population. At least one person was confirmed dead.

UNMIL has not yet provided a confirmed date for the re-commencement of the Disarmament Demobilisation Rehabilitation and Re-integration (DDRR) Programme of the estimated 40,000 fighters of various factions in Liberia. 

UNMIL has a presence of 13, 759 persons in 10 out of 15 counties in Liberia.

WFP Air Service has commenced operations from Monrovia to Zwedru. Flights take place every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

The fourth Road Task Force Meeting will be convened on Monday, 29 March at 11:00 PM at the UNDP Conference Room.

2. Security

Violence broke out in Buchanan on Saturday 20 March between MODEL fighters and civilians. According to reports, combatants looted and harassed the local population. At least one person was confirmed dead. UNMIL’s Force Commander, Lieutenant-General Daniel Opande, confirmed the incidents in Buchanan over a radio address. 

UNMIL has not yet provided a confirmed date for the re-commencement of the Disarmament Demobilisation Rehabilitation and Re-integration (DDRR) Programme of the estimated 40,000 fighters of various factions in Liberia. The Peacekeeping in Mission has set forth certain conditions before the disarmament can begin, including the full deployment of 15,000 UN troops, complete construction of the four cantonment sites, and faction compliance in providing names of combatants and numbers of weapons.  

Presently, UNMIL has a presence of 13, 759 persons in 10 out of 15 counties in Liberia. 

Most of Liberia continues to be designated at Security Phases IV and V. The following areas were recently downgraded from Phase V to IV:

 Margibi and Montserrado Counties
  The road from Gbarnga to Ganta, including the town of Ganta
  The road from Tappita to Zwedru, including the towns of Tappita and Zwedru

Areas already at security phase IV are:

  The road from Monrovia to Buchanan
  The road from Monrovia to Gbarnga
  The road from Monrovia to Bo Waterside
  The road from Monrovia to Tubmanburg

All other areas of the country remain at security Phase V.

3. Air Operations

WFP Air Service has commenced operations from Monrovia to Zwedru. Flights take place every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

WFP is conducting its air operations from James Spriggs Payne Airport. The Service operates services between Abidjan, Conakry, Kissidougou, Nzerekore, Guiglo, Tabou, Monrovia, and Freetown. WFP is operating a LET 410 and possesses an office at the Airport.

UNMIL Air Operations Contacts:

 Mr. Carl Markussen: OIC- UNMIL Air Operations/Aviation Section, Tel: + 377 47 532 603, E-mail:  markussen@un.org
 Mr. Chris Njenga: OIC- Technical Compliance/ UNMIL Air Operations, Tel: + 377 47 538246, E-mail: njengac@un.org
 Mr. Thomas Vandy: UNMIL Spriggs Payne Aiport Manager, Tel: +377 47 542883
 Mr. Tomislav Ristov: UNMIL Chief Air Operations Centre, Tel: + 377 47 532504, E-mail: ristov@un.org
 Ms. Griffith, MOVCON, Spriggs Payne Airport, Tel: + 377 47 530 602, E-mail: griffithsk@un.org
 Mr. Tesfaye Tesgaye, OIC, Airfield Management, Tel: + 377 47 547 041
 Mr. Idrissa Ezeh: UNMIL RIA Manager, Tel: + 377 47 542 885, E-mail: i_ezeh348@hotmail.com
 Mr. Christopher Tumbay: Assistant RIA Manager
 Mr. Mario Calderon: MOVCON RIA, Tel: + 377 47 532 597, E-mail: calderonm@un.org
 Mr. Assamis Comporare: UNMIL Gbranga Airfield Manager
 Mr. George Kabia: UNMIL Greenville Airfield Manager

WFP West Africa Air Service contacts are as follows:

4. Sea Port Operations

Contacts for the Ghanaian Security contingent (UNMIL) at the Freeport of Monrovia 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. Infrastructure

The fourth Road Task Force Meeting will be convened on Monday, 29 March at 14:30 PM at the UNDP Conference Room.

6. Logistics Co-ordination

The regular meeting of the Joint Logistics Working Group was cancelled on Wednesday 10 March as it was an official UN Holiday to celebrate Decoration Day. The meeting was resumed on Wednesday, 17 March, 2004 at 10 a.m. in the UNDP conference room.

FITTEST submitted details of communication needs and assistance required on behalf of UN Agencies to UNMIL. A definite answer from UNMIL is still pending. 

Presently, UNMIL has a limited capacity regarding water purification plants installed in the areas outside of Monrovia. The larger plants have not been set up due to technical difficulties. UNMIL cannot guarantee assistance to the UN Agencies. UNMIL may establish bigger plants in the future after UNMIL deploys civilian personnel up country. 

The main body of the UNJLC mission in Liberia will phase out by Wednesday, 31 March 2004. A Logistics Planning Team, consisting of a of an international Logistics Planning Officer and a national Logistics Assistant, will be provided by UNJLC for a further three months in order to assist the UN Agencies in planning their deployment outside of Monrovia. This Planning Team will be situated in the Humanitarian Coordinator’s office.  

The Logistics Planning Officer will continue to chair the Joint Logistics Working Group, as well as the Road Task Force Meeting. 

Areas of priority for the UNJLC Planning Team will be supporting the planning of Agency deployment outside of Monrovia and project implementation, such as the return of Liberian refugees from neighbouring countries. The Planning Team will also focus its efforts to maximise asset and cost sharing among UN Agencies. Identifying a solution for fuel needs up country will be an important issue. 

Presently, the main body of UNJLC is finalising its phase out. A complete compilation of UNJLC studies, sector surveys and reports is being compiled to form a Liberia Logistics Handbook. 

Humanitarian Operations Centre (HOC):
 Humanitarian agencies are requested to make use of the available services at the HOC to organise air, sea, and road missions to the interior of Liberia. 

Logistics Coordination, HOC: 
 The Logistics Coordination Cell in the HOC is facilitating the coordination of the logistics activities of the Humanitarian Community. The LOCOMOCC is also providing operational and logistical support in the planning of the DDRR Programme. 

NGO Liaison: 
 HOC, UNOCHA, UNMIL – LINNK Consultative Meeting
The UNMIL NGO Liaison officer in collaboration with UNOCHA and HOC held a workshop session on  umbrella organizations, in order to identify the methods of building the capacity of local NGOs.  The  meeting also highlighted the need to address gender issues.
 LINNK’s Presence in the south East
LINNK’s Regional Coordinator to Region 5 (Grand Kru, Maryland and River Gee Counties) secured two  office spaces in Barclay Ville and Harper Cities (Grand Kru and Maryland counties respectively).  Through networking with Superintendents, Chiefs, Elders and MODEL representatives, the local  authorities provided the two office spaces to LINNK and pledged support to the Network’s operations.  The Coordinator along with  APA (Assistance for Providing Aid Mission Liberia) and several local and  international organisations (Agromate, Barclay Ville Women Association, Caritas, CHS, Hope for All,  JPC, LRRRC, LWS, NAWOCOL, Rural Farmers Association. WIPS), carried out distribution of medical  and hygiene kits, and also provided psycho-social services to over 800 people within the three counties.   Medical and hygiene kits were donated by The Later Day Saints of Jesus Christ to APA for humanitarian  needs.     
 Health and Sanitation
The Christian United Humanitarian Services (CUHS) – a local NGO- has embarked on a HIV/AIDS  Education Programme for students.  Schools currently benefiting from this programme are the  First  Assembly of God and the Matilda Newport High Schools in Monrovia, Montserrado County. 

LRRRC Liaison:  
 Political parties have begun using the IDP camps for party recruitment and campaign purposes.  The LRRRC Representative suggests that the IDP Committee and LRRRC draw up policy guidelines for the benefit of all concerned.
 In another development, the LRRRC has been instrumental in putting under control disturbances from combatants at the Unification Town IDP camp.
 Meanwhile, tarpaulin for transit shelters remains a problem at most sites.  

The points of contact at the HOC are as follows:
 General:
Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: steven.hiscock@wfp.org
 Logistics Coordination & Movement Control:
Steven Eames, Tel: + 377 47 534 468, E-mail: steven.eames@wfp.org 
 Civil-Military Coordination:
Stephen Hiscock, Tel: + 377 47 530 434, E-mail: steven.hiscock@wfp.org
Major Noel Duffy, Tel: + 377 47 532 516, E-mail: monrovia.guest8@wfp.org
 LRRRC Liaison:
Adella K. Kermah, Tel: + 377 47 544 133, E-mail: kobekermah@yahoo.com
 NGO Liaison:
Franklin Henries, 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.

7. Civil-Military Co-ordination

Deployment to areas outside the main Sector Headquarter areas is planned as follows:

 Troops from the Namibian Contingent are expected to be deployed to Robertsport. 
 Pakistani troops will commence deployment to Voinjama.
 Troops from the Bangladeshi Battalion will deploy to Ganta, followed by Saniquellie. 
 Ethiopian troops are expected to be deployed to River Cess. 
 Senegalese troops will deploy to Fishtown and Harper. 

UNMIL is repairing the road from Gbarnga to Zorzor. 

UNMIL is expecting a coastal vessel in May that will be used for transportation of persons and cargo to Monrovia, Buchanan, River Cess, Greenville, and Harper. The vessel may be available for UN Agencies on a space-available basis. 

UNMIL Emergency Response Hotlines are:
 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-operation Officer – Noel 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

8. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene) / Commodity Prices

UNJLC facilitated a request by the Humanitarian Coordinator to the SRSG for the inclusion of UN Agencies in UNMIL’s fuel turn key contract. The Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office has indicated to UNJLC that the request has not been approved. Given this information, UN Agencies are advised to explore a solution incorporating Agencies only. 

After the phase out of the main body of UNJLC at the end of March, the UNJLC Logistics Planning Team will continue to work with the Agencies to identify solutions. 

The exchange rate to the US $ is LD $ 54.

Fuel Prices (per gallon)

9. UNJLC International Staff

Matthew Dee: matthew.dee@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 530 187
Steven Eames: steven.eames@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 468
Glumur Baldvinsson: monrovia.guest8@wfp.org Mobile: + 377 47 534 090
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.

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).