Summary
Content
UNJLC LIBERIA BULLETIN 20
23 – 30 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
Pakistani peacekeepers are now deployed to Kle Junction and continued deployment towards Tubmanburg. Bangladeshi troops will commence deployment to Gbarnga and Buchanan on 31 December. Troops from Ethiopia will begin deployment to Zwedru and Tapeta in early January.
The strength of UNMIL troops is now 7,852.
The ICRC has commenced operating its flights from Spriggs Payne Airport.
The Liberia NGOs Network (LINNK) officially launched a Community Information/Dissemination and Sensitisation on the Disarmament Demobilization, Relocation and Reintegration (DDRR) Programme in Kakata, Margibi Country on 28 December.
The Bureau of Fire Service is the official agency of the Government of Liberia tasked with ensuring that fire safety regulations are adhered to by all organisations and agencies. Below are implementing measures for fire prevention, costs for acquiring fire safety implements and contacts at the Bureau.
2. SECURITY
Disturbances were reported at Camp Schieffelin on 28 December. The incident involved former combatants protesting against camp conditions to the Camp Management. One person was hurt when he was hit by a vehicle leaving the camp. Following the arrival of UNMIL security, the protest ended.
Pakistani troops commenced deployment to Tubmanburg, 50 km northwest of Monrovia, on 25 December. The deployment of the Pakistanis into LURD-controlled territory was initially blocked. LURD forces stopped armoured cars carrying 270 Pakistani peacekeepers from crossing the Po River Bridge 17 km northwest of Monrovia on the road to Tubmanburg. Following talks between LURD commanders and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, a second deployment attempt was met successfully on 27 December. A detachment of 125 Pakistani troops drove in a convoy of armoured vehicles to Kley Junction 35 km north of the capital Monrovia. The Junction is a strategic point of access to the Sierra Leone border at Bo Waterside and Tubmanburg. LURD’s military headquarters are located in Tubmanburg.
The Pakistani troops are now at Kley Junction and patrolling the road up to Tubmanburg.
Following the initiation of the deployment, LURD combatants have begun the dismantling of checkpoints in the western and northern areas of Liberia in anticipation of continuing deployment of UN peacekeepers.
Troops from Bangladesh are to deploy in Gbarnga and Buchanan starting on 31 December.
Ethiopian troops will commence deployment to Zwedru and Tapeta in early January.
With the arrival of 2,000 troops from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia last week, the strength of UNMIL is now 7,852.
The curfew timings for UN staff (national and international) are 2400 hours to 0500 hours. The curfew does not apply to local inhabitants.
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).
ICRC has commenced operating its flights from Spriggs Payne Airport. ICRC flights to Voinjama and Zwedru with a Beechcraft are scheduled for Tuesday and Friday. Presently, these flights only accommodate ICRC staff. Any requests for consideration to personnel other than those of ICRC, contact should be made with: Jordi Raich, Deputy Head of Delegation, Tel: + 377 47 527859.
ICRC has carried out rehabilitation of the airfields at Voinjama (in Lofa Country) and Zwedru (in Grand Gedeh County). ICRC is maintaining offices with international staff presence in these two cities.
Contacts: WFP West Africa Air Service contacts are as follows:
| Ivory Coast: WFP West Africa Air Service WFP Office Rue Jesse Owens Angle Boulevard de la Republique Residence Tropique 3 Abidjan Plateau Contact: Alain Rakotovao |
Liberia: WFP West Africa Air Service Ground Floor, WFP Office United Nations Office Mamba Point Monrovia Contact: Nyenati Bayusie |
|
Sierra Leone: Contact: Stela Pasic/Rosemary Parnell |
4. SEA PORT OPERATIONS
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
A Customs consultant, Mr. Jim Williams, seconded to UNJLC will be arriving in Liberia on 14 January to carry out a study of the customs and immigration procedures, following by recommendations for policy proposals to the Government of Liberia.
The second draft of the UNJLC Customs and Immigration Guide is available.
6. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
The UNJLC road assessment project continues. 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.
The Logistics Coordination and Movement Control Centre (LOCOMOC) Cell in the Humanitarian Operations Centre (HOC) has developed an interim MEDEVAC procedure awaiting approval. The Cell continues support to NGOs and UN Agencies with minor logistics support and requests for use of UNMIL assets. LOCOMOC, working with FITTEST, is producing an inter-agency communications plan to link all UN Agencies into one communication network at a minimal cost. The Cell is coordinating the drafting a Liberia Logistics Handbook that will be composed of UNJLC logistical documents, surveys and studies. This Handbook is intended to assist UN agencies and the humanitarian community in their operational and logistical planning for deployment into areas outside of Monrovia as anticipated next year.
NGO Liaison:
- The Liberia NGOs Network (LINNK) officially launched a Community Information/Dissemination and Sensitisation on the Disarmament Demobilisation, Relocation and Reintegration (DDRR) Programme in Kakata, Margibi Country on 28 December.
- LINNK, a consortium of more than 150 national NGOs, has embarked on a nation-wide community information and sensitisation campaign throughout Liberia including villages, towns, districts and communities/chiefdoms. The Flomo Theatre and Musical Union of Liberia, which are members of LINNK, will perform cultural dramas and folk songs to support DDRR process.
- The Liberia NGOs Network in collaboration with the Public Affairs Office of UNMIL launched the first phase of the community information and sensitisation campaign in Kakata, Margibi County with over 2,000 persons in attendance. The Chairman of LINNK, Edward Mulbah, indicated that subsequent activity will be carried out in Bomi, Grand Bassa and Maryland counties.
Following discussions with the LRRRC Executive Director, a formal letter has been sent asking for a permanent person representing LRRRC to be assigned to the HOC.
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, E-mail: Momo.Larmena@wfp.org
- 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 missions simultaneously.
The Pakistani Brigade has now commenced deployment to Kley Junction and Tubmanburg.
All LURD checkpoints as far north as Tubmanburg have been removed.
The Bangladesh Brigade will deploy its Headquarters to Gbarnga by Dec 31, while a Company will be deployed to Buchanan. The Ethiopian Brigade will deploy to Sector 4, Greenville, by sea. This deployment will commence after 4 January 2004. Following the deployment to Greenville, the unit will deploy to Zwedru by road.
The total strength of the UNMIL Force Headquarters is now 104 (out of 165), including a dedicated "Civil Military Cooperation" (CIMIC) section. Next to the 1st Brigade, 104 Military Observers are now deployed in the country. The Force Brigade's total strength is 7,852. The total number of the UNMIL military component is 8,062.There are 70 CIVPOL officers.
The Rotterdam will return on January 4 after a brief break and will be used for deployment of troops staring on 8 January.
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.
Fuel Prices (per Gallon)
| Fuel type | Retail Price (US$) | Street Price (US$) |
| Diesel | 2.20 | 2.40 |
| Gasoline | 2.25 | 2.30 |
| Kerosene | 2.10 | 3.00 |
| Commodity | Quantity | Price 23-12-03(US$) | Price 30-12-03(US$) |
| Sugar | 50kg | 26 | 26 |
| Rice | 50kg | 17, 18, 19 | 18, 19, 20 |
| Flour | 50kg | 23 | 23 |
| Food Oil | 20 L | 25 | 22 |
| Bread | Loaf | 0.05 | 0.10 |
| Tea | Pack | 0.06 | 0.10 |
| Tomato paste | Can | 0.23 | 0.20 |
| Sweet potatoes | 50kg | 18.8 | 18.00 |
| Potatoes | 20kg | 18 | 21 |
| Mineral Water | 1.5 L | 0.72 | 0.72 |
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 on communication within Liberia:
GSM service provider:
Lone Star Communications Corp
Coverage area: Monrovia, Buchanan (in 2004)
Commercial department Tel: + 377 47 501004, 111 (free Customer Service number)
Services offered: SMS, voice mail, international & local calls
Telephone companies:
1) Liberia Telecommunications Corporation
Government-owned Telephone Company. Liberia Telecommunications Corp is in the process of reactivating its fixed-line network, and many subscribers’ phones have been reactivated. The company will soon start registering new phones.
Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2000)
Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main centre is Monrovia.
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
2) Atlantic Wireless Inc.
Private cellular phone company
Internet service providers:
1) Data Technology Solutions (Data Tech)
P. O. Box 6053
18th street & Warner Ave., Sinkor
Monrovia, Liberia
Data Tech is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that offers access to the Internet with wireless technology. Data Tech also offers VSAT Solutions, computer training, networking cabling, network analysis, design & implementation, computer maintenance & repairs, and system analysis.
2) Atlantic Wireless Inc. (AWI)
Crown Hill, Broad Street
Monrovia, Liberia
AWI is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that offers access to the Internet with wireless technology.
Internet Cafés:
1) There is a large number and these are served by Data Tech and AWI. The connection is rather slow. Both companies use wireless technology. Varying rates are charged. Users use the café’s for Internet phone calls.
2) The Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) located at UNICEF in Mamba Point also provides a free Internet service for the humanitarian community.
Forwarding/mail services:
1) DHL
Broad and Lynch Streets
Monrovia, Liberia
Customer Service representative: Betti Sambola
Tel: + 231 226986, 226987, 226988
Mobile: + 377 47 534161
Fax: + 231 226120
E-mail: DHL@AWLI.NET.LR
2) Federal Express/Safeway Cargo
Broad Street
Monrovia, Liberia
Sales & Marketing Manager: Emmanuel S. Ellis
Tel: + 231 226611
Mobile: + 377 47 514534
Fax: + 231 226204
E-mail: liberiatrace@emc.fedex.com
3) UPS/TNT/AIR Services Corp.
Broad Street
Monrovia, Liberia
General Manager: Arthur Abdullai
Tel: + 231 511201
4) Express Mail Services – Express Mail In’tl
Carey & McDonald Street Intersection
National Post Office
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
Monrovia, Liberia
Radio stations in Liberia that can be tuned into for regular news briefings are the following:
91.5 FM UNMIL Radio (Official UNMIL radio station)
101.1 FM DC 101 (private radio station)
98.7 FM Radio Veritas (Catholic radio station)
Owned and operated by the Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Monrovia, it operates both on FM and short-wave bands.
99.9 FM ELBC (State Radio)
103 FM British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
A relay station of the British Broadcasting Corporation in collaboration with the Liberia Broadcasting System, it airs all programmes of BBC World.
106 FM Radio France Internationale (RFI) (Relay)
A relay station of Radio France Internationale in collaboration with the Liberia Broadcasting System, it airs all programmes of Radio France Int’l.
The Bureau of Fire Service is the official agency of the Government of Liberia tasked with ensuring that fire safety regulations within the country are adhered to by all organisations, agencies, institutions and the general public. Below are implementing measures for fire prevention, costs for acquiring fire safety implements and contacts at the Bureau. Both buildings and vehicles must acquire clearance for fire safety.
1) For buildings:
Have your building(s) inspected by the Bureau of Fire Service, including the electrical system and generator site.
Acquire a copy of the comprehensive report prepared by the Bureau of Fire Service following the inspection.
Acquire a form from the bureau which outlines those things that are to be put into place within the building(s). The form is free of charge.
Following the compliance of the items listed in the form, obtain a Certificate of Clearance from the Bureau. Cost of the certificate is US$ 50, durable for one (1) year as of the date of issue, and renewable annually.
All payments and receipts are to be processed at the Bureau of Fire Service.
2) For vehicles:
Submit copy of the Bill of Sale for each vehicle to the Bureau of Fire Service.
Install fire extinguishers in each vehicle. A 2 kg dry powder extinguisher for vans and a 6 kg dry powder for trucks should be installed. Purchasing of these items may be done at the Fire Service bureau.
Obtain a Safety Clearance for each vehicle at a cost of US$ 30 each. Clearances are valid for one (1) year and renewable afterwards.
Ensure that two receipts are acquired for each vehicle; a receipt from the Bureau of fire Service and another from the Ministry of Finance.
3) Costs – Extinguishers:
Fire Extinguisher 12 kg Dry Powder US$ 200.00
Fire Extinguisher 9 kg Dry Powder US$ 185.00
Fire Extinguisher 6 kg Dry Powder US$ 160.00
Fire Extinguisher 9 kg CO2 US$ 275.00
Fire Extinguisher 6 kg CO2 US$ 250.00
Fire Extinguisher 9 L H2O US$ 150.00
4) Contact: Hon. Ansumana F. Kromah, Director, Bureau of Fire Service
Hon. Muana S. Ville, Deputy Director for Administration
Hon. Joseph Derrick, Deputy Director for Operations
Mr. Yusuf Noring, Chief, Fire Prevention
Col. Yatta Grimes, Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention
5) Currently, the Bureau has no fire fighting equipment necessary for combating fire outbreaks that may occur. There are no fire trucks except for extinguishers that are available for sale to requesting entities. The Bureau carries out regular inspections annually on premises for the purpose of updating its statistics. Notification is given to organisations and other subscribers of the bureau prior to the inspection exercise. Notification is channelled through radio announcements, written communications and through direct contacts with the subscribers. Inspections are conducted on both buildings and vehicles by the Bureau.
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).