U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

                BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
           OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

                   LIBERIA - Complex Emergency

Fact Sheet # 12                          April 26, 1996 1800 EDT


Background:  On April 6, 1996, fighting in Monrovia erupted
between two armed factions, Charles Taylor's National Patriotic
Front of Liberia (NPFL), and Roosevelt Johnson's wing of the
United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia
(ULIMO-Krahn).  Other Krahn factions subsequently joined Johnson.
The fighting came in the wake of scattered skirmishes that
followed the signing of the Abuja Accord, a comprehensive peace
agreement among leaders of the main warring factions in Liberia
on August 19, 1995.  The accord came after nearly six years of
civil war, in which more than 150,000 Liberians died, about
725,000 fled the country as refugees, and 800,000 became
internally displaced.  

As a result of a cease-fire agreement brokered April 19 by the
Ghanaian envoy Captain Kojo Tshikata, troops from the Economic
Community of West African States' Military Observer Group have
re-deployed throughout Monrovia.  Although the city seems to be
calmer, sporadic looting and gunfire continue.  Since April 20
over 200 foreign national hostages have been released from the
Barclay Training Center (BTC), where approximately 15,000 -
20,000 people have taken refuge.  The BTC houses armed members of
ULIMO-Krahn, and the Armed Forces of Liberia, a contending
faction.  The U.S. embassy reports increased civilian movement in
and out of the BTC.  

A U.S. diplomatic team led by Ambassador William Twaddell arrived
in Monrovia on April 22.  The team obtained agreement from the
Council of State that all armed faction fighters would withdraw
from the capital.  On April 25, the team met with the chairman of
the Economic Community of West African States, Jerry Rawlings,
and returned to the U.S. on April 26.  The U.S. also formed an
International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL), hosting the first
ICGL meeting in Geneva on April 26.  The meeting was chaired by
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs George Moose,
and assisted by Special Presidential Envoy for Liberia, Dane
Smith, with discussions focussed on assessing recent political,
diplomatic, security/military and humanitarian developments in
Liberia and identifying ways in which the international community
can positively influence the peace process.  

Current Humanitarian Situation:  The fighting has displaced at
least 80,000 people, with 7,000 - 15,000 seeking shelter in the
Greystone compound of the U.S. Embassy.  Poor overall water
quality, inadequate sanitation, and lack of medicines continue to
present serious problems at the compound.  Medecins Sans
Frontieres (MSF)/Belgium has begun to dig a new well near
Greystone's polluted well, currently the only source of water on
the compound.  USAID/BHR/OFDA is pre-positioning equipment to
pump water from the well.  A total of more than 911 metric tons
(MT) of World Food Program (WFP) food has been delivered in
Monrovia and surrounding areas since April 10.  WFP, along with
the Liberian Ministry of Health and local Liberian non-government
organizations, has divided Monrovia into zones of responsibility
for food distribution.  Food-for-work programs have been set up
for various projects, including for those who are burying the
dead.  Security at the port where food warehouses are located
continues to be a concern.  A WFP chartered vessel arrived in
Monrovia on April 26 with ten tons of high energy biscuits and 25
tons of medical supplies for MSF.  

USAID/BHR/OFDA Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) member,
Dr. Eric Noji left Monrovia on April 25 and is being replaced by
Tom Dolan, an expert in public health issues.  The DART assessed
conditions at eight displaced persons camps north of Monrovia on
April 25.  The burning of Karmoh Town displaced camp on April 18
led to an influx of displaced persons to the Voice of America
(VOA) camp, which now holds over 80,000 people.  The U.N.
Department of Humanitarian Affairs and the DART plan to meet with
VOA camp leaders on April 27 to set up food distributions in
Karmoh Town, encouraging displaced persons to return to Karmoh
Town and relieving overburdened conditions at VOA. 
USAID/BHR/OFDA is pre-positioning tents, plastic sheeting, and
blankets to provide shelter for the displaced who return to
Karmoh Town.  

U.S. Government (USG) FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance:   
Total OFDA Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,788,657
Other USG Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$61,347,425
TOTAL USG FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance (to date). .$65,136,082