U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

                 LIBERIA - Complex Emergency

Fact Sheet # 13                        April 29, 1996 1700 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
begun to re-deploy throughout Monrovia.  However, the security
situation has again become tense in Monrovia, with reports of an
increased number of armed fighters in the streets.  Looting also
continues, with three United Nations (U.N.) vehicles reported
stolen or hijacked since April 27.  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.

The U.S. 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 an estimated 9,000 now seeking shelter
at night in the Greystone compound of the U.S. Embassy.  However,
the population at Greystone is very fluid depending on the
security situation.  USAID/BHR/OFDA's Disaster Assistance
Response Team (DART) treated Greystone's contaminated well with
chlorine powder and plans to truck in water to be stored in two
water towers adjacent to the Greystone compound, security
permitting.  Long range plans include sealing the existing well
and disinfecting it completely.  A water and sanitation
coordination committee composed of Medecins Sans Frontieres
(MSF)/Belgium, International Committee of the Red Cross, Action
Internationale Contre la Faim/France (AICF), local water
authorities, U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs, European
Union, and USAID/DART representatives met on Saturday and Sunday
to implement a work plan to maximize the availability of drinking
water throughout Monrovia, including Greystone and other
displaced persons camps.  Severe diarrhea is being controlled
with proper sanitation, clean water, oral rehydration therapy,
and appropriate antibiotics.  An outbreak of measles is now a
more serious concern at Greystone, with nine cases reported
between April 22-24.  MSF/Belgium has already immunized some 212
children with a goal of reaching more than 2,000 children in
Greystone and the adjacent area.

The World Food Program (WFP) delivered 295 metric tons (MT) of
food on April 26 and 27 to Paynesville and New Kru Town in the
outskirts of Monrovia for a total of more than 1,300 MT of  food
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.  Security at food
warehouses located at the port continues to be a concern; an
unknown quantity of food was stolen from WFP and Catholic Relief
Services warehouses on April 28.

U.S. Government (USG) FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance:  
Total OFDA Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $3,789,058
Other USG Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $61,347,425
TOTAL USG FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance  (to date)$65,136,483