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afrol.com, 21 February - As the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ruud Lubbers seems to have obtained general acceptance from all parties to his "safe corridor" for the trapped Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea, preparations for their return are made. At the same time, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that it cannot even look after those already returned. UNHCR Commissioner Ruud Lubbers has just returned from his comprehensive West Africa round trip and in Geneva yesterday could announce the acceptance of his "safe corridor" plan. The plan includes a ceasefire in the area were an estimated 140,000 refugees, mostly from Sierra Leone, to give his agency the possibility to lead the trapped refugees out of the area. The governments of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have guaranteed for the safety of the refugees and of the aid workers, as have the RUF terrorists. On Friday, Lubbers obtained the full cooperation from key player President Taylor of Liberia. A joint statement read: "President Taylor and High Commissioner Lubbers agreed on the following principles: (1) the priority of safe access to refugees (2) safe passage for refugees and (3) the condemnation of any act that would obstruct or hinder these principles." With these guarantees from the involved parties, Lubbers yesterday stated that the UNHCR would resume aid to forced migrants trapped by the fighting in south-west Guinea. "UNHCR and its partners are moving quickly to build on the momentum generated by Mr. Lubbers' mission," the agency's spokesman Ron Redmond said. "Our office in Kissidougou, central Guinea, reported this morning that a reduction in fighting and apparent improvement of the security situation in the Parrot's Beak area of southwestern Guinea is holding, allowing us to push ahead with plans to resume the aid pipeline into the region - possibly as early as this coming weekend." The UNHCR effort could involve the return of some 100,000 Sierra Leonean refugees to that country over the next months. Over the last months, Sierra Leonean refugees have returned at a weekly rate of 2,000-2,500, a rate that has proven too high for the agencies and organisations receiving the returnees. Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) report of lacking funds and facilities. A return in great numbers would not be possible to handle with present means. In a statement issued by the WHO in Freetown yesterday, the UN agency says health care workers in areas of Sierra Leone faced with large numbers of returnees and displaced people are "sorely in need of extra support." - Health workers in Sierra Leone are struggling to cope with not just one, but several challenging situations, says the WHO, which recently dispatched a team to assess the health care situation in the country. "While Sierra Leonean refugees are being repatriated by boat from Guinea at a rate of 2,000-2,500 a week, in Sierra Leone itself their compatriots are fleeing Kambia, which is controlled by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and under almost daily airborne attacks from Guinea's forces."
One community health officer serves the whole chiefdom, has only been paid his salary for three out of the past six months and has no fuel for the aged and unreliable motorcycle which is his only means of transport." The 12 other health posts are run by nurses or midwives who have received little training in recent years, WHO said. Food distribution is done by the World Food Programme (WFP) and several organisations. Especially returnees and other internally displaced are in need of regular services. In some areas, the WFP has been able to provide deliveries for 60,000 internally displaced and assisted over 30,000 school children with assorted food aid commodities regularly. Food deliveries however do not reach the conflict areas. A great number of new returnees would however affect the limited budgets and storage. While in Guinea, the refugees are however the responsibility of the UNHCR, and there is an understanding that refugees should stay in Guinea until the infrastructure in Sierra Leone to receive them is ready. Thus, UNHCR's plan is for regular truck convoys from Kissidougou, transporting urgently needed food for distribution to the Parrot's Beak refugees and displaced people. The most vulnerable people from the Parrot's Beak will first be taken to a transfer station at Guinean Katkama camp, about 30 kms north of Guéckédou. Refugees in Katkama are then being picked up for relocation to a new site of Kountaya, in Albadaria Prefecture (Guinea). First, however, at least three damaged bridges have to be repaired for use by heavy trucks - "work that is now underway," UNHCR spokesman Redmond says. "On their return, the same trucks will be used to transport the most vulnerable people for relocation to safer camps in central Guinea, where we are currently building spaces for about 1,000 new arrivals every day."
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Meanwhile, in other places, islands of relative peace promise the chance to get health care to populations long cut off, the agency said, noting that almost 17,000 returnees have now moved into Lokomassama chiefdom. "Though food distribution and community facilities such as schools and public latrines are being supported, health facilities and staff are not receiving the same attention," WHO said. "[Our] mission found health buildings in sore need of repair and with poor staffing levels.
