Liberia
Protests as Liberian rebels attack refugee camp

afrol News, 24 June - The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed grave concern over last week's attack on Liberia's Sinje camp as some 4,000 of the camp's inhabitants fled to Sierra Leone over the weekend. Large groups have also arrived in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, with thousands more believed to be hiding in the nearby forest, UNHCR reports.

- On Sunday alone, almost 1,400 people, a mix of Liberians and Sierra Leoneans, crossed into Sierra Leone, the UN agency said in a statement today. More were reported to be on their way.

The UN refugee agency also reiterated an appeal for the immediate release of five nurses, working for non-governmental organisations, who were abducted by the rebels in a UNHCR ambulance. They were reportedly taken to Voinjama, the rebels' stronghold in northern Liberia, near the Guinean border. The women were originally allowed to radio their head office in Monrovia to say that they were being treated well. But no contact has been made with them since Saturday.

- The situation in Liberia, already quite difficult, has now worsened dramatically, putting at risk both Sierra Leone refugees and the local population, said David Lambo, UNHCR's Africa Director.

UNHCR said the entire population of the Sinje camp – 11,000 Sierra Leoneans and 13,000 Liberians – fled during the attack by the rebel group 'Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy' (LURD). "The rebels also attacked the neighbouring town of Sinje. Its population of 4,000 also escaped," the UN agency lamented.

Former residents of the Sinje camp, who made their way to Liberia's capital, Monrovia and to neighbouring Sierra Leone, said the camp had been looted and stripped of everything of value. According to witnesses who tried to return to the camp the morning after the attack, there was "nothing left but empty structures".

Those fleeing from the Sinje area mentioned numerous cases of extortion by armed forces in Liberia, particularly along the highway and near the border. Some of the refugees said an army checkpoint had been erected between Sinje Camp I and Camp II and that some residents of Sinje Camp I were thus prevented from fleeing towards the border.

According to UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski, four persons had died in the fighting between LURD and government troops over Sinje. The agency says it is not clear who controlled the area around the camp today and whether the fighting goes on. 

Sources: Based on UNHCR and afrol archives