Côte d’Ivoire: 10,000 Liberian refugees without aid after attacks on UN agency offices

Last week’s attacks on the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Côte d’Ivoire have left 10,000 Liberians who had fled their country without assistance, a spokesman for the Geneva-based agency said today.

Ron Redmond told reporters today UNHCR is looking for ways to resume its activities on behalf of thousands of refugees in western Côte d’Ivoire, where violence in struck Guiglo, near the Liberian border. The agency's office there was destroyed after protestors looted the premises and set fire to the building.

“All files were lost, as well as five cars, one motorcycle, and three generators. Other UN agencies and several international NGOs have suffered similar losses. Warehouses containing relief items and food were also looted,” he said.

The agency evacuated its staff from the area after violence spread last Monday night, when hundreds of protesters converged on the UN compound. Those incidents followed similar protests against the UN in Abidjan.

“UNHCR is shocked at the level of the violence and saddened that its staff and other UN and humanitarian workers were targeted,” Mr. Redmond said. “UNHCR has been in Guiglo for more than 10 years, working on behalf of refugees and the local host population.”

He voiced concern that the agency has no staff left on the ground to assist more than 10,000 Liberian refugees, while relief items – including food – destined for them have been looted, as have the vehicles needed to reach beneficiaries and distribute aid.

A UN inter-agency mission is scheduled to go to Guiglo in the coming days to assess the situation on the ground and the possibility of resuming operations.