More than 300,000 internally displaced Liberians return home: UN

More than 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Liberia will have returned to their home villages by the end of this week, the United Nations mission in the country said today, highlighting increasing stability in the West African nation as it emerges from almost 15 years of brutal civil war.

The UN Mission in Liberia’s (UNMIL) Humanitarian Coordination Section said that these IDPs were being given supplies, a cash grant and protection by the various UN agencies working in the country, and the Mission’s spokesman said that the remaining 14,000 IDPs were expected to return to their homes in the next few months as well.

“The return of this many people is a truly remarkable achievement. It is a clear demonstration of the progress made in the Liberian peace process and is a testament to the joint efforts of UN humanitarian agencies backed up by a successful UN peacekeeping operation,” said UNMIL spokesman Douglas Coffman.

“The complete return of the 314,000 persons who had been internally displaced during the war remains on schedule for spring,” Mr. Coffman added.

UNMIL said that the disarmament of more than 100,000 ex-combatants had provided the IDPs with the sense of security needed for them to return, and had also opened the way for refugees to come back too.

Last week the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it is now actively encouraging the return of about 160,000 Liberian refugees spread through Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and elsewhere.

Liberia’s progress in disarmament, security, human rights and other areas since the end of a brutal war prompted Antonio Guterres, the head of the UNHCR, to shift a voluntary repatriation programme that began in October 2004 from “facilitation” to “promotion.”

A so-called “promotion” program means that UNHCR will not only help transport refugees who want to go home, but will also actually advocate for their return. That means there will be more information campaigns to update refugees on conditions in their homeland and they can even visit Liberia to see conditions for themselves. UNHCR will also organize visits to refugee settlements by prominent Liberians.

In a video for UNHCR that was recorded shortly before her 16 January inauguration, Liberia’s new president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, pledged that her Government will work with the agency and its partners to help refugees settle in, find work and obtain basic services.