The International Rescue Committee II
Liberia, March 2003
Since 1989, when Charles Taylor’s rebels invaded Liberia from Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia has known only intermittent peace. In March of 2003 the country was devastated by years of fighting. The war had killed over 200,000 people and uprooted more than 1.5 million, half the country’s estimated 3 million residents.
The IRC has been in Liberia since 1996, providing humanitarian aid to internally displaced people and refugees from Sierra Leone and Cote D’Ivoire. These photographs were taken to illustrate the difficulties faced by the Liberians and illustrate how the IRC aimed to ameliorate conditions and improve their lives, shortly before violence erupted in May 2003.
A woman and her child who have been displaced by renewed fighting on the outskirts of Monrovia.
A woman and her family wait for help at a Transit Centre near Monrovia. There were estimated 250,000 internally displaced people in Liberia in March, 2003. Many were forced to flee their homes as fighting in the north intensified between government forces and rebel groups. Camps were receiving up to 500 people a day. Help for IDP's was limited as they do not fall within UNHCR's mandate for refugees.- A family sit in their tent in a transit centres for IDP's in Ganta. Up to 500 people sleep in large plastic tents originally erected to register IDP's on arrival. Many families, like this one have been living in this tent for over a year. They cannot return home due to continued fighting in their home town and even if they were to return, everything they owned has now been destroyed.
- A family sit in their tent in a transit centres for IDP's in Ganta. Up to 500 people sleep in large plastic tents originally erected to register IDP's on arrival. Many families, like this one have been living in this tent for over a year. They cannot return home due to continued fighting in their home town and even if they were to return, everything they owned has now been destroyed.
- Thousands of children have been separated from their parents as a result of the conflict. The IRC runs programs to assist with family reunification. At this camp for IDP's in Ganta young children are encouraged to study images on a notice board to see if they recognize their parents.
- This young girl and her baby brother were orphaned when their village came under rebel attack. She fled with her grandmother and cousins to reach this transit center that has also come under attack recently from rebel forces. The IRC are offering assistance to orphans like this girl and trying to ensure that their remaining families can look after these children.
- A woman feeds her baby in Sanniquellie Hopsital, Nimba County. The IRC was providing support for obstetric care in this hospital until the end of January. Conditions are dire, and there is rarely a doctor in attendance
- At Karnplay Health Clinic, the IRC arranged for an eye specialist to visit for two days. It was the first time an eye doctor had ever been to the region. Over 200 people queued up to be seen. Many were diagnosed as having cataracts, and were referred to the hospital in Ganta for treatment. Others were given simple treatments on the spot. This man was due to received treatment the following day and it was hoped that his sight would be restored in one eye.
- A mother from Cote D'Ivoire with her young child. Having travelled for over three weeks to reach Saclapea camp in Liberia all of her seven children are in need of nutritional help.
- Naya is 12 years old. Her parents were forced to flee their home in Lofu county over a year ago and have had to relocate 4 times. She is now being looked after at a feeding centre at Saclapea, where hundreds of young children receive treatment.The World Food Programme was recently forced to reduce food rations for internally displaced people from 2200 to 1800 calories per day. Liberians internally displaced by fighting will only receive food rations once all refugees from Cote D'Ivoire have been catered for.
- A food ration per person per day at Saclapea Camp, Liberia.
- Schooling is difficult for children to continue when they have been displaced. The IRC established numerous temporary schools in IDP settlements throughout Liberia - Here young children participate in a lesson on HIV awareness.
- Schooling is difficult for children to continue when they have been displaced. The IRC established numerous temporary schools in IDP settlements throughout Liberia - This school in Ganta has been set up in an old warehouse. 200 children are forced to learn together in one classroom but the IRC are in the process of building more classrooms so that class sizes can be reduced.
- Schooling is difficult for children to continue when they have been displaced. The IRC established numerous temporary schools in IDP settlements throughout Liberia - This school in Ganta has been set up in an old warehouse. 200 children are forced to learn together in one classroom but the IRC are in the process of building more classrooms so that class sizes can be reduced.
- A young girl sits on the floor in her classroom, because there are no desks or chairs. Schooling is difficult for children to continue when they have been displaced. The IRC established numerous temporary schools in IDP settlements throughout Liberia - This school in Ganta has been set up in an old warehouse. 200 children are forced to learn together in one classroom but the IRC are in the process of building more classrooms so that class sizes can be reduced.
- Following the start of conflict in Cote D'Ivoire in September, 2002, thousands of refugees fled over the border into Liberia. Many are Cote D'Ivoire nationals, but many are also Liberian returnees, who previously crossed the border to escape fighting in Liberia. The IRC carried out assessments in these areas and reinforced existing projects in these regions and built new water supplies in camps. Here girls are seen carrying water back to their tents from one of these supplies in Saclapea Camp.
- A girl and her young baby stand in the doorway of an IDP settlement in Monrovia.
