LIBERIA / IVORIAN REFUGEES

The UN Refugee Agency has registered approximately 23,000 Ivorian refugees in Liberia. Many continue to flee the escalating post-electoral tensions in Côte d'Ivoire. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:30
• Production Date: 7 January 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: COTE D'IVOIRE
• MAMS Id: U110107a

Description

STORY: LIBERIA / IVORIAN REFUGEES
TRT: 3:30
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 6 JANUARY 2011, DULAY, LIBERIA

Shotlist

1. Various shots, village of Dulay
2. Pan right, UNHCR distribution center
3. Med shot, UNHCR truck being unloaded
4. Wide shot, crowd
5. Wide shot, distribution
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Fatouma Lejeune-Kaba, Spokesperson, United Nations Refugee Agency:
“Here their massive influx, like in all other Liberian villages, has led to humanitarian problems because they outnumber the locals and there is not enough safe drinking water, not enough drugs in the region to meet their needs. We are putting in place enough assistance to help all refugees as they enter Liberia. Here for example, today there is distribution of basic items.”
9. Close up, non-food items (NFI)
10. Wide shot, refugees waiting for NFI
11. Wide shot, Richard waiting to be registered
12. Med shot, Richard and his wife at distribution center
13. SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
"What is happening in Cote d'Ivoire is that people from opposing political parties denounce one another so we had to leave to avoid any trouble."
14. Med shot, Richard and his wife heading back to heir guest house
15. Wide shot, Richard's family arriving at guest house 16. SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
"We were very well received when we came here, but when you live somewhere and there isn't anything we become a burden to our hosts because they can't always give, they can give once, twice but not three times, because 13,12,11 people aren't easy to feed.”
17. Med shot, Richard's family
18. SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
“We came here during the night with the family because we were scared, when we hear what is happening in Abidjan after the elections we are scared so we came at night we spent some time in the bush, hiding so we could come here and we have some kids who are sick. Here this one is sick and those are my other kids.”
19. Various shots, sick child

Storyline

Dulay, a remote village in Nimba County, eastern Liberia, located less than 15 km from the border with Cote d'Ivoire, has become a place of refugee for Ivorians fleeing post-electoral tensions in their country.

Dulay is one of the many Liberian villages hosting the 23,000 Ivorian refugees. As they continue to arrive daily, the influx is straining the local population's meager resources. To address refugees’ needs, UNHCR is providing aid.

SOUNDBITE (French) Fatouma Lejeune-Kaba, Spokesperson, United Nations Refugee Agency:
“Here their massive influx, like in all other Liberian villages, has led to humanitarian problems because they outnumber the locals and there is not enough safe drinking water, not enough drugs in the region to meet their needs. We are putting in place enough assistance to help all refugees as they enter Liberia. Here for example, today there is distribution of basic items.”

Hundreds of refugee families are registered in this distribution center before receiving their first assistance package containing blankets, jerry cans, buckets, kerosene lamps and other basic household items. Refugees are mainly woman and children. High energy biscuits are also being given to children up to five years old.

Most refugees had fled on foot with very little possession and are in need of essential aid.

Like many other Ivorian refugees, Richard, his wife and nine other family members fled from Cote d'Ivoire because of the escalating political tensions.

SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
"What is happening in Cote d Ivoire is that people from opposing political parties denounce one another so we had to leave to avoid any trouble."

After receiving aid, Richard and his family are feeling hope for the first time in the four weeks they have been in Liberia.

Like all other Ivorian refugees, Richard benefited from the generosity of the local population upon arrival.

SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
"We were very well received when we came here, but when you live somewhere and there isn't anything we become a burden to our hosts because they can't always give, they can give once, twice but not three times, because 13,12,11 people aren't easy to feed.”

SOUNDBITE (French) Richard Ouegbe, Ivorian Refugee:
“We came here during the night with the family because we were scared, when we hear what is happening in Abidjan after the elections we are scared so we came at night we spent some time in the bush, hiding so we could come here and we have some kids who are sick. Here this one is sick and those are my other kids.”

The lack of adequate health care in the village is affecting Richard's malnourished grand-daughter who is seven months old.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) refers cases like hers to distant hospitals while working to set up a camp where health and other basic services will be available to refugees onsite.