Meeting the challenge at Voinjama Cantonment Camp

15 October 2004

Voinjama Cantonment Camp in Lofa County, managed by UMCOR, opened on 29 August 2004. The camp was set up as part of the United Nations program to demobilize, disarm, rehabilitate and reintegrate (DDRR) ex-combatants in Liberia.

After heavy rains, parts of Voinjama camp are under water.

In Lofa, economic activities are at a virtual standstill, everything needed for the day-to-day running of the camp had to be procured in Monrovia and transported by road. The roads are in a terrible state of repair and August is rainy season in Liberia. There were logistic problems as equipment and supplies literally got stuck in the mud. Parts of the camp are even now under water due to heavy rains. Nevertheless working in unison, UMCOR staff managed to complete all the tasks and the camp opened its doors to the first 201 ex-combatants on time. The camp is funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Joint Implementation Unit (JIU) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in collaboration with the National Commission on Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration. (NCDDRR).

Situated in the north of Liberia, Lofa County was the birthplace of one of the largest rebel groups, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), and is home to an estimated 8,000 rebels. Since cessation of hostilities, many fighters have laid down their arms and over 70,000 have been disarmed and demobilized in six Cantonment Camps throughout Liberia. Lofa is the seventh camp and is one of the last places in which demobilisation is being carried out.

Ex-combatants on arrival at Voinjama.

Demobilisation, which takes place after disarmament, is an important step in the peace process. It paves the way for the reintegration of ex-combatants into the communities and serves as a stepping-stone towards the rehabilitation of the country. As part of the DDRR process, UMCOR is responsible for camp management. This includes overall coordination of programs and services of all implementing partners, orientation and briefing to arriving ex-combatants, recreational activities, registration, hygiene and sanitation, internal security, counselling and de-traumatising activities, organization of departure and discharge of demobilized ex-combatants, payment of the transitional safety net allowance and the distribution of non-food relief items including blankets, a Jerry can, plates, a spoon, a cup, a mat, a hygiene kit, slippers, clothing and a bucket.

To date, more than 3,100 ex-combatants have been demobilized from Voinjama and have received their transitional safety net allowance, which includes US$ 150, 45-kg bag of rice, 6-kg bag of beans or lentils and 5 litres of vegetable oil. According to UNMIL/UNDP/JIU, an estimated 5,000 or more ex-combatants are expected to be disarmed and demobilized in Lofa County.

By Naomi Crusoe, UMCOR Liberia and Joanna Kinberger, UMCOR Europe