No sign of peace in Monrovia

The weekend in Liberia's capital Monrovia saw heavy fighting break out again between government troops and LURD rebels. George Kordahi, director of SOS Children's Villages in Liberia, reported that the flood of refugees onto SOS Children's Village land in Monrovia has started again. In the past week there have still been around 1,000 people, who were mainly being accommodated in the school buildings (see report of 17 July 2003), now the number of people seeking refuge in the SOS Children's Village has risen back to around 6,000. The stream of refugees has meant that the rooms of the SOS Children's Village itself have had to be opened to allow everyone to be accommodated.

With their new attack on Monrovia, LURD rebel units, who want to force President Charles Taylor to leave the country, have advanced as far as two strategically important bridges, which link the outlying areas of the city to the centre. Should these two bridges fall, says Kordahi, then one can expect further refugees seeking protection in the SOS Children's Village.

SOS mothers and youths have been instructed not to leave the houses.