Crisis at the Border: Conflict in Cote d'Ivoire Causes Thousands to Flee to Liberia

More than 120,000 Ivorians have <a href="http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/un-official-says-criticism-of-peacekeepers-in-icoast-unfounded" target="_hplink">fled</a> -- and continue to flee -- into neighboring Liberia.

In the past week alone, its estimated that more than 9,000 refugees arrived in the southeastern Liberian coastal city of Harper, in Maryland county, after many villages were attacked.

This abandoned school building on the outskirts of the city is now home to more than 4,600 people. The site was designed as a temporary transit center for 1,500 people -- but is now bursting at the seams.

The early arrivals got tents; but those who arrived more recently have to sleep on the floors of the derelict schools; others have built makeshift wooden shelters themselves; using leaves as a roof to try to shield them from the searing sun and the occasional rain.

<em>Pictures by Caroline Gluck. Follow her on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/carooxfam" target="_hplink">Twitter</a></em>

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<em>Families fleeing the conflict. Harper, Maryland County</em>

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<em>A transit site where Oxfam installed 10000 litre water bladder + taps as well as latrines and wash facilities for men and women</em>

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<em>Families take refugee in an abandoned school building in Harper, Maryland County.</em>

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<em>A boy comforts his brother as they take refugee in an abandoned school building in Harper, Maryland County
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<em>For more information about Oxfam's work in Cote d'Ivoire and what you can do to help, <a href="http://www.oxfam.org/en/emergencies/ivory-coast-liberia-crisis" target="_hplink">please go here</a>.</em>


Visit the web site at http://www.oxfam.org