THE SOUTHERN PORT OF CALABAR IN NIGERIA IS CONTINUING TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART AS REFUGEE CENTRE AND FOOD SUPPLY DEPOT FOR THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS DISPLACED BY THE CIVIL WAR.

MANY REFUGEES FROM THE COUNTRY AREAS AROUND CALABAR ARE BEING TRANSFERRED THERE. THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS IS CARING FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN REFUGEE CAMPS. BUT SOME RED CROSS WORKERS FEEL THAT THE SUPPLY OF FOOD-STUFF INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE OF NIGERIA'S SOUTH-EASTERN STATE FROM CALABAR COULD BE IMPROVED. ONE SWEDISH NURSE CLAIMED THAT ONLY 200 TONS OF FOOD AND MEDICINE A WEEK ARE REACHING NEARLY HALF A MILLION REFUGEES IN THE STATE.

THE NURSE SAID THAT TRANSPORT WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR MEDICAL TEAMS GOING INTO THE BUSH FROM CALABAR. SHE SAID THAT MANY MORE VEHICLES WERE NEEDED. AND ANOTHER PROBLEM, SHE ADDED, WAS THAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES STOLE RED CROSS STORES.

AN AMERICAN RED CROSS MEDICAL TEAM LEADER SAID THAT ONLY FOUR TEAMS AND THE REMNANTS OF TWO OTHERS WERE WORKING IN THE UYO ABAK AND IKOT EKPENE AREAS NEAR CALABAR AND THERE WERE ONLY FIVE HOSPITALS WORKING FULLY OR NOMINALLY, EACH WITH BETWEEN 100 AND 200 BEDS.

DESPITE THESE REPORTS FROM THE BUSH, AUTHORITIES IN CALABAR ITSELF ARE MAKING EFFORTS TO BRING LIFE BACK TO NORMAL. SOME OF THE REFUGEES HAVE STARTED TO MAKE OBJECTS SUCH AS BROOMS AND BASKETS TO SELL. THE FEDERAL NIGERIAN ARMY HAVE SOME PEOPLE OF IBO ORIGIN UNDER GUARD BUT THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES SAY THIS IS MAINLY FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION.