Six abducted children in Chad reunited with families in Sudan

April 10, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – Six children, out of the 103 caught up in the Arche de Zoe affair, rejoined their families in Sudan today, under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The six children were repatriated by an ICRC plane from Abeche, in Chad, to El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, near the Sudanese-Chadian border, where they were handed over to their waiting parents.

The reunion took place at the request of the children’s families, and with the formal consent of the Sudanese and Chadian authorities, the Red Cross said. It further indicated that ICRC office in the state was in regular contact with the children’s families for several months.

Around 103 children have spent the last five months in an orphanage in Chad, following attempts by a French charity to fly them to France for adoption, saying they were war orphans from Darfur in Sudan.

Sudan condemned the pardon and announced that it would pursue the responsible of Zoe’s Ark, and demand their extradition though the Interpol.

Chadian president Idriss deby said he grant a pardon to the French aid workers. However he insisted that the damages and interest of 6.3 million euros (9.8 million dollars) the court ordered the charity to pay on December 26 mattered as a judicial decision that must be respected.

On March 22, Chadian and United Nations officials accompanied 83 children from Abeche, where they were housed as international court cases and wrangling over compensation ensued, to Adre, a village near Sudan’s border.

(ST)