Over 400 Sudanese refugee minors separated from families

ARUA, Uganda, Sept 28, 2003 (PANA) — The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is burdened with re-uniting 448 Sudanese refugee minors separated from their families during a hasty relocation by government from a congested settlement in Uganda’s central region to West Nile region early this month.

Some 14,331 out of 16,000 displaced were relocated from the congested Kiryandongo settlement, 240 km north Kampala, during a three-week period, to West Nile districts of Arua and Yumbe.

After the exercise, it was discovered that 175 minors were separated from their families at Madi Okollo settlement, 84 km south-east of West Niles’ main town of Arua.

And another 273 minors were recorded in Yumbe district’s Ikafe settlement, 140 km north-west of Arua town.

Arua is situated over 500 km north-west of the capital Kampala.Uganda first Deputy Premier and Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Lieutenant General Moses Ali, pledged a speedy reunification of the minors with their families.

The hastily relocated group was part of the 55,000 people that suffered ruthless attacks of rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army in war troubled northern Uganda district of Pader in August 2002.