Thousands of Ugandans and Sudanese have reportedly fled settlements in northern Uganda in recent weeks following a series of raids by rebels of the feared Lords Resistance Army (LRA), according to the United Nations refugee agency.
Representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the Ugandan Government were travelling to the affected area over the weekend to assess the situation in the important refugee-hosting Adjumani district.
– There are now thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons on the move in the districts of Adjumani and Moyo, UNHCR Representative Cindy Burns said.
Over the last three months, UNHCR has recorded 25 rebel attacks in Adjumani and Moyo districts, in which groups of seven to 25 people entered villages and refugee settlements mainly to steal food and medicine.
Of the 12 LRA raids reported so far this month, nine were on refugee settlements, including one on a site only 5 kilometres from UNHCRs field office outside Pakelle town. Of the 13 attacks that occurred in March and February, eight were against the refugee encampments.
Earlier this month the UN Security Council strongly condemned the atrocities committed by the LRA, demanding that it immediately stop all attacks against civilians.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland said “a major humanitarian emergency” was unfolding in Uganda, where the LRA had kidnapped 10.000 children and terrorized them into becoming “killing machines,” attacking their own villages and slaughtering their own relatives.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has welcomed Ugandan President Yoweri Musevenis offer to negotiate with the LRA to try to peacefully resolve the conflict.
Kilde: FNs Nyhedstjeneste
