SUDAN-CHILDREN: STATE HAILS RELEASE OF 500 KIDS

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NHIAL BOL

KHARTOUM, Dec 13 1994 (IPS) - SUDAN TUESDAY WELCOMED A DECISION BY THE SUDAN PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY (SPLA) TO RELEASE 500 CHILDREN –HANDING THEM OVER TO THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN FUND (UNICEF).

“WE HAIL THE EFFORTS OF UNICEF IN REUNITING THE 500 CHILDREN WITH THEIR PARENTS IN WAR-TORN SOUTHERN SUDAN,” SAID A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE LINO ROL DENG, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE NEWLY FORMED PEACE COUNCIL.

DENG SAID THE CHILDREN WERE AMONG 22,000 DETAINED BY THE LIBERATION ARMY, LED BY COL. JOHN GARANG.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CLAIMED THAT THE CHILDREN WERE KIDNAPPED FROM REFUGEE CAMPS IN KENYA AND TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN PLACE IN THE WAR ZONE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN.

THE SPLA, HE SAID, HANDED THE CHILDREN OVER TO THE U.N. BODY AT LAFON, ON THE KENYA BORDER, LAST WEEK BEFORE THEY WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR PARENTS IN LEER, UPPER NILE STATE, ON THE BORDER WITH NORTHERN SUDAN.

DENG, HIMSELF FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN, CALLED ON THE SPLA TO RELEASE THE CHILDREN IT IS STILL HOLDING.

THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THAT THE SPLA, FIGHTING FOR SELF-DETERMINATION FOR SOUTHERN SUDAN SINCE 1983, IS HOLDING ABOUT 80,000 CHILDREN, ABDUCTED FROM THEIR PARENTS SINCE 1987.

“THEY WERE TAKEN TO SERVE AS PORTERS FOR THE REBEL MOVEMENT,” THE STATEMENT CLAIMED.

THE PROBLEM SURROUNDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SUDANESE CHILDREN SURFACED FOLLOWING THE FALL OF PRESIDENT MENGISTU OF ETHIOPIA IN 1991.

WHEN MENGISTU, WHO BACKED THE SPLA, FLED TO ZIMBABWE THE CHILDREN WERE ALLOWED RETURNED TO THE BUSHES OF SOUTHERN SUDAN WHERE SOME ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED OF STARVATION. (MORE IPS)