Over 6,000 children freed from rebels in northern Uganda: president

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, September 18, 2003

Over 6,000 children freed from rebels in northern Uganda: president

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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said that there are over 6,000 children now freed from captivity in northern Uganda in the last one year alone, reported a press release issued in Kampala on Wednesday.

President Museveni made the remarks on Tuesday night when he was meeting local journalists at State House in Kampala, capital of Uganda.

The president also showed some 50 children who had been kidnapped by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels and have beenin the bushes of southern Sudan for over five years.

Museveni welcomed the children back home and asked them to enjoy the fruits of peace other Ugandans are enjoying.

He told the journalists that the 50 children representing over 500 others had been abducted by the LRA but came out because of the pressure from the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF).

He said the UPDF has deployed adequately in the Acholi region, northern Uganda, and Teso region, eastern Uganda, and are now moving in east Lira which will be permanently garrisoned for security.

He said people in Teso are progressively going back to their homes while the UPDF continues to hunt for rebel leader Joseph Kony and his commanders to eliminate them, adding that the target is to do away with the real ringleaders of the LRA.

He said Teso region is now cleared of bandits and the areas of north Teso are impenetrable for terrorists.

The president reminded the terrorists that the amnesty is till on, and advised them to respond to it before it expires at the endof this year, because it will not be renewed, and after that thoseterrorist leaders will be declared war criminals.

Minister of Defense Amama Mbabazi, Minister of State for Security Netty Akech, Minister for the Presidency Kirunda Kivenjinja and Minister of State for Information Nsaba Buturo attended the press conference. Enditem

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