Over 15,000 ex-combatants will benefit from a 4.2-million-US dollar reintegration program funded by the World Bank under the Uganda Amnesty Commission, an official has said.

Uganda Amnesty Commission Chairman Justice Peter Onega was quoted by local press as saying on Friday that the two-year program, which was launched in January 2005, will benefit a total of 15,310 ex-combatants from Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and the West Nile region by giving them resettlement packages which include a blanket, mattress, hoe and some money.

Speaking at a national meeting on reintegration and resettlement of ex-rebels in Seeta, 25 km east of Kampala, Onega said the ex-combatants will also benefit from capacity building and basic skills.

Onega said the Amnesty Commission received the funds after applying to the World Bank through the Multi Country Demobilization and Resettlement Program, which aims at assisting former rebels to be reintegrated and resettled back into their communities.

He said 2,000 ex-rebels have been benefited from the program at the moment and 10,000 more are expected to benefit by the end of this year.

The Amnesty Commission was formed in 2000 and is charged with encouraging fighting forces to give up rebellion by providing amnesty to them.

Since the formation of the commission, over 10,000 ex-rebels have renounced rebellion and have been given amnesty certificates.

Source: Xinhua