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Uganda

Ugandan displaced people advised to be wary of landmines

KAMPALA, Sept 30, 2004 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Internally displaced persons ( IDPs) in northern Uganda have been advised to be more observant of landmines and unexploded ordinances (UXOs) as they move out of the IDPs camps to look for food in the villages, local press reported on Thursday.
The call came from Jeff Dixon, an officer in charge of the landmine awareness program of the International Service and Volunteers Association at a meeting in Lira, northern Uganda.

Over 1.6 million people have been displaced by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in their 18-year rebellion in northern Uganda and have been living in IDPs camps protected by the government army.

Dixon said the war in northern Uganda had led to the scattering of landmines and UXOs in the villages and the civilians were the casualties in most cases.

He told IDPs camp leaders in Lira district that "as there is some kind of peace and IDPs are accessing villages for food or for some other activities, they should not touch or tamper with objects they do not know because they could be landmines or UXOs."

Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) 5th division mine specialist Captain Wilson Kabeera said at the meeting that mines were commonly found in public places like water sources, market places, gardens, and on roads and sometimes in the bushes.

Kabeera advised the IDPs and the community at large to report cases of suspected mines and UXOs to the local authorities or the UPDF for further redress.