By Grace Matsiko and Wokorach Oboi
THE United States recognises some parts of Northern Uganda as a disaster area, the US Ambassador to Uganda, Jimmy Kolker, has said.
Kolker said at the launch of a $3m ORACLEproject aimed at reducing adolescent and child labour in Kitgum yesterday, that President Yoweri Museveni may not have understood why the donors and Parliament want the north declared a humanitarian disaster area.
ORACLE stands for Opportunities for Reducing Adolescent and Child Labour through Education.The project, supported by the US Department of Labour, is to benefit Kitgum and Pader districts.
I read in the papers this morning that the President...said the north wasnt a disaster area. The President said there is no disaster in Arua and Apac, and I agree with him, those are not disaster areas, but I must say the US recognises that these two districts (Kitgum and Pader) in this programme are in a disastrous condition,Kolker said.
Museveni on Wednesday told a press conference that government would not declare Northern Uganda a disaster area, despite the resolution of Parliament and appeals from the donor community.
But Kolker said, We are responding in a way to deal with these situations of disaster...some sort of fire which is consuming this area and to which all of us human beings, the international community and Ugandans need to respond.
We can look at disaster not as something which is a shame but something that motivates action,the envoy said adding, We can say we are considering Kitgum and Pader as disaster areas, not to pity them but to say these districts need additional help.
The LC5 chairman Kitgum, Nahaman Ojwe, attended the function.
Ends
Published on: Friday, 5th March, 2004 (New Vision)
NB: I hope you will find time to read and sign a petition to stop the Northern Uganda carnage at: http://www.petitiononline.com/savacoli/petition.html
