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WFP suspends some Uganda work after warrior raids
24 Jun 2005 11:22:13 GMT
Source: Reuters
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By Daniel Wallis
KAMPALA, June 24 (Reuters) - The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday it has partially suspended operations in a remote part of northeastern Uganda after tribal warriors looted nearly 50 tonnes of food.
But the U.N. relief agency said it would resume work in Karamoja, the poorest part of the east African nation, if local authorities promised to replace the stolen supplies.
The WFP said heavily-armed Karamojong youths carried off sacks of food from a truck that broke down near Nabilatuk trading centre on May 2, and then tried to steal supplies from the WFP warehouse there three times.
As a result, the WFP removed all stocks from Nabilatuk on June 7 and took them 50 km (30 miles) north to Moroto town.
"We got no cooperation at all from the local sub-county authorities in trying to apprehend the culprits," WFP's deputy director in Uganda, Edward Kallon, said in an interview.
"Because of this poor relationship we had absolutely no choice but to suspend operations in that area."
Drought-prone Karamoja has much higher malnutrition and literacy rates than anywhere else in the country. It is also plagued by cattle rustlers who have swapped their spears for automatic rifles in recent years.
Some 20,000 people had been affected by the suspension of WFP activities in Nabilatuk, including about 12,000 primary school children who benefited from feeding programmes.
Kallon said deliveries to those children resumed this week after talks were held with Karamoja members of parliament.
He added that all WFP's operations would resume in the region if local officials in Nabilatuk pledged to replace the stolen food from harvests this year.
Peter Lokeris, minister of state for Karamoja development, said he expected that those reassurances would be given soon.
"In fact, those people were very happy they have been allowed to refund the food when they harvest, because you know they have no money to buy new supplies now," he told Reuters.
"Tomorrow I am going there and I will express my disappointment at what happened, that nothing was done to punish the culprits immediately. How can so many people suffer for the actions of such a small minority?" he asked.
WFP says 574,000 people, more than half Karamoja's population, are suffering drought after poor rains last year. More than 18 percent of children under five are malnourished.
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