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[8 June 2006] - With thousands of children still unaccounted for, Save the Children calls on the Ugandan Government to take urgent measures to address the special protection needs of children affected by the conflict in northern Uganda. On the third day of an exceptional visit to Uganda, five Chief Executives of Save the Children, the biggest organisation working for the rights of children, have called on the government of Uganda and the international community to renew their commitment to tackle, once and for all, the root causes of the conflict in northern Uganda, its effects in the lives of thousands of children, and take urgent measures to account for the whereabouts of those children who have not yet returned as a result of captivity by the Lord Resistance Army (LRA). “Every day is another day when children are at risk of abduction. Another day of lost education. Another day a child risks contracting malaria. Another day a child can be exploited. Thousands of children face a daily struggle to survive in dreadful conditions in camps or villages. And every day more children are born into these dire circumstances. Enough is enough. The government of Uganda and the international community have a moral obligation to end this shameful situation for children” said Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save the Children UK during the visit. To demonstrate that children’s concerns are a priority, the government could consider instituting an independent Ombudsperson for Children, who will act as their main defender. In addition, the emergency plan for the north, coordinated by the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC), will only make a difference if decisions and resources are deliberately targeted to address the conditions of children on the ground. In all these, there is a need for a UN leadership. The Secretary General must appoint a Special Envoy to address the regional aspects of the conflict as well as to support efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the conflict by all the stakeholders. “In its recent efforts to find a regional solution to the conflict, the government of Uganda must place more emphasis in finding ways to account for the thousands of children abducted by the LRA in the affected territories, who remain lost and largely forgotten. The parents who have lost their children in this conflict have the right to know what has happened to them. The Amnesty Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the regional governments affected need to cooperate more and find a way to trace the whereabouts of some of these children”, said David Wright, Director of Save the Children in Uganda. Save the Children applauds the recent peace efforts marshalled by President Museveni, and appeal to him to accompany this offer with a concrete plan of action for peace, centred on the rights of children. This should eventually lead to the establishment of a period for truth and reconciliation, as the fundamental basis upon which the return of a lasting peace in the region can be achieved. More information