By Patrick Okino

Formerly abducted children in Lango sub-region have appealed to communities to stop stigmatising them. They said rejection and stigmatisation had affected their reintegration into communities.

“Avoid stigmatising children affected by armed conflict. Accept us and give us parental and community love,” over 110 children said in a memorandum read by one of them, Grace Tino.

This was during a peace-building and reconciliation conference organised by a charity, Hope Again, at Rachele Secondary School in Lira municipality.

They urged the Government and non-governmental organisations to rehabilitate them and initiate projects that would enable them improve their household incomes.

“The Government’s programmes of universal primary and secondary education and health services should be free of charge for children that are vulnerable,” they suggested.

Under the free education programmes, parents are required to provide children with scholastic materials and uniform.

The district vice-chairman, Tonny Ogwang Adwari, urged the youth to concentrate on development issues and forget the effects of the 20-year-long conflict.

“Don’t pity yourself because of the problems you have passed through. Let us forget the past and move ahead,” Ogwang said.