UNHCR to move more than 24,000 Sudanese refugees for their Safety
Sudan-Ethiopia, Politics, 2/24/2003

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday that the Ethiopian government has identified a site to which the refugee agency can move 24,500 refugees after ethnic violence led to the death of 107 Sudanese refugees during a five-month spate of ethnic clashes last year.

Following last November's violence, the Ethiopian government has arrested and brought to court those alleged to have carried out the killings.

UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told reporters that the Ethiopian government has promised adequate security at the new site, and the UN Security Coordinator is now visiting the area to make sure the site is indeed safe for UNHCR and other aid agencies to serve it.

Redmond explained that at present, the road leading to the site is a "no-go" area for UN staff due to clan tensions in the region.

"If the site is declared safe, it will cost UNHCR US$ 1.8 million to turn it into a camp for 23,000 Nuers and Dinkas from Sudan," he added.

Previous Stories:
  Sudanese- Ethiopian talks on common issues   (1/6/2003)
  Ethiopia: some 41 persons killed in a camp for Sudanese refugees   (12/4/2002)
  Tripartite Sudanese, Ethiopian, Yemeni summit to be held soon   (10/11/2002)

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