ICRC reunites refugee children with their families

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reunited three children, who had been living in a refugee camp in southern Chad since March, with their families in the Central African Republic (CAR), an official told IRIN on Friday. The ICRC family reunification operation is part of a US $2.2 million programme that includes medical aid to war-affected areas, and water and sanitation projects. ICRC representative Bruno Legeard said a chartered plane brought the three children, aged between 10 and 15 years, to the capital, Bangui, where one of them was immediately handed over to his family. He said the other two were taken to their parents in Bossangoa, 305 km northwest of the capital. "We had registered 81 non-accompanied children in April, but we realise that most of them returned home on their own," Legeard said. He added that the ICRC was in the process of ascertaining whether some of the children were still in camps in Chad and in the CAR itself. He said that the ICRC had asked the children to write to their parents using the ICRC mailing system so that parents could be easily identified. "Upon receiving mail, many parents went by themselves to take their children home," he added. The October 2002-March 2003 war between rebels loyal to current leader Francois Bozize and government forces of former President Ange-Felix Patasse prompted at least 41,000 people to seek refuge in southern Chad. Some of the displaced people are still reluctant to return home as insecurity persists in the north, where most of the fighting took place.