Photo Credit: Refugees International/ Sayre Nyce
02/09/2006

This boy in Teyapadola Camp in the Gulu district of northern Uganda is playing a "board game" using rocks in the sand. He is one of the two million people who must live in camps throughout northern Uganda because of the ongoing violence of a 20-year civil war. Without a renewed commitment from the international community, the conflict that has led to almost 1,000 deaths a week will continue. Bringing about a peaceful end to the conflict in northern Uganda should be a top priority for the international community. The Ugandan Presidential election on February 23, 2006 provides an opportunity for donor governments to re-engage with the victor on the necessity of making the achievement of peace a national priority. Through the appointment of a high-level special envoy, the UN Secretary-General can contribute to this process.