The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday resumed the repatriation of Sudanese refugees living in settlements in northwestern Uganda after a lull, a statement said on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the repatriation exercise was halted on Jan. 19 following an outbreak of meningitis in districts of Arua,Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Koboko, Nebbi, Masindi and Kotido.

"Through the efforts of the government of Uganda and the World Health Organization, the disease outbreak has been contained, paving the way for the resumption of repatriation to southern

Sudan," it said.

"We are very relieved that the outbreak of meningitis has been contained as this allows the resumption of repatriation to southern Sudan. We are happy to see that many refugees want to return home" said Stefano Severe, UNHCR representative in Uganda.

Some 300 refugees and their personal belongings on Tuesday left Imvepi settlement in Arua in a 13 truck convoy traveling with an ambulance heading for Yei, a Sudanese town some 200 km away.

"In spite of several obstacles since the signing of the peace deal in 2005, some 27,000 refugees have volunteered to return home," Severe revealed.

Source: Xinhua