Lightning kills Uganda children

29 June 2011 Last updated at 10:16 GMT Lightning has struck a junior school in Uganda's western Masindi area, killing 18 children, officials say.

Police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba told AFP news agency 15 girls and three boys had died at Runyanya Primary School in Kiryandongo on Tuesday.

Kiryandongo's district commissioner told Uganda's Daily Monitor paper 36 pupils had been admitted to hospital.

Concern about the number of recent deadly lightning strikes has prompted MPs to raise the matter in parliament.

Up to 28 people have been killed by lightning and scores injured in the past week, the private Daily Monitor reports.

According to the AP new agency, meteorologist Ken Kizza Aderi says the lack of lightning conductors on buildings could be partly responsible for the deaths.

Kiryandongo police commander Patrick Byaruhanga told Uganda's state-owned New Vision paper that the lightning struck at about 1630 local time (1330 GMT) as pupils were in their classrooms waiting for a downpour to subside before going home.

Ms Nabakooba said some of the more seriously injured pupils had been taken to Mulago Hospital in the capital, Kampala, more than 200km (125 miles) to the south-east.

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Australia to deport lone children

3 June 2011 Last updated at 03:58 GMT Refugee groups say children are at risk in Malaysia detention The authorities in Australia have announced plans to send unaccompanied children seeking asylum to Malaysia.

They would be held in detention centres while their cases are processed.

Australia's immigration minister, Chris Bowen, said it would send a strong message to deter people-smugglers selling passage to asylum seekers.

The move is part of a controversial swap being negotiated with Malaysia under which some Malaysia-based refugees would be settled in Australia.

"I don't want unaccompanied minors, I don't want children getting on boats to come to Australia thinking or knowing that there is some sort of exemption in place," Mr Bown told ABC TV late on Thursday.

He said it would send a strong message and break the business model of the people smugglers who sell passage to asylum seekers hoping to start a new life in Australia.

He spoke of how he hoped he would never again have to see children buried as a result of an overloaded boat trying to reach Australia's shores. Last December, an asylum-seekers' boat smashed onto rocks at Christmas Island, killing at least 30 people, including children and babies.

Deep concerns

However, the plan has sparked outrage and serious fears for the safety of unaccompanied minors - particularly young girls.

Girls are among nine unaccompanied minors currently being held at Australia's offshore detention centre on Christmas Island, and who are in line to be sent to Malaysia.

"The minister forgets that he is legally the guardian of unaccompanied minors," Green Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"The minister, for the sake of a political quick-fix, is prepared to expend the rights and obligations he should be offering to these very, very vulnerable children."

Norman Gillespie, the chief executive for the UN children's agency Unicef in Australia, said he was "dismayed and shocked" by Mr Bowen's announcement.

"This really looks extremely callous and lacking in all forms of compassion," Mr Gillespie told ABC radio.

Amnesty International has said unaccompanied women and girls in Malaysian detention centres are prey to gangs and unscrupulous officials.

Continue reading the main story Irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs) in 2010: 134 boats carrying 6,535 peopleIMAs up to 19 April 2011: 16 boats carrying 921 peopleAs of 20 April 4,552 IMAs detained on the mainland, 1,748 on Christmas Island

Source: Australian Department of Immigration

"On top of the well-documented human rights abuses faced by all asylum seekers in Malaysia, unaccompanied women and girls face extraordinary levels of sexual violence and sexual harassment," Amnesty spokesman Graham Thom said.

Australia's human rights watchdog has called for an end to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, citing suicides, riots and depression.

UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay called for an end to mandatory detention and spoke of a "racist" undercurrent in Australia.

She has also been critical of Australian politicians for demonising asylum seekers for domestic political gain.

But Australia's foreign minister Kevin Rudd said the plan had backing from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Office of Migration.

"The key thing is we're taking kids out of mandatory detention, we are making sure that processing times are accelerated so that once basic checks are undertaken there is a way through this," he said.

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