Sudanese protest to Museveni over visit

The Sudanese Government has written to Uganda seeking to know the circumstances under which President Yoweri Museveni travelled to Yei, in Southern Sudan last week.

Khatourm wrote to Uganda on August 8 and also asked President Museveni to explain the circumstances under which several Ugandan officials have been travelling to New Site, the crash site of the presidential helicopter in which Sudanese Vice President John Garang and 13 others died on their way from Uganda on July 30.

Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Hassan Ibrahim Karim wrote the letter on behalf of the Sudan government, sources told The Daily Monitor, a sister paper of Daily Nation.

A source said Khartoum is particularly concerned that President Museveni entered Sudanese territory without informing the central authority. 

According to military sources, the president entered Yei under heavy military escort including battlewagons and heavy artillery. 

The source said the president notified the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement leadership, which controls Southern Sudan about his travel plans and they reportedly gave him the go-head.

Mr Museveni travelled from his country home in Rwakitura, Mbarara District to the Southern Sudanese town of Yei by road last Thursday to pay his last respects to the late Garang. 

State minister for foreign affairs in charge international affairs, Mr Okello Oryem confirmed receiving the inquiry note by the Sudan government.

"Yes, I received that communication. They are making inquiries as to the circumstances under which the President travelled to Yei and how our people have been travelling to New Site" Minister Oryem said. 

"The letter is headlined aide memoir, they are seeking a clarification. This is not a big issue. In the international diplomacy we always make inquiries, this is not a big issue" he added.

Probing the accident

Mr Oryem said that Sudan is not only inquiring about President Museveni's travel to Yei, and the visit to New site by the Ugandan officials probing the accident but also on the clarification about the next Igad (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development) meeting which Uganda was supposed to host.

On whether the government informed Sudan about the President's visit to Yei, Mr Oryem said, "I will get a clarification from State House," he said. 

He added: "You should remember that Sudan allowed Uganda to pursue the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) upto a certain point inside their territory and under the Compressive Peace Agreement (CPA) it is one government two systems, so all these factors I have to put them into account".

The Sudanese government signed the accord with the Sudanese People's Liberation Army/ Movement (SPLA/M) and Southern Sudan is presumed to be governing itself. The SPLA/M Chairman is also the First Vice-President of Sudan.

Mr Oryem said he is preparing a response to Sudan inquiries and it may be ready in a few days.

The death of Garang spawned a host of bizarre conspiracy theories in east Africa – ranging from sabotage to Rwandan hijackers sneaking on board the helicopter.

Garang waged a 21-year war against Sudan’s northern Islamist government. But just months after signing a peace deal, his body was found in the wreckage of the aircraft after it plummeted into the remote mountains on the border with northeast Uganda.

The chopper crashed during a storm, and Garang’s supporters have said they do not suspect foul play.

Meanwhile, media reports in Sudan, where news of Garang’s death triggered riots that killed at least 130 people, have been restrained – not least because two newspapers were suspended for a day over their coverage of the street violence.