Museveni meets S. Sudan's Rebecca Garang

By Vision Reporter

RWAKITURA - President Yoweri Museveni held a meeting with Mrs. Rebecca Nyandeng Garang De Mabior, the adviser on human rights and gender of South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Museveni and Rebecca Garang, the widow of the late SPLM leader Dr. John Garang De Mabior, discussed the security situation in South Sudan, according to a statement released from State House on Thursday.

“Mrs. Garang called on the President at his country home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura district and the two leaders discussed the security situation in South Sudan, especially regarding the latest events that have resulted from the conflict in her country,” the statement said adding that they also “discussed issues of mutual interest between the two countries”.

Rebecca Garang has been quoted in the international media, criticising President Salva Kiir and calling for political reforms. In the current conflict, Rebecca Garang has sided with Riek Machar, which has not gone down well with Kiir’s government.

Rebecca Garang’s son, Mabior Garang, is a member of the rebels’ delegation holding peace talks with President Salva Kiir’s government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on ending the fighting in South Sudan which has claimed an estimated 1,000 lives so far.

Another 201,000 people have been internally displaced by the current crisis in South Sudan that started on December 15, 2013.

According to President Salva Kiir, the conflict started after the soldiers loyal to former deputy President Riek Machar, dismissed in July, launched an attempted coup.

Mabior Garang was recently quoted as saying that finding a quick resolution to the conflict would be difficult.

A key sticking point in the negotiations has been rebels’ demands that the South Sudanese government release 11 officials close to Machar.

The South Sudanese government, however, has insisted that the rebel suspects would not be freed and should face justice.

The fighting has raged on since December 15, and yesterday South Sudan government said it was battling to retake the key rebel-held town of Bentiu, in the oil-rich north and around Bor, capital of the restive Jonglei state and situated north of Juba, a town in rebel hands.