Juma Oris Is Dead Buried In Sudan

By Yunusu Abbey THE Sudan-based West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) rebel group commander, Col. Juma Oris, is dead and has already been buried. Reports said Oris, who had suffered a stroke since 1999, died late last week. But it was still unclear whether he died in the southern city of Juba or Khartoum, the capital. Sudan government officials could not be reached for comment on Saturday. "Oris has been bed-ridden with a stroke for over a year now. He had also developed other complications and even his feet had swollen," said a source close to his family. "One of his family members received a phone call from Khartoum on Friday informing him about his death, but the caller did not elaborate," said the source. Oris becomes the second ex-Uganda army senior officer to die of the same ailment while in exile. In 1999, Brig. Dusman Sabuni, who had also suffered a stroke, died in Mombasa, Kenya and was buried there. In 1997, there was confusion when a section of the media reported that Oris was among rebels killed in the March 12, 1997 ambush by the SPLA laid on Morobo-Yei road in Southern Sudan. About 500 Oris rebels including 30 top officers, were captured. Ends