Khartoum Denies Resuming Aid To LRA
Nov 14, 2002
KAMPALA, Thursday - Sudan’s ambassador to Uganda on Wednesday denied that his country had resumed support to Ugandan rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) as claimed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday.
KAMPALA, Thursday - Sudan’s ambassador to Uganda on Wednesday denied that his country had resumed support to Ugandan rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) as claimed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday.
“Sudan cannot go back and resume support to the LRA, which has rear bases in southern Sudan, from where they battle government forces in the north of the country,†Ambassador Surajjudin Muhammed told AFP.
“President Museveni has all the right to get concerned about these reports, but fortunately these reports are not correct and we suspect they emanate from enemies of the good relations developing between Uganda and Sudan,†Muhammed said.
Museveni warned on Tuesday that his government would sever diplomatic ties with Sudan if allegations that members of the Khartoum government had resumed support for LRA rebels were proved true.
“We have got some indications that some elements in Sudan government are trying to resume support to LRA leader Joseph Kony, but if these are proved, we shall break off relations and go back to square one,†he told journalists on Tuesday.
“I am confident that Sudan will not go back and support the LRA, because this will be catastrophic for the region,†Muhammed said.
Muhammed said the Lord’s Resistance Army “was today an enemy to both the Ugandan and Sudanese armies, as they have been attacking our positions, so they cannot be our friends.â€
Uganda and Sudan restored full diplomatic relations earlier this year, which had been broken off in 1995, after accusing each other of supporting their respective rebels.
In March Khartoum allowed Kampala to deploy thousands of troops in southern Sudan in an operation code-named “Iron Fist†to flush out LRA rebels from their bases. The UPDF says it has made gains since. AFP
“Sudan cannot go back and resume support to the LRA, which has rear bases in southern Sudan, from where they battle government forces in the north of the country,†Ambassador Surajjudin Muhammed told AFP.
“President Museveni has all the right to get concerned about these reports, but fortunately these reports are not correct and we suspect they emanate from enemies of the good relations developing between Uganda and Sudan,†Muhammed said.
Museveni warned on Tuesday that his government would sever diplomatic ties with Sudan if allegations that members of the Khartoum government had resumed support for LRA rebels were proved true.
“We have got some indications that some elements in Sudan government are trying to resume support to LRA leader Joseph Kony, but if these are proved, we shall break off relations and go back to square one,†he told journalists on Tuesday.
“I am confident that Sudan will not go back and support the LRA, because this will be catastrophic for the region,†Muhammed said.
Muhammed said the Lord’s Resistance Army “was today an enemy to both the Ugandan and Sudanese armies, as they have been attacking our positions, so they cannot be our friends.â€
Uganda and Sudan restored full diplomatic relations earlier this year, which had been broken off in 1995, after accusing each other of supporting their respective rebels.
In March Khartoum allowed Kampala to deploy thousands of troops in southern Sudan in an operation code-named “Iron Fist†to flush out LRA rebels from their bases. The UPDF says it has made gains since. AFP