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Sudan: SPLA Disowns Machar's Statements
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New Vision (Kampala)
7 July 2008
Posted to the web 8 July 2008
Martin Kaawa
Kampala
A senior commander of South Sudan has said there is no problem between UPDF and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
Comparing the relationship of the two armies to that of twin brothers, the SPLA head of production directorate, Maj. Gen Ayuen Alier, said Uganda helped them obtain self-rule and they still needed support to gain total independence.
"We entered our mother's womb at the same time. But the UPDF came out first in 1986. So we regard them as our elder brother who has the responsibility to look after us. I want to assure you that there is no serious problem between the UPDF and the SPLA" he said.
UPDF army chief Gen. Aronda Nyakairima re-affirmed their commitment, saying Uganda supported the formation of the Government of South Sudan to stop the Arabisation of the country.
"I want to assure you that the situation with our neighbour is normal. There is no more business of (Sudanese President) Bashir supporting the LRA and sending planes to hit our border district like Adjumani," Aronda said.
The army chiefs were speaking yesterday during the pass out of 124 soldiers, among them 12 from SPLA, who underwent an air-defence and field artillery promotional training at Butiaba Army training school in Buliisa district.
Relations between the two countries are tense since South Sudan's vice-president Riek Machar called for the withdrawal of the UPDF from its territory.
In a Parliament session on June 30, Machar accused Ugandan soldiers of being behind the June 13 attack on Pageri, in which one person was abducted and killed.
He made the allegations five days after a joint meeting between the SPLA and UPDF in Nimule exonerated the UPDF from the attack.
"Of all the SPLA stake holders in the meeting, no one quoted having come across a simple piece of information implicating the UPDF in the act," said the Nimule report, co-signed by the SPLA commanding officer, Col. Haruna Abai.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan consulate in Juba yesterday clarified that the withdrawal of UPDF troops from South Sudan will be discussed by an appropriate forum at an appropriate time.
In a press statement, ambassador Busho Ndinyenka disclosed that he met Machar over the issue last Wednesday and found out that the latter had not seen the Nimule report.
In the same meeting, Ndinyenka said, Machar informed him about a resolution by the security committee recommending that the UPDFâ-àleaves South Sudan.
Based on that resolution, President Salva Kiir had directed his chief of staff to communicate the decision to his Ugandan counterpart, Machar told the Ugandan envoy, as he also told his Council of Ministers on Friday.
But the SPLA chief of staff, Lt. General Oyai Deng, denies he has sent such a communication or received instructions to do so.
"I was not instructed by President Salva Kiir and I did not write such letter. No official communication was sent," he told The New Vision by telephone from Juba last night.
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He said the issue had been debated but it had not been concluded. "We are planning to meet with Gen. Aronda and discuss the matter."
Contradictory statements and messages that are being sent by different departments of the Government of South Sudan over the alleged UPDF atrocities is amazing. Lt General Oyai, SPLA's Chief of General Staff, contradicting what Dr. Riek statements is good and reassuring for both the Ugandans and South Sudanese. Riek, for reasons that shall be known to the public, sponsored a resolution in South Sudan's parliament for the explusion of UPDF and the housing of LRA with a bit that within Kony will be peruaded to emerge out of the wood to sign the Final Peace Agreement reached way back... [Read Full Text]
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