Sudan, Uganda differ over Garang crash report

April 12, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Ugandan government has officially notified Sudan of its reservations regarding some aspects of the final report by committee investigating the plane crash which killed Dr John Garang late first vice-president and leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

According to the Arabic language Al-Ray al-Amm, Uganda hinted it proposed making amendments to the report a day before the report was adopted as the final report, but this was totally brushed aside by the national committee.

The national committee’s rapporteur, Ambassador Siraj al-Din Hamid, said the committee delegation headed by the former vice-president, Abel Alier, would leave Khartoum today on a special plane to Juba to accompany two members of the committee to Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

According to Hamid they will arrive at three o’clock this afternoon to attend a joint meeting with the other teams with the aim of putting together the report in its final form.

Hamid said the Sudanese side had told Uganda it was satisfied with the reports in its current form and said its preparation was final and adopted. The Ugandan side had expressed desire to make some observations on the report.

The rapporeur stressed the national committee would not, under any circumstances, agree to make amendments to the report. He, however, noted that his committee would look into the Ugandan notes and find out whether it was crucial or not.

At the end of the meeting, Siraj-al-Din said a joint statement between Uganda and Sudan would be released which would reveal the results of the meeting, and confirm the closure of the probe dossier, especially given that the causes of the Garang plane crash had been known, namely natural causes as well as unqualified plane crew.

(ST)