SPLM official says US Winter is not an adviser of South Sudan government

May 26, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Pagan Amum, the Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), denied reports published in Khartoum saying that the former US envoy to Sudan, Roger Winter was appointed as special adviser for Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).

Speaking at a talk show in the Sudan TV on Monday evening, Pagan said that Winter has been a close friend to the SPLM for a long time and helped the party “during the national struggle period”.

Amum said that press reports over the relation of the former US official was meant to discredit the SPLM.

Last October the Sudanese press reported that Winter advised the SPLM on withdrawing from the national unity government.

Amum said that a” vicious campaign” is being carried out against the SPLM to show that the success of the party is due to foreigners and that the SPLM is manipulated by foreign hands.

In an interview with the Arabic Language Akhbar Al-Youm, during his participation in the SPLM Second Convention in Juba last week, Roger Winter said he serves as adviser to the Southern Sudan government on a volunteer basis.

Pagan hailed efforts and services done by the former Special Representative of the Deputy Secretary of State for Sudan to the SPLM. He cited what former official had done to promote the cause of the Nuba in southern Kordofan and that of the Beja in Eastern Sudan at the time when the area was under the control of the joint forces of the Sudanese opposition.

He also said that Winter had lobbied the cause of the SPLM in the United States and its project “for a New Sudan”.

(ST)