Uganda postpones national mourning for Garang

KAMPALA, Aug 4, 2005 (Xinhua) — Uganda has postponed a national mourning for John Garang, the Sudanese vice president and former rebel leader who died when a Ugandan helicopter carrying him home crashed.

The national mourning ceremony for John Garang and seven Ugandan crew was due on Thursday.

State Minister for Information Nsaba Buturo was quoted by local media as saying that the government would announce an official mourning day when the bodies of the Ugandans were sent back to Kampala. “The government informs the public that contrary to earlier announcements, Thursday will be a normal working day. The special mourning ceremony has been postponed because the bodies have not arrived yet,” Buturo said.

He added that “when the burial arrangements have been finalized, the government will inform the people.”

Earlier, the government has decided to honor late Garang and 13 compatriots who died with him by holding a national mourning ceremony Thursday at Kololo Independence Ground at 10:00 a.m. ( 0700 GMT).

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in-charge of International Affairs Oryem Henry Okello told a press briefing in Kampala on Wednesday afternoon that the seven Ugandan crew bodies have already arrived at Entebbe airport and the government would take care of all the funeral and burial requirements of the seven Ugandan compatriots.

On Wednesday, the Ugandan government also declared Thursday a public holiday to mourn the death of Sudanese and Ugandans who perished in a helicopter together with Garang at weekend.

Meanwhile, a local press report said on Thursday that the Sudanese government is holding bodies of the seven Ugandans who died in the helicopter crash near the Uganda-Sudan border.

“The Sudanese government has decided that the bodies should not be released until investigations into the cause of the crash are completed,” the report said.