Sudanese probe into Garang crash to begin Sunday

KHARTOUM, Aug 13 (AFP) — The Sudanese national committee set up to probe the death of first vice president and former rebel leader John Garang is to commence its work on Sunday, a member of the team said Saturday.

First Vice-President John Garang shakes hands with crew members as he boards an Ugandan helicopter at Entebbe International Airport on his way to meet Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni at his country home in Mbarara, western Uganda in July 29, 2005. (Reuters).

It “will commence with its task as of Sunday and will hold several contacts inside and outside Sudan to compile information that may help in finding out the reasons that led to the crash,” said Siraj Eddin Hamid, quoted by the official SUNA news agency.

The committee was sworn in Saturday.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir issued a decree on August 8 establishing the seven-man committee headed by former vice president Abel Alier.

Garang died on July 30 when a Ugandan presidential helicopter on which he was travelling crashed as he was returning to south Sudan from Uganda.

His death sparked deadly riots in Khartoum and towns in southern Sudan, with some southerners claiming the government may have had a hand in it.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has suggested that the crash, initially blamed on bad weather in the mountainous region of south Sudan, may not have been an accident.

The comments triggered angry reactions from Sudanese authorities.

Sudan has said it will accept help from any country in its investigation and a few countries, including the United States, Britain and the United Nations have offered assistance.