Sudan determined to finish off Ugandan rebel group

Nov 25, 2005 (KAMPALA) — Sudan’s special presidential envoy Deng Alor Kuol said on Friday that his country was determined to finish off Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, according to Ugandan government radio.

Kuol, who is also minister of cabinet affairs in the Sudanese government, made the remarks when delivering here a special message from President Omar Hassan El Bashir to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

President Bashir, in his special message, invites President Museveni to attend forthcoming African Union summit scheduled to take place in Khartoum in January 2006.

Kuol said there was no way Kony can survive a joint operation of three armies of Sudanese government, southern Sudan and Ugandan government.

“He will be finished if he does not come out or negotiate and give up war. If he does not accept this, I can’t see how he can resist a joint operation of three armies,” he added.

Receiving the special message on behalf of President Museveni, Ugandan Vice President Gilbert Bukenya hailed the Sudanese government for the continuing support to help restore peace in northern Uganda and in southern Sudan by wiping out the remnants of the LRA bandits that are still crisscrossing at the common border of the two countries.

He said a proposed road and rail network to southern Sudan willhelp boost peace and development in that area and further strengthen the relationship between Uganda and Sudan.

(Xinhua)