Sudan’s al-Bashir directs southern government to expel LRA rebels

Feb 14, 2006 (JUBA) — The president Omar al-Bashir, has instructed the government of southern Sudan to take full security responsibility to expel the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from the south within one month starting from today.

During his address to the public gathering at the Peace Square in Juba, al-Bashir said that all the capabilities will be given to the southern government to implement this instruction, the state-run SUNA reported.

He said that the mission of the Armed Forces, the joint forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement’s forces was now to coordinate with the concerned parties to make the south clear from the existence of the LRA in Sudan so that the citizens could feel security and stability, and that peace fully in the south.

The president said that he was seeking to solve the food crisis in Bahr-al-Jabal State. He said that he would discuss with the concerned parties in Khartoum ways of providing amounts of wheat required to cover the food vacuum until Autumn.

The first vice-president and president of Southern Sudan welcomed the president and his accompanying delegation. He described al-Bashir as a maker of peace.

(ST)