Sudan, Uganda to renew military protocol on LRA crackdown

Mar 20, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government has officially informed Uganda that it was ready to renew the military protocol signed between the two countries to enable the Ugandan army pursue the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels inside Sudanese territory.

Since the signing of the protocol in March 2002, Sudanese and Ugandan officials meet periodically to renew the military protocol extending the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) operations in southern Sudan.

A high-level military delegation is expected to arrive in Khartoum by the end of this week to finalize negotiations about some amendments which will elaborate parts of the protocol.

The delegation would meet Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLM) officials to discuss the formation of a coordinating committee which would include the Sudanese armed forces, the SPLA and the Ugandan army, with the aim of coordinating operations against the LRA which has become a real threat to peace and stability in the south.

A joint coordination was going on between the Sudanese army and SPLA with regard to the LRA dossier. The two sides were committed to end Ugandan rebels’ existence in the south at the quickest time possible.

Regarding the slights amendments to the military protocol, consultations between the Sudanese and Ugandan officials are still going on and would be finalized when the Ugandan military delegation arrive before the signing for the extension period at the end of the week.

Relations between Sudan and Uganda have improved generally, despite the regular Ugandan accusations that the Sudanese Army still supports for the LRA rebels.

The LRA has been conducting insurgencies against Museveni’s government since 1988.

(ST)