Sudan to replace its envoy in Washington ‘Khartoum Karl’

By Wasil Ali

March 23, 2008 (WASHINGTON) — The Sudanese government intends to replace its highest ranking envoy in Washington, sources tell Sudan Tribune.

The Sudanese Chargé d’Affaires John Ukec Lueth assumed this position in October 2006. He will be replaced by Akec Khoc Acieu who is currently serving as the Sudanese deputy envoy to the UN.

The nomination has to be approved by the US adminstration before it becomes official.

Lueth is well known for the press conference he held to protest the decision by US president George Bush to impose stiffened against Sudan.

The press conference was marked by the ambassador’s sharp rhetoric and his vigorous gestures as he blasted the US administration, calling the sanctions an outcome of “bi-partisan politics”.

In the press conference Lueth also denied that genocide occurred in Darfur despite the fact that he wrote an article labeling the conflict in Darfur as “genocide” in September 2004.

Dana Milbank from the Washington Post named Lueth as ‘Khartoum Karl’ saying he acted as a “propagandists” for “the genocidal Sudanese government”.

Both Lueth and Acieu are members of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) which joined the government of national unity following the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The SPLM signed a peace deal in January 2005 with the government of the National Congress Party in January 2005 ending two decades of civil war in Southern Sudan. The peace deal made the SPLM, the ruling party in the south and the NCP the ruling party in the north.

(ST)