Ugandan army ready to pull out of south Sudan if Kiir demands – official

July 2, 2008 (KAMPALA) – Ugandan government said it would withdraw troops deployed in southern Sudan since 2002 to hunt the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army, if they receive formal demand from southern Sudan president.

Vice President of southern Sudan government told lawmakers at Juba parliament that Ugandan army are responsible of recent attacks in the border areas with Uganda. He further ordered the Ugandan troops who hunting the LRA rebels to leave the country.

Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, said Uganda will not disobey Sudan’s request to leave her territory if they feel the UPDF is longer welcome, the Daily Monitor reported today.

“If we get official communication from President Salva Kiir who is the Commander-In-Chief, we are ready to leave. We are not going to disobey their request.”

Oryem said in reaction to a statement by the South Sudan Vice-President, Riek Machar that UPDF should leave their territory to avoid “mistakes” as the soldiers hunt LRA rebels.

Machar said the decision was taken after the UPDF killed a South Sudanese businessman during anti-LRA operation this month. Since 2002, Sudan allowed the UPDF to pursue LRA fighters up to a limited area extending to a “red line”, about 100 km north of the Uganda-Sudan border.

But the Sudanese ambassador, Sirajuddin Hamid Yousuf, said the protocol authorising the UPDF to stay in Sudan expired in 2006 and it has since not been renewed.

“May be it is the same reason (expiry of protocol) that South Sudan is calling for the withdrawal of the Ugandan army,” Yousuf said.

But Oryem said what is important is not the written agreement but the spirit between the two countries, which President Yoweri Museveni and South Sudan leader Salva Kiir enjoy.

Since 2002, Sudan allowed Ugandan forces up to 100km into southern Sudan to pursue LRA forces. The limit is near the town of Juba in southern Sudan.

(ST)