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Sudan Tribune

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Evidence mounts that tanks on Somali-hijacked ship were headed to Southern Sudan

By Daniel Van Oudenaren

September 8, 2008 (WASHINGTON) – The cargo manifest of a ship hijacked by Somali pirates as it was on the way to Mombasa, Kenya, revealed a clue that the shipment was actually ultimately headed for Southern Sudan.

The document, published by BBC, shows that the contract labels for the arms shipment include the letters “GOSS,” a common acronym for Government of Southern Sudan.

Helmoed Heitman, Africa correspondent for Jane’s Defence Weekly, told BBC that he has reports that more than 100 T-72 and T-55 Russian tanks have already been received by the southern Sudanese in recent months.

The arms shipments represent a continuing military build-up by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), which is now the official military of the semiautonomous region of Southern Sudan.

Ukraine and Kenya, however, deny that the tanks were for Sudan, and say instead that the “GOSS” label in the consignment order refers to the army’s department of “General Ordinance Supplies and Security.”

Not all Kenyan officials are sticking to this story—a senior Kenyan military official told Voice of America that he has never heard of a code called General Ordinance Supplies and Security used in the armed forces.

What was perhaps a quiet arrangement between military leaders is now a question of public speculation and political drama. Adan Keynan, chairman of the parliament’s defence and foreign relations committee, told journalists in Nairobi that he plans to hold hearings on the matter. He will demand that the current and former defence ministers, Yusuf Haji and Njenga Karume, testify in front of his committee. Keynan wants investigators to make a trip to Ukraine.

Another indication that the arms were not meant for Kenya’s armed forces is that Kenya uses British-made Vickers Mk3 tanks and not Soviet-made equipment. Moreover, the freight document provided by the pirates lists six “BM-21 on Ural wheelbase”—a type of heavy truck mounted with a multiple-launch rocket system, which was once used by Sudanese Armed Forces and by the SPLA during the siege of Juba.

The document lists the Ministry of Defense of the Government of Kenya as a consignee and the shipper as SSFTIF Ukrinmash, a subsidiary of the state-owned arms trader Ukrainian Ukrspetexport.

The listed cargo contained 33 T-72 tanks weighing 1,355,000 kg and 73 packages of spare tank parts weighing 11,900 kg.

The contract number was dated February 15, 2007 and labeled “CONTRACT No. GOSS/T-72/06-07-5/8-1K.

Another order, labeled “CONTRACT No. GOSS/ARMS/08-07-3/87- K,” lists 36 packages of RPG-7V, a type of shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and spare parts, all weighing 2,818 kg.

The order also includes what appear to be six ZPU-4 weapons and packages of spare parts or ammunition. The ZPU-4 is a Soviet-built anti-aircraft gun composed of four KPV 14.5mm heavy machine guns mounted on a four-wheel carriage.

Sudanese officials, including Minister of Regional Cooperation Barnaba Marial Benjamin and SPLA Major General Byor Ajang have told Sudan Tribune that the weapons have nothing to do with Southern Sudan.

The Somali pirates currently holding the ship do not have the heavy equipment necessary to unload the tanks from the ship, which is lying anchor off the coastal village of Hobyo, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) north of Mogadishu. The hijacked vessel is being watched by U.S. warships.

The pirates are demanding a ransom of U.S. $20 million.

The United Nations imposes an arms embargo on weapons headed to Sudan’s Darfur conflict region. The ban does not cover other weapons sales to the governments in Khartoum or Juba.

However, in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, weapons to Southern Sudan have to be approved first by the central government. But the former insurgents who constitute the SPLA’s leadership, who fought the Khartoum government for 21 years – not including the country’s first civil war – are not likely to be impressed by this requirement.

(ST)

14 Comments

  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    Evidence mounts that tanks on Somali-hijacked ship were headed to Southern Sudan
    So what is the matter,why should we live like ladies without any self defence,even we have rights because we are given 6 years to do or have whatever we want under the CPA,we’re not in panice about the arrest of al bashir or 2011 for South to seperate or united.If Kenya has been accountable for those tanks which where imported, so why do you cares about them. Leave us alone we don’t need and spies intending to braodcast our own plans,even if the oil shares from NCP where used for importing with weapons for defending with our land so, what will be the matter other than you may surrender your own property to an enemy. keep your nose out of the wind direction not to smell someone’s cooking.

    Reply
  • John Mou
    John Mou

    Evidence mounts that tanks on Somali-hijacked ship were headed to Southern Sudan
    On the above published report, BBC has proved itself to be a biased media institution.

    The report is clearly aimed at dropping sparks of fire on the CPA that has brought stability to Sudan after 21 years of war. BBC and its spies in Sudan have made it clear that they are not happy with this stability because they have no way of making reports and get money about the death and flight of south Sudanese people.

    BBC is possily the one who had informed the Pirates about the ship heading to Kenya with military equipments.

    Therefore, I call upon the Ministry of Information of Goss to expel any BBC reporter in Southern Sudan if there is one and also take away their satellite transmitters if found in Southern Sudan because we do not want war any more. Enough for the 21 year war.

    Long live the CPA till referendum.

    Reply
  • newpolitiks
    newpolitiks

    Evidence mounts that tanks on Somali-hijacked ship were headed to Southern Sudan
    I do not see any evidence here, just cos BBC said it does not mean it is evidence,BBC is just a media speculator like anyone else, also GOSS is not an exclusive abbreviation, any one can use it depending on their own their definition of the word to them, just cos you saw any paper with the letters GOSS does not mean it relates or belongs to government of south sudan.finally why are document of this shipment being copied and spread around, what is the objective here? This is a disrespect to Kenyan sovereignty by people who are suppose to be friends but have now revealed their true colors but their time will come.also Sudan tribune stop being pro-Islamist by posting propaganda and biased issue like saying arms import need approval of central government,cos who is the central government? and when the central government broken its own rules by importing weapons from china, Russia and Iran, why didn’t the sudantribune and its BBC friends say this was violation of CPA and needed central approval. This event has shown all of us who is a friend and who are fake friends hiding as good friends.let stick to fighting piracy instead of encouraging it, cos it can hit anyone anywhere anytime.And next time BBC and other media try and come with a credible convincing evidence rather than some weak urgument that only make you look stupid in the eyes of international audience.

    Reply
  • kuur Deng

    Evidence mounts that tanks on Somali-hijacked ship were headed to Southern Sudan
    I would like to tell BBC that it is not a sin for south Sudan to have it military equipment because it was clearly stated in CPA protocal that we should have separate army.
    It will be a big shame for those who open up their mouths shouting on the shipment captured by somalian.Why don’t they shouted on Beshir when he bought a jet fighter in the couple of months ago.Please if you had nothing to do you better shout your useless mouths.
    I suggested that if you want to solve the sudan problem why not Darfur rather than shouting on unnecessary things.
    Why a shame!!

    Reply
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