Sudan criticizes Ugandan president over Darfur remarks

June 21, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan blasted the Ugandan president Yoweri Musievini as someone who is trying to “please the west” a day after he made remarks accusing the Arabs of displacing the African population in Darfur.

“Darfur is a real problem to Africa; the international community must find a quick solution. Africans are being displaced from their land,” Musievini said.

The Ugandan president speaking from Germany where he is on an official visit also said that the international community needs to take tough measures against the perpetrators of violence in Darfur.

The independent Al-Sahafa newspaper quoted unidentified Sudanese officials who described Musievini as “lacking consistency” and “unbalanced”.

The officials said that the Ugandan president lent his support to Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir during a meeting during the COMESA summit in Zimbabwe after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him on Darfur war crimes related charges.

Uganda had backed the African Union (AU) position against the arrest warrant during the peace and security council meeting earlier this year.

However, Uganda’s position on the issue appeared ambiguous as Musievini said last March that he wants neither to “condemn Bashir” nor “condone his actions”.

Musievini also called for an end to ‘Arab chauvinism against African sovereignty’ in Sudan.

The ICC accused Bashir of orchestrating an extermination campaign against the African tribes of Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa. However Sudan denied the charges saying it was suppressing an armed rebellion against the state.

(ST)