Uganda protests to Sudan over rebel base near Sudanese army

By Emmy Allio

KAMPALA, July 05, 2004 (New Vision) — Uganda has again protested to the Sudan government over the presence of Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army rebel fighters near Sudanese army camps in Nisitu in southern Sudan.

Defence minister Amama Mbabazi on Saturday said Uganda protested to Sudan recently when “it was clear that Kony and his fighters had crossed the red line and camped near the Sudan People’s Armed Forces (SPAF) near Nisitu.”

The protocol of April 2002 signed by Uganda and Sudan bars the UPDF from pursuing LRA rebels above the Torit-Nisitu-Juba road, the red line separating the two armies.

Under the terms of the protocol, if Kony and his fighters crossed the red line, they were to be arrested by SPAF and handed over to either the United Nations or the Uganda government.

Mbabazi said heavy UPDF operations forced Kony to cross the red line into the Sudan army side.

He said following the protest, Kony had now crossed back to the zone under UPDF control. “He is back to the zone below the red line, but far from us. We will still endeavour to hunt him,” he said.

“The Kony presence near SPAF camps is a test of Sudan’s commitment to the protocol, which aims to end the Kony era. It is also a test to Sudan if it is to be struck off the list of countries listed by the USA for sponsoring terrorism or supporting terrorist groups like LRA,” he said.

Army Commander Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said Kony’s presence above the red line had disoriented the UPDF mission in Sudan.