Sudan says Uganda a threat to regional stability

March 31, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government lashed out again at Uganda accusing it of undermining regional security by harboring and supporting anti-Khartoum rebel movements.

The spokesman of Sudan’s Foreign Ministry Abu-Bakr al-Sideeg said on Saturday that Kampala’s stances have become incomprehensible especially since Khartoum has repeatedly called on Uganda to refrain from backing Sudanese insurgents and interfering in the country’s affairs.

The Sudanese diplomat noted the signed protocol on security, stability and development in the Great Lakes Region which he said obligates all countries in the region including Uganda not to to cooperate with the rebels.

He also pointed out that December 2011 Great lakes conference adopted a resolution designating Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) as negative forces.

The Sudanese government was infuriated this year after rebel forces and opposition groups signed an accord in Kampala last January calling for toppling the regime of president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

This has prompted Khartoum to lodge several complaints with the African Union (AU) and other regional blocs against Kampala saying the latter is supporting regime change in Sudan.

This month the speaker of the Sudan’s national assembly Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir disclosed that Khartoum is working with forces in Uganda that are opposed to president Yoweri Museveni to bring about “positive political influence”.

In response to the remarks Uganda’s Foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa warned that if Sudan continues supporting forces opposed to the Uganda Government they will be defeated.

“Sudan has always supported LRA leader Joseph Kony, if they want to continue they will meet the same end of defeat. Uganda is not going to promote any groups against the government of Sudan,” Kutesa told New Vision newspaper in Kampala.

He went on to say that the two countries have a bilateral mechanism of resolving problems between the two countries.

Uganda’s top diplomat also warned that if Sudan were to expel any staff from Uganda’s embassy in Sudan as it has threatened, Kampala would reciprocate.

“We hope they don’t go that extent,” he said.

Kutesa described as a mistake for al-Tahir to attempt to spoil relations between the countries and try to conduct issues of bilateral relations through the press.

(ST)