S. Sudanese rebel delegations meet Museveni in Kampala

November 27, 2014 (KAMPALA) – A high-level delegation of the rebel faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) on Thursday met with the Ugandan president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Kampala.

The delegation led by the SPLM-IO deputy chairman, General Alfred Ladu Gore, also included the rebels chairman for external affairs relations committee, Dhieu Mathok Diing and chairman for information and public relations committee, Mabior Garang de Mabior.

In a statement he posted on social media on Thursday, Mabior praised what he called “revolutionary Ugandan comrades” for making the mission successful.

“…last minute changes through the efforts of revolutionary Ugandan comrades of the Uganda Peace Support Team…under Senior Comrade Salim Saleh…has ensured the success of the SPLM/SPLA delegation’s mission to Uganda,” Mabior said in his comments without giving further details on the outcome of the meeting.

Other rebel sources however told Sudan Tribune that the mission was a follow up on previous attempts to arrange a meeting between president Museveni and the rebel leader, Riek Machar.

Rebels delegates led by Gore had in the past travelled to Kampala but failed to meet president Museveni who only delegated his brother Salim Saleh to meet the rebels.

The opposition faction has been asking Uganda to withdraw its troops from South Sudan and stop supporting president Salva Kiir’s government.

The rebels also said they wanted to establish good relations with the Ugandan government in areas of diplomacy and humanitarian interventions in which SPLM-IO has established office in Kampala for the purpose.

Kampala had in the past resisted the call to withdraw its forces which have been fighting alongside president Kiir’s soldiers against Machar’s rebel group.

(ST)