Sudan asked to give more time to allow Ugandan army hunting for rebels

KAMPALA, Jan 5, 2005 (Xinhua) — Uganda has asked Sudan to extend the protocol which allows its army to enter the Arab country hunting for Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, local press reported on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Defense Ruth Nankabirwa said Tuesday that there was need to extend the protocol “so that we continue to cooperate with Sudan to oust (rebel leader) Joseph Kony.”

The Ugandan army was allowed to enter southern Sudan at the beginning of 2002 and the protocol was extended several time and the last extension expired on December 31, 2004.

Nankabirwa said the objectives of the protocol had to be achieved.

“The main objective is to make sure that Kony is no more and that the people of southern Sudan and Uganda are at peace,” she said.

“The protocol was giving responsibility to both countries to wipe out Kony. We do not have to leave a vacuum, not until there is an able administration in southern Sudan which can take care of our fears,” Nankabirwa said.

She added that “we are ready to work with any administration in southern Sudan to oust the LRA.”

She said even if the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudan People’s Armed Forces signed a peace agreement, “we can request for an extension of the protocol so that the Ugandan army can operate from southern Sudan.”