Sudan Envoy Uneasy At Garang Lecture
by Izama Angelo
Kampala, Jan 31, 2005 (The Monitor/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) – The Charge d’Affaires at the Sudanese Embassy in Kampala, Mr Mohamed Ismail, caused a scare to organisers of a lecture by Dr John Garang last Friday when he reportedly refused to take up his front row sit over concerns that he may be required “to stand up for the SPLA/M anthem”.
“He argued with organisers because he thought he was going to stand up for an anthem by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement but was told only the Sudanese National anthem would be sung,” a source at the lecture said.
The lecture, which was on the Sudan peace agreement signed on January 9 was organised by the Pan-African Movement (PAM) secretariat in Kampala.
Ismail, initially had problems entering the lecture at Equator Hall at Hotel Equatoria because he had failed to identify himself to the Presidential Guard Brigade who were in charge of security. He later sat at the back despite his status, sources added.
An official said Ismail later moved up front ” because of the presence of senior government Ministers and officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs”
Some organisers now say Ismail’s actions could constitute an embarrassment to Uganda, which hosted Dr Garang last week.
“We are not surprised about Mr Mohamed’s conduct because this has been the attitude of the embassy towards events involving Southern Sudanese” an official at the Pan African Movement Secretariat said on condition of anonymity.
A senior aide to Garang later told The Monitor the Charge d’affaires, ” should have known that for the past 21 years SPLM/A only uses the Sudan national anthem and not any other”.
“The same man never came to greet the Chairman (Dr Garang) at Kololo during the NRM day celebrations although other embassy staff did. We also wondered why the Sudanese ambassador himself did not attend the lecture or the NRM day” the aide said.
Mr Julius Onen, the PS at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said, however that Sudanese Ambassador Siraj al-Din Hamid Yusuf was out of town last week.