afrol News, 7 July - Ugandan government has refuted findings of a report alleging its army's civilian attacks in southern Sudan, an attack which was blamed on Uganda's rebel group, Lord's Resistance Army.

The report presented in southern Sudan Parliament on 30 June by Vice President Riek Machar implicated Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) in the country's recent attacks on civilians including abduction and killing of a man of Nyongwa village on June 14.

Uganda's Foreign Minister, Mr Sam Kutesa dismissed the report saying his army is disciplined. "Southern Sudan remains a restive area with so many small armed groups operating there, so it is difficult to distinguish who are the Ugandan rebels and who are not," he said.

Rejection of allegations just a week after southern Sudanese government has ordered Ugandan troops to leave its territory, blaming it on recent civilian's attacks in the border with Sudan.

Ugandan army Commander Mr Aronda Nyakairima said allegations have soured their relations with south Sudan authorities.

"We have been hearing these allegations through the press, but they are all false. What I know, what we suspect is that there could be a problem of identity between our forces and other armed groups operating there," he told Sudan Tribune.

Ugandan Security Minister Mr Amamba Mbabazi said his country is still in shock as to what had prompted South Sudan government to order its troops out of Sudan, saying to date they had not received a formal communication regarding its expulsion in Southern Sudan.

"We have had close coordination and cooperation with the government of South Sudan and of Sudan and I don't see the reason why this should not continue," he told The New Vision.

"It is a political decision, something which President Salva Kiir should take up with President Museveni," he said. South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar, told the lawmakers last week, Kiir had already instructed SPLA Chief of Staff, Lt. General Oyai Deng, to communicate the order to his Ugandan counterpart.

Uganda peace talks between government and country's rebels, which resumed in 2006, reached a stalemate in April this year when brutal LRA leader Joseph Kony refused to sign a peace deal saying the International Criminal Court should withdraw warrants of arrest on him and other LRA leaders.

Meanwhile, Mr Kony has called on resumption of peace talks though he wants venue of the peace talks to be shifted to Democratic Republic of Congo, but the Ugandan Government has ruled out a change of venue or any further talks.

"Our view is that the talks have been completed and what is remaining now is for Mr Kony to sign the final peace agreement," said internal minister Ruhakana Rugunda, the leader of the Government delegation.

Uganda, has been hunting LRA forces in southern Sudan since 2002, and had committed to keep its forces in the country to stop the rebels from returning to northern Uganda and threatening Ugandan security.

Uganda's two-decade civil war displaced 2 million people and destabilised parts of oil-producing south Sudan and mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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