Juba wants UPDF troops to stay

By Joyce Namutebi

Senior officials from the government of South Sudan have rejected calls from various quarters calling for withdrawal of Ugandan troops from their country.

During a meeting with MPs from Uganda who serve on the committee of defence, South Sudan’s minister for national security, Gen. Obuto Mamur Mete, said the UPDF is the most well-placed army to constitute the IGAD force because it has a long history of joint operations with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

The MPs were last week in areas of South Sudan to assess the implementation of status of the forces’ agreement between the Government and South Sudan that was signed six months ago.

According to a press release from the UPDF headquarters, Mete also noted that the UPDF has South Sudan at heart, the reason for which it went to South Sudan without reservations when called on to assist South Sudan to avert a genocide.

“UPDF has been here since Iron Fist 1 and 2. They have been in South Sudan in the fight against the LRA. Twenty kilometres from here, we fought and lost blood together. They want UPDF to withdraw to the destruction of Uganda and South Sudan,” Mete said.

He noted that South Sudan is a sovereign country with a right to invite any friend without external consent.

“When the LRA was in Uganda, I did not require permission to enter northern Uganda to fight them. ,” he said at the meeting also attended by a cross-section of Ugandan businessmen operating in Juba.

Opposition MPs in Parliament have been asking the Government to withdraw UPDF from South Sudan and let the Sudanese sort out their differences.

The mayor of Bor town, Eng. Nhail Majak Nhail and the speaker of parliament of Jongley state, Peter Deng Aguer, said formerly displaced persons who fled at the height of the unrest have just started to return and that the withdrawal of the UPDF would discourage others from returning.

The commander of the Joint Task Force, Brig. Muhanga Kayanja, also said: “One of the reasons we came here was to avert possible redeployments of the LRA in their former bases”.

RELATED ARTICLES

IGAD teams commence operations in South Sudan

South Sudan calls for more food aid, hails Uganda

'Alarming' deaths in war-torn South Sudan UN camp

South Sudan: No Power-Sharing Without Reform

Uganda Police respond to terror threat reports

Uganda Police respond to terror threat reports

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga

Police has clarified that it did not give any information to the United States embassy about planned terror attacks on Entebbe International Airport.

Below is the full press statement form police.

POLICE RESPONSE ON  REPORTS OF TERROR THREATS TO ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

International and local media have, today, carried stories to the effect that there are specific terror threats targeting Uganda, and, particularly, Entebbe International Airport. They attributed the source of the information to the United States embassy in Uganda, and, who, in turn, are reported to have said they got the information from the Uganda Police.

This is to clarify that the Uganda Police did not give any such specific information to the United States embassy about planned terror attacks on Entebbe International Airport.  As the public knows, whenever there is an imminent terror threat on the country, the Police issues terror alerts. Had we found it necessary that there was such information that warranted the travelling public using Entebbe International Airport to be informed, Police would, similarly, have alerted the public.

It is true, Uganda, alongside countries in the region, face the daily threat of terrorism from such groups as the Al Shabab and the ADF, and have put in place effective counter terrorism measures, especially at such vital installations as Entebbe International Airport, to ensure that those groups do not succeed in their evil plans.

In fact, in a recent clarification of remarks attributed to the Inspector General of Police by the Daily Monitor, we clearly reassured the public that Entebbe International Airport is safe and secure, not least because of the counter terror measures in place. Indeed, the Police, together with sister security agencies, continuously, and on a daily basis, focuses on the threat of terrorism and evaluates whatever information relating to any possible attacks on the country.

This is, therefore, to reassure the country and the world, that whatever information on possible terror attacks on the country is not specific.  At any rate, we wish to reassure the public, especially the travelling public who use Entebbe Internationa Airport that there is no cause for alarm.

There are adequate and effective counter terrorism measures in place to deal with any threat to the Airport or any other place in Uganda. In fact, as we alerted the public before, because of the ongoing World Cup season, we have taken extra measures to ensure that the country is safe and secure.

Once again, we reiterate that Entebbe International Airport is safe and secure and the travelling public should continue with their travel plans through the airport.

However, even with this reassurance, we call upon members of the public to remain vigilant, and report any suspicious items lying in any premises, any suspicious individuals and activities to the nearest police station or post, or any security officer, or LC official. We intend to reissue detailed guidelines to the public on signs of possible explosive devices, suspicious individuals, and activities.


Fred Enanga
Ag. CP Press/ Public Relations Office
03.07.2014