Suldaanka Posted August 1, 2005 By Marc Lacey Khartoum August 2, 2005 Page Tools Email to a friend Printer format Thousands of southern Sudanese went on the rampage in Khartoum yesterday, attacking northerners and looting shops, after southern rebel leader and Vice-President John Garang was killed in a helicopter crash. "They are beating anybody they see who looks like they are Arab," Swayd Abdullah, a student, said. Witnesses reported hearing the sound of gunfire. Shops closed and there was a heightened security presence in the streets, witnesses said. The Ugandan military helicopter carrying Mr Garang, a long-time rebel leader who was installed as Vice-President just three weeks ago, went down at the weekend as it flew through bad weather from northern Uganda to southern Sudan, officials said. "There is something (wreckage) that has been found," a Ugandan military spokesman, said yesterday after a frantic search operation was begun for the wreckage of the helicopter. There had been confusion about his fate after Sudan's state television said the helicopter had landed safely in a camp in southern Sudan. But later Ugandan officials said that they had found the wreckage and there were no survivors. Mr Garang's swearing in as Vice-President was a historic moment that drew more than a million people on to the streets of the Sudanese capital. He had headed a rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army, that had fought since 1983 to topple the Government. Mr Garang played such a pivotal role in the peace agreement signed in January, bringing an end to the 21-year-long civil war, that his death was seen as a serious setback. He had been instrumental in keeping southern rebels together and had survived many attempts on his life. "Losing John Garang is very shocking news," said Lazaro Sumbeiywo, a retired Kenyan general who led the peace talks and was informed of Mr Garang's death by colleagues yesterday. "He was an extraordinary person. This whole process will not be the same." The question of succession remains uncertain. Officials said there was no sign of foul play in his death. Mr Garang had been flying home from an official visit to President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. He was on the way to his base in southern Sudan when Ugandan authorities lost track of his helicopter, Ugandan military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Shaban Bantariza said. Mr Garang had arrived in Uganda on Friday afternoon and flew to Mr Museveni's country house in Rwakitura, nearly 300 kilometres south-east of Kampala, the Ugandan capital. The leaders, who have long been allies, discussed the war in northern Uganda in which rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army have terrorised the local population, often making raids from bases in southern Sudan. Mr Garang had said he intended to force those rebels to leave Sudan. - New York Times, Reuters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted August 2, 2005 Salaan... All those decades of guerilla fighting and this result? The guy apparently hadn't had a good chance to enjoy the fruits of finally signing peace deal and being a vice president. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haddad Posted August 2, 2005 This seems to be a foul play. There are entities who don't want Sudan to enjoy peace and prosperity. It remains to be seen what this will lead to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shirwac Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Haddad: This seems to be a foul play. There are entities who don't want Sudan to enjoy peace and prosperity. It remains to be seen what this will lead to. Why can't something JUST happen without there being a conspiracy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haddad Posted August 2, 2005 Originally posted by Shirwac: Why can't something JUST happen without there being a conspiracy? That's a valid possibility. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
