| KAMPALA
THE SUDANESE government has written to Uganda seeking to know the circumstances under which President Yoweri Museveni travelled to Yei, in Southern Sudan to pay his last respects to fallen Lt. Gen. John Garang.
The Sudanese government wrote on August 8 and also asked Uganda to explain the circumstances under which several Ugandan officials have been travelling to New Site, the crash site of the presidential helicopter in which Dr Garang and 12 others died.
Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda Hassan Ibrahim Karim wrote on behalf of his government, sources told Daily Monitor.
A source said Khartoum is particularly concerned that President Museveni entered Sudanese territory without informing the central authority. According to military sources, the president entered Yei under heavy military escort including battle wagons and heavy artillery.
The source said the President notified the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement leadership, which controls Southern
Sudan,
about his travel plans and they reportedly gave him a go-ahead.
Museveni travelled from his country home in Rwakitura, Mbarara District to the Southern Sudanese town of Yei by road last Thursday to pay his last respects to the late Garang. The Sudanese first vice president and president of Southern Sudan died in a helicopter crash on July 30. He was travelling aboard a Ugandan presidential helicopter to New Site in Southern Sudan when the plane crashed reportedly due to bad weather. State Minister for International Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem confirmed receiving the inquiry note by the Sudan government.
I received that communication. They are making inquiries as to the circumstances under which the President travelled to Yei and how our people have been travelling to New Site he said.
The letter is headlined aide memoir. They are seeking a clarification. This is not a big issue. In the international diplomacy, we always make inquiries, this is not a b
ig
issue, Oryem added.
The minister said that Sudan is not only inquiring about President Musevenis travel to Yei, and the visit to New site by the Ugandan officials investigating the accident but also want clarification about the next IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development) meeting which Uganda was supposed to host.
On whether government informed Sudan about the Presidents visit to Yei, Oryem replied, I will get a clarification from State House. You should remember that Sudan allowed Uganda to pursue the LRA up to a certain point inside their territory and under the Compressive Peace Agreement it is one government with two systems. So all these factors I have to put them into account.
The Khartoum government signed the accord with the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/ Movement (SPLA/M) and Southern Sudan is presumed to be governing itself. The SPLA/M Chairman is also the First Vice-President of Sudan. Oryem said he was preparing a response
to
Sudans inquiries and it may be ready in a few days. | 
