Sudan riots kill over 100
2005-08-04 12:32
Simon Apiku
Khartoum - Over 100 people have been killed in three days of rioting in the Sudanese capital and a flashpoint southern town, officials said amid international appeals for calm in Africa's largest country.
The funeral procession for ex-southern rebel leader John Garang was due to begin on Thursday following his death in a helicopter crash which has threatened to plunge the war-ravaged country into fresh turmoil and scupper a January peace deal.
The United States urged the government to step up efforts to halt the violence that erupted after Garang's death in a helicopter crash on Saturday, pitting southerners against northern Muslims.
Many lives lost
The International Committee of the Red Cross said 84 people had been killed since rioting broke out Monday in Khartoum and the Sudanese authorities have imposed a curfew.
At least 18 people have also been killed and hundreds wounded in Juba, the capital of autonomous south Sudan, and thousands of northern Sudanese have reportedly fled in fear of their lives.
Large numbers of heavily-armed Sudanese troops patrolled Juba as the town prepared for Saturday's funeral, while over the next two days Garang's body is to be transported through four towns for residents to pay their respects.
Salva Kiir, Garang's replacement as head of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) called for an end to the bloodshed which the international community fears could scupper a landmark January peace deal that ended 21 years of north-south war.
"We want this situation to be stopped as soon as possible so that security returns to Khartoum and its suburbs," said Kiir.
Sudan to probe Garang's death
In an bid to ease tensions, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir announced the launch of a committee to probe Garang's death, while Uganda called for an emergency summit of East African leaders.
Calm had returned to the capital by Wednesday night, mostly owing to large army and police presence. City governor Abdelhalim Mutaafi said it was the "largest deployment of security organs in Khartoum's history".
He said hundreds had been arrested during the riots.
Sudan extremely tense
Army personnel carriers and pickup trucks with machine guns atop and could been seen on the streets in addition to heavily-armed police and army patrols.
Several residents said the deadly clashes had taken place in the southern-majority Khartoum neighbourhood of Hajj Yusef and the situation remained extremely tense.
The United States, which invested much political capital into securing the January 9 pact, and others are concerned the agreement may unravel despite vows from both Kiir and Khartoum to uphold the deal.
"We urge the government of national unity to continue to take steps to stop the violence, to promote reconciliation and to maintain momentum on implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement," said acting state department spokesperson Tom Casey.
- AFP