Arms smuggling worries Sudan

[Robbien]

Source: Gulf News

The Sudanese Government is in a state of shock following the accidental discovery of two consignments of arms that were allegedly on its way to the southern army.

The sensitivity of the issue stems from the fact that the fragile truce between North and South Sudan might collapse if the allegation proves true, a source from the Information and Communication Ministry told Gulf News on Tuesday.

The first consignment of 35 Russian tanks and artillery guns was intercepted by Somali pirates when they hijacked an Ukrainian ship off the coast of Somalia. The pirates said that the consignment, purchased by Kenya, was on its way to the south of Sudan.

The second incident of illegal armament was uncovered by the UN inspectors who said that an Ethiopian DC130 cargo plane, which was carrying 40 tonnes of ammunition and light armaments, was seized at the Juba Airport in the south for illegal trade in arms.

. . .

Bakri Al Mulah, Secretary General of the Exterior Information Council in Khartoum, said the government is willing to find a peaceful end to the two arm smuggling cases before they snowball into a major crisis and sweep the 2005 peace treaty away. "The ministry of foreign affairs is collecting information about the two consignments for which the ambassadors of both Kenya and Ethiopia were summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain Khartoum's concerns about the two incidents," Al Mulah told Gulf News.

Read more: http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Sudan/10252046.html

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All the media attention has been on the pirates. But the real story here is that huge arm smuggling is going on. That illegal tanks, thirty five of them, can be transported so easily should make one's mouth drop.

[kirby]

1. That illegal tanks can be transported so easily...

This is probably just a cover. I imagine some intelligence agency is supplying southern Sudan with the weapons to counter the Islamists in Sudan. The pirate/hijacking of the ship screwed the plan up.

[ohio2007]

2. 9 Chinese oil workers kidnapped in Sudan. Now they have something to be worried about

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Nine Chinese oil workers were kidnapped in an oil-rich region of southwestern Sudan, officials said Sunday, in the latest attack on China's interests in the conflict-stricken country.
Sudanese government officials blamed a Darfur rebel group for Saturday's kidnapping, calling it a stab at development efforts in Sudan.
None of the Darfur rebel
groups, who have fought the central government for five years, claimed responsibility. In the past, though, rebels have targeted Chinese interests, saying the Asian power's massive oil sector investments help the government in its fight in Darfur. And one rebel group warned Chinese and other oil firms a year ago to leave the country.
International human rights groups and Darfur activists have also grown more critical of China's relationship with Sudan, saying the close ties help fuel the bloodshed that has left up to 300,000 people dead and driven more than 2.5 million people from their homes.
China buys nearly two-thirds of Sudan's oil, and oil sales account for 70 percent of the African country's export revenue
Beijing is also believed to be the provider of most of Sudan's small arms, many of which are used in Darfur. Beijing, which has veto power at the U.N., has resisted tough Security Council action against Sudan over the conflict.


snip

http://www.pr-inside.com/chinese-oil-workers-kidnapped-in-r869121.htm

When will the US send in troops to protect the "interests" of these developing countries?
:sarcasm: