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GoSS announces 3 day public mourning in south |
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Saturday, 03 May 2008 |
The Government of Southern Sudan declared three day public mourning in the south for the victims of the plane crash.
Speaking to Miraya FM, the Director General of Governance Affairs in the government of southern Sudan, Afram Wani Peter, called on all the governmental institutions in the country to lower down all the flags on top of their infrastructures.
Mr. Peter also called on all the FM stations broadcasting in the south to cease airing joyful music in respect to the victims of the crash. The First Vice President and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, called on for investigations on the plane crash. Mr. Kiir said “there is no meaningful reason for the plane, besides the engine technical problem”. Kiir said that the bodies will arrive in Juba today for burial and urged citizens to stay calm.
The President of the Government of Southern Sudan said that “this is saddest plane crash for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement. "The Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Government of Southern Sudan, Gabriel Changson Chang, said that despite the tragic incident the southern government is determined to continue with the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
In Khartoum, the Presidency of the Republic expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Presidential Adviser of the Government of South Sudan, Justin Yac, and the Minister of the Sudan People's Liberation Army Affairs, Lt. Gen. Dominic Dim Deng, who died in the plane crash on their way from Wau to Juba. President Omer Al-Bashir and the Chairman of the National Congress Party, and his deputies expressed condolence to the families of the victims, the Government of Sudan and the southern Sudanese people on the death.
A military and political delegation from the Government of National Unity is expected to leave Khartoum today for Juba to pay their condolence to the government of southern Sudan and the SPLM leading officials. On Friday, a plane belonging to Southern Sudan Air Connection Company (Beech-craft 1900) crashed and burst into flame when approaching Rumbek in the Lakes State.
According to a senior air operations official in Rumbek, there is no survivor among the 21 passengers on board. The pilot of the Kenya registered plane had told the control tower in Rumbek that one of the engines had developed technical problems and asked for permission to land in Rumbek.
But after few minutes later the tower lost communications with the plane. An official in the UN Mission in Sudan on the ground told Miraya FM that a helicopter was sent to the crash site to transport the bodies to Morgue in Juba. Lt. Gen. Dominc Dim Deng, the Minister of the SPLA Affairs in the Government of southern Sudan is considered as one of the most prominent figures in the south who died in the plane crash.
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