U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, urged supporters of the late Sudanese First Vice President John Garang to remain calm while the facts surrounding his death are being investigated. 

    Garang, a longtime rebel leader turned peace negotiator in southern Sudan, died Saturday after the Ugandan military helicopter in which he was traveling crashed in inclement weather over the Uganda-Sudan border. The Sudanese leader was returning to Juba in southern Sudan after meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni over the weekend. 

    “I am deeply saddened by the death of Vice President Garang. The death of this noted Sudanese leader is a tragedy and the people of Sudan have a tremendous challenge in the days ahead,” said Smith, who is scheduled to visit the Sudan on August 17. “I urge Vice President Garang’s followers around the world to remain calm as the investigation surrounding this crash provides us with definitive answers. Sudan must continue forward on the path toward peace and progress, a dream which John Garang had worked so hard to achieve.”

    Conflicting reports over the nature of the incident led to the eruption of violence in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum – where an undetermined number of people have been killed – and has triggered anxiety among Sudanese refugees around the world. The Sudanese military was deployed to quell rioting after fire was set to an oil depot and vehicles by youth gangs. 

    “Vice President Garang spent much of his life working to secure a better future for the people of Sudan. The only way forward is to ensure that his efforts to secure peace, stability and justice in the region are continued.” said Smith. 

    Garang – who had been sworn in as First Vice President in the new national unity government on July 8^th – continued to work toward peace until his death. During his final visit to Uganda, he discussed ending the war waged by the Lord’s Resistance Army – based in southern Sudan. The former leader of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) was attempting repatriate the three to four million Sudanese refugees, both inside Sudan and in neighboring countries.