[Ugnet] Buturo admits Garang crash was poorly handled

[Matek Opoko]

Buturo: The fact is that the NRM military dictatorship was caught in many many lies regarding the circumstances surrounding John Garang's death. The media is simply reporting what they do best: report facts as they see it.  Taking on the Ugandan media is more like inviting the wreath  of Organizations like the CPJ ( committee to protect Journalist) based In New York.  Besides members of the International Community are watch  what ever happens in Uganda with very keen interest!!!! You, the NRM, Military dictatorship , is no doubt providing them with yet another clear evidence for many such organizations to Conclude that the Regime  in Kampala is indeed a dictatorship now intent on Muzzling press Freedom!!!   Matek Buturo admits Garang crash was poorly handled

HUSSEIN BOGERE

KAMPALA THE government has conceded that the way it handled information following the crash of the presidential helicopter in which Sudanese Vice President Lt. Gen. John Garang and 12 others died was poor. “It’s true we were poor in providing information and some sections of the media took advantage of this,” the State Minister for Information, Dr James Nsaba Buturo, said yesterday. “The government is to blame for the invention of some of the stories. We accept that the government should do better in coordination of information in future,” Buturo told journalists during the weekly press briefing at Nakasero. President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday accused some media houses of publishing information that could jeopardise regional security. On Wednesday last week, the country was thrown into confusion when Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, announced that the following day would be a public holiday to mourn the seven Ugandans that perished in the helicopter cr ash. Buturo later dismissed it as a rumour. There was uncertainty on the day of the arrival of the remains. Then both Buturo and Defence minister Amama Mbabazi indicated that Museveni was devastated by Garang’s death, only for the president to dismiss it later. “We should have updated the nation on the goings on at intervals daily. The United States’ probe team demands to have another look at the remains caused the delay on Monday,” Buturo said. The remains finally arrived on Tuesday morning, and national mourning was held at Kololo on Wednesday. Buturo said to avoid future embarrassment, he had prepared a paper on the dissemination of information to be presented to the next Cabinet meeting. Buturo said President Yoweri Museveni’s warning to media houses that compromise regional security is not just a threat. “The government has gone ahead to prepare taking on whoever will seek to jeopardise Uganda’s interests in the name of press freedom and human rights. < BR>We shall be tough on the media. We are using all means to tame this situation, otherwise it’s going to turn into anarchy. The Attorney General is aware, I wrote to him this morning informing him of the areas to tighten. We want to work within the law,” Buturo said.

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