The Ugandan government has declared a three-day mourning period with effect from Tuesday with flags flying at half-mast in the whole country to condole the death of Sudanese First Vice President John Garang.

A statement from President Yoweri Museveni was read by Vice President Robert Bukenya at the parliament meeting on Monday afternoon.

Museveni said: "it has now been confirmed that our dear brother, Dr. John Garang, First Vice President of Sudan and President of Southern Sudan, with others, died in a helicopter crash, South East of New Cush on the Sudan-Uganda border slightly beyond Kidepo National Park."

Museveni said: "The death of our brother and long time comrade- in-arms is a tragic loss to the cause of patriotic Africa. It was a great shock and a source of anger to see that Dr. Garang, who has survived so many trials and tribulations, could lose his life when peace was beginning to come back to Sudan."

He praise Garang "as one of the most visionary and incisive revolutionary thinkers and nationalists Africa has ever produced."

"However, the struggle for the dignity and progress of patriotic Africa is unstoppable," Museveni said, adding that "the death of Dr. Garang will not derail the struggle of the Sudanese people for justice and dignity."

He stressed that the Ugandan government supports the interim process in Sudan.

"I extend my condolences and those of the people of Uganda to Rebecca Garang and the children, to the Sudan People's Liberation Army, to the people of Sudan, and to President Omar Al-Beshir and the Interim Government of that country. I also extend similar condolences to the families of other Sudanese and Ugandans who died in the crash," he said.

Source: Xinhua