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Gold/Mining/Energy : TLM.TSE Talisman Energy -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tomas who wrote (283)	5/10/1999 7:52:00 PM
From: Tomas	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1713

Chinese oil workers kidnapped over militia dispute with Khartoum - rebels CAIRO, May 10 (AFP) - Members of a pro-government Sudanese militia kidnapped 23 Chinese oil workers to protest Khartoum's decision to prevent them from guarding the oil fields, a rebel official said Monday. Yasser Armane, spokesman for the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), insisted the abductions had indeed taken place despite Khartoum's denial, adding that his group was not involved. South Sudan Defence Forces (SSDF) militiamen kidnapped the workers because Khartoum had prevented them from providing security for the oil fields in Al-Wihda state, he told AFP by telephone from Asmara. "They felt annoyed by the fact that they did not benefit from the oil wealth coming from their region and that it was going to the north instead," where Khartoum is located, Armane said. He said the SPLA "is not involved in this incident but is willing to provide any sort of help to the inhabitants of the region." He also renewed a warning to foreign oil companies that oilfields were considered "legitimate military targets." Earlier the Khartoum daily Al-Rai Al-Aam carried a statement by Sudanese army spokesman General Mohamed Othman Yassin that reports of oil workers being taken hostage were "false" and "untrue." "This allegation reflects wishes and dreams by the rebels that cannot materialise," Yassin said. Assistant President and South Sudan Coordination Council Chairman Riek Machar, a former ally of SPLA leader Colonel John Garang, has acknowledged that clashes took place last week in Al-Wihda between men of his SSDF and government troops. Machar said the fighting was due to "an internal dispute over who is in charge of securing some locations." The SPLA has since 1983 been waging a war to free the Christian and animist south from domination by the Islamist-led, Arabized government of the north.