AFP
October 23, 2008
KHARTOUM — Sudan has apologised to Ethiopia after police arrested the Ethiopian military attaché’s sister and impounded liquor from the diplomat’s home in the capital Khartoum, an Sudanese official said on Friday.
Sharia law applies in predominantly Muslim northern Sudan, and alcohol is officially banned.
“The foreign ministry officially apologised to the Ethiopian embassy and Foreign Minister Deng Alor phoned the Ethiopian foreign minister to apologise for what happened,” said ministry official Ali Yousuf.
Sudanese police, apparently unaware that the unmarked residence belonged to a foreign diplomat, raided the home of the Ethiopian military attaché this week while the diplomat was out.
“The police confiscated the alcohol and took the lady, who said she was his sister,” said Yousuf.
Following contact with the Ethiopian embassy, foreign ministry officials went to the police station and secured the woman’s immediate release.
Although relations between Sudan and neighbouring Ethiopia are close, the raid came just days after Khartoum summoned the Ethiopian ambassador over concerns that Addis Ababa shipped weapons to semi-autonomous southern Sudan.
An Ethiopian plane flew light weapons into the southern capital Juba that the Ethiopian ambassador said were destined for an arms exhibition.
“This (raid) is an isolated incident that has nothing to do with the weapons in the south. We have strategic relations with Ethiopia and we have full respect for all Ethiopian diplomats,” said Yousuf.
He said the raid was “not intentional” and a “mistake”.
Diplomatic sources said police confiscated between 50 and 60 bottles of alcohol from the Ethiopian diplomat’s home.
The Ethiopian embassy in Khartoum refused to comment.
