The Salma Development and Services Co. (described in press accounts as fishing company) reported it asked the Red Cross and various Sudanese tribal leaders to intercede with the SPLA to release a ship and barge the rebels had seized. The company said its steamer was carrying a load of fish from Lake No in Unity State. An SPLA spokesman said that the steamer and barge did not belong to the fishing company but to part of the state-run oil consortium, the El Salaam Petroleum Company (translates as The Peace oil company). The SPLA spokesman once again asserted that the steamer was carrying GOS (Government of Sudan)soldiers on a recon mission on the White Nile (Bhar el-Jebel) River. (See report of August 20.)