By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
A civil society activist has called on Parliament to urgently intervene on the alarming situation of students living within the South Sudan Embassy in Egypt, following their serious protest.
The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Mr. Edmund Yakani stated that the South Sudanese students studying in Egypt have registered concerns of public interest which needed to be addressed.
He said that among the key concerns were, “In September, 2015, South Sudan embassy in Cairo paid students after months of protest followed by similar incident in July, 2017, where students protested in the embassy over living hardship,
“In October 2018, students in Cairo complained about economic hardship, while in October 2022, 9 students were wounded, 10 students missing as Egyptians security personnel stormed South Sudan embassy under request by the embassy,” he stated.
Yakani, stressed that the issues happening to the South Sudanese students in Egypt, need public explanation from the Minister of Higher Education Gabriel Changson Chang, adding that the minister should explain exactly what is going on with the students.
“The transitional national legislative assembly should act urgently on this matter of the students studying in Cairo. It is in—human to see South Sudanese students studying in foreign country suffering due to living hardship or any other factor,” he said.
The renowned activist added that the parliamentary standing specialized committee on higher education should intervene by checking with the ministry of higher education and ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation.
“It is a time to find sustainable solutions to issues facing our South Sudanese students pursuing studies in foreign countries under sponsorship offered or obtained through self-struggle,” he noted.
Yakani suggested that “the best approach is for the national legislative assembly committees of higher education and foreign relationship to write through ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation to South Sudan embassy to provide accurate information on issues of students pursuing studies in their respective foreign countries for seeking sustainable solutions.”