By Philip Buda Ladu
South Sudan’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deng Dau Deng is saddened by illegal issuance of diplomatic to ordinary citizens.
The minister, who brought to the light of the cabinet, said diplomatic and special passports are meant only for officials and diplomats on special missions of the country.
“A sizeable number of ordinary citizens have been issued the country’s official diplomatic passports which is causing inconveniences to diplomats as they travel across the world,” the minister alluded.
The minister said that the officials who were inconvenienced while traveling on diplomatic missions outside the country reported the mater to his desk.
He was therefore prompted to brief the council of ministers and seek for their backing in enforcing a law against such malpractices taking the nation by storm.
National minister of Information minister, Michael said the acting foreign affairs minister notified the cabinet on the issuance of the diplomatic passports to wrong persons.
“The cabinet listened to a presentation from the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Hon. Deng Dau on the issuance of diplomatic, special and official passports” he said.
Makuei stated that this issue of passports misuse has become a problem.
“The minister of foreign affairs realized that there were so many passports that have been issued to people who do not deserve and as such, causing us problems all over the world” Makuei said.
There are a lot of people travelling all over the world with South Sudan’s diplomatic passports without official positions and as such they cause inconveniences to others, the information minister stated.
Makue said it is based on that, the minister of foreign affairs asked for cabinet backing to enact a law against unauthorized issuance of diplomatic passports to ordinary citizens.
The minister foreign affairs drew attention his peers in the government by quoting provisions in the law and requested cabinet support to implement or operationalize of the provisions of the law.
Makuei said people who are unlawfully holding diplomatic passports have two options, either to return to the authority or keep until expiry.
“If anybody who is having a diplomatic passport which he/she doesn’t deserve, if it put you into conflict with the law then that passport will be regain from you”.
An independent source, on condition of anonymity, told No1 Citizen Daily Newspaper the unauthorized diplomatic passports issued due to urgency of demand when ordinary passports run out-stock.
Although the claim needs further verification with the immigration department, the source disclosed that some citizens who need the documents landed on special passports by good luck.