By Yiep Joseph
Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has called on South Sudan immigration officials to stop mistreating foreigners at arrival and departure points.
Edmund Yakani, who is also the chairperson of the East African Civil Society Organization, claimed that some citizens of East African Community member states face many challenges at arrival or departure points.
“We have observed recently very poor treatment towards citizens of the East African Community or citizens who come from African member states to which we belong,” Yakani said.
“We have seen citizens from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC, and Burundi sometimes treated in a harsh and intimidating manner,” he added.
He urged the Minister of East African Affairs and the Ministry of Interior to team up and direct officials at entry points to cease such practices, adding that they spoil the image of the country.
“My appeal, with high respect and honor, to the Minister of Interior, the Directorate of Migration, the IGP of Police, and the Ministry of East African Affairs is to look into this strictly and find a solution,” he appealed.
“I would like to amplify my voice loudly to the attention of the Directorate of Migration and the office of the IGP in our national Ministry of Interior regarding a serious concern that has a direct impact on our image as the Republic of South Sudan in conducting our migration services to citizens of other countries who are traveling by road or by air to South Sudan,” he added.
Yakani expressed that all East African member states, as well as other members of the world, should enjoy equal treatment as required by law.
He expressed that civil society is concerned about such incidents and urged those responsible to end these practices.
The activist urged the South Sudan government to ensure that action is taken to end the practice of harsh treatment towards these individuals.
Yakani called for an investigation into the allegation of extra charges placed on other nationals by officers at check points.
“There are some demands we are questioning whether they are legal demands or not, in terms of payment of fees like 20,000 SSP in one location and another location. These fees are not paid by us as South Sudanese when we are entering one of the East African Community member states. Even if we have been discriminated against in other countries as South Sudanese, we should act properly towards our fellow East Africans,” he said.
“We should act towards other East African member states in a friendly manner,” he said.
He called on immigration officials to stop giving a hard time to Sudanese at the point of entry, adding that they are our close neighbors.
The activist generally calls for respect for all citizens and the use of legal procedures at points of entry or departure.
He added that civil society would continue to monitor how people are treated and will continue to condemn cases of human rights abuses.