Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Lawmakers in the national parliament on Wednesday called on the government to deploy unified forces to the borders with Sudan.
They argued that the presence of the forces at the borders would help monitor the internal security of the country.
Akot Dau, a member of parliament representing Melut and Adar in northern Upper Nile State, said they cannot neglect internal security while trying to help those fleeing from Sudan.
“On a domestic scale, this is already an existential danger,” Dau said.
Dau said immigration officials are already dealing with a surge of refugees and returnees, which calls for the deployment of the police to enforce order.
Peter Manyang, who represents Uror County, cautioned that some people may take advantage of the situation in Sudan to smuggle and other criminal elements might harm South Sudan.
“The other day, the minister of interior said we should stop asking for visas. Some of these people are undocumented residents, how do you know who is who,” he asked.
“South Sudan is not in a position to absorb this massive flow,” Manyang added.
However, Joseph Achuil, another MP, also cautioned against militarising the country’s northern border with Sudan because of the already deepening disputes and mistrust between the two countries.
Achuil said this move could raise suspicion from the “brothers in North.”
“The situation at the border is a humanitarian crisis that cannot be solved with restriction measures on those fleeing because of fear of persecution in their home country,” Lual said.
Instead of sending troops, Lual called on the government to send resources to communities to help those fleeing Sudan. “There is nothing called kindness; we are protecting our sovereignty as a nation,” Lual said.
Lual said if there is anything at all about insecurity, this can be handled by the security forces and should not be confused with a humanitarian situation.
“So it is a recommendation for resettlement and the establishment of refugee camps,” he added.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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