Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The South Sudan government is urging the United States to reconsider its recent decision to revoke all visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders and the halting of new arrivals there.
The appeal came after Juba de-escalated a diplomatic standoff between both countries over a man deported from the U.S. on alleged mistaken identity.
The individual was first deported to Juba on April 5 with travel documents issued at the South Sudan embassy in Washington under the name Nimeri Garang.
However, South Sudanese immigration authorities returned him to the U.S. from the airport after determining that his real name is Makula Kintu from North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The incident prompted Washington to accuse Juba of rejecting its citizens and jeopardizing national security.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked visas for all South Sudanese passport holders and halting the entry of new arrivals, but added that the decision was subject to review.
On April 8, South Sudan permitted the U.S. deportee to enter the country, and on the next day, he landed at Juba International Airport, welcomed by immigration authorities, the foreign ministry said.
The Office of Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel then issued a statement urging Washington to reconsider its position.
“South Sudan’s government regrets the incident and respectfully urges the United State government to revoke its recent decision to cancel all visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders,” the statement partly reads.
The statement pointed out that the sweeping measure has caused profound concern and hardship among innocent South Sudanese citizens, who have abided by international norms and respected U.S immigration laws.
Dr. Bol’s office added that the leadership recognizes the gravity of the situation and affirms its unwavering commitment to engaging constructively with the United States in the spirit of diplomacy and mutual respect.
A U.S.-based South Sudanese academic raised concern over the Trump administration’s decision to revoke visas for South Sudanese nationals, cautioning that more than 2,000 individuals could be affected by the move.
Dr. Jok Madut Jok, a professor at Syracuse University in the United States, linked the diplomatic fallout to a “specific failure” at the South Sudanese Embassy in Washington.
The embassy, according to Dr. Jok, mistakenly certified a Congolese national as a South Sudanese citizen, which ultimately led to the individual’s deportation under false documentation.
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