The Speaker of South Sudan's Parliament calls for urgent action to address the situation of their citizens in Libya and Kenya.
The Speaker of Parliament reveals the detention of more than 155 South Sudanese citizens.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
The head of the Transitional National Legislative Council, Joseph Angere Baseko, revealed that detention More than 100 South Sudanese citizens are in Libya and another 55 in Kenya, calling on the government to clarify the steps taken to address their situation and provide them with the necessary support.
Parliamentary demands for urgent action to address the situation of South Sudanese citizens in Libya and Kenya
During a parliamentary session, Basiko explained that a delegation headed by MP Majour Babur had recently visited the Libyan city of Benghazi, where it was found that more than 100 South Sudanese citizens were being held in detention.
He added that the delegation coordinated with local and consular authorities to gather information related to the detainees' cases and the conditions of their detention.
The Speaker of Parliament indicated that the Council would summon the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior to provide a briefing on the government's measures to protect citizens facing legal problems abroad, and to explain the efforts made to ensure their legal and human rights.
Regarding the detainees in Kenya, Basiko stated that the Kenyan authorities had provided the government with a list of charges against them, which include theft and robbery, stressing that the South Sudanese embassy in Nairobi is closely monitoring the case to ensure that the detainees receive fair treatment and to provide the necessary support to those who meet the conditions for release.
The issue was raised amid parliamentary demands for increased attention to the conditions of citizens, students and refugees from South Sudan abroad, and for strengthening the role of diplomatic missions in following up on their issues and protecting their interests.
$853,000 to repatriate 42 citizens: Mass deportation from Ireland highlights South Africa's migration crisis
In a separate context, the issue of illegal immigration has complex dimensions between the countries that send and receive immigrants, which recently emerged after Ireland carried out a mass deportation operation that included 42 citizens from South Africa who were residing illegally on its territory, in a move that attracted widespread attention given its high cost and sensitive timing.
A costly deportation process
Irish authorities carried out the deportation via a chartered flight from Dublin to South Africa, at an initial cost of €735,000, equivalent to approximately $853,000. According to official data, the average cost of deporting one person exceeded €17,000.
